Reality Check!!

[Ranger115hp]

Well guys my weight loss journey has officially begun. 2 weeks ago I had a doctor's appointment and my Dr. Gave me a little dose of reality. She stated if I continue the way I have been going, I would probably be dead in 10 years. Seeing that I am 33 and have a beaitiful wife and 2 year old daughter at home. What my doctor said really opened my eyes. So began a lifestyle change. No carbs, no caffeine, no chocolate and a max of 1500 calories a day. So far I am down 13 pounds but have a long way to go.

I want to thank basserjim for his help and guidance as he had some great advice.

What's everyone's favorite healthy meal?

[billnorman1]

No caffiene? Horrors!!!

[billybas]

Justin...I have a recipe for a great low calorie soup that eats like a meal. I make a pot of it every Sunday. I bowl it up in single servings and freeze it. I have it for lunch or with my Dinner. It is called Hamburger Soup. Good stuff!
If your interested let me know and I will send you the recipe.

[boneil]

I hope you don't mind me asking, but why so drastic? Why no caffeine and no carbs?

My favorite healthy meals all have some carbs but they are healthy carbs.

Spaghetti, made with spaghetti squash
Steak with mac and cheese. the mac and cheese is made with veggie noodles and the cheese is made with puree cauliflower and a little cheddar cheese.
Meatza. Its a pizza, but the crust is made with chopped cauliflower topped with your favorite toppings. We top it with chicken, bacon, a little cheese and a homemade barbecue sauce that is sweetened with natural maple syrup to cut back the sugar.

Good luck on your journey

[R Warner]

I hope you don't mind me asking, but why so drastic? Why no caffeine and no carbs?

My favorite healthy meals all have some carbs but they are healthy carbs.

Spaghetti, made with spaghetti squash
Steak with mac and cheese. the mac and cheese is made with veggie noodles and the cheese is made with puree cauliflower and a little cheddar cheese.
Meatza. Its a pizza, but the crust is made with chopped cauliflower topped with your favorite toppings. We top it with chicken, bacon, a little cheese and a homemade barbecue sauce that is sweetened with natural maple syrup to cut back the sugar.

Good luck on your journey

This....You’re setting yourself up for failure. Not trying to be negative but when you go from one extreme to another it makes it very difficult to maintain.

[Ranger115hp]

As for the caffeine, I have had alot of bad acid reflux and caffeine(tea, soda, chocolate) seems to be one of the main triggers. As for the no carbs, that is one of my biggest weaknesses. I would sit down at a meal and have 5 slices of bread with each meal and that wasn't including the pasta or potatoes I had with the meal.

And why for being so drastic is because I have to make a drastic change.

It is really really hard. I have found out that sugar is super addicting. I would actual get mad from not getting a donut and a soda when I stopped for gas. Or wanting that slice of pizza that co-workers offered you. Food is super addicting and a struggle every day. But I just take it one day at a time.

I have a picture of my wife and daughter on my work desk and attached to my steering wheel. It is a great reminder of why I am doing this.

I also feel if I just eliminate those carbs and sweets completely my body and mind will eventually forget they exist.

[TheSilverFox]

The most drastic thing you can do is die! Do what you've got to do man. I'm one of those people that is either all in or all out. There's no halfway of doing things. Just remember that you didn't get there overnight and you won't get where you're going overnight either. Every day it'll get easier.

[boneil]

Unless the doctor ordered it might I suggest a less drastic approach. Cold turkey on so many things MAY be setting you up for failure. It is going to suck cutting out sugar, carbs and caffeine individually. To try and cut all three at the same time could be problematic. You will probably go through withdrawal on all three, I know I do.

But for me it took 2 weeks to lose the food addiction. Personally I think "added sugar" is the devil. I say "added sugar", because you are not going to get addicted and develop health problems by eating an apple. Eating clean for two weeks seamed to be the point at which it was easier to turn down processed foods. Just like a piece of fruit is different from a soda in terms of sugar, there is a difference between eating carbs in a sweat potato and carbs from a doughnut.

Just make it the two weeks and it will start to get better. Just don't kill anybody going through withdrawal rage.

[jkainoa]

Justin...I have a recipe for a great low calorie soup that eats like a meal. I make a pot of it every Sunday. I bowl it up in single servings and freeze it. I have it for lunch or with my Dinner. It is called Hamburger Soup. Good stuff!
If your interested let me know and I will send you the recipe.

I sent you a PM requesting your recipe!

[Ranger115hp]

Well guys. Things are going good. Wife bought us a treadmill. I have been doing almost a mile each day. 20 minutes at 2.7 speed. After talking to a nutrionist I was told to try to stay around 1800 calories. I said no carbs in my original post. But that has slightly changed. I should say no bad carbs. Little did I know how many carbs some fruit and veggies have. So just natural carbs. I'm doing good with the no sugary junk food and no caffeine. Even though I was very angry from withdrawl symptoms at first. little did I know how addicting sugar and caffeine is. I learn more about food and nutrition everyday. I will take any and all advice.

Current weight loss 16lbs.

[Tarheel14]

Treadmill can be beneficial. Try doing a little incline on it. Congrats on your journey.

[diveshades]

[QUOTE=Ranger115hp;9058798]Well guys my weight loss journey has officially begun. 2 weeks ago I had a doctor's appointment and my Dr. Gave me a little dose of reality. She stated if I continue the way I have been going, I would probably be dead in 10 years. Seeing that I am 33 and have a beaitiful wife and 2 year old daughter at home. What my doctor said really opened my eyes. So began a lifestyle change. No carbs, no caffeine, no chocolate and a max of 1500 calories a day. So far I am down 13 pounds but have a long way to go.

I want to thank basserjim for his help and guidance as he had some great advice.


The truth is that everyone is different. Some people are able to get information like that from the doctor and forget it as soon as they have left the office while some heed the warning and make immediate changes much like you did. For me, like you I take immediate and drastic action to right the ship. I always have a goal in mind and monitor the calories taken in, nutritional values of protein, carbs, and fats, exercise calories burned and what my body requires to get to my goal weight in a certain period of time. I also use fitday.com to document everything and always plan tomorrows meals today. Drinking plenty of water, and getting enough sleep along with eating a great breakfast early and spreading out the calories over 4 to 5 meals with allowing at least 2 hours after the last meal to go to sleep. Planning ahead is a way to avoid bad days and bad meals. It also allows you to look at menus online and plan the meal you are going to choose when dining out. What I just stated works for me and I also have an iron will and am ocd as well. Best of luck with continued success!

[diveshades]

Another diet trick that I can share with you that is very important. When you are feeding your body a deficit in calories to lose weight after a period of time your body may hold onto fat and start burning muscle in order to try to stop the weight loss. The way that you can avoid this is as follows; Instead of consuming 1500 calories each day to arrive at 10,500 per week, do this instead. 2000, 1250, 1500, 1750, 1250, 1500, 1250 . What this accomplishes is to fool your body and your body will not recognize that you are trying to lose weight. It will then not burn muscle and will continue to burn fat and allow the weight loss. I have been training people for years and helping people with weight loss and am happy to help if you have any questions or concerns that have thus far gone unanswered.

[Ranger115hp]

Great information. All is going well so far current weight loss is 27 lbs. But i have been stuck on that number which seems like forever. I'll get over it one way or the other.

My food choices i am getting kinda bored of as well. Seems like I have salad and chicken everyday. Any good recipes out there so u can mix it up.

[AKRISONER]

Great information. All is going well so far current weight loss is 27 lbs. But i have been stuck on that number which seems like forever. I'll get over it one way or the other.

My food choices i am getting kinda bored of as well. Seems like I have salad and chicken everyday. Any good recipes out there so u can mix it up.

get more inventive with your salads...one of my favourites is make ground chicken tacos...just dont eat any shells and go with low cal/fat free sour cream. The spices, hot sauce and salsa all make you feel like you are eating somethign delicious that is actually pretty healthy.

[Tarheel14]

Wanted to know how everyone else is holding up? I finally got back to the gym a few days this week. Feels good and will continue to try and go. Slacked off a few weeks because I had a cold I couldn't get rid of. Glad my gym has an indoor track. Its getting hot. Tough running in 100 degrees outside.