Has anybody decided to lose weight this year?

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:09 pm

Edited.

mybloodisclaret · Post by **mybloodisclaret** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:18 pm

Charlie Adam

Rick_Muller · Post by **Rick_Muller** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:21 pm

MyFitnessPal is brilliant for tracking calorie and food intake, I used it religiously for 6 months and lost a stone

aclaretinstevenage · Post by **aclaretinstevenage** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:27 pm

Another option believe it or not is Slimming World. Despite the Peter Kaye sketch if you stick to the plan - and you'd be surprised at what you can eat unlike other "diets" where you have to give stuff up - it really works.

I lost 5 and a half stone in 6 months using the plan and increasing exercise - by that I largely mean walking in my case - and actually went too far down. So over the past two years I've let if creep up a little and now 4 stone lighter than when I started. The wife supported me and we now eat differently. Only thing I miss is a good slab of cheese every now and then but hey ho!

conyoviejo · Post by **conyoviejo** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:30 pm

I've cut my arms and legs off,now I'm just a light weighted harmless low down bum..

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:31 pm

Edited.

Lowbankclaret · Post by **Lowbankclaret** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:32 pm

FF,
Have a look at carbs and cals app, as a diabetic I use it to control my blood sugars.

Some amazing facts from it.
A portion of frosted flakes of 60grms has 52grms of carbs with 210 calories, will raise my blood sugars by about 4 points.

In comparison two eggs, portion of mushrooms, several tomatoes, two rashers of bacon and a couple of sausages has about 6 grms of carbs, 400 calories and will no effect on my blood sugars.

It’s a really good app

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:33 pm

Lowbankclaret, I'm glad it worked for you, but what I'm using now is definitely working, so I wouldn't want to change to something else. As you're a Diabetic though, if it worked for you, then that's great stuff.

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:34 pm

No. Just eating a lot better. Always been OK with food and diet and don't really have a thing for pop (fizzy or otherwise) or sweets. So lucky in that respect. That said I do love chocolates and cakes

Doing this month without meat before cutting back entirely and only buying 'proper' stuff, and feel much better from that. And have only been buying my fruit and veg from organic / farmers market type places. Doesnt actually cost that much more if at all and tastes miles better.

By cutting back on the meat as well have noticed I have been probably been getting at least 10 of my '5 a day'. I am just as full but with good calories.

Didn't need to lose weight at all, just sick of eating convenience and processed food. Which is a big problem with my job. I don't even like eating crap, its just convenient!

aclaretinstevenage · Post by **aclaretinstevenage** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:38 pm

FactualFrank wrote:The thing is - and I said this to the nutritionist and she felt the same way; I don't like diets. A diet isn't permanent, it's a temporary fix to lose weight and then come off it. Whereas what I'm trying to do is to permanently change the way I eat so it becomes second nature.

Understand that Frank but the point is - for us anyway - we have permanently changed the way we eat without giving up anything much. It is now second nature.

Clarets4me · Post by **Clarets4me** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:42 pm

Rick_Muller wrote:MyFitnessPal is brilliant for tracking calorie and food intake, I used it religiously for 6 months and lost a stone

I've severe osteo-arthritis in both hips, and am due to have a hip replacement at some point this year, but I need to lose some weight..
Started Monday, cutting out pasta, vastly reducing bread and very little pastry, bread, ie half a loaf a week, and minimal alcohol...lots of veg, salads, baked potato, sweet potato, fish etc...

Did the same as a challenge between 6th May - 23rd June 2016, and lost 31lbs.... so let's see !!

Sidney1st · Post by **Sidney1st** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:46 pm

Yup.

This bell end has agreed to do various running (walking them mainly) events this year potentially including a Tough Mudder.

I know what I weigh and where I need to be.
Just need to crack on and do it now I've finally moved house.

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:48 pm

Edited.

Paul Waine · Post by **Paul Waine** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:53 pm

FactualFrank wrote:The thing is - and I said this to the nutritionist and she felt the same way; I don't like diets. A diet isn't permanent, it's a temporary fix to lose weight and then come off it. Whereas what I'm trying to do is to permanently change the way I eat so it becomes second nature.

Agree with you, FF. A lot more fruit and veg, cut out the cheese (still miss a good piece of "tasty"), cut out the sweet puddings - and cut out the alcohol - plus regular exercise.

Weight down by over 15%.

All helped by following the Clarets.

Paul Waine · Post by **Paul Waine** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:55 pm

FactualFrank wrote:Unless you're intolerant, there's no reason why you should cut out bread and pasta.

If you count the calories and make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D (in your case), then you'll lose weight.

Oh, and I discovered I am wheat intolerant (but a zero alcohol wheat beer is OK), so the bread and pasta I now eat is "gluten free."

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:57 pm

Paul Waine wrote:Agree with you, FF. A lot more fruit and veg, cut out the cheese (still miss a good piece of "tasty"), cut out the sweet puddings - and cut out the alcohol - plus regular exercise.

Weight down by over 15%.

All helped by following the Clarets.

I'd cut down on the cheese, alcohol and puddings, but I wouldn't cut them out completely. Cheese has a lot of calcium - I was surprised today. I had half a pint of milk, two yogurts and I was still short on my daily calcium requirements.

It's all about balance - not cutting anything out completely.

JohnMac · Post by **JohnMac** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 8:03 pm

I go to Slimming World with my wife.

I have never liked the taste of most vegetables but have learnt how to get the benefits from them by for example making soup.

It is really about changing your lifestyle and eating things in the right combinations as opposed to traditional dieting.

I was skeptical but am a convert, it really does work if you want it to AND you can eat lots and lots of food!

WadingInDeeper · Post by **WadingInDeeper** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 8:32 pm

My jeans were getting tight last year, so i bought a pair the next size up. It shocked me to realise, if i fit in them i was fat. So I lost a stone in the last 6 months of last year, another stone to go for my personal goal. But my old jeans fit again and I feel a lot healthier.

No fancy diet, just sensible eating, non sugared cereals for breakfast, reduced my dinner by 1/4, reduced my tea portion, no snacks and fruit for deserts. No biscuits, no cakes and hardly any chocolate. One 20 min walk a day.

The killer for a lot would be the no beer.

ClaretSam92 · Post by **ClaretSam92** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 9:15 pm

MyFitnessPal is brilliant, lost a stone a couple of years ago using it and have just started again this week

Walton · Post by **Walton** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 9:16 pm

Currently on day 4 of Joe Wicks' 90 day plan.

The food is great, but I've been used to separating carbs and fats for a good while, so it was always going to be easy. The workouts are tough though, especially as my only real exercise lately is a semi regular wednesday night game of 5s, and an hour's yoga. My hamstrings are really feeling it.

The aim is to complete the 90 days, and it's not necessarily about weight loss, because there'll be a lot of muscle growth within that. I've got a figure in my head about what I want to weigh, but it's just what will be will be once I've nailed these 3 months

Pearcey · Post by **Pearcey** » Fri Jan 12, 2018 9:37 pm

I've lost 2.5 stone since September. I also use myfitnesspal. I feel so much better physically and mentally. Want to lose another 3 and keep it off. Good luck to everyone who is having a go.

Alanstevensonsgloves · Post by **Alanstevensonsgloves** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 3:55 am

I will be back doing the Insanity workout which I did a couple of years ago. Need to lose around a stone.

I'd be interested to know how people got around the issue of loose skin when they lost weight as that is always my biggest fear. At 46, my skin isn't so elastic these days!

Inchy · Post by **Inchy** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 7:32 am

I have been on a diet since New Year’s Day.

I have been really skinny most of my life. 4 years ago I weighed 11 stone, 32 inch waist. I was one of those annoying people that could eat chilli master chicken pakoras until they were coming out my ears and I wouldn’t put a pound on.

I was always told it wouldn’t last for ever and it didn’t. From 26-30 I started to put weight on and I started the month weighing 14.1. After the first week of my diet I am 13.11.

I am not using an app or any diet in particular, just eating less

Typical day is breakfast x1 boiled egg on x1 whole meal toast. Lunch a tin of soup no bread or a chicken or tuna wrap, homemade with loads of salad. For tea I am using Jamie Oliver’s 5 ingredients cook book because it’s easy and most of the meal have less than 600 calories. I have also stopped boozing for the month.

I am aiming to get to 12 stone by March

SammyBoy · Post by **SammyBoy** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 9:59 am

If you want to lose weight just eat a balanced diet and ensure you have a small calorie deficit, combined with some moderate exercise a couple of times a week you should see progress. It sounds simple but I can't believe how many people continue to chase fad diets or listen to celebrity health gurus who often do achieve short term results but ones that are also almost impossible to maintain in the longer term.

Walton · Post by **Walton** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 10:09 am

Calories are bullshit though. It's a 200+ year old measure, based entirely on how long it takes for food to burn on a bunsen burner. That's not how the body works.

If you were to go off calories alone, a KitKat would be healthier than a salmon fillet for example. A doughnut healthier than an avocado. It's ********, frankly.

If it be your will · Post by **If it be your will** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 12:42 pm

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 12:52 pm

Like I say, forget the word diet. It's a word to make money and it includes the word 'die'.
Diet companies don't want you to keep the weight off - they want you to lose it and then put it back on, so you go back on it and they make more money.

Calories on its own is obviously not the correct way to lose weight. It's important you also mix that with having enough fat, carbs, protein, vitamins, and nutrients etc. I'm doing all that at the same time, mixed with exercise. Just don't mention the word diet. They're not bullshit though - they're a very important measurement, they're just one of a few variables that need to be taken into account, so you cover all bases.

Rarosdiablo · Post by **Rarosdiablo** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:06 pm

The best way to lose weight is to balance output and input so there is a calorific deficit and to ensure a balance of foods. More protein and less carbs will usually be healthy as long as you watch out for saturated fat content.
Any exercise is good but the more the better as far as health and weight is concerned. Cardio is important but more and more it's being realised that weight bearing exercise builds muscle and the more lean muscle you have the more energy you burn which in turn leads to lower fat and better health. Doesn't have to be crazy heavy weight lifting, just what suits you and gets your heart pumping as a good session in the gym with weights can increase metabolic rate and help burn fat for hours after.

deanothedino · Post by **deanothedino** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:33 pm

FactualFrank wrote:Unless you're intolerant, there's no reason why you should cut out bread and pasta.

If you count the calories and make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D (in your case), then you'll lose weight.

There's plenty of reason to cut bread and pasta out but as a bare minimum they should be reduced, especially pasta. We have a bad habit in this country of eating a bowl of pasta as a meal by itself. Pasta should be served in a sensible portion as an accompaniment to some meat or fish alongside some vegetables.

Anyone saying calories in < calories out is the definitive guide to weight loss is talking nonsense because all calories are not equal.

Read up on what some elite athletes are doing now around carb periodisation and you will see that carbs, especially refined carbs and sugar, are what is preventing a lot of people being healthy alongside our relatively inactive lifestyles. Chris Froome, as well as using his inhaler plenty, barely eats carbs outside of racing periods. Steve Smith, as well as being an exceptional cricketer, barely eats carbs. Virat Kohli also barely eats carbs. James Tarkowski, doesn't eat bread (not sure about general carb intake).

Unfortunately, nutrition is an area that has become very tribal. People are almost personally offended if you have a different outlook. Some people can eat more carbs and be healthy than others, because everyone is different. There's a test (can't remember the exact details) where you chew three unsalted water biscuits or crackers and time how long it takes for them to taste sweet in your mouth. This will then tell you roughly how much carbohydrate you can eat based on your body.

If it be your will · Post by **If it be your will** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:34 pm

FactualFrank · Post by **FactualFrank** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:35 pm

deanothedino wrote:There's plenty of reason to cut bread and pasta out

Cutting down on it is one thing. Totally wiping it out of your eating is something else.

Claretmatt4 · Post by **Claretmatt4** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:47 pm

I'm aiming for the opposite personally. I want to gain weight.

I used myfitnesspal for a while, great little app. Don't use at as much now as I know roughly what I'm eating I terms of volume and nutrient value, from using the app for a month or so.

Also its free

Spijed · Post by **Spijed** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:50 pm

For anyone who can manage to do any sort of running I'd recommend looking at doing a few parkruns on Saturday mornings. It'll get you into the habit of running whatever your speed and it encourages you to get fitter by trying to beat your PB.

deanothedino · Post by **deanothedino** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 2:14 pm

If it be your will wrote:If you eat less calories than you expend, you lose weight. This is indisputable and straightforward physics.

No it is not. For a start all calories are not available to the body to be metabolised and some calories cannot be metabolised at all. Secondly, that is assuming that your body has zero fuel stores, which it will do unless you are incredibly close to death.

deanothedino · Post by **deanothedino** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 2:16 pm

FactualFrank wrote:Cutting down on it is one thing. Totally wiping it out of your eating is something else.

Not really, what basis do you have for not cutting out bread and pasta? Carbs are the one macronutrient that the body can live without, and bread and pasta are hardly natural products.

Sure, if you like them and can fit them in a diet that works for you as a lifestyle - eat them. Otherwise, don't shoehorn them in under some sort of commitment to a "balanced diet".

SammyBoy · Post by **SammyBoy** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 2:51 pm

Calories in vs calories out is basic thermodynamics and it's a law that is very real. I believe that you can eat carbs and lose weight as long your total intake of carbs isn't excessive, for example I wouldn't not have mashed potatoes with a meal just because it contains carbs. In general, have three regular sized healthy meals per day, snack on fruit and go to the gym a few times per week (making sure to actually break a sweat whilst you're there) - oh, and keep off the ale and takeaways. If you maintain this lifestyle for long enough you will see changes.

The problem is that most people want a quick fix, I saw Joe Wicks mentioned further up the thread, what happens after the 90 days is complete? I've seen the guys cook books and there's not a single piece of nutritional information (calories and macro-nutrients) to go along with any of the recipes, you're eating these meals but have no idea why, and I'm fairly sure they just adjust the size of the portions to keep you in a calorie deficit. It's not going to be sustainable long term unless you keep paying the guy to write plans for you, and meal prep every single day. If you can keep that up then fair enough but it's expensive and I think a lot of people will fall off the wagon. I also think it's a bit misleading that he's clearly gained his shredded physique through doing some serious iron pumping at the gym, but sells the dream that it's attainable through eating his meals and doing star jumps for 20 minutes in your living room. Probably because 20 minute HIIT sessions sound more appealing than 4-5 sessions of heavy resistance training at the gym each week.

deanothedino · Post by **deanothedino** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 2:55 pm

SammyBoy wrote:Calories in vs calories out is basic thermodynamics and it's a law that is very real.

Have you ever studied thermodynamics?

If it be your will · Post by **If it be your will** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 3:14 pm

Clarinetclaret · Post by **Clarinetclaret** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 3:29 pm

Some real horseshit on this thread from people regurgitating what's on the web. Eat less and exercise more that's all there is to it.

deanothedino · Post by **deanothedino** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 3:41 pm

If it be your will wrote:Okay, okay. If you're being picky, I'll edit my post to replace 'eat' with 'absorb'. For normal intakes, assuming you're not eating lots of wood or coal or something, the two fairly closely approximate anyway.

All calories are not equal, they're not all used or absorbed in the same way. You are still oversimplifying.

A calorie is based on the energy released when you set something on fire, that's not how the body works. Different macronutrients have different thermic effects.

If it be your will · Post by **If it be your will** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 3:46 pm

deanothedino · Post by **deanothedino** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 3:52 pm

If it be your will wrote: Regarding the food stores bit I'm not sure I understand. This is the weight you lose when you eat less/expend more, or have I misunderstood what you mean? Even a muscle weighs less if you use up all the ATP stored in it. (Not much less, I admit!)

The body can take on water to replace the fuel stores being used, if you just go off calories in = calories out then you won't do anything to stop the body doing that. (I could have worded that infinitely better originally, sorry)

Re: your link, that definitely understates the losses. Around 10% of the typical diet is lost in digestion due to thermic effects. 20-30% of proteins, 5-10% of carb, 0-3% of fats.

deanothedino · Post by **deanothedino** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 3:56 pm

If it be your will wrote:For goodness sake, I refuse to be drawn into debate about mass-energy equivalence or the second law of thermodynamics on a dieting thread, when the differences you describe are marginal bordering on negligible. I'll just edit my post again...

You really don't need to... The rest of what you wrote was correct about satiety, I only disagree with your application of the laws of thermodynamics.

If it be your will · Post by **If it be your will** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 4:27 pm

deanothedino · Post by **deanothedino** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 4:36 pm

If it be your will wrote:That is indeed (almost entirely - for dino that bit)

You find differences in opinion difficult don't you?

We'll have to agree to disagree on a very small part of what you said.

I used to think it was as simple as eat less, move more. I then learnt it's more a case of eat less, eat better, move more.

The rest of what you've written in this post is really important, it is very hard for people to lose weight because it mainly requires people to change their relationship with food. To think of it as fuel and not as something to be eaten because you've got nothing better to do at the time or consumed as a reward.

cricketfieldclarets · Post by **cricketfieldclarets** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 4:57 pm

deanothedino wrote:There's plenty of reason to cut bread and pasta out but as a bare minimum they should be reduced, especially pasta. We have a bad habit in this country of eating a bowl of pasta as a meal by itself. Pasta should be served in a sensible portion as an accompaniment to some meat or fish alongside some vegetables.

My mate from IKtaly ****** himself when we were eating garlic bread with a big bowl of pasta. He couldnt believe we had both as part of the same dish!

If it be your will · Post by **If it be your will** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 6:02 pm

Walton · Post by **Walton** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 6:12 pm

SammyBoy wrote:Calories in vs calories out is basic thermodynamics and it's a law that is very real. I believe that you can eat carbs and lose weight as long your total intake of carbs isn't excessive, for example I wouldn't not have mashed potatoes with a meal just because it contains carbs. In general, have three regular sized healthy meals per day, snack on fruit and go to the gym a few times per week (making sure to actually break a sweat whilst you're there) - oh, and keep off the ale and takeaways. If you maintain this lifestyle for long enough you will see changes.

The problem is that most people want a quick fix, I saw Joe Wicks mentioned further up the thread, what happens after the 90 days is complete? I've seen the guys cook books and there's not a single piece of nutritional information (calories and macro-nutrients) to go along with any of the recipes, you're eating these meals but have no idea why, and I'm fairly sure they just adjust the size of the portions to keep you in a calorie deficit. It's not going to be sustainable long term unless you keep paying the guy to write plans for you, and meal prep every single day. If you can keep that up then fair enough but it's expensive and I think a lot of people will fall off the wagon. I also think it's a bit misleading that he's clearly gained his shredded physique through doing some serious iron pumping at the gym, but sells the dream that it's attainable through eating his meals and doing star jumps for 20 minutes in your living room. Probably because 20 minute HIIT sessions sound more appealing than 4-5 sessions of heavy resistance training at the gym each week.

The actual Joe Wicks plan contains heaps of information about what you're eating and why. His belief is along the lines of Tim Noakes, Aseem Malhotra and Zoe Harcombe, and it's information I'm familiar of the machinations behind.

Rarosdiablo · Post by **Rarosdiablo** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 7:02 pm

I wouldn't disagree with anybody who is trying to get fitter or leaner or both using any method that works best for them but I would say that fad diets and celebrity fitness gurus are all about making money from information that is freely available to all already.
However it's phrased or by whoever the fact is that if you use more energy than you consume you will lose fat and potentially muscle if your diet is poor.
A balanced diet, more protein than carbs, is healthy, the type of fats contained within that balance will determine how healthy, as will the type and frequency of exercise you do. Weight bearing exercise will make bones denser and improve blood flow as it will get the heart pumping. Cardio, running etc will keep the heart healthy and will burn fat. A combination of the 2 will improve overall health and improve cognitive function because a healthy body will lead to better blood flow to the brain and lower levels of toxins in that blood.
Like I said this information is freely available along with information on dietary requirements and you can pick which parts suit you or don't.
One part I do disagree with is the idea that food is just fuel and not a treat, food tastes great and makes people feel great, it's only when it's eaten to excess or in an unbalanced way that it becomes a problem. This is quite often because of other underlying issues which lead to eating as a way of coping, it's never as simple as just eating too much and not exercising enough.

deanothedino · Post by **deanothedino** » Sat Jan 13, 2018 7:59 pm

Rarosdiablo wrote:One part I do disagree with is the idea that food is just fuel and not a treat, food tastes great and makes people feel great, it's only when it's eaten to excess or in an unbalanced way that it becomes a problem. This is quite often because of other underlying issues which lead to eating as a way of coping, it's never as simple as just eating too much and not exercising enough.

That's what I meant. 95% of the time it should be fuel. If you are rewarding yourself with a pizza because you got out of bed this morning then your relationship with food is broken. If you are rewarding yourself with a pizza (or your favourite treat of choice) because you just nailed that big project at work then that's perfectly normal.