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Thread: The motivation weight loss thread

  1. #601
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    Finally broke the 77 kg barrier and weighed in at 76.4 kg this morning! A bit surprising as this was just 2 days after nearly 2 weeks on holiday where all I ate was pizzas, burgers and nothing but junk. I did continue to run and go to the gym where I could though. Lot of walking everyday on top of that too. Would be interesting to do a scan at my gym soon and see whether I have lost more muscle than fat over the last 2 weeks of unhealthy eating.

  2. #602
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    5-2 "Fast" diet

    I see this thread kicked off with a 5-2 post!

    I'd put on too much weight so at the beginning of the year I went on the 5-2 and without doing any exercise I've dropped 1st 1lb. I'm sticking to it as for me it's easy and works.

    I really do not like exercise! It's too much like hard work, however, I do take the pooch for a walk which gets me out in the fresh air.

    Good quality vtamins and mineral supplements are also part of my regime and as I gave up red meat a very long time ago it's vital, amongst others, to make sure I get sufficient iron and B12. Not too much iron as I'm told the body can't eliminate it when ingesting too much.

    It's all about balance. Maybe the Buddah was right, the middle way is the best, neither too tight nor too loose etc.!!!

    Good fortune to you all on your journey!

  3. #603
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    Just found this thread, what a great idea! Personally I remember as a teen being really thin, and my Gran and Mum deciding it was imperative I was fattened up.

    As I went to uni and drank a fair bit , with that I also developed a takeaway lifestyle, with massive portions, continuous snacking, and a huge sweet tooth. Little by little, weight crept on and my lifestyle continued. I then worked in the hotel business for a couple years, long hours and very stressful. On my time off I'd go out and drink, eat terribly. I've had a few attempts at gym membership but find it quite a scary place to be honest and I think my pride gets in the way - it can be embarrassing to ask how to use basic equipment I suppose.

    As I turned 30 I realised I was just under 5ft10 and weighed almost 14st. My wife and I were having our second child and I thought to myself 'now is the time to make a change'. I was very aware that my son was learning from me and I didn't want him to grow up watching my slobbish behaviour.

    So almost 2 years ago I joined PureGym. I also downloaded MyFitnessPal as many seem to have mentioned here. Initially the weight fell off, I dropped down the 12st7lb with relative ease. I then plateaued, had a period where I went up to almost 13st again. About 6 weeks ago I decided it was time to take another tilt and got back into habit of going to the gym 3-4 times a week and managing my diet closely. I love going to the gym now, the biggest challenge is time. Like most others, finding the time to exercise in amongst family and work can be really challenging, especially when there are also other things you'd like to do that you enjoy. On top of that, prepping healthy meals when you are constantly busy, tired, and stressed is tough!

    Anyway, this week I got down to 11st7lb which is probably the lightest I've been for about 10 years, maybe more. I am feeling like I have much more energy and still eat relatively freely - rather than cut out certain foods, I just moderate and eat smaller portions in general. The last couple of weeks I had read about intermittent fasting and I now believe I've found a potentially great fit for my lifestyle. I'm doing 16 hour fasts and 8 hours where I can eat. 1pm-9pm is the current window although I may slightly adjust that. It has been very easy for me to do, I often was too busy for breakfast anyway and was probably my biggest danger point as I'd be tempted to get a roll and sausage from the cafe across from the office most days. Cutting that out entirely works. I do a short exercise routine most mornings at home - some dumbells, push-ups, a wee run - no more than 10-20 mins and that gets me going.

    I now feel I am setting a much healthier example for my son and daughter and that keeps me motivated most of the time! I also have a sustainable lifestyle, doesn't feel like I'm doing this temporarily to hit a point, just that I'm living and enjoying myself. My next goal is to crack the gym - when I go I have focused almost exclusively on cardio. I'm still a bit self-conscious, but I want to overcome that and start to build a bit of strength training into my weekly exercise.

    To all of you chaps on here, I'm incredibly impressed with your own stories and find them really inspiring - and the fact everyone has pulled together to support each other is what makes this place so great! Keep it going. To summarise tips from my own experience:

    1. Count calories - I'd never done this before and was SHOCKED at how many cals I was packing away a day
    2. Do any exercise - I never did any, but even a short walk a day has a huge impact if you start from a base of zero!
    3. Pick goals that are not linked to aesthetic appearance - so don't target a weight or to cut out your belly. Rather than lose weight, try to GAIN speed or strength. Personally that is much more positive and motivating.
    4. Personally cold turkey diets are not sustainable - moderation is key. If you train yourself to have control, you'll be able to enjoy the carbs and sugary treats in such a way that they won't cripple your progress
    5. Read/listen - I recommend getting into podcasts and audio books whilst doing exercise, I find it really helps. I have also read a couple of books, one in particular I'm reading now is this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chimp-Parad.../dp/009193558X and so far it has really altered my perspective on things, which has put me in more control



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  4. #604
    I started to diet on 12th April. I’m 6’ 1” and weighed 201.2lbs (14st 5lbs/91.2kg). I’m using Myfitnesspal to watch what I eat and have started to exercise too. I got a very old elliptical trainer and more up to date exercise bike out of the garage and have used them for 30 minutes every day. I’m using my Apple Watch to track the workouts. I’ve cut down what I eat and am doing my best to keep my intake below 1830 calories.

    I’ve enjoyed exercising for the first time in years, especially since I’m monitoring my heart rate during exercise. I got a new elliptical trainer from Decathlon last week which is a lot better than the previous one. It’s great to have one that has built in programs.

    This morning I weighed 190.6lbs so have lost 10.6lbs in 25 days. I’m very pleased with this so far and hope to lose another 10lbs.
    Last edited by Phil Lee; 6th May 2019 at 15:24.

  5. #605
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    The motivation weight loss thread

    @jon8boy

    We have followed a similar path. I’m 6”1 and stepped on the scales January 2015 and seeing 16 Stone 10 lb staring back at me I knew I had to change.

    The first 2 1/2 year of my story involved tracking calories via MyFitnessPal purely focused on getting down to healthy weight range 13st, this was my magic number.

    Unfortunately, on getting down to that number I wasn’t happy with what I saw in the mirror. My arms and legs were really thin, but my beer belly was still there in all it’s glory.

    Like you this is the point where I started looking into strength training. 2 year down the line and at 38 I look in better shape than at 28 and by 40 I think I will look the best I have in my life.

    Confidence has grown in everything I do as a result of this and I can honestly say my life has changed for the better as a result.

    Regarding the gym, just go to reception and ask one of the staff to give you a rundown on any of the equipment you want to try. That’s what they are there for and they won’t want you injuring yourself trying to work it out.

    Good luck, pushing forward.




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    Last edited by The Journey; 6th May 2019 at 16:09.

  6. #606
    Lost 6kg in 3 weeks whilst wife and daughter were away. Have put on a kilo since they came back a week ago. Have to control myself.

  7. #607
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Journey View Post
    @jon8boy

    We have followed a similar path. I’m 6”1 and stepped on the scales January 2015 and seeing 16 Stone 10 lb staring back at me I knew I had to change.

    The first 2 1/2 year of my story involved tracking calories via MyFitnessPal purely focused on getting down to healthy weight range 13st, this was my magic number.

    Unfortunately, on getting down to that number I wasn’t happy with what I saw in the mirror. My arms and legs were really thin, but my beer belly was still there in all it’s glory.

    Like you this is the point where I started looking into strength training. 2 year down the line and at 38 I look in better shape than at 28 and by 40 I think I will look the best I have in my life.

    Confidence has grown in everything I do as a result of this and I can honestly say my life has changed for the better as a result.

    Regarding the gym, just go to reception and ask one of the staff to give you a rundown on any of the equipment you want to try. That’s what they are there for and they won’t want you injuring yourself trying to work it out.

    Good luck, pushing forward.




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    Ah this is awesome to hear, well done! That's really similar to me, still got the gut although it has reduced. I just don't think I'll ever shift it with more of the same. Thanks so much for replying, you've no idea how good it is to see that it can be done!

    I'll be speaking to the gym staff this week to see what help I can get, it's weird at PureGym because all the staff are also PTs I think and they have no reception to speak of. I might just get a few PT sessions to get me going and take it from there.

    Congrats on taking control and finding yourself a bit happier for it, that's all you can really ask for!

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  8. #608
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    Quote Originally Posted by jon8oy View Post
    Ah this is awesome to hear, well done! That's really similar to me, still got the gut although it has reduced. I just don't think I'll ever shift it with more of the same. Thanks so much for replying, you've no idea how good it is to see that it can be done!

    I'll be speaking to the gym staff this week to see what help I can get, it's weird at PureGym because all the staff are also PTs I think and they have no reception to speak of. I might just get a few PT sessions to get me going and take it from there.

    Congrats on taking control and finding yourself a bit happier for it, that's all you can really ask for!

    Sent from my ONEPLUS A6000 using Tapatalk
    Great to hear, and thanks for the feedback also.

    There is a minefield of information out there regarding training with a lot of people trying to sell you the quick fix (there is no quick fix). I’ve trawled a lot of the information over the last couple of years and it really is daunting when starting out. If you have any questions give me a shout.

    What I will say is the best routine is the one you can stick to, make sure it fits in with your family life. For me that’s 3 sessions, no longer than 1 hour a session per week.

    One final thought, you can build some muscle when you start out while still losing weight. At some point though that will stop and you will need to start putting a little weight on again to grow. I only mention this because this was really hard for me to do as I was scared of losing all my ‘good work’. I’m currently 13st 10 and look a load better than at 13 with a smaller gut, so try not to focus on weight.




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  9. #609
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    Quote Originally Posted by robt View Post
    People should really stop repeating this sort of cows are spherical BS without any understanding of the actual science. That book I mentioned earlier has a decent review of the current state of the art, in layman's terms. The earlier book by the same authors is perhaps even more comprehensive, but is less focused on exercise metabolism specifically.

    Maintaining a caloric deficit is clearly an important part of losing weight. However, that observation is about as useful as saying that drowning people should simply focus more on breathing air instead of water.

    Here's a video that pretty thoroughly debunks the calories in = calories out myth. In particular, the rat study mentioned around 6 minutes in shows an increase in body fat from relatively fewer calories in, which is the opposite of what the myth predicts. I see no reason to believe that humans are somehow metabolically simpler than rats.



    TLDR: metabolism is complicated and this kind of over-simplification helps nobody.
    Thanks for posting as someone who was given a bollocking for high Cholesterol (6.3) in Dec Ive been on a low fat diet diet since Jan 19. I have reduced weight 12:3lb to 10:10 but I still get sugar cravings. Good news is Cholesterol dropped to 4.4 with the all important HDL doubling.

    Steve

  10. #610
    Grand Master ryanb741's Avatar
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    Keto diet is still proving to be brutally effective. Still losing 1.2 kilos per week.

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  11. #611
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Journey View Post
    Great to hear, and thanks for the feedback also.

    There is a minefield of information out there regarding training with a lot of people trying to sell you the quick fix (there is no quick fix). I’ve trawled a lot of the information over the last couple of years and it really is daunting when starting out. If you have any questions give me a shout.

    What I will say is the best routine is the one you can stick to, make sure it fits in with your family life. For me that’s 3 sessions, no longer than 1 hour a session per week.

    One final thought, you can build some muscle when you start out while still losing weight. At some point though that will stop and you will need to start putting a little weight on again to grow. I only mention this because this was really hard for me to do as I was scared of losing all my ‘good work’. I’m currently 13st 10 and look a load better than at 13 with a smaller gut, so try not to focus on weight.




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    Could you help me find a motivational target if not weight? I am struggling with a goal as now I lift weights a couple of times a week I cannot seem to get to my target of 77.7 kg as I am stubbornly sticking around 82!


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  12. #612
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    Quote Originally Posted by jeepie View Post
    Could you help me find a motivational target if not weight? I am struggling with a goal as now I lift weights a couple of times a week I cannot seem to get to my target of 77.7 kg as I am stubbornly sticking around 82!


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    Hi Jeepie,

    Before I give any advice, I would like to reiterate that I am not a qualified dietician or coach and I am only speaking from my own experience.

    To help me get a better appreciation of where you are at I would need a bit more information.

    How long have you been weight training?
    Are you eating at a calorie deficit?
    Are you still progressing in your lifts ie adding weight or volume progressively?
    Do you have a rough idea of your body fat percentage?
    When was the last time you took a week off from lifting? ( I tend do have a 5 day break every 8 weeks to aid with recovery)

    As a starter I would start measuring some other statistics. If you have stayed the same weight but say your waist and neck measurement have reduced over the month, that will be a pretty good indicator your body fat is coming down.


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  13. #613
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Journey View Post
    ...


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    Thanks for your help. I have really plateaued.

    How long have you been weight training? 6 months
    Are you eating at a calorie deficit? I manage to eat 1800 for five days and eat larger amounts two days
    Are you still progressing in your lifts ie adding weight or volume progressively? I am definitely getting stronger for sure although my weight lifting isn’t systematic
    Do you have a rough idea of your body fat percentage? 20%
    When was the last time you took a week off from lifting? ( I tend do have a 5 day break every 8 weeks to aid with recovery) I recently was on holiday so had two weeks off. I enjoy going to the gym so don’t really take rest weeks.



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  14. #614
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    Well ... I did a scan at my gym yesterday. As I feared and posted a few days ago, the weight loss while I was on holiday wasn’t the good type. It was a net loss but it seems water and muscle mass has dropped and I have actually gained fat. All down to a poor diet while away. This was despite me continuing to go to the gym where one was available to me (albeit shorter sessions), not missing my runs and on top of all that, walking loads of extra miles daily.

    Just shows how unreliable weight is as a measure when used on its own.

  15. #615
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    Quote Originally Posted by jeepie View Post
    Thanks for your help. I have really plateaued.

    How long have you been weight training? 6 months
    Are you eating at a calorie deficit? I manage to eat 1800 for five days and eat larger amounts two days
    Are you still progressing in your lifts ie adding weight or volume progressively? I am definitely getting stronger for sure although my weight lifting isn’t systematic
    Do you have a rough idea of your body fat percentage? 20%
    When was the last time you took a week off from lifting? ( I tend do have a 5 day break every 8 weeks to aid with recovery) I recently was on holiday so had two weeks off. I enjoy going to the gym so don’t really take rest weeks.



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    Hi Jeepie,

    At 20% BF I would still be looking to drop a little.

    The good news is that you are still on the early stages of lifting where you can gain a little muscle while still losing bodyfat. The fact your strength is still going up is a good indicator you are still gaining muscle currently.

    I would look to get on a proven beginner routine like Fierce 5 or stronglifts, it is important to get on a structured programme where you can track your progression more carefully.

    To aid the above I also have an app called strong. It is free to download and saves all your history so you can see your progress from week to week month to month.

    You have made a good start by tracking your calories 5 days a week but if you are over eating on the 2 days you could well be undoing all your hard work you made during the week.

    Again, probably mentioned here already, but download MyFitnessPal and start tracking everything that passes your lips including any oils and dressings. Get a food scale and weigh your portions for accuracy. Please ensure you do this on days you are cheating a little as well, as it’s important to be as accurate as possible

    Final free app I use is happy scale, I weigh myself every morning after going to the toilet. Now this may sound obsessive to some and is not for everyone. But again this is for accuracy, if you only weigh week to week, you can get quite a swing in weight just due to water retention, this can be quite disheartening so I prefer to measure the longer trends.

    If after 3 weeks of tracking your weight and calorie intake you are still the same then you have found your new maintenance calories and will need to cut them down a little, move more or both.

    Finally, I totally understand that enjoying the gym means you don’t want to skip a session, but getting sleep and letting your muscles recover is just as important as what you do in the gym. This ended up a lot longer winded than planned, so sorry about that.



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  16. #616
    Grand Master ryanb741's Avatar
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    So I'm there or thereabouts on the 105kg goal meaning I've lost 29 kilos since the 4th Jan. I am now starting to add running into the daily routine but to be honest I may as well keep doing the Keto diet as it just works so effectively and I'm used to it. Next goal is 90 kgs.

    For anyone curious as to why a keto diet is the fastest way to lose weight and the science behind it please see the below;


    It is very difficult to achieve significant weight loss by exercise alone. You need to establish a comprehensive weight-loss program.
    The old logic of dieting to establish a net caloric deficit to lose weight is a canard for most who follow a typical Western Diet, that is, a diet high in carbohydrates and processed foods. It seems logical that a calorie deficit would cause a weight loss, but this ignores the truth underlying the metabolism of body fat. Please permit me to explain more fully.
    When you consume carbohydrates, your blood sugar increases, and your pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, and the storage of glucose and body fat. It does this by signalling liver, muscle, and fat cells to appropriately metabolize blood sugar for the body's current or anticipated energy needs. If, for example, your body's cells have sufficient energy available to them, insulin signals the liver to take up consumed carbohydrates and store it as glycogen in muscle tissue and the liver. If energy levels are too low, then glycogen is metabolized directly at the cellular level.
    If the liver is "full" of glycogen, then another metabolic process initiates the conversion of glycogen to body fat, whether visceral--that is, firstly, within your liver, and, secondly, surrounding your liver and other internal organs--or subcutaneous. The liver can store around 18-36 hours of the body's energy requirements in the form of glycogen.
    So, when you exercise, your body first uses glyocgen available in muscle tissue, then blood sugar, and then finally it starts to use glycogen stored in the liver. If insulin levels are above a certain threshold level that varies by individual, your body cannot burn your own body fact because insulin is a blocker to the necessary underlying metabolic processes. However, if your body is in the state of ketosis, your insulin levels will be such that once glycogen levels are depleted, your body will be able to burn stored body fat.
    If you are not in ketosis and your glycogen stores are depleted, then you essentially "crash". You may have plenty of body fat to burn for energy but your insulin levels prevent it.
    In conclusion, you need to consider a ketogenic diet that will allow you to burn your body fat. How to do this? Well, you need to change your diet so that your liver glycogen levels are fully depleted. You do this my either fasting for such time as those stores are consumed-remember the comment above about 18-36 hours of glycogen stores-or reducing your carbohydrate consumption so that insulin levels are below the threshold that cause insulin to act as a metabolic blocker to fat being used as an energy source.
    To do this, you generally need to have carbohydrate consumption below a certain level-20g net carbs per day is commonly recommended (net carbs is total carbs less fibre), but some can tolerate as much as 100 g.
    If you do not follow the ketogenic approach and have a lot of body fat to lose, then you will try create a daily calorific deficit. Generally this is done by exercising and restricting consumption. Unfortunately, the way the body usually responds to this is by reducing your basal metabolic rate until you are no longer at a caloric deficit. As a consequence you will feel tired and otherwise listless.
    When on a ketogenic diet, there is no metabolic blocking of fat metabolism, and so when you need energy, you simply dig into your superabundant stores of visceral and subcutaneous fat.

  17. #617
    Craftsman trick cyclist's Avatar
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    Ryan, I'm very interested in the idea of a keto diet, but have not followed this entire thread, so I'm not aware of what a keto diet involves, apologies if you have already posted it or links to it, but could you give us a good source of info on how to go about it?

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  18. #618
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    Quote Originally Posted by trick cyclist View Post
    Ryan, I'm very interested in the idea of a keto diet, but have not followed this entire thread, so I'm not aware of what a keto diet involves, apologies if you have already posted it or links to it, but could you give us a good source of info on how to go about it?

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    No problem, best resource is this IMHO

    https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq

    Cheers

    Ryan

  19. #619
    I’m starting the Keto today, the Mrs has been keen to try this for a while and after reading this I am hopeful that it may be something we can do together, with success. I’m keen to shift some weight and start some light running, let’s see how it goes.


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  20. #620
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    Quote Originally Posted by Craizeehair View Post
    I’m starting the Keto today, the Mrs has been keen to try this for a while and after reading this I am hopeful that it may be something we can do together, with success. I’m keen to shift some weight and start some light running, let’s see how it goes.


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    Good luck, make sure you download the Carb Manager app, set up the macros etc as otherwise it's super hard to stick to the limits.

  21. #621
    Thanks for that, I’ll get on it.


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  22. #622
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    Yep, just reading into this and it looks complex but achievable. What is quite promising is that I am nearly doing this already, I just need to cut the carbs out as I eat too much bread, and check in eating enough fat. Thanks for the great link!

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  23. #623
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    Quote Originally Posted by ryanb741 View Post
    I am now starting to add running into the daily routine but to be honest I may as well keep doing the Keto diet as it just works so effectively and I'm used to it.
    If you're just starting out, don't run daily unless very short distances. Leave at least one rest day between your runs. I find running to be the most effective and rewarding cardio exercise but it is very easy to get injured. I have plenty of experience there lol.

    Back on topic, just dropped slightly below 74kg when I checked a couple of days ago. My goal was 75kg which is OK'ish for my 5'11" height but I am continuing with everything that I was doing. Now focusing a lot more on my protein intake to maintain or even gain muscle mass.

  24. #624
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    The motivation weight loss thread

    Quote Originally Posted by ryanb741 View Post
    So I'm there or thereabouts on the 105kg goal meaning I've lost 29 kilos since the 4th Jan. I am now starting to add running into the daily routine but to be honest I may as well keep doing the Keto diet as it just works so effectively and I'm used to it. Next goal is 90 kgs.

    For anyone curious as to why a keto diet is the fastest way to lose weight and the science behind it please see the below;


    It is very difficult to achieve significant weight loss by exercise alone. You need to establish a comprehensive weight-loss program.
    The old logic of dieting to establish a net caloric deficit to lose weight is a canard for most who follow a typical Western Diet, that is, a diet high in carbohydrates and processed foods. It seems logical that a calorie deficit would cause a weight loss, but this ignores the truth underlying the metabolism of body fat. Please permit me to explain more fully.
    When you consume carbohydrates, your blood sugar increases, and your pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, and the storage of glucose and body fat. It does this by signalling liver, muscle, and fat cells to appropriately metabolize blood sugar for the body's current or anticipated energy needs. If, for example, your body's cells have sufficient energy available to them, insulin signals the liver to take up consumed carbohydrates and store it as glycogen in muscle tissue and the liver. If energy levels are too low, then glycogen is metabolized directly at the cellular level.
    If the liver is "full" of glycogen, then another metabolic process initiates the conversion of glycogen to body fat, whether visceral--that is, firstly, within your liver, and, secondly, surrounding your liver and other internal organs--or subcutaneous. The liver can store around 18-36 hours of the body's energy requirements in the form of glycogen.
    So, when you exercise, your body first uses glyocgen available in muscle tissue, then blood sugar, and then finally it starts to use glycogen stored in the liver. If insulin levels are above a certain threshold level that varies by individual, your body cannot burn your own body fact because insulin is a blocker to the necessary underlying metabolic processes. However, if your body is in the state of ketosis, your insulin levels will be such that once glycogen levels are depleted, your body will be able to burn stored body fat.
    If you are not in ketosis and your glycogen stores are depleted, then you essentially "crash". You may have plenty of body fat to burn for energy but your insulin levels prevent it.
    In conclusion, you need to consider a ketogenic diet that will allow you to burn your body fat. How to do this? Well, you need to change your diet so that your liver glycogen levels are fully depleted. You do this my either fasting for such time as those stores are consumed-remember the comment above about 18-36 hours of glycogen stores-or reducing your carbohydrate consumption so that insulin levels are below the threshold that cause insulin to act as a metabolic blocker to fat being used as an energy source.
    To do this, you generally need to have carbohydrate consumption below a certain level-20g net carbs per day is commonly recommended (net carbs is total carbs less fibre), but some can tolerate as much as 100 g.
    If you do not follow the ketogenic approach and have a lot of body fat to lose, then you will try create a daily calorific deficit. Generally this is done by exercising and restricting consumption. Unfortunately, the way the body usually responds to this is by reducing your basal metabolic rate until you are no longer at a caloric deficit. As a consequence you will feel tired and otherwise listless.
    When on a ketogenic diet, there is no metabolic blocking of fat metabolism, and so when you need energy, you simply dig into your superabundant stores of visceral and subcutaneous fat.
    Ryan,

    Have you ever combined keto with intermittent fasting?

    They both seem to adopt the same principle of managing insulin. I’m currently reducing carbs on an intermittent fasting regime and it seems to be working well.

    A good source is Dr Jason Fung’s articles and videos easily found on YouTube.



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  25. #625
    Grand Master ryanb741's Avatar
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    Resurrecting this somewhat and ideally someone has a more scientific answer. I hit my goal on keto and lost all in 35 kilos over 6 and a half months. I then phased back onto a balanced diet (slight calorie deficit) with much more carbs so obviously came out of ketosis. Despite this and the supposed water weight I would initially put back on I actually ended up losing more weight. I went to Thailand for a few days and continued to eat healthily with one blockbuster of an exception when I thought I'd benefit from the fact that now I was no longer in ketosis I could drink alcohol and not feel sick after a glass (on keto your tolerance to alcohol is very low). So I had something like 8 pints of strong lager (6%) plus some less than advisable food but what the heck I was on holiday. This was my last night before flying back and I'd only been away for 5 days.

    Anyway upon return to the UK I'd put on a quite unbelievable 4.5 kilos in the 5 days since I'd last weighed myself! Wowzers! I put it down to the beery night but still mathematically it didn't stack up that you could add three quarters of a stone in weight in one night. So I decided to get back into ketosis and get back on keto to lose this. So it took around 24 hours to get into ketosis (and keto regulars will know when this happens as you feel under the weather for a day or so and basically pee all day for the first day).

    So 2 days later I weighed myself. I'd lost 5 (FIVE) kilos since weighing myself on my return. 5 kilos in 2 days! Again mathematically this is impossible bar doing 2 consecutive ultramarathons. So I can only pin it on water gain and loss. But 5 kilos is a HECK of a lot of water to have as water weight in the body surely? Is anyone able to shed any more light? That seems incredible. Edited to add that weight is 98 kilos so that's over 5% of my bodyweight in water. If I was 200 kilos maybe I'd understand it.
    Last edited by ryanb741; 1st August 2019 at 20:34.

  26. #626
    Quote Originally Posted by ryanb741 View Post
    I hit my goal on keto and lost all in 35 kilos over 6 and a half months.
    First off, that's good going!

    Quote Originally Posted by ryanb741 View Post
    I'd put on a quite unbelievable 4.5 kilos in the 5 days ... lost ... 5 kilos in 2 days!
    That'll definitely be water weight. My weight fluctuates by about 6lbs just over the course of a day, from my lightest just after waking up and having a pee and with being a bit dehydrated after sleeping. If I go on/off keto that adds or removes another 6lbs or so in water weight within a couple of days (from glycogen stores). So a fluctuation of about 5kg seems pretty normal.

    How much water you can store as glycogen is going to vary by factors other than your total bodyweight, largely as a result of exercise adaptation. Some of it is stored in the muscles, some in the liver, so the bigger those are, the more glycogen you will store. Each gram of glycogen binds with 3 grams of water, so that's where the weight comes from.

  27. #627
    Easily done. 8 pints alone is around 4kg.
    It's just a matter of time...

  28. #628
    Grand Master ryanb741's Avatar
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    Great thanks for the advice guys. Amazing just how much water weight the body stores!

    I actually missed the keto diet (less faffing around wondering what to eat as you have much less choice and that simplifies things) so I'm going back onto it again as a semi-permanent lifestyle thing but eating more protein and doing weight training. I'll probably have the odd carb blowout at the weekend but focus on carbs with lots of fibre or slow energy release. I noticed when I was on keto my guts seemed much healthier (and I pretty much stopped farting lol) but when I went back to eating carbs the farting and bloaty feelings came back plus I felt hungry again.

    I'm lucky that there's tonnes of good turkish and Lebanese places around here so that's perfect for keto if you tell them to not give any bread and swap the rice or bulgur for extra salad.

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  29. #629
    Quote Originally Posted by namzo View Post
    Ryan,

    Have you ever combined keto with intermittent fasting?
    Not Ryan, but this is what I'm doing now. I find it ridiculously hard to lose weight as I seem to adapt to pretty much everything including keto, but that's the most effective of everything. IF alone is quite effective for weight loss, but I find it gives me really bad brain fog that doesn't go away after a week or two like "keto flu". Once I become keto-adapted however, I can easily get by on one meal a day with no side-effects.

    Lately what I'm trying to do is to intensify this a bit by alternating between days of low or very high caloric deficit. Haven't been doing it for long, but so far it seems to be an effective way to get past a plateau. I did try water fasting for 48 hours a couple of times, but I'm a bit concerned about maintaining the necessary electrolyte levels when doing that. I'm probably going to stick to a small meal plus a few supplements on the very low calorie days, just to keep things safe.

  30. #630
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    A bit strange maybe but every time I fly long haul my weight seems to rocket a lot and then 24 hours or so later it drops off. Must be water retention, possibly being fairly static for a number of hours and poor airport/airline diet I guess. That and you drinking a lot of alcohol could have all added up to the extra weight temporarily maybe?

  31. #631
    Quote Originally Posted by ryanb741 View Post
    I actually missed the keto diet (less faffing around wondering what to eat as you have much less choice and that simplifies things) so I'm going back onto it again as a semi-permanent lifestyle thing but eating more protein and doing weight training.
    That's my plan as well once I get to a more reasonable weight. I've had a couple of breaks from keto this year while away, and found that I actually didn't like being off it, despite initially just thinking about all the things with rice, pasta and bread I could finally eat during my break. The weird thing was a lot of carb cravings that had previously gone away returned, except that I didn't much care for any of the things I was craving anymore. I couldn't help thinking about how much better it was to simply not feel hungry most of the time.

    I have also found that adapting to one meal per day takes a while, but it takes the simplification aspect to the next level. I find that I actually focus on preparing one good meal every day and as a result, I'm doing more experimental cookery and eating much more varied meals than I was before. The main driver for this seems to be that I will buy a certain number of fresh vegetables, then have to use them up before they go off, so I'm always thinking about what I will make tomorrow or the day after out of the leftovers. Because I only have to think about one meal per day, I can really focus on it, plan it out and stick to that plan.

  32. #632
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    It always impresses me how some people are so disciplined and have a scientific/measured approach to their meals. I am incapable of (read unwilling to) counting my calorie intake. Mostly because I love rich (unhealthy) foods and the numbers would just scare me. I do restrain myself for 4-5 meals a week i.e. my weekday lunches are healthy but that’s about it. Other than that, anything goes and by that I mean both quality and quantity are bad. I have no idea how much calories I am consuming even in my healthy meals. I must be creating a decent deficit though, because I am continuing to lose fat, but I have no clue what the calorie numbers are.

    The good thing is that my routine is sustainable and outside of the healthy weekday lunches, it allows me to eat whatever I want and whenever I feel like it. This ‘no name’ diet plan and strict exercise regime has become a lifestyle rather than means to achieve a ‘goal’. The goal was reached a while back when I dropped below 80kg but I didn’t stop there. At the last weigh-in 5 days ago, I was 73kg.

  33. #633
    I've stopped counting calories in the last couple of weeks as I hit my target of 12.5 stone. I've managed to lose another 3 lbs so am down to 12 st 4.4 lbs this morning whilst not actively calorie counting so am happy that I know what portions I should be eating. I've lost 2.5 stones since January 1st.

    It's been a pleasure to reintroduce some bread into my diet. I'd swapped a lunchtime sandwich for a wrap for 3 months.

  34. #634
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    The motivation weight loss thread

    I have been doing intermittent fasting on and off since the start of this year. I’ve found it the easiest way for me to manage my weight.

    The simplicity of eating once a day (sometimes still to excess) is the main plus for me.

    Now with the weight loss having slowed down, I think I need to incorporate some regular exercise in to this regime as well.


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    Last edited by namzo; 2nd August 2019 at 17:08.

  35. #635
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    Seeing as it’s silly season for fad diets I thought I’d post something useful.

    Free nutrition, exercise and habit forming advice download (PDF) from Kathryn Grey Coaching.

    https://www.kathryngraycoaching.com/start-today-guide

    Watch watchers, Cambridge diet, slimming world etc don’t want you to learn this type of information. They prefer to keep you in the dark and take your money.

  36. #636
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
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    I like what you did here (Watch watchers)
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  37. #637
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    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    I like what you did here (Watch watchers)
    TZ auto correct? Obviously should have been weight watchers!


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  38. #638
    Grand Master sundial's Avatar
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    Obesity has a number of causes and there is no one diet which can remedy everybody's excess weight. Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at Kings College London has published over 700 academic papers mainly on nutrition and causes of obesity and is the lead investigator of the 'British Gut Project' at Kings. The typical 'British Gut' is very different to those of people in other countries. If you are interested in discovering more about causes of obesity and potential remedies you might consider reading his book, 'The Diet Myth' - it has been an eye opener for me. The book is not just about obesity - it documents how our our immune systems work and the importance of cultivating a healthy microbiome. Tim Spector has been studying hundreds of identical twins over more than 20 years - and discovered why one twin can be obese and the other of normal weight - even though they are genetically identical and eat the same diets and have similar exercise routines.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Diet-Myth-R...9339700&sr=8-1

    His You Tube videos are also worth studying

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LUuqxQSaFQ … scroll forward to 20.01 for the twins study

    dunk
    Last edited by sundial; 18th January 2020 at 10:47. Reason: typo
    "Well they would say that ... wouldn't they!"

  39. #639
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    Eat less calories than you burn => loose weight. Eat more than you burn => gain weight

    That’s the formula. Getting there is a different matter...

    Problem is that with most people nowadays spend their days hunched over desks, rather than physical labour. So all we burn (mainly) is the minimum to stay alive, that’s somewhere around 1800 calories a day for me, not very much...

    Even a Pret sandwich has 300-500 calories, a latte 150+, so a couple of those and I’m over my limit already, gaining weight.

    What has worked for me (not saying it was easy) is intermittent fasting, as in: 16 hour stretches without food, so I stop eating after dinner (Mo -Fri), don’t eat anything until ca 2pm the next day

  40. #640
    I started my weight loss program at the start of the year. Start weight 93.5kg target weight 77.5kg after 2 weeks I am now at 90.5kg so a good start. Hoping to reach my target in 7 months, through a combination of calorie deficit, intermittent fasting and exercise.

  41. #641
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    Interesting thread, I had a pretty nasty motorcycle accident in 2016, broken femur etc.. piled on 3 stone since then and trying my hardest to get back to my original weight.

  42. #642
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    As I seem to fluctuate like a yo yo and have done all my adult life I’ve decided to add some more exercise into things this year. As well as doing 12,000 steps a day my wife and I hired a PT. Twice a week. Only two weeks in but can feel a change in fitness levels. First and second session really hard but quite enjoying it now and it’s the discipline I need. Going together is good motivation as well.

  43. #643
    Master wildheart's Avatar
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    Making a real effort this year. I've cut out all dairy. Hitting the gym 4 times a week with 2 days golf.
    86 kg at the moment target to break 80 kg. Lost 4 kg since September.
    My daughter gets married in August I want to look slim for her walking down the aisle.

  44. #644
    Quote Originally Posted by sundial View Post
    Obesity has a number of causes and there is no one diet which can remedy everybody's excess weight. Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at Kings College London has published over 700 academic papers mainly on nutrition and causes of obesity and is the lead investigator of the 'British Gut Project' at Kings. The typical 'British Gut' is very different to those of people in other countries. If you are interested in discovering more about causes of obesity and potential remedies you might consider reading his book, 'The Diet Myth' - it has been an eye opener for me. The book is not just about obesity - it documents how our our immune systems work and the importance of cultivating a healthy microbiome. Tim Spector has been studying hundreds of identical twins over more than 20 years - and discovered why one twin can be obese and the other of normal weight - even though they are genetically identical and eat the same diets and have similar exercise routines.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Diet-Myth-R...9339700&sr=8-1

    His You Tube videos are also worth studying

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LUuqxQSaFQ … scroll forward to 20.01 for the twins study

    dunk
    “and discovered why one twin can be obese and the other of normal weight - even though they are genetically identical and eat the same diets and have similar exercise routines.”

    I don’t think it quite does that. It simply shows that even identical twins, where one is obese and the other isn’t, process the same food differently - that could have quite easily been hypothized though, so not earth shattering in its scientific relevance. What is interesting is the microbiome studies in general - but no one has proven that individual energy intake against energy expenditure is anything but that.
    It's just a matter of time...

  45. #645
    Quote Originally Posted by Devonian View Post
    As I seem to fluctuate like a yo yo and have done all my adult life I’ve decided to add some more exercise into things this year. As well as doing 12,000 steps a day my wife and I hired a PT. Twice a week. Only two weeks in but can feel a change in fitness levels. First and second session really hard but quite enjoying it now and it’s the discipline I need. Going together is good motivation as well.
    12,000 steps a day is a fantastic start, and make a dramatic difference to the vast majority of people. A couple of training sessions a week on top should see great improvements in a relatively short period of time.
    It's just a matter of time...

  46. #646
    I lost 15 KG in 12 weeks in 2017. From 80 to 65 and kept it off ever since.

    It was brutal, exercise till sweat runs off my fingers 6 days a week ( yes you can make your fingers drip, its foul lol )

    Skipped breakfast completely, had early lunch then fruit for snacks and decent meal at night.

    Cut out all junk, didn't eat much bread.

    Lost ALOT of strength in the process. I used to be considerably stronger.

  47. #647
    Grand Master ryanb741's Avatar
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    Keto has been working superbly but I was getting fatigued with it so I upped my steps to 20k a day and counted calories but could incorporate carbs so eating whatever I wanted. Initially water weight came back on but the daily calorie deficit meant weight loss continued. The one issue though is I constantly felt hungry whereas on keto you feel full all the time. Cardio is also easier on keto although weight training is MUCH easier on a carb diet.

    Net upshot is I think I'll do keto monday to friday and carb (with a calorie deficit) at the weekend. Stupidly ate an entire bag of Haribo yesterday which needed an incremental 11k steps just to burn off which in hindsight was definitely NOT worth it

  48. #648
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    Quote Originally Posted by xellos99 View Post
    I lost 15 KG in 12 weeks in 2017. From 80 to 65 and kept it off ever since.

    It was brutal, exercise till sweat runs off my fingers 6 days a week ( yes you can make your fingers drip, its foul lol )

    Skipped breakfast completely, had early lunch then fruit for snacks and decent meal at night.

    Cut out all junk, didn't eat much bread.

    Lost ALOT of strength in the process. I used to be considerably stronger.
    Sounds counterproductive tbh why did you want to make yourself weaker...

  49. #649
    Quote Originally Posted by Passenger View Post
    Sounds counterproductive tbh why did you want to make yourself weaker...
    I didn't, it was an unwanted side effect.

    Also it seems to be considerably more difficult to build muscle when you are light compared to when you are heavy.

    Not sure why but that is my observation anyway.

  50. #650
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    Quote Originally Posted by xellos99 View Post
    I didn't, it was an unwanted side effect.

    Also it seems to be considerably more difficult to build muscle when you are light compared to when you are heavy.

    Not sure why but that is my observation anyway.
    fair enough, I was just curious, as long as you´re happy with the end result.

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