Some of you may have seen my forum post about my upcoming road trip (29 Aug-13 Sep) but I wanted to share the trip I've been on for two weeks. It's a DIET!!!! Fun right? I weigh in on weekly intervals. Week one I was 10 lbs down (couldn't believe it) This morning was the end of week two, down 16 lbs total. And no I'm not dehydrated, I'm going through water bottles as fast as ever. 4-5 of the 16.9ozers a day.
This is what I'm doing. There are 4 concepts/philosophies that all work to some extent for people. I decided why do one? Why not try to combine them?
Portion control. The oldest formula there is. Calories in vs calories burned. If sedentary or just moving about with day to day activities, we can't take in as much as if we were out running 3 miles a day. Simple math right?
Atkins, keto, paleo or some other kind of low carb. Low carb theory is simple also. Body burns carbs for energy until it can find none, then it burns fat and muscle. Eating protein keeps the muscle in tact and the result is fat disappears. Required discipline as we love our carbs and you need to make sure to mix in enough salad and veggies to get your nutrients. Atkins used to brag that you can lose weight and never be hungry. It's true. But I thought "why stuff myself with bacon just because I can...what if I only take a bite or two when I'm hungry, then put it away and get busy again?"
Eating one type of food per day. You've seen the fad diets where a person eats only one thing. Terrible for getting the nutrients we need but I've seen people drop weight on them. Grapefruit diet was one my grandmother liked because she loved grapefruit. There was one a couple of friends did where they ate protein one day, carbs the next, one day was actually a DESSERT day and I think the 4th day was salad/veggies, then repeat, and they lost weight. I figured while I do not know for sure why that works, I have a theory. Maybe giving your digestive system one thing per day allows it to function more economically than making it sort out fats, proteins, carbs, sugar, etc, etc. So, what if I go low carb, go low portion, and eat only one type of food per day with a 10-12 hr water cleanse in between (last couple hours of being awake at night, 7-8 sleeping, couple hours in the morning, easy 10-12). So I am eating ONLY one food all day, but taking vitamins and making sure to have plenty of green veggie days.
Exercise. I've lost 16 in 2 weeks just by combining 1-3 and have not even started working out yet. Didn't want to shock my body too much. I have been busy in the rental but nothing strenuous. Did some dumbbell curls last night. Have been doing tricep sets by living myself out of my computer chair keeping my legs at the same angle as my butt leaves the seat. But thats it.
so yeah.....on to week three. I started out on July 1 with an egg day. Had 3 soft boiled in the morning. Made a bunch of hard boiled and ate them when I'd get a hunger pain. Only one at a time, hours apart. Actually took me two days, so I had two egg days. Followed that up with a Tilapia day, no salt. Just lemon pepper and dill. Was delicious fish. I put a tupperware container right next to me if I'm doing desk work. I open it and take 1-2 forkfuls then forget about it. Amazing how my appetite quickly went from always hungry Mike to meh....I don't need to eat. I mean it was like day 3 and I seemed rarely hungry. So my meals I made thinking they would be gone in a day took 2. When I made a package of chicken breast, that one took me 3 days to finish and I ate NOTHING else.
After Tilapia I had a Kale day. Sauteed in coconut oil with garlic and red pepper flakes. Damn I was surprised it was tasty. I never eat that stuff. I have put it in power smoothies but that was it. But I wanted to chew this, not drink it. So I would feel sated. Even cooked for a few minutes it was chewy, very fibrous stuff.
Then was the chicken day.
I did a dill pickle day lol
yesterday was green beans with garlic and herbs
Today is SCALLOPS! Sauteed in butter with pepper. yum
So yeah I guess it takes some discipline but I helped myself by removing ALL foods I do not want to be part of this. They are gone. No temptation, no weakness. And I have to learn to eat my food cold after the first couple of bites. No longer woofing it down while it's hot. I'm grazing.
I worried about meat sitting on my desk all day but I've had absolutely zero stomach issues.
I'm getting veggies. Not every day but....I'm also taking 2 gummy multis per evening. Damn those things are tasty.
Finally, I weaned myself off my beloved morning cup o joe. Dropped sugar on day one. Then reduced the amount in the cup and the half and half until day 4, boom, none, and no caffiene withdrawal headache. Those suck.
Mike