Checking In

[HalvOnHorseracing]

Someone told me dieting is as simple as eliminating any "white" food (e.g., bread, potatoes, rice, cereals, and sugar)

[cj]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Never been better. I eat only meat along with salad greens, dandelions and swisschard. No bread, no sweets of any kind, no dairy...and no fruit except for organic raspberries and blueberries. Two adequately-sized meals a day...and my energy is through the roof. I follow a rigorous weightlifting program on a daily basis...and have finally been able to shed that persistent roll of belly-fat that I had been carrying around my waist, and which I couldn't lose before, no matter what. At 6 feet tall, I am a solid 185 pounds at the age of almost 57 ... and I feel utterly INDESTRUCTIBLE!

Originally Posted by Track Collector

Currently been on the program for about 9-10 weeks.

Down 20 lbs so far.

No particular goal except that I know I want to continue. Challenges are when one is away from home, but one can still reasonably choose lower-carb options, like no breads in sandwiches, no chips in the taco salad, etc.

Regular exercise is pretty much void in my life, so that is probably the next step to continue my weight loss journey.

I like the results so far, but expect to go farther.

These are really good results. Really cool to see others making positive changes. Thanks again Jim!

[cj]

Originally Posted by cj

Checking back in. I hit a lull for a few weeks where even though I wasn't doing anything differently. I was only losing very small amounts of weight. Whatever was going on, I felt great and stuck with it. Something has kicked back in and pounds are falling off again. I'm at 38 pounds lost. I want to get down to 195, but I really don't know if that is reasonable or not at my height and age. I'm 27 pounds away.

I'm optimistic but a numeric goal isn't really that important. I haven't felt better since I retired from the Air Force. Still going to the gym regularly and playing way too much tennis. My serve has always been my weakness but the lost weight has really helped me improve it. Much more limber and able to get a nice rhythm.

As for eating, it sounds crazy but I'm almost never hungry. I eat sometimes just because I know I should and need the fuel. My wife is doing great too though she won't discuss numbers. I can see the difference though.

Check back in soon. How you doing Thask?

Still going well here. I posted about my daughter's illness in another thread. She was really the impetus for this and Jim's initial post showed the way. After losing my Dad to a heart attack in 2017 and my Mom at a much younger age to cancer, I decided I needed to do all I can to make sure I'm around for her as long as possible. I'm in better shape now than any time in the last 25 years. I'm down 45 pounds so far and still dropping weight regularly. I'm still sticking to the diet mostly outside the occasional popcorn at the movies or maybe a cheat day every couple weeks. I had Buffalo Wild Wings last week and it was still fabulous. But I think my tastes have changed. I tried chicken fried steak about a month ago and I could barely eat half of it. I just didn't taste like I remember and made me feel lethargic. I doubt I'll ever eat it again.

Anyway, just wanted to update. The weight loss has really helped my tennis game too. Since getting moved up to the 4.5 level I've mostly struggled, winning some but losing more. But recently I've been doing much better and I'm sure I'm moving faster and not tiring so fast. I nearly beat a 5.0 player in singles, losing a close third set, 6-3, 5-7, 10-8. I beat a 4.5 that had beat me three times in a row previously 6-2, 6-3. Maybe I'm just on a hot streak but the weight loss has to help. Be back in a month or so!

[Track Collector]

The going seems slow with several plateaus, but I'm now down -28 lbs. Still almost no exercise so I need to step up those efforts SIGNIFICANTLY.

The wife wants me to buy some new clothes since the much of the current ones look so loose on me, particularly my pants.

Congratulations cj and others on your parallel journey.

[cj]

Originally Posted by Track Collector

The going seems slow with several plateaus, but I'm now down -28 lbs. Still almost no exercise so I need to step up those efforts SIGNIFICANTLY.

The wife wants me to buy some new clothes since the much of the current ones look so loose on me, particularly my pants.

Congratulations cj and others on your parallel journey.

Yeah, the clothes are definitely a problem. Luckily I still have some that I had put away and had to drag back out. But, you know, styles change and I'm a stylish guy.

[HalvOnHorseracing]

I lost 40 pounds the hard way. I've gotten 10 pounds back, but I don't want to go any higher.

My tests currently show remission, but the docs think I have to stay on the chemo drug or it will return. The drug sucks, but the alternative sucks more.

[cj]

Originally Posted by HalvOnHorseracing

I lost 40 pounds the hard way. I've gotten 10 pounds back, but I don't want to go any higher.

My tests currently show remission, but the docs think I have to stay on the chemo drug or it will return. The drug sucks, but the alternative sucks more.

Stay strong man. We've learned all about chemo with my daughter. She is on her second go round. I never knew before this it had other uses besides cancer treatment.

[ArlJim78]

Halvonhorseraing- stay strong guy and don't underestimate the power of diet. I have seen some incredible claims of healing from all kinds of things after people had switched over to a meat diet. Something to think about perhaps. In any case hope that the remission is permanent.

track collector : get some clothes! lol
stay the course and that plateau will be in your rear view mirror.

cj- omg what a story You've really made a turnaround for the better. That has to feel good. It really helps to have that personal motivation inspired by the family events you recounted. Funny how it becomes real clear what's at stake when you think about it. Good for you, that's a huge change. I have no idea what those tennis ranks mean but it sound like you're taking it to the next level.

Me? I'm cruising along, maintaining weight and fitness. I ran a 5k last month and bested my time from one year ago by over four minutes. Ever since I've noticed that I got something out of that race, meaning I can run faster. So I've started adding more speed work into my training. Next year rather than focusing on longer fat burning distance runs I'm going to see how fast I can get. (Looking to hit an 80 Beyer speed fig!)
I'm also still encouraging and inspiring others just telling my story. Seems everywhere I turn people are using my story as a reason to make their own changes and that is awesome.
Next week I'm attending a low carb conference in Houston, kind of networking with some people and telling my story once again. I did this earlier in the year in Denver and have a couple more slated for next year. For now this is keeping me pretty busy.

good luck all.
Jim

[Jeff P]

First, I want to say congrats to Jim for what he has accomplished - and for being brave enough to start a thread about this. Thank you man. (Proud of you.)

I also want to say congats to everyone who has posted your own story in this thread. I know life sometimes gets in the way and how hard it can be to stay motivated.



My turn, checking in:

--Some background:

At the age of 35 I bought my first gym membership. I didn't just join a gym. I made a real commitment to a serious workout regimen that had me in the gym at least an hour a day 5 days a week for 22 years.

In the beginning I hired a personal trainer who taught me the basics of exercising with weights - slow controlled movements, feeling each contraction, proper form for each exercise, various exercises for each body part, the importance of adequate recovery time before working the same body part again, measuring and achieving target heart rate, how to recognize and push through plateaus, and literally hundreds of related details.

I also followed his recommendations for diet. He taught me how to think about what we eat and how to adopt a belief system about what "food" is and what it isn't. Once you classify something like a huge iced cream sundae or a plate of french fries as not being "food" why in the world would you eat it?

I began getting results almost immediately. Increased muscle mass. Lower body fat. Increased energy. A strong sense of well being and overall confidence.

Those incremental results created a positive feedback loop - motivating me to work even harder. The more results I saw the harder I wanted to work.

I kept at it. Within two years my body fat had dropped from about 20% to 6%.

I started a softball team at work. I was the player/manager for that team for 10 years.

At first we sucked. But just as I had been able to do with my workouts, by practicing regularly as a team - over time, all of the players on that team made constant incremental improvements to their games.

As a result the team got better - and during the first few years each new season saw the city league director bumping us up to the next tougher division.

Over those 10 years we won several city league championships. We also managed to compete and win games (but never win a tournament championship outright) in the handful of regional tournaments we entered. Many of the tournament teams we faced had ex college baseball players on them. We were just guys with corporate day jobs.

When I first put the team together, as the team's manager I put myself in the lineup as the 7th or 8th man in the batting order. Not because I didn't want to bat earlier in the lineup - but because that's where I belonged at the time.

By the time I turned 40 I was the team's leadoff hitter. Not because I wanted to be the leadoff hitter. But because I had become the fastest guy on the team, could handle a bat, and could almost always take an extra base if I noticed an opposing outfielder with a suspect throwing arm. Batting leadoff was where I belonged.

After 10 years (at the age of 46) I could tell my hand/eye reflexes were not what they once were. I was still batting leadoff and I was also the team's pitcher.

The games in our city league were still ok. But the later rounds of the regional tournaments we entered always had us playing against teams with a few "ringers" (ex college baseball players and in one case an ex major league ball player.) At the time double walled/special alloy bats were all the rage. Imagine you're a guy who had never played competitive baseball in his life, never played competitive softball for that matter until about three years ago - and now you're pitching in a slow pitch softball game to a guy who hit 30 hrs in the big leagues - and he's using a DiMarini double walled bat.

Every now and then one of those ex college baseball players would smash a screaming line drive right at me - and I'd somehow manage to glove it at the last possible instant. I knew it was only a matter of time. I was likely to get seriously hurt because my reaction time was getting gradually slower - enough that I knew I was close to the point where I could not get a glove up in time.

I probably could have played on that or any other team and contributed for a couple more years as an outfielder.

But I knew my reflexes had deteriorated to the point where I would soon no longer be able to compete at a top level as an infielder.

So at the age of 46 I decided my softball days were behind me.

After softball I kept going to the gym and working out. Although by then I had reached a point where the objective had changed. I was no longer trying to increase the intensity of my workouts. My objective had become one of maintaining what I'd already achieved.


--Lost interest, stopped working out:

About three years ago at the age of 57 I stopped working out.

I can't really explain why. My motivation had waned.

Oh, I'd still go on the occasional bike ride or jog a few miles once or twice a week.

But the motivation to do regular workouts with serious intensity just wasn't there anymore.

I also stopped adhering to a strict diet.

You can guess what happened. The shape of my body began to change albeit gradually.



--Back to the gym:

One day about three weeks ago I looked in the mirror. And for the first time in nearly 25 years I didn't like what I saw.

I was not (yet) what you could call overweight. But my body was nowhere close to what it had been for all those years.

Gone was the obvious definition and muscle mass.

It was also pretty obvious where things were headed. I was slowly becoming pear shaped.

I resolved to change that.

I went back to the gym that day and re-upped my membership.

I went through the fridge and pantry - and threw everything out that wasn't "food."

When I first got started 25 years ago, from a mental standpoint, I convinced myself certain things were not "food" (iced cream, white bread, hot dogs, potato chips, french fries, Big Macs, doughnuts, etc.)

I decided that from now on I would only eat "food."

I found that once I adopted this line of thinking as a belief system it actually worked.

I knew I would need to adopt it again - and I did.



--Here I am three weeks later:

For the past three weeks I have eaten only "food." And I have not eaten anything that is not "food."

I have made it to the gym and I have worked out in a serious way 5 days a week for each of the past three weeks.

My first few workouts were with done with relatively light weights - concentrating mostly on proper form, feeling each contraction, instilling muscle memory, and measuring/achieving target heart rate, etc.

But now with each successive workout, I find myself stepping up the intensity.

I've lost three inches off my waist, gained four pounds, and I can absolutely see visible improvement in tone and definition.

I'm back where I was 25 years ago - increasing muscle mass and losing body fat.

I also have way more energy than I did three weeks ago before I decided to go back to the gym.





-jp

.

[ArlJim78]

That's great Jeff, quite a story. Well done.

I'm envious though that even after somewhat letting yourself go for three years you were able to make such a huge improvement in 3 weeks! Kudos to you for keeping things in check so well over your lifetime.

I was woefully not up to the task for most of my life and let it all go, so it took me a solid 1.5 to 2 years to get it all together.

[Track Collector]

Hi Jim.

I've now lost 40 lbs.

Would not be disappointed if a few more pounds came off, but in any event, I'm probably close to what ever goal I should have set from the very beginning.

Any advice on what should basically be the maintenance phase?

I have not started any regular exercise program yet either, so maybe I should consider that as well?

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by Track Collector

Hi Jim.

I've now lost 40 lbs.

Would not be disappointed if a few more pounds came off, but in any event, I'm probably close to what ever goal I should have set from the very beginning.

Any advice on what should basically be the maintenance phase?

I have not started any regular exercise program yet either, so maybe I should consider that as well?

Hey congratulations track Collector!
My best advice for maintenance? Do nothing.
Seriously. Hopefully the changes you've made to drop the 40 pounds can work for you as permanent lifestyle changes, and if so then why change anything? Just keep doing the same and who knows you may drop a few more pounds. I think many people jump into maintenance prematurely thinking that they have to change, and they do so before they have really mastered their new habits.
Oh and yeah if you've not been doing any regular exercise it might be good to start that up, without overdoing it of course.
Good luck.

[ElKabong]

Originally Posted by Track Collector

Hi Jim.

I've now lost 40 lbs.

Would not be disappointed if a few more pounds came off, but in any event, I'm probably close to what ever goal I should have set from the very beginning.

Any advice on what should basically be the maintenance phase?

I have not started any regular exercise program yet either, so maybe I should consider that as well?

This has served me well over the past ten years (and when I was younger). Some will say it's over doing it, with not enough rest. Works for me tho because the intensity isn't near max effort.

Don't diet.., eat. I really like the paleo stuff. Cut down on bread and pasta, cut sugar out

Working out ....is essential and you'll feel years younger once on a routine. If you have forty five minutes a day, try this on a seven day week.

Day 1,3 chest, triceps, front delts
Bench press , 4 sets of 10 (push ups can substitute)
Triceps presses , 5 sets of 10
Front lateral. Raises 5x10

Day 2,4 back, biceps, side delts
Pull ups, 2 sets. Bent over rows, 2 sets of max.
Curls, 5 sets of 10
Side lateral raises, 5x10

Day 5, 7 legs, shoulders
Lunges, 3 sets of 8
Squats, 4 sets of 7
Overhead presses 5x10

Day 6, maintenance day
Bench press, 2x10
Pull ups, 2 sets
Curls, 2x10
Triceps presses 2x10
Shrugs, 5x10

Before every session , do sit ups. Just 3 sets of what you can comfortably handle. It makes a big difference in flexibility on a daily basis.

Pick two evenings a week for aerobic activity. I have a Nordic trak I use in the winter, a spin bike I ise for the winter. Forty minutes per session

If you keep the intensity of the workouts low to moderate, this won't wear you down (has the opposite effect actually). Don't over do the intensity, at age 50plus it can run down your immune system. Work comfortably, it increases it. The more you lift the more weight you can handle. But the important thing is to work out to where you're not straining to the point of pain or near pain. This is for health, not competition. Working too hard has a negative effect on joints at our age.