The amazing, all-encompassing diet thread

[jukief]

Strength in numbers!

[Billy D.]

I tried the banana and coconut diet once, it didn't do much for my weight problem, but my tree climbing improved 100%..........(kidding)
I'm leaning more towards the Proteins, and watching out for the bad carbs.

[Kawi]

Oh wow cool a support group. As some of you know I may be 10 or 20 lbs overweight. LOL I have fought this battle for 10 years after I quit smoking, etc and being in an office all day and half the night. Losing 20 lbs for me is like throwing a chair off of the Queen Mary, it takes about 50 lbs before I can really notice. This is very interesting reading for me. I will watch closely. Great idea Julie.

[rbentnail]

Lots of very small changes over time is what has worked for me.

I'm on not-so-much a diet, but at 5'10" and 200 lbs. 2 years ago, I'm now down to 168 lbs. (still 5'10"!). What I did was reduce and eventually eliminate many, not all, chips, pastas and fats; and added more activity. Not necessarily excercise in the beginning, just activity. Any kind of physical movement helps: walking to the bank or post office instead of driving by on the way to work, 5 minutes of pushmowing instead of ridemowing, then 10 minutes, then 15, etc. Play with the dog for 5 minutes a day- you may find she actually enjoys your company and you may be able to finally have an intelligent conversation in your own home! (I say it that way, but talking to the dog allows me to bounce ideas off someone aloud without looking retarded b/c I'm talking to myself). Just by doing little changes at a time, you get used to it and it becomes habit instead of a chore. I went from whole milk to 2% for about 6 months, then to 1%. I drink iced tea instead of carbonated drinks. I keep a bottle of water on my desk to sip on & guzzle down 1/2 of it before eating- you won't eat as much and won't miss it. Drink milk with a meal instead of carbonated drinks- it fills you up faster.

It's still sometimes a struggle, but the diabetes/heart disease/hypertension things run in my families too. I'm gonna do what I can.

[jukief]

Great post, Russ! It's true that making just a few small changes here and there really add up over time. i've read articles that tell you, for instance, that you can lose X number of pounds over a year by giving up this one thing. Likewise, by eating a certain thing, you can gain X number of pounds over the year! It's those little things that creep up on us, I think. But we can sure make a difference by making small changes, and then it's not so difficult.

I sit at my desk all day long. Lately, I've been listening to a lot of music while I work, and every hour I get up for at least five minutes and dance around the bedroom. OK, I know that sounds silly. But I play a song that inspires me, and it's fun. It gets my *ss off the chair and moving at least once every hour. And it's fun!

I watched that show on PBS last week about heart disease. They talked about the reasons that Americans have so much more heart disease since WW II. It was interesting. People moving out to the suburbs and driving everywhere instead of walking. Fast food. All the soldiers who took up smoking because of the free cigarettes during the war and brought the habit home to their wives and girlfriends (before the war they said very few women smoked). TV, which introduced the concept of the couch potato. All those things have added up. And most of us were already born after these things happened. So it takes deliberate effort to make the changes.

Yesterday, I needed to run to the drugstore to pick up a few items. Even though it's just 3/4 of a mile down the road, I'd usually just get in my car and drive down there. But yesterday I took a break from work and walked. I felt so much better, and it didn't even take that long. Those are the kind of changes I'm hoping to make permanent in my lifestyle.

[darkwolf29a]

Originally Posted by jukief

I want to see your before and after pictures!!

I'm finding that I get full with a lot less food now, but I think it has something to do with the type of food I'm eating. I do know that I can't eat as much without feeling really full. So I tend to "graze" throughout the day and eat my meals very slowly. That really helps keep my energy up throughout the day.

I'll have my gf take one, but know the sacrifice I am making. I hate to have my picture taken.

[ontwowheels]

Originally Posted by jukief

Oh, I forgot to mention... no alcohol. But I haven't had as much trouble giving it up as I thought I would. It's all good.

Nope....not an option here.

For me, I am able to make small changes to the way I eat but I am not willing to budge much there. If I am going to do the crime, I'll do the time. I basically run to support my eatting and drinking habits. With the weather being cold lately I have only been able to run a few miles a week, but normally I'll try for 10 a week...maybe more if I am training for a 5K or 10K race.

Exercise is the key for me.

[jukief]

Originally Posted by darkwolf29a

I'll have my gf take one, but know the sacrifice I am making. I hate to have my picture taken.

At least you don't have your "fat pictures" plastered all over this forum like I do!

The only thing that gives me comfort is that maybe I'll have some "skinny pictures" at Red Lodge this summer. That's what I'm hoping, anyway. The knowledge that Dave's going to be around with his camera is really good incentive for me!

[darkwolf29a]

Originally Posted by jukief

At least you don't have your "fat pictures" plastered all over this forum like I do!

The only thing that gives me comfort is that maybe I'll have some "skinny pictures" at Red Lodge this summer. That's what I'm hoping, anyway. The knowledge that Dave's going to be around with his camera is really good incentive for me!

Let's see...I have seen most of those "fat pictures" and I don't see any fat there at all. I do see some PHAT pictures, but that's a whole different thing.

As for not posting my picture, I don't post it anywhere. LOL I'll post pictures of my bike, just not me..usually. You get a one time shot at this one, so enjoy it while you can.

[jukief]

Originally Posted by darkwolf29a

Let's see...I have seen most of those "fat pictures" and I don't see any fat there at all. I do see some PHAT pictures, but that's a whole different thing.

As for not posting my picture, I don't post it anywhere. LOL I'll post pictures of my bike, just not me..usually. You get a one time shot at this one, so enjoy it while you can.

You can always PM them...

[CheriAnn]

Julie, what a great thread to start!!!! I have noticed myself (and made comments) that there are some on here trying to drop a few pounds before riding weather is back. I am really struggling this year I seem to go through this every year....pick up weight over the holidays and during winter, then try to drop them quickly for summer. It gets harder and harder to do the older I get. I cut out the carbs and increase the protein (fats). That's what works the best for my body type. My brother lost over 100 pounds cutting out the carbs

I have been on and off, on and off lately...With the bike shows and other things coming up, I seem to go off track on the weekends. Then on Monday's I get back on until the weekend comes and I let another distraction make me go off again.

[ontwowheels]

Originally Posted by jukief

At least you don't have your "fat pictures" plastered all over this forum like I do!

The only thing that gives me comfort is that maybe I'll have some "skinny pictures" at Red Lodge this summer. That's what I'm hoping, anyway. The knowledge that Dave's going to be around with his camera is really good incentive for me!

I am going to have to ride all the way out to Red Lodge aren't I???

[jukief]

Cheri, years ago I saw a guy on TV (maybe on Phil Donahue or one of those other old talk shows--Mike Douglas? I'm aging myself). He had lost a couple of hundred pounds and kept it off for years by following a very strict diet during the week and eating whatever he wanted during the weekend. So I don't think you should be hard on yourself about that. Look at it as a good strategy!

[jukief]

Originally Posted by ontwowheels

I am going to have to ride all the way out to Red Lodge aren't I???

I think so.

[Tod]

Stickied!


If interest slows down, we can un-sticky this again, but for now, I want it right up here at the top to serve as encouragement for all of us.

[ontwowheels]

Originally Posted by jukief

I think so.

Just a little over 2000 miles...

[darkwolf29a]

Originally Posted by ontwowheels

Just a little over 2000 miles...

Enjoy your ride. I'm going to ride out the 1000 plus this year. I got WAY too much going on right now to even begin to plan that. Plus, the girlie won't go...yet. LOL I'm working on her though, for next year.

[jukief]

Originally Posted by ontwowheels

Just a little over 2000 miles...

You can do it! You might have to take a longer vacation than you were planning...

[2WheelFun]

Congrats to everyone making headway on your diet/programs!

Shirley and I are trying the Nutri System program. We actually like most of the food and are on our 2nd month of the program. I use to weight 232 lbs and am now down to 207 as of last night. My goal is 200 lbs.

I also have been using the treadmill and total gym faithfully so I know that has made a big difference. Also...I stopped drinking soda pop and now drink green tea and other tea's as well as water.

While we are on this program we still pick times when we cheat and eat some foods that we shouldn't. The body still craves the foods we enjoy but may not be very healthy but we still enjoy them in small quantities and less frequently.

Good health to you all!!!

[jukief]

Originally Posted by 2WheelFun

While we are on this program we still pick times when we cheat and eat some foods that we shouldn't. The body still craves the foods we enjoy but may not be very healthy but we still enjoy them in small quantities and less frequently.