Losing Weight with Starscream

[goalie204]

wondering how you guy feel about the "cheat day" theory. Personally i've been only doing one cheat meal a week approximately. The theory if im correct is that your body doesn't want to change, and it's happy the way it is, so after a bit of weight loss, a day or in my case meal of high calories "tricks" the body into thinking things are business as usual and allows one to continue losing weight instead of holding onto it. Since i got serious about this which for me entailed actually stopping eating when i was full, increasing fruits and veggies, whole grains, decreasing red meat while keeping lean proteins up plus other stuff, i've lost about 25 pounds all together, and 7 or 8 since i got serious about it on Nov 2nd. The "cheat day" (again or in my case meal) is totally working for me, and everytime i eat that meal, i drop a lot of weight the day or 2 after it

some info on it http://www.diet-blog.com/08/have_a_d..._your_diet.php

[LooseCard]

From my experience, being a life-long dieter, you have to allow yourself periodic indulgences.

Otherwise, you'll (psycologically) tire of the diet, and let go anyway.

A cheat-day or cheat-meal is actually better off for you.


I too have upped the fruits and veggies, whole grains, and such. I've recently noticed that I am not a 'fruit-full' in my diet, and I haven't been losing steadily.

[Starscream]

Cheat days are ok, depending how you diet, Myles. If you follow a diet that allows a cheat day, then it's a good thing. It keeps you from burning out. But also be careful about how you use that cheat day. Don't eat 12,000 calories and expect positive results.

[goalie204]

haha, of course! I would actually say that for the first time in my life, i'm doing what i like to think of as a change in lifestyle and overall attitude towards food. For me a "diet' implies something that ends. However these minor changes are having results, and the results motivate me to stick to it /cross fingers

Originally Posted by andysutherland

Motivation is always my issue, Shawn. What do you do to stay motivated? I am always motivated at the beginning of the week, but stress gets me down between work and family, then I always say F**** it and wind up drinking. If I didn't drink, I'd be down to about 230 by now.

Well being obsessive helps........and I am obsessive big time.

The motivation comes in two parts for me. The first is my kids, I have battled poor nutrition combined with lack of exercise since my youth. I attribute that partly to poor role models in my parents. So I have made a conscious effort to change that so I am doing my damnedest to be the role model my children should have. (ok so cigars and booze might be in there life too but it is all about balance )

The second is that if you stick with a program and commit to it, well it works and the results are both visual and internal. I look waaaay better, hell my wife actually warned me to be good when I went to the Ozzy concert this week and when I laughed her off she told me she wasn't kidding that I have never looked this good in my life. As for the fit side of things, everything is easier.............shovelling the driveway, carrying the groceries, splitting and stacking wood, putting my winter tires on my truck, mountain bike riding, carrying tired children to bed (even my 10 year old), hell I get treated different in clothing stores, restaurants etc, I never thought I was discriminated against due to my size but I think in hindsight that there is a significant difference in how I am treated.

Ok ok I ran on a bit but you get my point I think.

Oh and as for my loss phase it has been just under 3 weeks and I am down 8 lbs to 234lbs.........hoping that is all fat, will know after next week when I see my fitness therapist.

Keep at it gents, it has been almost a year for me and the transformation is pretty remarkable, physically and mentally.

[Scottw]

Well put Shawn. For me it's the kids and also just feeling so good and being able to run around and do the things that for a long time I didn't do when I was 250. Now at 195, I am often times the most physically fit guy in the room. That's motivating in itself but the overall feeling of not carrying around an extra 50 pounds is amazing.

[TheMadBaker]

Hi I am new, but I do low-carb...I have several cook books for low carb cooking and there are "cheat" times, but mostly I live by it. I had gastric bypass a little over 2 years ago and it is just easier to live low-carb...

Pre-surgery 289
2 1/2 years later 152

[Krish the Fish]

I'm on a plan to lose weight and gain muscle. I'm sure you've all heard of it, and it gets miraculous results in 90 days. The highest I weighed in at was 190, and I hope to break the 160s... maybe after a couple cycles

I started my first day of p90x today, and darn it, it is hard! The workouts aren't as strenuous as one would think, but the diet you're supposed to follow is overwhelming! I wasn't used to getting 2800 calories in so much food. I'm literally stuffed, and I still have one more snack and dinner (the biggest meal) to go. The food is all really high quality, and the calorie to nutrient ratio is ridiculous. I used to eat very poorly, and hopefully if I keep this up for the next 89 days, I'll be in MUCH better shape than I am in now.

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by goalie204

haha, of course! I would actually say that for the first time in my life, i'm doing what i like to think of as a change in lifestyle and overall attitude towards food. For me a "diet' implies something that ends. However these minor changes are having results, and the results motivate me to stick to it /cross fingers

That's the key, Myles.

Originally Posted by Scottw

Well put Shawn. For me it's the kids and also just feeling so good and being able to run around and do the things that for a long time I didn't do when I was 250. Now at 195, I am often times the most physically fit guy in the room. That's motivating in itself but the overall feeling of not carrying around an extra 50 pounds is amazing.

That's where I want to be, but I've got a long way to go, Scott.



Shawn, you are a wealth of information, positive thinking, and an example for us all in this thread. Congrats on all the work you've done and thanks for being involved in this thread.



To the new guys, welcome aboard and hope you stick with your plans and see positive results.

[Starscream]

I went back up a pound this week to 253. It's gonna be hard not to gain this upcoming week, being Thanksgiving and all. I'll be at the beach surrounded by restaurants with some of the best food. Only three more pounds to reach my short term goal.

[Starscream]

Thanksgiving hurt me. I went back up to 255 (can't help it on holiday weeks), but I'm back down to 253 this week. Three pounds to go to hit my goal.

[Starscream]

I forgot to report Wednesday. I hit my weight goal of 250 (finally)! Now my new short term goal will be set at 238. Hope everyone's keeping the faith during the holidays.

[Starscream]

Up to 255 again. Holidays were rough, but the New Year brings much positive thoughts. I'll be down to 250 by the end of the week hopefully.

[pmwz]

i am up to 246lbs. my new job killed my weightloss progress...less time = more fast food +less sports.
new goal is to get under 85kg this year. i am going to start keeping track of everything i eat after the superbowl.....
resuts are comming in every sunday + if i dont post please pm me

[shilala]

I'm still hanging in around 223. That seems to be where I've been for months now. I did get down to 218 for a minute. My health has been pretty decent and I've been a lot more active and eating less, putting on more muscle and getting my strength back.
I tried going to the gym awhile back and it aggravated my Isaac's something awful, so we put that on stop until I see my neurologist again. I see him Monday. Hopefully my tests all came back and I'll be able to get something going.

[goalie204]

3 words "the abs diet"

[rebelknight]

Wow I only looked at a few pages of this but I would just like to congratulate everyone on their weight loss. I know it is not easy. At the end of my sophomore year of high school I weighed 238 lbs. Now, a junior in college, I weigh 152 lbs. I've maintained this weight for a few months now seeing as I have no desire to lose any more weight but I know how hard it was to lose and keep off the weight at the ages of 16-20 so I can only imagine how much harder it is for people in their 30's, 40's, 50's etc... So congratulations to everyone and keep up the good work. I know you all can reach your goals

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by rebelknight

Wow I only looked at a few pages of this but I would just like to congratulate everyone on their weight loss. I know it is not easy. At the end of my sophomore year of high school I weighed 238 lbs. Now, a junior in college, I weigh 152 lbs. I've maintained this weight for a few months now seeing as I have no desire to lose any more weight but I know how hard it was to lose and keep off the weight at the ages of 16-20 so I can only imagine how much harder it is for people in their 30's, 40's, 50's etc... So congratulations to everyone and keep up the good work. I know you all can reach your goals

You trying to call us old?

[rebelknight]

Originally Posted by andysutherland

You trying to call us old?

Haha no not at all. Age is just a number. You're only as old as you feel. I was just saying that it is harder to do it at an older age because my dad just started going back to the gym and when we compare results he always reminds me that it's easier for me than for him.

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by rebelknight

Haha no not at all. Age is just a number. You're only as old as you feel. I was just saying that it is harder to do it at an older age because my dad just started going back to the gym and when we compare results he always reminds me that it's easier for me than for him.

You are right. I lost weight in my early 20s very quickly. Now that I'm 31, it's a much slower process. My biggest problem now is being too lazy to exercise.