Weight loss and perseverance

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Oh yeah, I also wanted to share the calorie intake thing.

Caloric burn changes with weight like I have said before. By constantly adjusting my intake level to my new weight and holding a consistent 300 calorie difference, my body has never resisted the change. My concept has always been a sort of geological approach, time and pressure. Kinda like carving the Grand Canyon. It doesn’t happen quickly, but it will give to constant pressure.

When I started, my burn rate and intake rate were very different than they are now and I adjusted as I progressed.

At 315 lbs, burn rate was 3300 cals per day and I held to 3000 cals per day intake.

At 275 lbs, burn rate was 2900 cals per day and I held intake to 2600 cals per day.

At 240 lbs, burn rate was 2700 cals per day and I held intake to 2400 cals per day.

Now I am at 231 lbs and holding at just under 2300 cals per day.

I now consume 1000 cals per day than I did before I started. If I had tried to cut out 1000 cals per day back then, I would have failed miserably and given up in short order. But by keeping a moderate pressure on all the time and adjusting as I went, my body adapted and I never felt deprived. 300 calories less each day isn’t much, especially when you spread it out across everything you eat each day. A bite here, a bite there...it all adds up.

My current intake level is 100 cals per day less than my burn rate will be once I get to my target weight of 185 lbs. That means that one I get there, I will be have to eat more than I do now just to stay even.

Interesting thing is that I have become so tuned to just eating what I feel like that some days I check my intake and have to tell myself to eat something more...I’m too low on intake and don’t want to screw up the balance. Drop too low and I might trigger a push back from my metabolism.

Time and steady pressure is the plan and path!
 
End of the month photo. The 6 lbs weight loss this month really shows. Also, the new 40” waist pants I was just able to get into 6 weeks ago are hanging on me now. Time for some new ones!

This time, the waist size will start with the number 3... :)

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When I first started this journey, the idea of losing 100 lbs seemed like a vague dream.

Now that I have lost 84 lbs, the next 16 lbs seem like a walk in the park. Extending the goal by another 30 lbs feels completely reasonable.

I will never look at someone who claims to be struggling with how to lose 10-20 lbs seriously again.

10 lbs?? Yeah....just eat less and wait. Pfffftt!

Want to lose 50 lbs? Eat less and wait longer.

Honestly, it just isn’t that hard. The only hard part is sticking to it, having patience and waiting for the results.

Trust me, I know.
 
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You know your life has changed when the tag in your new underwear makes you grin from ear to ear...LOL!

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Before I started my weight loss program, it read “56”...and certainly not “low Rise”...LOL again!
 
fratzog lover said:
The muscle loss is the bad part. Finally broke 200(198) But I can see an older mans bicep, the skin being "not as tight." 39 pounds leaving your frame will do it.
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That's the elephant in the room here... Muscle mass will cause the body to burn calories at a much faster rate.
As it is said in the computer world, "garbage in, garbage out". Weigh gain is caused by putting too much of the wrong stuff in your mouth, while ignoring the good things that will help to keep the weight off.
You have to eat smart.
BTW, my wife is a Dr. which leads me to the other elephant in the room. Med school does NOT teach you proper nutrition. My wife and I used to go round and round about this.. she gave up, when I was able to demonstrate she was educated upon many flawed presumptions.
My case and point. In the photo of me to the left (avatar) I weight 240 lbs. Do I look fat?
5' 9" (the BMI scale is total BS)
Before my accident, I was eating 200 grs of protein a day, about the same in carbs, and I NEVER counted calories, (mainly cause I wasn't eating the calorie dense crap that causes weight gain) and weighed a lean 217. (19" arms, 52" chest, legs were 29")
I'm not trying to be a hero here... but I would like to stress conventional thinking leaves out a truck load of factors. In fact, they are ignored.
 
mopowers said:
I bet you're going to notice some big differences now that you're working out. Keep it up!
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Yeah, I already noticed one..pain! LOL!

But it’s a good kind of pain, like I used to feel back in the days of Summer Football camp. A reminder that you will be more as you do more....just like it was back then.
 
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'63GT said:
That's the elephant in the room here... Muscle mass will cause the body to burn calories at a much faster rate.
As it is said in the computer world, "garbage in, garbage out". Weigh gain is caused by putting too much of the wrong stuff in your mouth, while ignoring the good things that will help to keep the weight off.
You have to eat smart.
BTW, my wife is a Dr. which leads me to the other elephant in the room. Med school does NOT teach you proper nutrition. My wife and I used to go round and round about this.. she gave up, when I was able to demonstrate she was educated upon many flawed presumptions.
My case and point. In the photo of me to the left (avatar) I weight 240 lbs. Do I look fat?
5' 9" (the BMI scale is total BS)
Before my accident, I was eating 200 grs of protein a day, about the same in carbs, and I NEVER counted calories, (mainly cause I wasn't eating the calorie dense crap that causes weight gain) and weighed a lean 217. (19" arms, 52" chest, legs were 29")
I'm not trying to be a hero here... but I would like to stress conventional thinking leaves out a truck load of factors. In fact, they are ignored.
Click to expand...

You probably know more about this than I do, but I think I know what you are saying, but for those that don't know, the basic gist is this... (Please correct me if I am wrong)

Lean muscle, burns more calories at rest. The more lean muscle you have, the more energy your body uses just sitting there. Like having a HEMI idle versus a /6. it uses more fuel. Now, add moderate activity, ie. step on the throttle and use even more fuel.... You're going to see even more progress. Lean doesn't mean HUGE. You don't need to be a beast.

When I was in the service, I went to see the Doc and another guy was waiting as well. got talking and he was there to have his weight evaluated to get a waiver.... The dude was jacked. 220, and about 7 percent body fat. Standards are good sometimes, but they serve a different purpose than your fitness to be sure.

My own story...

Ripped as a youngin' from racing BMX bikes. 185, 5%. 5'10"
Less ripped as a young adult, maybe 8%
Stayed about the same for 4 years as a Marine.
Went to college, met a gal and we had kids.... got fat.
In Jan I was 326..... oof... Decided carrying around a small child all day, every day, was not going to cut it.
Weighed myself this morning at 255 and some change.

Important note... I did NOT do this on my own. My wife has helped immensely by making better meals with our health as the motivation and we encourage each other all the time. I notice changes in her as well, but she didn't believe me until we took some pictures at my second sons graduation. 20 lbs on her 5'3" frame made a huge difference. When she finally say the pictures, she was very excited and for once I got to say "Told ya so" and not get my *** whooped. :)

I haven't felt this good for 20 years. I can move, I can work on my cars, I can do the every day things I should be doing without feeling like I'm going need a break every 10 minutes and with any luck I'll be able to walk my daughter (youngest of 4) down the aisle when the time comes. With even more luck, see my eldest walk my grand daughter down as well.

@Ddaddy , keep up the fight, keep the goals in mind and keep showing people that perseverance, and complete resignation to a cause, gets results. Well done... slow clap, from one fat guy turned not so fat, to another... Keep on ....
 
Cuda416 said:
Lean muscle, burns more calories at rest. The more lean muscle you have, the more energy your body uses just sitting there. Like having a HEMI idle versus a /6. it uses more fuel. Now, add moderate activity, ie. step on the throttle and use even more fuel.... You're going to see even more progress. Lean doesn't mean HUGE. You don't need to be a beast.
Click to expand...

In a nut-shell, yes.
In your case, you had one of the best type of physical activities, outside smart weight training, Motorcross BMX racing. Vigorous full body activity. And thank you for your service BTW !
Unfortunately, as most of us do (I took a turn myself), life changes and we abandon good physical behavior. Some will excuse it as a right to getting old. And then wonder how they got to where they are bodily.
There are some very important dynamics, particularly in the male body, that is never realized outside the bodybuilding world. As the presence of body fat goes up, so does the production of Estrogen. It takes place in the fat cells. In fact, if a man decides to go on TRT in his later years, if the Test is injected into fatty tissue, there will be NO Testosterone boosting effect in the body! (I don't do TRT myself for other reasons)
Estrogen will actually REDUCE the production of Testosterone. Estrogen is also Catibolic. Testosterone, aside from stimulating muscle growth (Anabolic) in male AND females in its natural state, also aides the body in staying lean. And when you combine this with proper exercise, it's a win, win.
Look up Leptin, and see where that takes you. Discounting hormone levels in the body is pure FOOLISHNESS.
The answer lies, as with anything else, starts with awareness followed with good info. Then vet that info to the ninth degree. There's a lot of bad info out there. Like the assertion Testosterone therapy causes Prostrate cancer. This is the turd that never flushes! The study that concluded this asinine claim in a study conducted in 1952 on a man who was unfortunately castrated by an unfortunate accident. It did give him prostrate cancer.
The conclusion here is simple, if you don't have your balls, don't go on TRT. If you have your buddies, and feel you need the boost (most of the time its medically) then go on TRT! Your prostrate will be FINE.
I'm only scratching the surface here...
Diabetes could be stopped tomorrow, if people would do their research. I'll stop now..
 
'63GT said:
In a nut-shell, yes.
In your case, you had one of the best type of physical activities, outside smart weight training, Motorcross BMX racing. Vigorous full body activity. And thank you for your service BTW !
Unfortunately, as most of us do (I took a turn myself), life changes and we abandon good physical behavior. Some will excuse it as a right to getting old. And then wonder how they got to where they are bodily.
There are some very important dynamics, particularly in the male body, that is never realized outside the bodybuilding world. As the presence of body fat goes up, so does the production of Estrogen. It takes place in the fat cells. In fact, if a man decides to go on TRT in his later years, if the Test is injected into fatty tissue, there will be NO Testosterone boosting effect in the body! (I don't do TRT myself for other reasons)
Estrogen will actually REDUCE the production of Testosterone. Estrogen is also Catibolic. Testosterone, aside from stimulating muscle growth (Anabolic) in male AND females in its natural state, also aides the body in staying lean. And when you combine this with proper exercise, it's a win, win.
Look up Leptin, and see where that takes you. Discounting hormone levels in the body is pure FOOLISHNESS.
The answer lies, as with anything else, starts with awareness followed with good info. Then vet that info to the ninth degree. There's a lot of bad info out there. Like the assertion Testosterone therapy causes Prostrate cancer. This is the turd that never flushes! The study that concluded this asinine claim in a study conducted in 1952 on a man who was unfortunately castrated by an unfortunate accident. It did give him prostrate cancer.
The conclusion here is simple, if you don't have your balls, don't go on TRT. If you have your buddies, and feel you need the boost (most of the time its medically) then go on TRT! Your prostrate will be FINE.
I'm only scratching the surface here...
Diabetes could be stopped tomorrow, if people would do their research. I'll stop now..
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Thanks! I've only recently learned about the link between fat cells, estrogen and testosterone, and you have added some more details which is awesome, so again, thanks. I'm also now reading up on Leptin.

I completely agree about what you say about hormones etc. Trouble is sifting through all of the information out there. There's a famous book out there that says one way to achieve success is to mimic those who have succeeded. Trouble is, mimicry is not the only part, understanding is. I can mimic what a body builder does, or a strong man, but without understanding, I'm gonna hurt myself and bad.

Again, thanks for your explanation, makes total sense and now I have more to learn as well as some direction.

-=C

Oh, and you are _very_ welcome, it was and always will be, my honor to have served. Semper Fidelis...
 
Oh, and you are _very_ welcome, it was and always will be, my honor to have served. Semper Fidelis...[/QUOTE]

The gratitude I have for you, and those who served, cannot be expressed!
When I was in high school, when recruiters still visited schools, I was approached by a very astute Army recruiter. I liked what he was offering. Adventure, respect, and future.
But I had to inform him of a condition I contracted at an early age. A degenerative condition in my hips called Legg Perthes, that prevented me from most activities everyone else take for granted. He understood, and calmly wrote 4F next to my name. I felt ashamed. It broke my heart.
I had to live with acute pain for the next 30 years, before I could get hip replacements finally in 2012. It was at that point I decided to fulfill a life long want. To bodybuild. Thankfully, I have been blessed with great genetics, and I grew.
It's too late for me to join the forces, but I'm ok with that now. I have learned, to take nothing for granted in life, and it greaves me to see someone mistreated, overlooked, or misled.
To you, I lower my hat!
 
'63GT said:
Oh, and you are _very_ welcome, it was and always will be, my honor to have served. Semper Fidelis...
Click to expand...

The gratitude I have for you, and those who served, cannot be expressed!
When I was in high school, when recruiters still visited schools, I was approached by a very astute Army recruiter. I liked what he was offering. Adventure, respect, and future.
But I had to inform him of a condition I contracted at an early age. A degenerative condition in my hips called Legg Perthes, that prevented me from most activities everyone else take for granted. He understood, and calmly wrote 4F next to my name. I felt ashamed. It broke my heart.
I had to live with acute pain for the next 30 years, before I could get hip replacements finally in 2012. It was at that point I decided to fulfill a life long want. To bodybuild. Thankfully, I have been blessed with great genetics, and I grew.
It's too late for me to join the forces, but I'm ok with that now. I have learned, to take nothing for granted in life, and it greaves me to see someone mistreated, overlooked, or misled.
To you, I lower my hat![/QUOTE]


Believe it or not, I do have some understanding of that. My eldest is a Type 1 diabetic. From a very young age he wanted to be a Marine. At 11 he was diagnosed. I can't tell you how close I came to visiting the recruiter that tried to tell him he could still enlist so he could get to my sons friends... Us old guys are still around because we were sometimes good at what we did when young.... Suffice it to say, I lit him up verbally instead, and there were a lot of "Yes Sir, No Sir, I understand Sir....".

My second son, has no such issues and will be standing on the same yellow foot prints I did, in the coming months. Third generation on them.

Anyway, I digress. Your sentiment is very much appreciated and I'm glad you were able to take advantage of the technological advances to achieve one of your dreams.

No back to our regularly scheduled program.

I'd really like some pointers to good info on Leptin if you have any recommendations.



-=C
 
Cuda416 said:
I'd really like some pointers to good info on Leptin if you have any recommendations.
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Thank you.
I'll see if I can brush up on Leptin, and get back to you. I will say this, it is very tricky. The Standard American Diet is hostile to Leptin levels.
 
Cuda416 said:
I'd really like some pointers to good info on Leptin if you have any recommendations.
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This will cut to the chase... He speaks fast, has thorough info too. it's like drinking out of a fire hose. You may find yourself pausing, and going back frequently :)
 
'63GT said:
This will cut to the chase... He speaks fast, has thorough info too. it's like drinking out of a fire hose. You may find yourself pausing, and going back frequently :)
Click to expand...



Very interesting indeed, thanks for this.
 
Cuda416 said:
Very interesting indeed, thanks for this.
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Glad to help.
There's a lot of info to absorb, for sure. There is some ancillary contributors he didn't speak of, like processed food that wreaks havoc on the Thyroid, mostly cause Europe doesn't have the processed food problem the US does. But that would have made the vid longer than most people's liking.
Though I think he did mention Soy. This is another cruel joke passed off as a good alternative protein source.
"My People parish, for lack of knowledge."
 
Ddaddy said:
Yeah, I already noticed one..pain! LOL!
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Have you tried L-Glutemine ?
It's one of the most prevalent amino acids in the muscle, and you'll get sorer (is that a word?) when it is deficient.

BTW, congrats on your success. it is not easy!
 
Last day of July and my new weight is 228 lbs making for a total of 87 lbs lost.

My current daily burn rate is about 2600 calories and my intake averaged 2250 for the month. Workouts are progressing nicely and I’m happy to feel my muscles getting stronger and more toned.

The new 38” pants are starting to hang on me now so I am glad I bought a couple of pairs of 36” ones for the closet. I will likely be needing them by the end of the month!

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The next goal is to be down more than 90 lbs by the end of September for my 3 year anniversary of starting this program. After that, my sights are squarely focused on hitting the 100 lbs lost goal by Christmas. :)
 
Great job! You inspired me to start my diet, I have gone from 324 in February to 288 today! Thanks for the inspiration!
 
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