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Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: drkev on 21/01/2007 17:43:55

Title: I lost 4 inches and 2 stone
Post by: drkev on 21/01/2007 17:43:55
I have lost 4 inches from my waist and 2 stone in 2 months YAY! I have no scientific proof as to how I did this but I thought I would share my methods in case other people want to try.

I used to have a 32" waist, a six pack and I was fit. I then broke my back in a motorcycle crash and couldnt excercise for a while. When my back recovered I had fallen into the lazy trap. Having gone form exercising every day to no excercise at all I soon put on weight. I was also depressed and eating for the sake of eating!

So how did I lose the weight? I cut all the shite out of my diet and stopped eating crap for the sake of it. I started snacking on fruit instead of chocolate and crisps (potato chips for our american friends!)

I reduced my portion sizes (did I really need to eat meals that big???) I stopped eating fast food.

Now I have smaller meals, I eat about 30 portions of fruit and veg a day (no really I do!)

I am now back down to a 36" waist with only 4 inches to go until I am at my target.

I found it hard at first but I found the follwing helped:

Next time you get a chinese, keep the plastic container. Then every day chop up some carrots and celery etc and fill it with these. Snack on these throughout the day to satisfy your cravings. I found that when I snacked it wasn't because I was hungry but because I wanted food in my mouth! By replacing the high calorie crap I was eating I feel that this has helped me to lose weight. Also, celery has NEGATIVE CALORIES this means that eating celery actually makes you lose weight.

EAT SMALLER MEALS! Simple, I did not NEED to eat as much as I was eating. So I cut down my portion sizes.

Prepare food healthily. Grill instead of fry. When you have browned your mince, rince it in hot water to drain away the remainder of the fat before returning it to the heat.

And lastly: spoil yourself once a week with something really naughty, it really does help because when you reward yourself you feel good about what you are doing.

I will post some pics of me before I put on the weight, me when I was fat and me now when I get hold of a scanner.
Title: I lost 4 inches and 2 stone
Post by: iko on 21/01/2007 17:59:03
Good suggestions and easily explained!
What about riding a bike-bycycle again?

bikod

(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.seedfest.co.uk%2Fseeds%2Fcelery%2Fcelery.jpg&hash=0f3f024665f40a63bc69548e5b68f9e2)
http://www.seedfest.co.uk/seeds/celery/celery.jpg
Title: I lost 4 inches and 2 stone
Post by: Karen W. on 21/01/2007 18:10:30
YAYYYY Kevin I am very excited for you you have done well. I am at 115 lbs and have to take off about 96 more bfore I am through , but I am over half way now.... I have developed many of the same habits as you.. I started out with the zetas and have tappered them down. If I get stuck I will take a coupl but mostly just portion control and am maintaining which is good. I try to stop and maintain every 10 lbs or so then I can cut back and increase movement again and go down some more.. So far so good.. Congratulations, Its been a long time since you posted would you mind putting that in the zeta thread? I know you don't use them but there are many there just doing the same as you and that would be very encouraging for them to hear also... congratulations Again!
Title: I lost 4 inches and 2 stone
Post by: drkev on 21/01/2007 20:18:56
zetacap is an expensive con I have fully researched this BS supplement and it is nothing more than a placebo.

I was never what I would consider 'fat' as my size was in proportion with the rest of my body. I just wanted to lose a little bit.

I have started swimming again as I HATE running with a passion. I have a bad back and bad knees so running is out of the question anyway.

I now found that the thought of McDonalds makes me feel sick and I prefer healthier food to fast food.

I now have more energy, my skin is much better and looks healthier (a pleasant side effect) and I wake up much more easily. I used to drag my arse out of bed, now I wake up and feel better. Does this mean that maybe I am sleeping better?

For breakfast I now have wholemeal toast with a TINY smear of vegetable based spread (no more crumpets loaded with butter or chocolate based cereal!)

I have switched to a wholegrain cereal which I am going to try.

I realised that I wasn't actually hungry after all just bored and eating for the sake of eating so I now snack on chopped fruit as I mentioned above

If anyone on here still eats McDonalds or Burger king even once a week, please watch the docu film called supersize me.
Title: I lost 4 inches and 2 stone
Post by: drkev on 21/01/2007 20:25:09
I am not sure whether negative calorie foods actually exist as by definition all foods contain some calories! However, some foods have been claimed to have negative calories and as eating them won't cause you any harm anyway I have put a list below.

asparagus
apple
beet
brocoli
green cabbage
cranberries
grapefuit
lemon mango
orange
carrot
cauliflower
cucumber
garlic
green beans
pineapple
raspberries
strawberries
tangerine
lettuce
onion
papaya
radish
spinach
turnip

I cannot find any scientific evidence for the claims that these foods are negative in calories (i.e. they contain calories but eating them burns more calories than they put on) but I have lost weight and it makes sense that eating more of these and less of the crap is good for you.

Whether they contain negative calories or not including more of them in your diet and less of the rubbish has got to be a good thing right?
Title: I lost 4 inches and 2 stone
Post by: drkev on 21/01/2007 20:28:04
Also, if you have fruit in your mouth you don't have something else in there! If by eating more fruit you are avoiding junk then surely that's a good thing.
Title: I lost 4 inches and 2 stone
Post by: moonfire on 21/01/2007 23:05:05
I agree with you Kevin...I eat more vegetables and fruit....plus dried fruit too...like raisins, cranberries, apricots, mango, pineapple as it is very seasonal fruit sometimes anyways...it does help keep crappy junk out of my mouth...admitting I am a chocoholic!  mmmm, chocolate...but still I need to lose 67 more pounds and will be happy to get down to two sizes...14! 
Title: I lost 4 inches and 2 stone
Post by: drkev on 22/01/2007 00:13:38
Am I right in thinking that an American size 14 is a UK size 16? So that makes you a size 20 UK / 18 USA?

That really is not a big size at all. If I were you though and you were keen to lose weight. I wouldn't aim for two sizes smaller. First aim for one size smaller. That way you have a more achievable goal. Then when you reach that size, you can aim for a lower size. I found that by setting smaller goals, you notice when you reach your targets and you do not become demotivated.

If for example you set a goal of 2 sizes and you didn't reach it then you would become demotivated because you still haven't reached your target size. So set a slightly lower, easier to reach goal instead. Just a suggestion.

Dried fruit is good but check the packet, most have preservatives added and many have lots of sugar added!

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who finds fruit keeps the junk out of my mouth. After all does junk food fill you up? Does chocolate make you feel good? Does it really make you feel good??? Does McDonalds fill you up? It has been shown that McDonalds actually doesn't make you feel full up and junk food is as addictive as cigarettes so McDonalds actually makes you want to eat more!

When I look at McDonalds now I feel sick but if I eat one I want another one. If you think you are taking the healthy option, be aware that a McDonalds salad contains more sugar than a McDonalds milkshake!

If you want to be naughty and eat a McDonalds, go for the fish or chicken option and watch that portion size. Do you really need to go large?

Question for the scientists on the site. Why is the sugar in fruit good for me but the sugar in other things bad for us? It is exactly the same sugar but it doesn't make us put on weight. Why can I eat so much fruit which contains x amount of sugar and not put on weight but if I eat chocolate then it does make me put on weight?

Is it just the sugar? Or the overall calorific value?
Title: I lost 4 inches and 2 stone
Post by: drkev on 22/01/2007 00:15:36
Ooh I forgot to add that I ate a lot of nuts too. NOT the salted / flavoured kind but the raw untouched kind you get from a health food shop. These are really high in protein and although some are fattening I found it was still a healthier alternative to other things.

On a similar note, have you ever seen a fat vegetarian? I haven't!
Title: I lost 4 inches and 2 stone
Post by: moonfire on 22/01/2007 06:49:29
Quote from: drkev on 22/01/2007 00:13:38
Am I right in thinking that an American size 14 is a UK size 16? So that makes you a size 20 UK / 18 USA?

That really is not a big size at all. If I were you though and you were keen to lose weight. I wouldn't aim for two sizes smaller. First aim for one size smaller. That way you have a more achievable goal. Then when you reach that size, you can aim for a lower size. I found that by setting smaller goals, you notice when you reach your targets and you do not become demotivated.

If for example you set a goal of 2 sizes and you didn't reach it then you would become demotivated because you still haven't reached your target size. So set a slightly lower, easier to reach goal instead. Just a suggestion.

Dried fruit is good but check the packet, most have preservatives added and many have lots of sugar added!

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who finds fruit keeps the junk out of my mouth. After all does junk food fill you up? Does chocolate make you feel good? Does it really make you feel good??? Does McDonalds fill you up? It has been shown that McDonalds actually doesn't make you feel full up and junk food is as addictive as cigarettes so McDonalds actually makes you want to eat more!

When I look at McDonalds now I feel sick but if I eat one I want another one. If you think you are taking the healthy option, be aware that a McDonalds salad contains more sugar than a McDonalds milkshake!

If you want to be naughty and eat a McDonalds, go for the fish or chicken option and watch that portion size. Do you really need to go large?

Question for the scientists on the site. Why is the sugar in fruit good for me but the sugar in other things bad for us? It is exactly the same sugar but it doesn't make us put on weight. Why can I eat so much fruit which contains x amount of sugar and not put on weight but if I eat chocolate then it does make me put on weight?

Is it just the sugar? Or the overall calorific value?

Well, I came a long ways Kev...I was a size 26 and now an 18.  I have a short term goal, mid way goal, and a long term goal.  My short term goal is one size and 15lbs.  My midway goal is 2 sizes and 30lbs, and my long term goal is another size with another 20lbs to go.  Your suggestions is awesome!  No problem!!!  Any suggestions will be welcomed!

You are also correct about the dried fruit and the sugar content...it can be extremely high!  Especially the mangos and pineapples!  It is better in a fix when you mix them with nuts as I love the trail mix without candies in it...

I am also a blasted, emotional eater...when I am posting for deadlines at work...I start craving all the wrong things...I do keep my drawer in my desk full of the dried fruits as it is much better than the other junk.

Chocolate is a comfort food...It is like nirvana to me!  I try to avoid it like the plague and struggled the past two weeks as it kept appearing out of nowhere and a lot of residents brought me gifts bearing hot cocoa and some teas. 

I kicked the McDonald, Burger King, and the such a long time ago...it makes my stomach shiver...iccccckkkk!  LOL  I did not know about the salads and shakes..very good information...I never supersize any garbage...as the small fries are enough...

If you have any other tips, I will gladly welcome them Kev as this has been a battle moving out of my plateau...more emotionally though...I have a food diary that counts calories, what I am doing, etc...

Awesome job on your success!!!

Thanks!