AHB Biggest Loser Challenge!

[droid]

hehe

 

[argon]

So i'll stoke the calorie in vs calorie out debate with my own super-non-scientific anecdote.

A few months ago i'd stopped losing weight and was sitting at about 96kg. Was reasonably happy, but then started riding with some A-Grade riders that were destroying me, so decided to lose a few more to make things easier and keep up a little longer.

Anyway, Mrs Argon suggested Lite-n-Easy as a kick-start to healthy eating as she had some good results in the past. So we both signed on and grabbed the 1500 calorie per day package.

First couple of weeks I dropped 2kg, but then next 4 weeks I plateaued again... same activity level, same calorie intake... but I felt like shit. Tired, run down, etc, etc. Didn't understand, nutrition was great, activity level was great, plenty of rest, but still felt flat.

So did a little talking to some nutritional guys I ride with and they suggested replacing the calories I burn as part of my exercise. Effectively upping my calorie intake to account for burning it off. Now this made no sense to me whatsoever.... I was subscribed to this in vs out theory. The maths checks out right?

So, I upped my plan to 2000 calories and maintained my activity level. To my surprise, that's when the weight started moving. Dropped 4 kg in 2 weeks. Went from 95 to sub 90 in a month. Also I felt energized. Going up hills I was a beast... felt light and strong.

So now, off the Lite-n-Easy program, I try and replace some of what I use. If I feel a little run down keeping all things equal, I just up my calorie intake made up of low processed foods to account for my activities. Now maintaining goal weight without much effort.

I really don't think there is a broad brush solution for everyone. As always YMMV

 

[yum beer]

Hey Argon, you have hit a problem that is not talked about too often.....if you don't eat enough you can't lose weight.
Generally, 1500-1700 calories intake a day with 20 minutes moderate exercise will pull weight off anybody,
you get down around 1200-1400 and you won't lose weight, your body will create the shortfall by creating fat from muscle stores, it takes energy from the fat and leaves a residue(extra weight or no weight loss).
If you are eating 1500 calories and exercising heavily you will drop into that 'no go' zone.
Upping your plan to 2000 allows you to drop back to the right zone after exercise.
Normally as you lose weight and get fitter you train harder, at that point you need to increase food intake to allow for the extra energy burn.
Exercising without food on board is like having a fire without a pile of firewood, you start burning things you don't want to, like chairs and table, like muscle.
It can be very difficult to find the balance, but like brewing keeping records and watching numbers can make it easier to get the best results.

My wife's' 3 brothers all do ironman/triathlon, while training they eat around 3000 calories a day, high carb and protein, then burn 1200-1500 calories a day training, high food intake, big energy burn, finish in the zone. They are skinny buggers when training but strong and fit as bulls.

 

[welly2]

Hey Argon, you have hit a problem that is not talked about too often.....if you don't eat enough you can't lose weight.
Generally, 1500-1700 calories intake a day with 20 minutes moderate exercise will pull weight off anybody,
you get down around 1200-1400 and you won't lose weight, your body will create the shortfall by creating fat from muscle stores, it takes energy from the fat and leaves a residue(extra weight or no weight loss).
If you are eating 1500 calories and exercising heavily you will drop into that 'no go' zone.
Upping your plan to 2000 allows you to drop back to the right zone after exercise.
Normally as you lose weight and get fitter you train harder, at that point you need to increase food intake to allow for the extra energy burn.
Exercising without food on board is like having a fire without a pile of firewood, you start burning things you don't want to, like chairs and table, like muscle.
It can be very difficult to find the balance, but like brewing keeping records and watching numbers can make it easier to get the best results.

I've heard people claim this before and I've also heard and read that this is in fact a myth. It sounds like you're referring to starvation mode or a mythical version of starvation mode at least. If this was in fact true, then surely those who suffer from eating disorders wouldn't get so skinny and under nourished as they do. If you starve your body, it *will* use whatever energy stores it has to provide the body with energy. It certainly won't gain weight.

Please have a read of some of the following sources I have. They're not from scientific sources but they make absolute sense.

http://www.nowloss.com/starvation-mode-myth.htm

http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/

As long as you create a caloric deficit (meaning consume less calories than your body burns, or burn more calories than you consume… just different ways of saying the same thing), then you will lose weight every single time regardless of whether you’re creating a deficit that is small, moderate or large.

A personal anecdote - as a student, I was terrible with what little money I had and as a result of that, often didn't have any food in the house. I would have weeks where I ate very, very little and could quite happily state my calorific intake was WELL under 1500 calories as I would often have a single meal a day consisting of bowl of porridge made with water. Desperate times. I lost 5 stone (30kg) in just over 3 months. My sister occasionally came to visit and would take me out for a meal and that would often be the only solid meal I'd have had in several weeks.

Be assured, you will lose weight eating less than 1500 calories. I'm currently doing that as we speak. I've lost weight and I'm working on a calorific intake of 1300 calories a day. The rest of what you said is bang on though!

 

[Cube]

This thread should be renamed to POST HERE IF YOU HAVE DUNNING-KRUGER EFFECT.

 

[pipsyboy]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning–Kruger_effect


I'll save you all the trouble.

Edit: I'm surprised that there wasn't a picture of me. You can judge for yourselves which end of the scale it should have been.

 

[yum beer]

I've heard people claim this before and I've also heard and read that this is in fact a myth. It sounds like you're referring to starvation mode or a mythical version of starvation mode at least. If this was in fact true, then surely those who suffer from eating disorders wouldn't get so skinny and under nourished as they do. If you starve your body, it *will* use whatever energy stores it has to provide the body with energy. It certainly won't gain weight.

Please have a read of some of the following sources I have. They're not from scientific sources but they make absolute sense.

http://www.nowloss.com/starvation-mode-myth.htm

http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/


A personal anecdote - as a student, I was terrible with what little money I had and as a result of that, often didn't have any food in the house. I would have weeks where I ate very, very little and could quite happily state my calorific intake was WELL under 1500 calories as I would often have a single meal a day consisting of bowl of porridge made with water. Desperate times. I lost 5 stone (30kg) in just over 3 months. My sister occasionally came to visit and would take me out for a meal and that would often be the only solid meal I'd have had in several weeks.

Be assured, you will lose weight eating less than 1500 calories. I'm currently doing that as we speak. I've lost weight and I'm working on a calorific intake of 1300 calories a day. The rest of what you said is bang on though!

I think you have misunderstood what I was saying.

Yes starving will cause you to lose wait. I'm not talking about losing weight by starving, I'm referring to a point where the body is between 'not enough' and 'enough'.
The level will vary from person to person but it is a proven level....I can't quote where it came from but I found it when studying weight lose methods to use with Hypnosis(I'm a qualified therapist), it came from somewhere like the CSIRO or government health body.
Its this reason nutritionist put people on 1200 calorie diets to lose weight fast, because that level and under does not provide the body with enough of any fuel.
I wasn't saying 'eating under 1500 calories will not cause weight loss' but that an amount just under can muck people up and unfortunately plenty of people think that they can get better results if they have just a little less.
I'm glad your losing weight at 1300 calories a day but health wise you would be better off at 1600-1700 a day with 20 minutes walking, you would probably still lose similar amounts of weight but feel better for it.

 

[Bribie G]

Mark Sisson (the Primal Guy) sums calories up fairly well in his latest blog post:

Mark's "Primal Blueprint" makes a lot of sense, although he does go a bit overboard on the "genetic reprogramming" tin foil hat stuff. I had a shot at the blueprint and lost 5 kg (98 down to 93) in a month but slipped off the wagon over Xmas, back up to 95. My nitro American Amber isn't helping either

I'll repeat the full recommended trial of 21 days this time, that also involves letting my kegs lager in the fridge for 21 days before I get back to them :wacko: :wacko: :wacko:

guy doesn't look too bad for his early 60s

 

[Bribie G]

This thread should be renamed to POST HERE IF YOU HAVE DUNNING-KRUGER EFFECT.

They would have a field day analysing Tony Comb-over Dumdum.

 

[matho]

Hey Argon, you have hit a problem that is not talked about too often.....if you don't eat enough you can't lose weight.
Generally, 1500-1700 calories intake a day with 20 minutes moderate exercise will pull weight off anybody,
you get down around 1200-1400 and you won't lose weight, your body will create the shortfall by creating fat from muscle stores, it takes energy from the fat and leaves a residue(extra weight or no weight loss).
If you are eating 1500 calories and exercising heavily you will drop into that 'no go' zone.
Upping your plan to 2000 allows you to drop back to the right zone after exercise.
Normally as you lose weight and get fitter you train harder, at that point you need to increase food intake to allow for the extra energy burn.
Exercising without food on board is like having a fire without a pile of firewood, you start burning things you don't want to, like chairs and table, like muscle.
It can be very difficult to find the balance, but like brewing keeping records and watching numbers can make it easier to get the best results.

My wife's' 3 brothers all do ironman/triathlon, while training they eat around 3000 calories a day, high carb and protein, then burn 1200-1500 calories a day training, high food intake, big energy burn, finish in the zone. They are skinny buggers when training but strong and fit as bulls.

That is how I lost the 30Kgs, I consumed about 6000 kJ a day and went for bike rides on average 30 min * 4 per week, I also walked short distances instead of driving and took the stairs instead of the lift. At my peak I was losing about 2 kgs a week but on average it was about 1.5 kg. For the last year I have been maintaining my weight but still have to watch it as it creeps on.

 

[Logman]

I've kind of gone full circle. Dropped 10 or 11kg pretty quickly renovating my house, then put it all back on during the three month renovation after-party . I realized how much it sux being overweight during this time and decided to change my diet - so far I've dropped 5kg in about 5 weeks. Don't know why I ever ate junk in the first place, just not worth it. I've also dropped my beer intake somewhat, probably drinking only three days a week, usually about 3-4 stubbies of HB, down from about 5 days a week.

Diet changes include no chocolate, no crap with lunch time coffee, changed from having dessert to fruit with yoghurt if I feel like it or a coffee at night. Also went from a bowl of crappy cereal to weet-bix with fruit.

I think living this way with general exercise I can reach my target weight.

135 kg >>> 124 kg >>>> 135kg >>>> 130kg

:icon_cheers:

 

[AndrewQLD]

At 50 yrs old, 168cm tall, 91.5 kg and high blood pressure I decided to start dieting a week ago, cut out most carbs because they tend to make me feel bloated and tired so no bread, rice, pasta or potatoes although will have a couple of saladas a day. Breakfast consists of an omelette with veg or bacon and eggs. Lunch is usually a big salad with chicken or ham and dinner is meat, fish or chicken with salad or veges. Also stopped drinking 4-6 beers a week night and the more than numerous beers on the weekend.
I haven't been calorie counting just eating what I think is healthy food.

For that first week I went from 91.5 kg to 87.8 kg which was a shock, pretty sure most of that was fluid but it's a start and I would really be more than happy with a kilo loss a fortnight, I seem to be sleeping better since giving up the grog as well, must be all the excess sugar.

Anyway, good to hear you guys are making the effort and succeeding for the most part, it sure as hell isn't easy.

 

[doon]

Any of you guys that are 40 or over on HRT or thought about it? I know a few blokes in their 60s that look 45 that are on it and from what ive seen helps shed the kilos

Ill definitely give it a crack in a few years

 

[Cube]

Never heard of HRT. I'm 43, fittest I've been since my early 20's and loving the consistent but gradual loss of weight. I'm only averaging a kg a month loss but feel really good about it, head space wise, due to the natural way I'm doing it.

Been at it for about 12 months. I can't sleep past 0600 and awake like clockwork at 0530 these days. I get so much done before others get up like running, then a swim or play racing online in my simulator or movie time. I watch lots of horrors which is no good for a 4 year old... Good me time

 

[droid]

good stuff! its nice to read that people feel, on the whole - better, it makes me feel better too just reading that

got some walking (the label states "running" on the in-sole but what the hey) shoes, did 30 minutes brisk walk today, even took a water bottle. i would like to report that her indoors and, well - the whole family actually have reduced carb in-take and doing the "less eating carbs thing after lunch" has been mostly followed, notice i wrote less eating and mostly

anyway its funny, you make one change but also there's that flow on effect of other changes that come along too

batching here for a few days so got me some fresh fish and gonna do the egg, flour - pan fry it and steamed veggies...and prolly 3 pints

not going to bother checking my weight, think i'll go by feel

<edit> decided to put fish and vegies in foil and bake/steam instead

 

[Eagleburger]

Anyway I'm joining in,

117kg yesterday morning, biggest I have ever been.
Looking to get to 90kg by my birthday in May.


ANY ADVICE.............

5 sets a day of stop the **** eating.

 

[Eagleburger]

Dinner tonight

two chicken legs and thighs, some ceasar salad and two jugs of english bitter. Desert? a few more EB's.

 

[fcmcg]

Dinner tonight

two chicken legs and thighs, some ceasar salad and two jugs of english bitter. Desert? a few more EB's.

A ceasar salad has the same fat as two mars bars lol

 

[Eagleburger]

A ceasar salad has the same fat as two mars bars lol

The chickens arse has a bunch of fat, but I ate that too.

fat=flavour

I can give up the trough fodder, but the delicacies...

 

[droid]

Anyway I'm joining in,

117kg yesterday morning, biggest I have ever been.
Looking to get to 90kg by my birthday in May.


ANY ADVICE.............

sorry mate - seriously now:

I remember quitting smoking (for the umpteenth time) and feeling like life wasn't going to be as cheerful. ridiculous isn't it? unless you are a smoker trying to stop! or someone getting onto a diet etc

it's super tough when smokers are nearby...but I promised my kids...and I don't want to be a dad that promises to stay off the fags then gets back on them and kicks the bucket. ive already done enough fucked up things and have paid the price, now I believe in karma, balance, paying it forward

I've also had a problem with drugs, out of the main headliners heroin is the one I managed to avoid and in the cold light of day we can feel alone and helpless, the come down from the good-time. strange thing to feel completely alone when there are people around

now I look at things with a bit more balance, perspective and having kids definitely sorted a few things out

not wanting to ramble but rather to share with you, a lot of us a far from perfect

i'd say do one thing for yourself, make one change - a lifestyle change not just something "to do for 6 months"

ask yourself how you feel, what emotion describes how you feel when you think about your weight, then ask yourself how you will feel when you hit 90kg, what emotion will that be - consider some achievable goals that are stepping stones towards your end goal

I need a beer