The Diet/Exercise Thread

[Alaska Darin]

I've worked out for years and have had the "decent" success maintaining my physique despite the normal challenges of "liking food" and "getting older".

 

I've been reading/listening to a variety of different sources about essentially going back to an "ancestral diet", which is a nice way of saying..."just eat meat".  About a month ago I decided to give it a go.  Meat of any kind, eggs, and cheese are all fine.  I've not eaten "much" cheese but I eat at least a couple of pounds of meat each day and 3 to 6 eggs.

 

4 weeks in and a couple weeks past the 3ish days of "Keto Flu", I have to say...it's been insanely effective.  I've lost 14 pounds of straight fat and my energy levels are off the chart.  I only eat when I'm hungry, which is once or twice per day, so intermittent fasting is a breeze.  I got my blood tested before starting and it was all in the "normal range" and will do that again in another week and intermittently over the next year.

 

Open kimono:  I don't really like veggies, so giving that up wasn't difficult at all.  I miss fruit sometimes and will likely at times treat myself to some berries because life is still worth living.  I have cheated once...I had some pizza last weekend.  That was great when I was eating it...but I paid for it quite a bit for about the 24 hours following.  Pretty listless and a lot of gastrointestinal distress.

 

Link to one of the studies:

 

https://www.doctortro.com/do-athletes-need-carbs/

 

It's clearly not for everyone...but I gotta tell you...so far I love it.

[Ann]

My husband did keto for a number of years. He lost 20# and kept it off while on keto. He went off keto and has recently found those lost pounds.

My son and DIL have also done keto, but they are in their 30s and can play with it a lot more. My son has moved on to some sort of carnivore diet that he's modified to counting carbs (he cheats occasionally). He lost 50# and looks terrible, IMO (he's 6'5" and down to 210... too thin for his large frame). He exercises like a loon, including lifting.

The one caution I have on keto type diets... when my husband first started I ate what he made for dinner and gained 5 pounds quite quickly (less than  2 weeks). You gotta get into (and stay in) ketosis and count those carbs.

Once we stop traveling, my husband has finally agreed to do the Mediterranean diet with me! When we went to Italy in 2019 I lost 15# in 6 weeks and believe me, I ate well and drank a lot of wine. Tiramisu was my friend. And bonus, I kept most of it off. So, I'd like us to both try it now.

[Alaska Darin]

8 minutes ago, Ann said:

My husband did keto for a number of years. He lost 20# and kept it off while on keto. He went off keto and has recently found those lost pounds.

My son and DIL have also done keto, but they are in their 30s and can play with it a lot more. My son has moved on to some sort of carnivore diet that he's modified to counting carbs (he cheats occasionally). He lost 50# and looks terrible, IMO (he's 6'5" and down to 210... too thin for his large frame). He exercises like a loon, including lifting.

The one caution I have on keto type diets... when my husband first started I ate what he made for dinner and gained 5 pounds quite quickly (less than  weeks). You gotta get into ketosis and count those carbs.

Once we stop traveling, my husband has finally agreed to do the Mediterranean diet with me! When we went to Italy in 2019 I lost 15# in 6 weeks and believe me, I ate well and drank a lot of wine. Tiramisu was my friend. And bonus, I kept most of it off. So, I'd like us to both try it now.

Understand all of that and it makes perfect sense.  I'm not "much" of a carb/sweets person anyway (occasional pizza/pasta, etc).  Do love french fries, though really I think I like them as the delivery system for salt/tartar sauce more than anything.  I haven't missed them much but I suppose I'll eat some if we ever go to Red Robin again.

 

One thing that pushed me in this direction was either tendonitis or arthritis in my inner elbow that REALLY affected any workout involving my bicep  Within 3 weeks the pain/inflammation has completely disappeared.  I don't think that's a coincidence.

[GG1]

We just try to moderate our portions and stick to a balanced diet.  Harder for me since I love sweets and chocolate.  But, have cut down on pure carbs a lot and it's worked. 

[Jabba The Hutt]

Went on a plant based diet after heart issues at an extremely young age. Tried to stick to a fruit diet as well as I could. Occasional cheats. Intermittent fasting as well. Lost 225 pounds in less than 6 months with zero exercise. Best part was I finally felt satiated.

 

If I had gone keto, I would've given myself a heart attack.

[Alaska Darin]

6 hours ago, Jabba The Hutt said:

Went on a plant based diet after heart issues at an extremely young age. Tried to stick to a fruit diet as well as I could. Occasional cheats. Intermittent fasting as well. Lost 225 pounds in less than 6 months with zero exercise. Best part was I finally felt satiated.

 

If I had gone keto, I would've given myself a heart attack.

Congratulations!  That's quite an accomplishment.  If I had to do a plant-based diet, I'd look like Ghandi.  I'd never want to eat.  😄

[Jabba The Hutt]

43 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

Congratulations!  That's quite an accomplishment.  If I had to do a plant-based diet, I'd look like Ghandi.  I'd never want to eat.  😄

 I literally never had fruits and veggies as a kid. Hated them. Once I started eating fruit it became my obsession. Veggies are tolerable but still not preferable. All my favorite veggies are herbs or fruits that are considered veggies. I don't feel good if I eat anything other than fruit and veggies.

[RochesterRob]

  For the evening meal I opt for lean cuts of meat and have some type of potato dish to go with it.  I love vegetables and fruits.  I used to have 4 strips of center cut bacon on Sunday.  Then the COVID supply interruptions happened then I got along without center cut bacon.  I lost 25 pounds and am now down to my college era weight.  Lunches I usually have some kind of sandwich and/or soup.  I know lots of people who are pretty much pizza/pasta every meal and nearly all of them look like blimps.  I might piss some people off here but wanting Italian food for every meal is the result of the ad agencies.  I remember taking marketing at Cornell many years ago and the reason you see commercials for Italian cousine is it is the highest profit margin niche in the restaurant industry.  My instructor predicted the failure of chains such as Ponderosa who's steak centric menu was very low profit combined with mediocre quality.  If you are going to do steak it has to be done on the high end in terms of quality and have access to a market of 100,000 people within a half hour drive.  

[plenzmd1]

i am a fat blob...my issue is 100% beer related. I do not restrict my diet at all, but its the beer that keeps the lbs on me. Work out just about  everyday...was doing hot yoga but found it would take me all day to rehydrate and just did not have extra energy one should get the rest of the day from a good workout.

.

 

So have turned now to run in the AM,(have to start really short now) and started insanity on Beachbody...have done it couple times before and generally can lost 20lbs in the two months with the running and HiiT workout..with little change to diet...and a cutback on the beer everynight.

[Alaska Darin]

6 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

i am a fat blob...my issue is 100% beer related. I do not restrict my diet at all, but its the beer that keeps the lbs on me. Work out just about  everyday...was doing hot yoga but found it would take me all day to rehydrate and just did not have extra energy one should get the rest of the day from a good workout.

.

 

So have turned now to run in the AM,(have to start really short now) and started insanity on Beachbody...have done it couple times before and generally can lost 20lbs in the two months with the running and HiiT workout..with little change to diet...and a cutback on the beer everynight.

Substitute LIIFT 4 for Insanity (workouts are mostly half resistance/half HIIT).  You'll be shocked at how quick some of that bad stuff comes off.

[Alaska Darin]

8 hours ago, Jabba The Hutt said:

 I literally never had fruits and veggies as a kid. Hated them. Once I started eating fruit it became my obsession. Veggies are tolerable but still not preferable. All my favorite veggies are herbs or fruits that are considered veggies. I don't feel good if I eat anything other than fruit and veggies.

I love fruit.  LOVE IT.  More sour, the better but as long as it's not melon, I generally love it.  I used to eat tomatoes like they were apples, so I totally understand your statement on the kinds of veggies you like.  While I don't care for veggies, I used to try to tolerate them but they cause so much inflammation that I've just eliminated them from my diet.

[Alaska Darin]

8 hours ago, RochesterRob said:

  For the evening meal I opt for lean cuts of meat and have some type of potato dish to go with it.  I love vegetables and fruits.  I used to have 4 strips of center cut bacon on Sunday.  Then the COVID supply interruptions happened then I got along without center cut bacon.  I lost 25 pounds and am now down to my college era weight.  Lunches I usually have some kind of sandwich and/or soup.  I know lots of people who are pretty much pizza/pasta every meal and nearly all of them look like blimps.  I might piss some people off here but wanting Italian food for every meal is the result of the ad agencies.  I remember taking marketing at Cornell many years ago and the reason you see commercials for Italian cousine is it is the highest profit margin niche in the restaurant industry.  My instructor predicted the failure of chains such as Ponderosa who's steak centric menu was very low profit combined with mediocre quality.  If you are going to do steak it has to be done on the high end in terms of quality and have access to a market of 100,000 people within a half hour drive.  

I think you're half right on the advertising.  "American Italian" food is also LOADED with sugar, so the more of it you eat, the more of it you crave.  It's a vicious cycle.

[Jabba The Hutt]

1 minute ago, Alaska Darin said:

I love fruit.  LOVE IT.  More sour, the better but as long as it's not melon, I generally love it.  I used to eat tomatoes like they were apples, so I totally understand your statement on the kinds of veggies you like.  While I don't care for veggies, I used to try to tolerate them but they cause so much inflammation that I've just eliminated them from my diet.

They don't digest very well to begin with let alone with how unripe and premature everything is picked. Has to be homegrown!

 

We just bought another property to plant tons more mango on, there are so many great varieties you'll never find in store. A mango from the store is literally the worst cultivar that can be grown. Absolute trash.

[RochesterRob]

29 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

I love fruit.  LOVE IT.  More sour, the better but as long as it's not melon, I generally love it.  I used to eat tomatoes like they were apples, so I totally understand your statement on the kinds of veggies you like.  While I don't care for veggies, I used to try to tolerate them but they cause so much inflammation that I've just eliminated them from my diet.

  I love tomatoes to that degree as well.  The only problem is they along with grapefruit and other fruits can be hard on the dental work due to the pH of the juice/flesh.  

Edited July 27, 2021 by RochesterRob

[RochesterRob]

48 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

I think you're half right on the advertising.  "American Italian" food is also LOADED with sugar, so the more of eat you eat, the more of it you crave.  It's a vicious cycle.

  One reason why I would never order Italian out.  I'll eat my sister's spaghetti because she will slave away a full day to make sure the ingredients are just so.  There is not one restaurant chain pizza I crave as well.  But I would eat a "craft" pizza.  With the sour dough, tomato sauce, peppers, etc of a craft pizza it can be fine dining.  I like ham and sausage in there as well.  

Edited July 27, 2021 by RochesterRob

[Alaska Darin]

42 minutes ago, Jabba The Hutt said:

They don't digest very well to begin with let alone with how unripe and premature everything is picked. Has to be homegrown!

 

We just bought another property to plant tons more mango on, there are so many great varieties you'll never find in store. A mango from the store is literally the worst cultivar that can be grown. Absolute trash.

Obviously I'm a WNY kid...so I never had a mango until I joined the military and went to Central/South American and felt like my world changed forever.  So I know what you're talking about.

[Jabba The Hutt]

1 hour ago, RochesterRob said:

  I love tomatoes to that degree as well.  The only problem is they along with grapefruit and other fruits can be hard on the dental work due to the pH of the juice/flesh.  

It's crazy how acidic of a pH most foods are! Pasteurized milk and Gatorade are two great examples. I've found the more acidic food people eat for long periods of time, that's when they end up getting the diseases they get. Couple that with the acidity of cigarettes, coffee, alcohol, etc...

[Alaska Darin]

22 minutes ago, Jabba The Hutt said:

It's crazy how acidic of a pH most foods are! Pasteurized milk and Gatorade are two great examples. I've found the more acidic food people eat for long periods of time, that's when they end up getting the diseases they get. Couple that with the acidity of cigarettes, coffee, alcohol, etc...

There is some correlation between PH and organ disease and cancer.  Sugar plays a roll as well.  There are some issues with how the studies are conducted and the results.

[Ann]

31 minutes ago, Jabba The Hutt said:

It's crazy how acidic of a pH most foods are! Pasteurized milk and Gatorade are two great examples. I've found the more acidic food people eat for long periods of time, that's when they end up getting the diseases they get. Couple that with the acidity of cigarettes, coffee, alcohol, etc...

Coffee and alchohol are two of my three main food groups! 

[Jabba The Hutt]

9 minutes ago, Alaska Darin said:

There is some correlation between PH and organ disease and cancer.  Sugar plays a roll as well.  There are some issues with how the studies are conducted and the results.

Agreed, Processed sugars are extremely acidic as well!