Motivation /Tracking Thread

[Turbosvo]

Silverback: did you go see a nutritionist for your diet? I really need to get my diet in check, even though I eat ALOT better than I used to. And 30 pounds in 18 days sounds incredible, great job

[Silverback]

No I didn't, I've been reading and doing a lot of research.

My diet is as follows... I don't really count calories anymore, but I Can pretty much tell you how many calories each meal I eat is.

I eat a whole foods, plant based diet, with about 80-90 percent of my daily intake coming from nutrient dense vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. I eat only one animal protein based meal a day now. I avoid all forms of dairy and eggs, including my protein shakes. No whey, no caesin, no powdered egg protein. I avoid almost all oils, and fats. I avoid all refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, refined flour, and empty carbs. I try to avoid as much sodium as possible. I also eat 6-9 times a day, consisting of small snacks and 2 decent sized meals. Snacks include whole granolas, macadamia nuts or cashews, whole fruits, dried fruits(with no additional sugar added), whole grain breads,brown rice, whole grain pastas, peanut butter, etc. I avoid almost all processed foods, and I read every label on everything input in my body. I try to avoid as many artificial sweeteners as I can, but I do have a diet soda once or twice a week.

Don't get me wrong, I do allow myself one cheat meal a week, even if it's taco bell . But I don't over indulge on that cheat meal. It's simply one meal of a sensible size.

This really became a way to be healthier, and live a longer life, not to lose weight. I started reading books on health and nutrition. "the china study" is a huge eye opener on animal based protein and disease and illness.

I also do some simple things that I've realized people don't do as often as I thought. I shower regularly, I brush my teeth twice a day, I floss once a day. I try to read at least one a day. I get 8 hours of sleep a night, I drink close to two gallons of water a day. I quit smoking, 30 days today. I quit drinking other than rare occasions. Superbowl was my only time to drink in a month, and I had six beers over the course of the day.

Again, for me this isn't just a diet so I can lose weight, so I can go back to eating shitty foods again, it's for full health.

[Turbosvo]

Sounds great man, I'm gunna have to do alot of research then and check out that book. Thanks for the info

[AnthonyS]

Silverback,

I admire your diet restraint. I'm one of those guys who just can't do it. Giving up meat for me is probably next to impossible. I do get more than my share of fresh veggies thanks to the co-op, my wife, and my hippie chef mother in law. But man your restraint is impressive.

There is another good non diet book out there about what people eat and why. It's called "Mindless Eating." It is funny, well written and down right eye opening. It's also cheap. It's helped me cut back 200 calories a day or so without any fuss or worry.

I still get a dessert once a week though, and I have a soda once per day maximum. I go through water and tea like a madman though.

We do one vegetarian day a week last night it was cauliflower soup with cayenne and other seasonings.

The best veggie I ate this week was actually a pan seared carrot. They were done in a bit of oil and spices. This was at the culinary school where my mother in law instructs. It was so much better than a mushy steamed carrot and so new compared to raw carrots. There is also a german dish where you mash carrots with potatoes. It increased the veg and cuts down on carbs. I'm going to have to try it soon.

If you have any good veggie recipes that have some flavor, I'm all ears.

[Silverback]

New picture from this weekend.

I bought this shirt a couple of years ago, with hopes of getting into it back then. I was actuallly 20 pounds lighter then, than I am now, but in no where near the same shape.

Slow and steady wins the race...

[chuckacosta]

No I didn't, I've been reading and doing a lot of research...........Again, for me this isn't just a diet so I can lose weight, so I can go back to eating shitty foods again, it's for full health.

Matt call me ignorant or I simply didn't do my research but I didn't realize until just a few minutes ago who you actually were!! Oooops!!

Anyways you are doing great man!!! Congrats with your progress. I almost feel in the same boat as you. It's an opportunity to change a lifestyle that was simply toxic and deadly to say the least. Continued good luck and courage to you!!

[Silverback]

haha, no problem Chuck...

Still Big Matt

[Jonny00GT]

That book "Body For Life" by Bill Phillips motivates me! He does a great job of explaining what a real commitment is, the personal stories of some of the people that have used his method and the before and after pics in the book cover always make me think "I'm better off than THAT guy's before pic!"

This thread is a great idea too! One of the best ways to achieve a goal is to tell people about so you can be accountable to someone!

I'm 5'10" 257lbs last time I weighed myself. I was 219lbs summer of 2009 and on my way to my <200lb goal before my shoulder problems became unbearable and I ended up needing shoulder surgery. Doc took .6 centimeters off my left clavical to cure in impingement spring of 2010.

I was finally able to start hitting the gym like I use to in Jan. of this year and started out weighing 243lb, but put on a bunch of muscle faster than the fat is coming off, hence the higher weight.

My main goal is get under 200lbs or a 6pac, which ever comes first and have the energy and mobility to play with my kids. At 3yrs and 6yrs of age, they can run me into the ground right now! I take them to the neighborhood pool a lot durring the warmer months and would like to not worry so much about taking my shirt off. Really sick of this padding hiding the muscles I've built!

Matt, can you give me an example of a days diet for you? Looking at your list of "don't eats" I'm thinking I'd loose 30lbs in 18days too cause I wouldn't be eating anything! LOL!

-Jonny

[Silverback]

Matt, can you give me an example of a days diet for you? Looking at your list of "don't eats" I'm thinking I'd loose 30lbs in 18days too cause I wouldn't be eating anything! LOL!

-Jonny

Jonny, here is what I ate yesterday

9am - Soy protein shake with 6oz Orange Juice/6oz unsweetend almond milk
11am - handful of cashews, macadamia nuts, sunflower seed kernels
12:30pm - 2 cups of Lentil (meatless) chili
2:00pm - One granny smith apple, and some Yogi granola chips
5:00pm - (my one slip) Whole grain chips and hummus (there's salt and oil in both)
7:30pm - Spicy creole chicken and spinach over brown rice
8:30pm - mixed fruit (pineapple, red grapes, green grapes, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries)
10:00pm - two slices of flax seed bread and peanutbutter

[Jonny00GT]

Do you shop at whole foods or something? I'm not sure where I'd find some of that stuff, but it doesn't look like "dieting". I like all that stuff! I think, for me, it comes down to proper planning! Looks like you have a plan.

Do you buy into the philosophy you should eat your higher calory/ higher sugar meals early in the day like stop eating fruits by lunch or 3pm or that it only maters the total intake and not so much when you eat it? I've heard both, but not sure which is right.

-Jonny

[Silverback]

I eat any of it any time.

I shop at the regular stores, as well as Sprouts, Central Market, Whole Foods, Market Street, wherever.

All of it is easy to find. Look in the recipe thread for some good healthy recipe ideas.

The only thing specialty on that list is my soy protein, flax bread, and maybe the lentils in the chili i made. Which I got all of them at Sprouts this last time.

[chuckacosta]

This is still a "Tracking Thread", right? Lol!!

Anyways, I had a breakthrough in today's weigh in. I had gained about 1.5lbs last week. I am certain I had gained muscle. So I hammered down and worked hard. I lost 4lbs this week and am now down 85lbs!! I am very proud of where I am but in no way am I satisfied!

[Silverback]

just broke past the 270s

269 today

[bcoop]

Down about 13 pounds from last week, due to the flu.

[Jonny00GT]

just broke past the 270s

269 today

Nice work, Bro! You're killin it!