The INGO Hardcore Weight Loss/Fitness Thread

[Hoosier8]

Weight day. Today I am at 209.2 pounds. Down 0.6 pounds this week. Still in the right direction.

So far I am averaging about 1.8 pounds a week over the last 20 weeks.

The other day I cooked a lamb steak in the cast iron pan but when I was seasoning it I opened the wrong end of the pepper and poured about a cup of pepper on it. I brushed some off but much more than I normally use. Turned out it was really good that way!

 

[Dr.Midnight]

I spent over a year slimming down to a point that I could live with, so about a month ago I changed things up. Instead of trying to get lean, I decided to see if I could pack on some muscle. It's working. I'm at the end of week four of a twelve week bulking cycle and I can already see some improvement. I also keep a fitness log of all my workouts, and I can measure the improvements too. I started taking creatine at the beginning of the new program, and after about eight days, I saw an increase in the number of reps I could do along with the weight I could lift. It's very encouraging.

Now the down side. The calorie requirements for getting lean and bulking up are completely different, so I'm getting a little pudgy. It's to be expected since I'm eating with a minimal calorie surplus right now trying to pack on muscle. Not that I'm a body builder, but I'll follow their program where they bulk up for a certain period, then cut hard trying to get shredded. I don't know how this will end up, but it is keeping things fresh and preventing burn out.

 

[Snapdragon]

I'm hanging in at 208, but I'm under a lot of stress right now with my mom's health and my own. Hopefully I can at least hold on to the 208 even if I don't lose any for a while.

 

[Hoosier8]

Question: Anyone fast?

Because I eat about once a day you might say I fast for 24 hours but to get the best results one should fast for 48 to 72 hours. I don’t suggest fasting longer than 72 hours. I fast 48 hours occasionally and 72 once in a while. It is not apparent you lose much weight by fasting but it has other benefits. One is clarity of thinking. Another is Autophagy. You can read about it here.

Autophagy: Definition, Process, Fasting & Signs

Autophagy allows your body to break down and reuse old cell parts so your cells can operate more efficiently.

my.clevelandclinic.org

It is one of the processes that helps tighten up loose skin after losing weight but I think it works better the younger you are and how much loose skin you have.

 

[chipbennett]

Question: Anyone fast?

Because I eat about once a day you might say I fast for 24 hours but to get the best results one should fast for 48 to 72 hours. I don’t suggest fasting longer than 72 hours. I fast 48 hours occasionally and 72 once in a while. It is not apparent you lose much weight by fasting but it has other benefits. One is clarity of thinking. Another is Autophagy. You can read about it here.

Autophagy: Definition, Process, Fasting & Signs

Autophagy allows your body to break down and reuse old cell parts so your cells can operate more efficiently.

my.clevelandclinic.org

It is one of the processes that helps tighten up loose skin after losing weight but I think it works better the younger you are and how much loose skin you have.

I'm a routine faster. My normal routine is ADF (42 hours), three times per week; 18:6 IF the other 4 days.

I have to disagree with the part about it not being apparent that you lose much weight by fasting. I lost over 100 pounds.

Autophagy is real. I've had scars from high school that are just... gone now.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

The weather was nice today and I was off, so I took advantage and did a longer run again:

8.26 mi
Distance
1:34:16
Time
11:25 /mi
Avg Pace
315 ft
Total Ascent
1,407
Calories

I've no idea if the nose breathing running has been better for building endurance or not, but I had very low perceived effort and very little fatigue. I ran out of daylight and hadn't taken a light, but neither my legs nor cardio system felt taxed at the end. The pace isn't setting the world on fire, even for hilly terrain, but I'm pleased with my endurance.

I have noted that nose breathing is a no-go for me now when it's cold and dry. I do ok running but a few hours later have something like a sinus infection. Not a lot of mucus, just feel like sinuses are swollen, lymph nodes are swollen, but no fever or cough. I bought a cold weather mask, but it pinches my nose a bit and makes it harder to breath. Works a treat for mouth breathing, though, it's got a plastic vent system so the mask doesn't get wet and you don't feel like you're waterboarding yourself by mile 3.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

Question: Anyone fast?

Because I eat about once a day you might say I fast for 24 hours but to get the best results one should fast for 48 to 72 hours. I don’t suggest fasting longer than 72 hours. I fast 48 hours occasionally and 72 once in a while. It is not apparent you lose much weight by fasting but it has other benefits. One is clarity of thinking. Another is Autophagy. You can read about it here.

Autophagy: Definition, Process, Fasting & Signs

Autophagy allows your body to break down and reuse old cell parts so your cells can operate more efficiently.

my.clevelandclinic.org

It is one of the processes that helps tighten up loose skin after losing weight but I think it works better the younger you are and how much loose skin you have.

I'm a huge believer in fasting for weight loss. I got stuck towards the end of my initial weight loss journey and I used it to shed the last bit of weight I wanted to lose. The down side was I wasn't gaining any muscle, and towards the end when I was doing the longer fasts, I noticed I was getting slightly weaker in the gym.

I'm trying to pack on a little muscle now so I'm eating something every 2-3 hours, but when I start cutting again, I'm definitely using fasting to get a little leaner.

 

[Snapdragon]

207. Nothing much else to report. Between my mom being sick and her back being hurt, I'm busy 24/7 and not eating much.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

8 miles walking on the beach yesterday.

5.2 mile run and 4.4 mile walk today.

I always enjoy running in sand when I have the chance, but its nice for it to be packed a bit. I got in some real loose stuff today and it's a real work out. Lateral pressure is not great on my knees these days, so running on the side of an incline for an extended period gets my attention, but nothing unmanageable.

Down side: I'll destroy most of today's work with key lime pie and fried shrimp.

 

[melensdad]

190# fully dressed, with hiking shoes on at the doctor's office.

So hovering in the 185# range when I weigh myself in the morning at home in my shorts.

Clearly I'm up a bit from my low, but I've been battling arthritis, injuries, and now recovering from surgery so my activity level is near zero for over 1/2 a year.

I'm happy my weight is not higher. I'm not happy with my muscle tone, but given all I've been dealing with for health issues (all minor but one right after another), I would like to get back down into the mid-170's again but given I'm on pain pills and will be wearing a surgical boot on my leg for the next 2 months, I'll be thrilled if I can just stay in the 185# range.

 

[Hoosier8]

Weight day. Down 2.4 pounds this week. Puts me at 206.8 pounds. About 11 pounds to go for my goal but I might see where it levels off. One online website said 187 for 15% body fat. Dang, I would be a bean pole. Well. I started out as a bean pole to begin with. I left high school at 6 foot and 140 pounds. I was 6’3” and 195 at 25 and fit so that’s why 195 is my goal. All I would need then is fit.

I have lost 38.8 pounds since I started. Activity level minimal.

 

[Hoosier8]

Well kind of screwed up my days. Off by a day but weight day today instead of Thursday. Next week it will be on Thursday.

Down 2 pounds this week. Total loss so far from when I started is 40.8 pounds. Less than 10 pounds to go to get to 195 then I will see if it levels off or I might expand what I eat a bit and see what happens.

13 year MyFitnessPal graph of my attempts and current success.

 

[Snapdragon]

Haven't even gone near the scale or thought about what I was eating for a few days. This is day 3 of covid, and I haven't felt good enough to cook. I ordered some frozen dinners delivered from the grocery, and we've been living on those, Campbell's soup, and pop tarts. I'm hoping I feel good enough today or tomorrow to actually care what I'm eating.

 

[Hoosier8]

Haven't even gone near the scale or thought about what I was eating for a few days. This is day 3 of covid, and I haven't felt good enough to cook. I ordered some frozen dinners delivered from the grocery, and we've been living on those, Campbell's soup, and pop tarts. I'm hoping I feel good enough today or tomorrow to actually care what I'm eating.

Feed a cold starve a fever. Covid is basically a cold so eat what makes you feel good as these ailments make you feel bad enough. Worry about weight when you feel better and stronger.

 

[chipbennett]

Feed a cold starve a fever. Covid is basically a cold so eat what makes you feel good as these ailments make you feel bad enough. Worry about weight when you feel better and stronger.

Every Covid infection I've seen has involved a fever.

 

[Snapdragon]

Every Covid infection I've seen has involved a fever.

Mine was over 102 for the first 36 hours or so. It's finally coming down. When you feel like I did, you really don't care about what the rules are; you are just trying to get by with as little effort as possible.

 

[Hoosier8]

Every Covid infection I've seen has involved a fever.

Meh, do anything to make you feel less awful.

 

[Hoosier8]

190# fully dressed, with hiking shoes on at the doctor's office.

So hovering in the 185# range when I weigh myself in the morning at home in my shorts.

Clearly I'm up a bit from my low, but I've been battling arthritis, injuries, and now recovering from surgery so my activity level is near zero for over 1/2 a year.

I'm happy my weight is not higher. I'm not happy with my muscle tone, but given all I've been dealing with for health issues (all minor but one right after another), I would like to get back down into the mid-170's again but given I'm on pain pills and will be wearing a surgical boot on my leg for the next 2 months, I'll be thrilled if I can just stay in the 185# range.

I have lost 40+ pounds while very sedentary on a low carb high fat diet. My knee injury is 98% better now. The injury was quad tendinitis with some possible arthritis. Carbs are addictive so I have broken the addiction and my body takes care of the rest.

Yes, I know I need to exercise but I also know it is not necessary to lose weight. After years of counting calories and failing I learned that what you eat is more important, easier, and I no longer count calories and eat when hungry.

 

[melensdad]

Totally agree that Carbs are the enemy.

I actually tried the 100% meat diet and just could not do it. But I dramatically reduced my carbs when I was actively trying to lose weight and that made a world of difference. Substituted cauliflower for noodles. Eliminated most sugar and sweets, which was a lot easier than I thought it would be to do. Eliminated bread, crackers, etc. I eat a lot more eggs. Added more spices, herbs, and hot sauce to my diet while eliminating ketchup, etc. Added 'snacks' like cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, cucumbers ... especially in the car, I drive A LOT OF MILES, so having a container of those on the passenger seat let me drive right past the drive-thru windows of the fast foot places I pass.

And while cherry tomatoes have have carbs, they are far lower in carbs/calories than a White Castle.

Carbs are addictive so I have broken the addiction and my body takes care of the rest.

 

[Hoosier8]

Totally agree that Carbs are the enemy.

I actually tried the 100% meat diet and just could not do it. But I dramatically reduced my carbs when I was actively trying to lose weight and that made a world of difference. Substituted cauliflower for noodles. Eliminated most sugar and sweets, which was a lot easier than I thought it would be to do. Eliminated bread, crackers, etc. I eat a lot more eggs. Added more spices, herbs, and hot sauce to my diet while eliminating ketchup, etc. Added 'snacks' like cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, cucumbers ... especially in the car, I drive A LOT OF MILES, so having a container of those on the passenger seat let me drive right past the drive-thru windows of the fast foot places I pass.

And while cherry tomatoes have have carbs, they are far lower in carbs/calories than a White Castle.

More of a Keto diet. You are on the right track. One thing I get on the road are quarter pounder patties at around $1.70 apiece. You can also order the whole burger and just not eat the bun. I mix in some cooked veggies occasionally, for instance this Sunday I will have Olive Garden herb crusted salmon and eat the broccoli and salad with house dressing. I have to bring dinner to someone in rehab.

As far as carnivore I would be interested why you couldn’t do it.? Easy for me since I live alone and can control my diet. For some if you make the switch too suddenly you can suffer what is called the carnivore flu.