15 replies to this topic

[Grav]

So in a couple of previous posts here and there I've mentioned how I've lost a bit of weight since I stopped regularly playing GW2 last year.  I thought I might elaborate a little more fully on what I've been doing since then.

About a year ago I started walking to work, about 40 minutes each way.  This was something I had planned to do once I had moved offices, since the new building was slightly closer to home than the old one, but the move was delayed over and over and eventually I got tired of waiting, so I just started anyway.  The other thing of course was that it was autumn, the days were getting shorter, and if I had to be seen outside for extended periods while at my heaviest, better that it be during the time of year when fewer other people were outside as well.

Over the following 6 months - the winter of last year and into spring - I lost 5kg/11lb.  Which was better than nothing, but ultimately very little in percentage terms.  Overall I felt I was pretty much pissing into the wind, but it was at least working better than any sort of attempt at a diet that I'd tried in the past, none of which had ever accomplished anything at all.

Then October came around and the office move finally happened, so the walk became a bit easier at 35 minutes each way.  At this time I went to get some professional advice on what else I could be doing, and was dismayed to be told to go on a diet.  This one was a little different though.  Previously I'd always been told to either eat less fat or eat less everything, neither of which were sustainable because they always left me hungry.  This one however, emphasised low carbs and actually high fat (LCHF for short), which I recognised as being sufficiently different to be worth giving a shot.

So one sunny Saturday afternoon last October, I made myself a couple of bunless burgers for lunch.  That was 6 months ago today, and since then I've lost another 26kg/57lb at an average rate of exactly 1kg/week over that time.  Total lost since this time last year = 31kg/68lb.  I've lost a foot around my waist, and I now weigh as much as I did in my mid-teens (though to be fair I was still a fatty then too).

Ironically, a major enabler for this was actually GW2.  I started lowcarbing with the HoT release only a week or two away, already knowing I wasn't going to like it with the knowledge that they were taking my home BL away.  But what stepping away from the game has allowed me to do is actually spend more time "sorting my life out", from researching LCHF to spending more time in the kitchen, and more recently, clothes shopping...

My goal at this point is to lose another 19-20kg or so in the next 6 months, which my recent track record suggests should be possible.  That would take me to about 45kg/100lb lost in 12 months, and 50kg/111lb lost altogether.  I have an overseas trip planned for this October so that will be my reward when the time comes.

I know this is a sensitive subject for a lot of people, myself included; I won't be posting pics and I'm not yet brave enough to say how much I actually weigh right now.  I also don't want to get too preachy about it, but I will say that if anyone else can relate to where I've been and would like to know more about what I've been doing and what I've learned, you're welcome to PM me if you don't want to reply publicly.

Onwards and downwards, as it were. o7

[Dawg]

That's fucking awesome, man. I love when people are legitimately happy and excited about changes they've made to their life. This might just inspire me to start really working out again. o7

[Crosius]

Amazing to hear Grav, thanks for sharing!

I have to say it's very uplifting to hear how well you've been doing since you've given yourself all this time away from the game. I hope that everything continues to sail smoothly so you can reach your reward trip with a great deal of happiness and confidence to go with it.

Fun fact: when fat is burned it's literally breathed out of your body as CO₂ from the various respiration reactions it's put into - so, next time you're on your morning walk just keep in mind that with every breath you take - it's mass lost in your wake.

I like to hear the good news, so keep me posted

[Khalamity]

For the past 8-9 months I've gotten back into working out. I've always been "skinny" and was a twig growing up but started to lose a lot of definition that I used to have. I've only ever worked out in the past when playing sports so as I stopped doing different leagues and stuff I let myself board the lazy train..

I'm one of those guys that likes lean muscle over bulky so I've been working on mostly plyometric circuits, body weight exercises, along with core workouts. I didn't think I was as out of shape as I was when I first started though. Over the past 7 or so months I've lost 15 lbs. Which was surprising to me since I was only over my BMI scaling by like 9-11 lbs and I didn't start my workout with the purpose of losing weight, just gaining back the definition that I lost.

The workouts I'm doing are a drag but with the amount of content out there on youtube/netflix/whatever it goes by pretty fast if you can take your mind off of how tired your body is. My biggest improvement so far would be pullups. In my "sports" prime i could do 6-9 reps consecutively and did 3 sets. I'm back around there after starting them back up. I was barely being able to do 2 sets of 3 about two months ago. I'm hoping by summer I can do 3 sets 10-12 consecutively.

I hate just about everything when it comes to working out but one of the best feelings on this planet (to me) is that feeling you get after you workout. Your heart seems to be thanking you for not having it pump so hard and your lungs are calming down. The body seems to be in a blissful state where everything feels comfortable. Your clothes, your chair, your carseat, your shoes. My mind clears up after a workout so I see answers to problems faster/clearer. Everything just seems overall better so nowadays that's what keeps me working out day after day. Everything else is a a random benefit to me for wanting that feeling of post-workout bliss.

And Grav, I also walk to work. I have for 5 years and as long as it doesn't take me over 45 mins to walk there then I will keep doing it til my legs give out.

Keep on keeping on. Staying in shape takes a lot of willpower and it seems like you got the jump you needed. Without a doubt, that is an amazing weight loss transformation Grav. I can't say I've known anyone in real life who has had that much of an amazing turnover. Don't give up!

[Rill Soji]

Well done! That's freaking awesome! Coincidently my husband and I started LCHF end of January. He's lost 35lbs and I've lost 20lbs. I'm a BIG FAN of LCHF as it's been the only thing that has ever worked for me. Have you been on dietdoctor.com at all? That's our favorite website next to the Fathead facebook group.

[Crosius]

Khalamity, on 16 April 2016 - 12:25 AM, said:

I hate just about everything when it comes to working out but one of the best feelings on this planet (to me) is that feeling you get after you workout.

It's termed "runner's high" - a release of endorphines and other neurotransmitters after heavy physical activity. Some people have apparently been documented to become 'addicted' to it since it involves stimulation of pleasure centers in your brain like many psychoactive drugs.

That's the most I know of it though, since it's not relevant to me I haven't done a great deal of research on it. My thesis adviser would reference it a bit during lectures about dose/response curves, pharm/tox, etc.

[Grav]

Rill Soji, on 16 April 2016 - 11:42 AM, said:

Well done! That's freaking awesome! Coincidently my husband and I started LCHF end of January. He's lost 35lbs and I've lost 20lbs. I'm a BIG FAN of LCHF as it's been the only thing that has ever worked for me. Have you been on dietdoctor.com at all? That's our favorite website next to the Fathead facebook group.

Good effort, Mr and Mrs Rill.   I'm exactly the same in that it's the only thing that's ever worked to any meaningful degree for me too.  But now that I've figured it out, there's no way I intend to let it go.  Ultimately I just wanna enjoy the ride and see where I end up.

I do look at dietdoctor.com on occasion and could probably do more.  Mostly my own research though has been in the form of reading good old fashioned books.  I'm halfway through my 4th on the subject at the moment and just ordered two more yesterday, hehe.  Once I've read them all I intend to give each one to other members of my family.

There are a number of useful YouTube videos on the subject out there as well.  The very first one I watched was this TEDx talk by Sarah Hallberg.  I've also read/watched a lot by the likes of Tim Noakes, Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinney, and lately I'm getting into Gary Taubes a bit more as well.

[Grav]

Crosius, on 15 April 2016 - 05:44 PM, said:

Fun fact: when fat is burned it's literally breathed out of your body as CO₂ from the various respiration reactions it's put into - so, next time you're on your morning walk just keep in mind that with every breath you take - it's mass lost in your wake.

Yes, it's been fascinating learning about the biochemistry side of things; insulin resistance, nutritional ketosis, saturated vs monounsaturated vs polyunsaturated fats etc.

Crosius, on 16 April 2016 - 12:56 PM, said:

It's termed "runner's high" - a release of endorphines and other neurotransmitters after heavy physical activity. Some people have apparently been documented to become 'addicted' to it since it involves stimulation of pleasure centers in your brain like many psychoactive drugs.

While I've heard a lot about this effect, I don't believe I've ever experienced it myself.  Luckily for the time being things seem to be going well enough without it anyway, though I might look at stepping things up a bit further in the exercise department once I've lost a bit more.  Maybe next year sometime.

[Arei]

Grav, that is so totally amazing!! Good for you!! I know first hand how well that "diet" works. My husband was having issues with his breathing at night (terrible sleep apnea) and issues with his heart as well. It scared him into getting really serious about his weight, and so we changed what we ate. He dropped about 60ish lbs over the next 6 months, and got down to his high school graduation weight. Of course I lost weight too. Oh, and all his health problems? Gone. Even his doctor was shocked at the change. It really does work.  

[Rill Soji]

Grav, on 16 April 2016 - 05:55 PM, said:

There are a number of useful YouTube videos on the subject out there as well.  The very first one I watched was this TEDx talk by Sarah Hallberg.  I've also read/watched a lot by the likes of Tim Noakes, Jeff Volek and Stephen Phinney, and lately I'm getting into Gary Taubes a bit more as well.

Yes we follow Tom Naughton, Sarah Hallberg, and Gary Taubes as well. Good peeps! My husband has been in full-blown information devour mode. I'm a little more conservative but not by much lol.

[Aduah]

Gratz man. I have been doing low carb too, but Only because I've discovered recently that I require it. I have found that I also have been losing weight more rapidly even without exercise. My goal was to lose about 100 lbs to be inline with what I was about 10 years ago. I have apx 70 more to go. lol. My other point of advice to anyone is portion size. A lot of people shove tons of food down their gullet because their eyes are bigger than their stomach. So eat slowly and listen to your stomach. When full, Just stop.

[Grav]

Nice one Fraani.  I'm sure you can get there, you're far enough along that you just gotta keep doing what you're doing and it's just a matter of time.

Aduah, on 19 April 2016 - 11:50 PM, said:

My other point of advice to anyone is portion size. A lot of people shove tons of food down their gullet because their eyes are bigger than their stomach. So eat slowly and listen to your stomach. When full, Just stop.

Good call.  It's amazing how ingrained that habit of eating everything that's on your plate is.  Luckily for me I found that my appetite just fell away naturally over the first few months anyway.  First the snacking stopped between meals, then lunches themselves began to shrink and on the weekends they've disappeared altogether.  I just don't get hungry anymore the way I used to. \o/

[cassy]

Good to hear!
I had bad digestive woes the last time I had to be on a ketonic diet.  I hope it works better for you guys!
Adam has switched jobs finally, so hopefully we will be getting back onto a healthy track.  It works a lot better when everyone in the house works together.
I had also run into some neuro-woes earlier this year so I am trying to sort out another drug free solution.
So far, I am looking at Schisandra for cell wall strength, energy, and all of that.  Although I am not entirely convinced about adaptogens.  The NIH has research on it since 2009, but it is lackluster.
Theoretically it could help with inflammation, lack of energy etc. as well which would be nice.

[Grav]

Grav, on 15 April 2016 - 04:02 PM, said:

My goal at this point is to lose another 19-20kg or so in the next 6 months, which my recent track record suggests should be possible.  That would take me to about 45kg/100lb lost in 12 months, and 50kg/111lb lost altogether.  I have an overseas trip planned for this October so that will be my reward when the time comes.

Achievement finally unlocked, with 2 weeks to spare. \o/

[LoneCatamount]

Well done!! and gratz.. Hope you enjoy your trip and a newer you..

[JamesGoblin]

Nice to hear that, man! In my experience, the only hard part is actually to get up and walk out, away from the comp. The rest comes naturally.