The official diet and nutrition thread

[Bo Diddley]

it's all about calories in and calories out. if IF isn't working, it's because you are consuming too many calories still. and if that sounds obvious, my point is the only reason it worked for me is that it was a way for me to keep calories down.

I have found this to be true. I tried IF without any change to diet, and it made zero difference. It didn't matter if I ate all of my calories within 4 hours and then fasted another 20 hours straight. If the calories were the same, my weight didn't change.

Now I find skipping breakfast is an easy way to keep calories down, but I have to follow that up with smart choices for lunch and dinner, and eliminating all sugary foods altogether. I also avoid most fried foods, though the occasional chik fil a sandwich finds it's way to me.

Down 10 pounds this morning. I think I want to lose another 10-30, depending on how much muscle mass i put on.

[Bo Diddley]

The biggest thing that has helped me avoid this is writing down what I actually eat. Most days there's a "Snack" entry for somewhere between 4:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon when I need something. But there's no way I'll stop at Dairy Queen for a banana split, or Chick-Fil-A for a chocolate milk shake if I have to write it down. The cookies can still be an issue, but we hardly ever have those around to tempt me. Snacks are usually chips and salsa, or crackers, or some nuts and raisins. And I'm still having a salad for lunch pretty much every day. That seems to help too.

I have those occasionally. Yesterday I had the Market Salad from Chik Fil A. The amazing thing to me is how sugar doesn't tempt me. Sometimes if I need a snack mid afternoon I'll have a piece of fruit.

Down 6 pounds.

[Bo Diddley]

All of those things you said, those are my favorites, too!

Get that corn outta my face!

[Pelado]

When my wife makes a batch of cookies, I eat half of them...the first day. I like the banana split from Dairy Queen. I probably get one once a week. Oreo cookies, Chips Ahoy, chocolate Donettes--these are all regular choices. M&M's, and pretty much anything with sugar in it...I'll eat it till it's gone. Oh yeah, we have a stock of Hershey's chocolate bars for s'mores with the family around our fire out back--I raid those quite often. And if we're out of everything else, and handful of semi sweet chocolate chips goes a long ways...until I need a second handful. All of these things go good with my Coke Zero Sugar. That's right, because I'm watching my caloric intake.

All of those things you said, those are my favorites, too!

[Scott R Nelson]

Edit: Just cutting out the junk food should have a huge overall impact. I really ate a ton of that stuff, but just recently cracked 240. I'm actually shocked it didn't happen much sooner.

The biggest thing that has helped me avoid this is writing down what I actually eat. Most days there's a "Snack" entry for somewhere between 4:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon when I need something. But there's no way I'll stop at Dairy Queen for a banana split, or Chick-Fil-A for a chocolate milk shake if I have to write it down. The cookies can still be an issue, but we hardly ever have those around to tempt me. Snacks are usually chips and salsa, or crackers, or some nuts and raisins. And I'm still having a salad for lunch pretty much every day. That seems to help too.

[Bo Diddley]

What types/amounts of junk food have you regularly consumed. And remember, it's for science, so be honest.

When my wife makes a batch of cookies, I eat half of them...the first day. I like the banana split from Dairy Queen. I probably get one once a week. Oreo cookies, Chips Ahoy, chocolate Donettes--these are all regular choices. M&M's, and pretty much anything with sugar in it...I'll eat it till it's gone. Oh yeah, we have a stock of Hershey's chocolate bars for s'mores with the family around our fire out back--I raid those quite often. And if we're out of everything else, and handful of semi sweet chocolate chips goes a long ways...until I need a second handful. All of these things go good with my Coke Zero Sugar. That's right, because I'm watching my caloric intake.

[Pelado]

That's a fair point. I'm sure I've lowered my caloric intake. I should keep track.

Edit: Just cutting out the junk food should have a huge overall impact. I really ate a ton of that stuff, but just recently cracked 240. I'm actually shocked it didn't happen much sooner.

What types/amounts of junk food have you regularly consumed. And remember, it's for science, so be honest.

[Bo Diddley]

it's all about calories in and calories out. if IF isn't working, it's because you are consuming too many calories still. and if that sounds obvious, my point is the only reason it worked for me is that it was a way for me to keep calories down.

That's a fair point. I'm sure I've lowered my caloric intake. I should keep track.

Edit: Just cutting out the junk food should have a huge overall impact. I really ate a ton of that stuff, but just recently cracked 240. I'm actually shocked it didn't happen much sooner.

[Pelado]

I definitely agree with your overall point. You can do IF and gain weight.

In general, calories are an oversimplistic metric. Not all calories are created equal.

Exactly. Some of them taste a lot better than others.

[Jeff Lebowski]

it's all about calories in and calories out. if IF isn't working, it's because you are consuming too many calories still. and if that sounds obvious, my point is the only reason it worked for me is that it was a way for me to keep calories down.

I definitely agree with your overall point. You can do IF and gain weight.

In general, calories are an oversimplistic metric. Not all calories are created equal.

[Moliere]

That is totally the opposite for me. I find myself eating so much now that I have been at home and exercising more. I am always hungry, though my Star wars cereal want sitting too well this morning while I was running hills.

One good thing is that I have taken my daily 32 oz Dr. Pepper down to one can while at home. That might be helping.

Yeah, but you're a freak athlete/runner, so you are different . I run between 12-13 miles a week and bike quite a bit (hoping to start swimming again next week) and I feel like trash when I eat junk food before or after exercising. It's tough because I crave it but I don't eat it a lot because I know it'll make me feel bad. I supplement those cravings with chocolate milk or chocolate protein shakes, which takes the edge off. I've been bouncing around 160lbs for a while now, although I usually like to weigh in after my longer runs, when I can get down to 157 before hydrating...

[Scott R Nelson]

I'm down 4 pounds after a week.

The first few pounds are always easier. I'm pretty well stuck at being down 10 from where I started, with 5 more to go. But yesterday and today I've recorded the lowest weight I've seen so far, so maybe I can get down another pound or two this week.

I've seen too many people who manage to drop a lot of weight on a serious diet, then gain it back after a year or two. I want whatever improvements I can manage to be permanent.

[BigPiney]

One thing I've noticed is that the more exercise I do, the less I crave sweets and garbage calories.

That is totally the opposite for me. I find myself eating so much now that I have been at home and exercising more. I am always hungry, though my Star wars cereal want sitting too well this morning while I was running hills.

One good thing is that I have taken my daily 32 oz Dr. Pepper down to one can while at home. That might be helping.

[Moliere]

I thought it would be as well. But after I made my mind up, it hasn't been that bad. I think the fruit helps my sweet tooth.

One thing I've noticed is that the more exercise I do, the less I crave sweets and garbage calories.

[smokymountainrain]

IF hasn't done too much for me unless it has simply held greater weight gain at bay. I've been hovering around 235-240 (6'2") for the past few years, and for the first time tipped the scale just over 240 a couple of weeks ago.

I decided I should probably make a change. I have cut out sweets and french fries. I'm trying to eat more fruit and vegetables. I need to up the cardio.

I'm down 4 pounds after a week.

it's all about calories in and calories out. if IF isn't working, it's because you are consuming too many calories still. and if that sounds obvious, my point is the only reason it worked for me is that it was a way for me to keep calories down.