Get healthy!

[MusicHead]

Kudos to all of those that have reported about their commitment to a healthier lifestyle. This is my recipe for it, after several decades of experience:

1. Train with weights, possibly free weights, not machines. As we age we tend to lose muscle mass and add fat, due to life style changes but also physiological changes (like testosterone going down in men). You do not need to aspire to be the next Arnold or use hernia-inducing weights. Just get your muscle to work again a resistance, to maintain tone and especially mass. More muscles burns more calories, even at rest. I workout with weight four days a week, for 30-35 minutes. At the gym before COVID, now at home with dumbbells, kettlebells and a pull-up bar.
2. Add some aerobic activity to boost you metabolism. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is best, as it keeps metabolism revving high even after a workout. But anything is better than noting. Running, biking or even just walking works great. I run three days a week and walk four days a week, alternating the two. I get bored running for too long, so I run for two miles at a fast pace or walk for three miles.
3. If you want to loose weight and unless you have other health issues, you have to create a caloric deficit, i.e.: burn more than you take in or take in less than you burn. For most people a healthy caloric deficit is 300-500 calories per day. It takes longer to loose weight that way, but it ends up being a more permanent weight loss. Even if you just walk, the average person burns about 100 calories per mile. You walk 2-3 miles per day and you got 200-300 active calories, right there.
3. A deficit of a couple more hundred calories can be created without going crazy with counting calories, watching what and how much you eat. The best way of doing it is really subjective. For me, eating fewer, more spaced meals works best. In fact, you could say that I follow a intermittent fast-like protocol. For some people, the traditional three meals with two or three healthy snacks work best (provided the total calories intake is not excessive). I usually have breakfast mid morning (I workout on an empty stomach before that), with 2 cups of milk, a scoop of protein powder and 50-75 grams of starchy carbs. I then have a mid afternoon snack mostly with lean proteins (poultry, fish or lean pork/red meat) and non-starchy carbs. Dinner is usually more proteins with salad and/or another 100 grams or so of starchy carbs.
4. I do not like to eliminate entire food groups or macronutrients, so I mix protein, carbs and fats tilting the mix toward protein, as I workout with weights and I do not want to lose lean mass (which is what inevitably happens if you diet hard and do only aerobic exercise). I target 0.8-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day, but I do not go crazy if some days I get less.

Final thoughts: dieting in the traditional sense is useful only to give a short them "shock" to your body, especially if you have lots of fat to lose. However, what works in the long run is to change you eating and exercising habits, and stick to it. Drop or greatly reduce the sugars (including sodas and fruit juices), eat lean proteins, choose unrefined carbs and do not overeat them (rice is better than pasta and potatoes better than bread, but do not splurge), watch you fat intake, but do not fall far the "fat-free" fad, if you drink alcohol beverages, do it in moderation. As for exercising, pick something you like and stay the course. Consistency is more important than the particular sport/activity you pick. If you do something only because "it is the most effective way of burning calories" but you hate it, sooner or later you will stop.

Long post, do not mean to sound preachy, just sharing my experience. Hope someone will find it useful.

[ttocs]

I lost a little bit of momentum this week, down just -1 pound. I attribute this to experimenting.

I wanted to verify that ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar), Lemon Juice, and a pinch of Salt actually does something, so I stopped drinking this on Monday. I didn't feel as good all week. I had a glass this morning and feel much better today. It helps with the fasting.

Also, I had a taste for chicken which doesn't have enough fat content.

And lastly, I wasn't testing the blood glucose and ketones during the week which meant I wasn't getting instant feedback about what my body was doing.

So, between the consumption differences for most of the week and not keeping track with the meter, it knocked my out of ketosis and took a couple days to rev up again. Today things are back in line. Live and learn.

[monkumonku]

Jul 2, 2021 10:51:59 GMT -5 ttocs said:

I lost a little bit of momentum this week, down just -1 pound. I attribute this to experimenting.

I wanted to verify that ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar), Lemon Juice, and a pinch of Salt actually does something, so I stopped drinking this on Monday. I didn't feel as good all week. I had a glass this morning and feel much better today. It helps with the fasting.

Also, I had a taste for chicken which doesn't have enough fat content.

And lastly, I wasn't testing the blood glucose and ketones during the week.

So, between the consumption differences for most of the week and not keeping track with the meter, it knocked my out of ketosis and took a couple days to rev up again. Today things are back in line. Live and learn.

Congrats on your overall weight loss! I have a question, though. It sounds this diet requires eating a lot of fat and I was wondering about the reasoning behind this? I know our bodies need a combination of things, including fats, but I get the impression this diet emphasizes eating a good deal of it.

[ttocs]

Jul 2, 2021 11:11:04 GMT -5 monkumonku said:

Jul 2, 2021 10:51:59 GMT -5 ttocs said:

I lost a little bit of momentum this week, down just -1 pound. I attribute this to experimenting.

I wanted to verify that ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar), Lemon Juice, and a pinch of Salt actually does something, so I stopped drinking this on Monday. I didn't feel as good all week. I had a glass this morning and feel much better today. It helps with the fasting.

Also, I had a taste for chicken which doesn't have enough fat content.

And lastly, I wasn't testing the blood glucose and ketones during the week.

So, between the consumption differences for most of the week and not keeping track with the meter, it knocked my out of ketosis and took a couple days to rev up again. Today things are back in line. Live and learn.

Congrats on your overall weight loss! I have a question, though. It sounds this diet requires eating a lot of fat and I was wondering about the reasoning behind this? I know our bodies need a combination of things, including fats, but I get the impression this diet emphasizes eating a good deal of it.

Yes, it's quite a change when trying to include more fats. But, it's foods which have the correct ratio of Protein:Fat, 1:1 like what's found in eggs, or 1:1+ like what can be found in some hamburger meat with higher fat percentage. I buy the 80%, and actually, always have, but also I get Grass Fed organic.

Here is a video explaining the ratio.


The ratio is the amount of calories from fat and protein as opposed to the weight of each. However, in the video he covers why some might need to use the weight instead so the amount of fat calories is increased. I use the percentage of calories. I can get the calorie percentage of fat up to about 70% for a meal, but have yet to get more than a little over 60% for any two meals in a day, along with the protein calories being less than 30%. The perfect amount of each is 70% fat, and 20% protein, but getting enough protein for the day. Doing that makes me too full. Then there's the veggies and a little fruit each day. It's not as easy a ordering a pizza 

Something to note about the fat and other aspects of a diet like this is that it will depend on the health requirements of the individual. Dr. Berg explains it very well in some of his many videos.

[ttocs]

I thought it would be nice to share what the app I use looks like and the info it provides, which is quite extensive. The first week I lost 10 pounds, which would've been mostly fluids and excess retention of stuff, so I would think that's why it was so dramatic. The next 3 weeks were 2lbs, 2lbs, and 1lb, but in the graph for weight change you can see when things are steady - which to me means things are progressing smoothly and the body is happy, vs when there is a big peak followed by a big dip - when I consumed something that upset the trend.

Most of the page shows what I ate yesterday and the nutritional information. The "Consumed" circle is where I can hover to see the percentage of Fat/Protein/Carbs, and this is what I look at mostly. Yesterday it was 54% Fat, 31% Protein. The percentage of fat I've been able to average is around 60% most days. For example, if I did not include that banana, or if it were smaller, the Carb % would have been half which directly increases the Fat percentage, and the Protein stays at the same level. This is a direct comparison of Carbs vs Fat, sugars vs fat for fuel. This is why this app is really great to use!

I just had the one meal, and I was stuffed, but today I'm -1 pound from yesterday and I'm not hungry at almost 1:30pm. I've just had the ACV/Lemon/Salt water. I'm planning on eating pretty much what I had yesterday, but maybe more eggs.

The fruit/veggies I make as a smoothie which makes two full glasses. And yes, I know the banana represents about half the carbs, but it's what makes the smoothie taste good, plus, I'm a lifelong banana consumer with my earliest memory being when my mom would let me grab Gerber's Banana baby food off the shelf in the grocery store. I knew what it looked like because it was my favorite. I'm conscious of the fact that I'm slowing my progress based upon wanting that banana so bad.

The really great thing about this app is that I can add and delete foods to "shop" for possibilities of foods that tweak the results, like the circle scales at the bottom which are a versus type scale. When one is too much, the other is too little. Over time I'll get better at using all of this info.

[ttocs]

I've learned a lot over the last couple years about all this health stuff, and this year I've got a lot of medical tests confirming all is very well inside.

Last year I got lazy, went back to drinking soda pop and eating food which tilted in favor of more carbs which led to the necessity to eat three times a day again which led to more weight gain, etc, etc, etc.

In May of this year I stopped all soda pop, went back on intermittent fasting - fast for 20 hours and eat within a 4 hour period, eating low carbs, and higher fat vs protein. Each blood and urine test showed everything is normal. Multiple scans of all my organs show "unremarkable", which means all is normal. Cardio stress test showed good heart function with good blood flow and no blockage.

Several appointments with a nutritionist resulted in her telling me to continue what I've been doing except to increase the carb target, which I did. More carbs means not losing weight as quickly, but it's still been working very well.

I've been riding a stationary indoor cycle and wearing heart monitors to record the sessions. More recently, after going through physical therapy on a shoulder that I injured a couple months ago, I've also been working out with dumbells. With both of these routines I've morphed into doing multiple shorter duration / higher intensity workouts per day and getting better results for myself, plus, the shorter workouts are easier to work into my days so it's been easier to keep going.

I've reached my ultimate goal of minus 34 pounds since beginning of May, but will continue for another ten pounds or so to be where I was about 28 years ago, but now with better muscle tone than I had back then.

There have been many plateaus in the last four months (the first two months had steady progress), and that's really ok because it keeps it all interesting. There were strict weeks, and there were the "fun" weeks (eating whatever was fun to eat), and there was an extremely stressful month in there as well when I was eating almost nothing but crap, but still no cola. In almost all of that time I was either maintaining or losing weight along with feeling healthier with each passing week.

I feel great, sleep great, and am more alert every day. And since doing the stress test I learned that I can push harder for longer during exercise.

The key takeaways are no soda pop, low carbs, water, and intermittent fasting. Everything else is up to the individual. Soda pop inflates my innards and made me look bloated, so I just don't consume it at all. The particulars, like this food or that food, don't matter as much as what type of food it is, such as protein, carb, or fat, along with the ratio of the three. Eating a proper portion is beneficial to the digestive system. But a high calorie day once in a while is ok too.

Hope that some find this helpful.

[MusicHead]

ttocs, congratulations for your progress, stay the course! I outlined my approach to nutrition and training a few posts above, so I won't repeat myself.

I will only say that small, permanent changes in the way you eat and train are more effective in the long run than "crash", short term blasts of extreme dieting.

I shed 20 pounds over the course of approximately 24 months. I did it so slow on purpose because I did not want to lose muscle mass together with fat.

I went from a tight 34 pant size to a loose size 32, significant but not extreme, I just had some extra "baggage" 😄.

To me, a small, manageable, daily calorie deficit from eating (200-300 calories) is key, combined with weight training and some aerobic exercise.

I too found a "quasi" intermittent approach more effective than eating small meals and snacks during the day. I usually do something like 14/10, with a solid late morning breakfast (when I eat most of my carbs for the day and a protein shake), light lunch (mostly protein and non-starchy carbs) and then a medium dinner with a mix of protein and a variety of some carbs, including vegetables and fruits, without going overboard.

I am not a fan of eliminating entire food groups, however added sugars, excessive carbs (especially highly refined and processed carbs) and "bad" fats are a no no.

I also tend to eat lean protein (fish, eggs, white meat), occasionally red meat. Nothing wrong with healthy fat either.

I have been training with weights since I was a teenager, so I shoot for about 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight as my daily intake. I am 5'9" and 168lb.

We only got one body, better take good care of it!

[405x5]

Nov 13, 2023 9:45:40 GMT -5 MusicHead said:

We only got one body, better take good care of it!

I often refer to it as the gift of understanding when you totally embrace the fact that you’ve only got one shot at this with yes…… One body.

What a tragedy to throw it away

[405x5]

During the last couple of years, I have embraced another aspect of all of this (assuming the whole nutrition thing is under control) And that is ” the gym” and unfortunately The problems that follow along with it.

For my part, I have embraced the reality that the aggravation associated with the gym, (which is largely due to people, who are rude and inconsiderate there)… Sitting on machines that are in high demand and yapping on their personal devices when OTHERS are on a mission to get in there and get out of there and just can’t do it Because of selfish behavior.
I simply rethought about what I was doing before I was a gym member and just went back to my roots. Serious training on my own initiative and there are plenty of ways to do it when you’ve been physical all your life

Like a revelation, free of aggravation And I’m in as good shape for the most part, as I was before Without the BS. Life is good.

[Boomzilla]

As an alumni of the local university I can access the university’s athletic facilities (pools, running tracks, weight equipment, climbing wall, tennis & handball courts, etc.) for $10/year. I did try it and it worked fine between semesters when the students were away. But once the student population returned, the facilities were so crowded that they became impossible to use. I’m as appreciative as any other dirty old man of coeds in bikinis, but you can’t do a breast stroke while sharing a pool lane with one of them.

Paid facilities such as the YMCA and local health clubs were similarly crowded.

Maybe one of the local country clubs could offer less-crowded facilities because of their higher membership fees?

[marcl]

Nov 13, 2023 11:14:21 GMT -5 Boomzilla said:

As an alumni of the local university I can access the university’s athletic facilities (pools, running tracks, weight equipment, climbing wall, tennis & handball courts, etc.) for $10/year. I did try it and it worked fine between semesters when the students were away. But once the student population returned, the facilities were so crowded that they became impossible to use. I’m as appreciative as any other dirty old man of coeds in bikinis, but you can’t do a breast stroke while sharing a pool lane with one of them.

Paid facilities such as the YMCA and local health clubs were similarly crowded.

Maybe one of the local country clubs could offer less-crowded facilities because of their higher membership fees?

But, but ... the best thing is they get your heart rate to 120 before you even do any exercise!

[405x5]

Just to be clear, it was not the crowd for me. That was the downfall rather the etiquette

A gym can be crowded and they often are, and that’s no big deal especially when you know how to work it, but when they have a limited number of a certain type of machine And you have people in a fog who will plop themselves on those machines and not move unless you get into an argument with them. It defeats the whole purpose of going and I got tired of getting into an argument to get my workout done and then leave that’s all over , and like I said earlier, it’s a revelation

Trail hiking has become my replacement for aerobic training at the gym and I have small machines to fill-in at home like an abdominal crunch, etc. no longer anyone in my way. I just get it done free of aggravation how sweet it is.

[Zombie]

ttocs,
Good stuff that you stay focused and lost some weight. Back in April I weighed 185. I see my doc once a year for my annual check-up and told him I’d like to slim down a bit. While I’m not a picky eater and not really a snacker I started doing some fasting. At first I fasted about 16 hours then had a 8 hour eating window. I did lose a few pounds but I learned my metabolism really didn’t kick into high gear unless I fasted a bit more. Once I did 18-20 I could feel (and see) the difference. Now, I don’t do it religiously every day but I do probably 4-5 days a week. Not really dieting, pretty much eating the same amount I’ve always done. Just changed a few things. I like my morning coffee (sometimes tea) but now don’t use any creamer or sugar. As long as it’s black it won’t kill the fast. I eat pretty much everything from pasta to Mexican food. Fish, Sushi, chicken, steak. You name I’ll eat it. Lots of veggies too. So now since about late April/early May I’m down to 170. My weight does fluctuate a pound or two (usually water weight) but I hover right at 170. I just had my Colonoscopy on Friday. After the prep and being all cleaned out I was 165. This morning I was 168 (I’ve been pigging out all weekend). I still have my occasional big nasty breakfast and few cheat Big Macs but my weight at 170 has been easy to maintain. Everyone is different so the challenge is finding the recipe that works for you.

[405x5]

Nov 13, 2023 13:36:33 GMT -5 Zombie said:

ttocs,
Good stuff that you stay focused and lost some weight. Back in April I weighed 185. I see my doc once a year for my annual check-up and told him I’d like to slim down a bit. While I’m not a picky eater and not really a snacker I started doing some fasting. At first I fasted about 16 hours then had a 8 hour eating window. I did lose a few pounds but I learned my metabolism really didn’t kick into high gear unless I fasted a bit more. Once I did 18-20 I could feel (and see) the difference. Now, I don’t do it religiously every day but I do probably 4-5 days a week. Not really dieting, pretty much eating the same amount I’ve always done. Just changed a few things. I like my morning coffee (sometimes tea) but now don’t use any creamer or sugar. As long as it’s black it won’t kill the fast. I eat pretty much everything from pasta to Mexican food. Fish, Sushi, chicken, steak. You name I’ll eat it. Lots of veggies too. So now since about late April/early May I’m down to 170. My weight does fluctuate a pound or two (usually water weight) but I hover right at 170. I just had my Colonoscopy on Friday. After the prep and being all cleaned out I was 165. This morning I was 168 (I’ve been pigging out all weekend). I still have my occasional big nasty breakfast and few cheat Big Macs but my weight at 170 has been easy to maintain. Everyone is different so the challenge is finding the recipe that works for you.

You know you’re getting old WHEN…..
Your doctor compliments you on your bowel prep!
He really said that that to me once…… What can you say except G Thanks !☺️ 🚽

[Zombie]

Nov 13, 2023 19:36:13 GMT -5 405x5 said:

Nov 13, 2023 13:36:33 GMT -5 Zombie said:

ttocs,
Good stuff that you stay focused and lost some weight. Back in April I weighed 185. I see my doc once a year for my annual check-up and told him I’d like to slim down a bit. While I’m not a picky eater and not really a snacker I started doing some fasting. At first I fasted about 16 hours then had a 8 hour eating window. I did lose a few pounds but I learned my metabolism really didn’t kick into high gear unless I fasted a bit more. Once I did 18-20 I could feel (and see) the difference. Now, I don’t do it religiously every day but I do probably 4-5 days a week. Not really dieting, pretty much eating the same amount I’ve always done. Just changed a few things. I like my morning coffee (sometimes tea) but now don’t use any creamer or sugar. As long as it’s black it won’t kill the fast. I eat pretty much everything from pasta to Mexican food. Fish, Sushi, chicken, steak. You name I’ll eat it. Lots of veggies too. So now since about late April/early May I’m down to 170. My weight does fluctuate a pound or two (usually water weight) but I hover right at 170. I just had my Colonoscopy on Friday. After the prep and being all cleaned out I was 165. This morning I was 168 (I’ve been pigging out all weekend). I still have my occasional big nasty breakfast and few cheat Big Macs but my weight at 170 has been easy to maintain. Everyone is different so the challenge is finding the recipe that works for you.

You know you’re getting old WHEN…..
Your doctor compliments you on your bowel prep!
He really said that that to me once…… What can you say except G Thanks !☺️ 🚽

Funny you say that because my doc just did that. I had my procedure Friday morning and Friday afternoon he left me message on my hospital portal app. I guess he was thankful I made his job easier.  Apparently  Gastroenterologists aren’t easy folks to impress, lol. 

[MusicHead]

Nov 13, 2023 11:55:59 GMT -5 405x5 said:

Trail hiking has become my replacement for aerobic training at the gym and I have small machines to fill-in at home like an abdominal crunch, etc. no longer anyone in my way. I just get it done free of aggravation how sweet it is.

Before Covid hit I had been going to the same, nearby gym for almost two decades straight. I used to go early, though, like starting my workout at 6:00am. It helped to avoid the "social" crowd. I do not go to the gym to socialize... That and working out mostly with free weights avoided the wait for machines to be available.

Once the pandemic hit and here in Massachusetts pretty much anything public shut down, I started to workout at home with free weights, body weight and a pull-up bar.

Now I have my own "hybrid" mode, two days a week I workout at home, another two days I go to the gym.

When is not too cold I run 2-3 times a week at a fast clip for 2-3 miles. The days I do not run, I walk the same distance.

Another "trick" I use is to always train with weights or run/walk in a fasted state, whether that is first thing in the morning or before eating in the afternoon. Then I eat within 15-30 minutes of finishing my workout, to replenish muscle glycogen and drive nutrients into them.

[405x5]

Nov 13, 2023 21:14:15 GMT -5 MusicHead said:

Nov 13, 2023 11:55:59 GMT -5 405x5 said:

Trail hiking has become my replacement for aerobic training at the gym and I have small machines to fill-in at home like an abdominal crunch, etc. no longer anyone in my way. I just get it done free of aggravation how sweet it is.

“starting my workout at 6:00am. It helped to avoid the "social" crowd. I do not go to the gym to socialize...”

You must have run into that guy who is determined to socialize with you whether you want to or not lol! Somehow he will always seem to find me.

Later, when the Covid hit and I took up my trail hiking, somehow he found the same place. Oh well, déjà vu all over again (OK. He was harmless enough lol)

[petek]

Down from 265 to 228. Since labor day. Being so heavy at 61 years old isn't fun.
So what I have been doing is eating 1600 calories or less on most days, and carbs below 100g.
Then 5 to 6 days a week I will run somewhere between 3 and 7 miles, or bike for an hour or so.
Most all this weight came off in the first 6 to 7 weeks. Past month I've lost maybe 4.
Need to start 2+ hours daily of long distance running (8 to 12 miles) 4 days a week---this is what I did 8 years ago when I was at around 235 and wanted to get below 200.
Ran College Station and Austin marathons back to back (well a month apart maybe) right after that 6 month training block.
Good luck everyone; it is not easy but can be done. It's just getting the mind set right. No multiple cheat days. Once every 10 days or so I have found is ok if curtailing to maybe 2500 calories.

[Deleted]

I missed this thread. As already stated, try and avoid sugar, but most important (HFC). HFC is processed by the liver and stored as fat and bypasses all normal bodily function. I'm in my late 40s and years ago I jogged long distance, but now days, I find walking is the best. I can also do intermittent running without hurting my joints, but jogging is no good for me. Walking is the most underrated exercise ever. Anyone can do it, and it is stress free. No pain no gain doesn't work when you're older. If you experience pain during workouts, you will raise your cortisol and gain weight. Whatever you do, you can't stress about workouts or life.

Lift wights and walk. The more muscle mass you have, the better your resting metabolic rate is. Also, get some hanging rings. If you can't do pull-ups. Just hang. Grip strength is related to overall age health in men. Also, try and avoid fried foods and seed oils. If you heave to cheat and eat out. Only go for the burger. Skip the fried sides and soda.

Age is not related to your health. You can be 30 and sick and fat, or 50 and fit. I also enjoy a low impact water rower. Whatever you choose, make sure it is enjoyable. Like anything in life. What works for one person, doesn't work for another.

I'd also like to add intermit fasting. If you are over weight, you do not need three meals a day. Skip breakfast. Break Fast. Weight till lunch and don't eat after 7pm. Don't go to bed full.

[405x5]

Feb 21, 2024 18:40:15 GMT -5 @turner said:

I missed this thread. As already stated, try and avoid sugar, but most important (HFC). HFC is processed by the liver and stored as fat and bypasses all normal bodily function. I'm in my late 40s and years ago I jogged long distance, but now days, I find walking is the best. I can also do intermittent running without hurting my joints, but jogging is no good for me. Walking is the most underrated exercise ever. Anyone can do it, and it is stress free. No pain no gain doesn't work when you're older. If you experience pain during workouts, you will raise your cortisol and gain weight. Whatever you do, you can't stress about workouts or life.

Lift wights and walk. The more muscle mass you have, the better your resting metabolic rate is. Also, get some hanging rings. If you can't do pull-ups. Just hang. Grip strength is related to overall age health in men. Also, try and avoid fried foods and seed oils. If you heave to cheat and eat out. Only go for the burger. Skip the fried sides and soda.

Age is not related to your health. You can be 30 and sick and fat, or 50 and fit. I also enjoy a low impact water rower. Whatever you choose, make sure it is enjoyable. Like anything in life. What works for one person, doesn't work for another.

I'd also like to add intermit fasting. If you are over weight, you do not need three meals a day. Skip breakfast. Break Fast. Weight till lunch and don't eat after 7pm. Don't go to bed full.

I love my walking, I live to walk lol!

I work for about two hours skip two days and then do the whole thing again every two days for the rest of my life my wife and I joke around I nickname myself the park ranger I say see you later I’m gonna go hand out a bunch of tickets and I do walk at a park nearby Between that and home floor exercises, abdominal training with a crunch bars, and push-ups and other odds stuff plus housework I’m good to go . I wouldn’t trade what I do now for the aggravation at the gym for all the tea in China all the personnel the gym are afraid to do what’s right which is to get those fat butts off the machines and get them to train instead of Text