beer belly has now reached epic proportions

Longtallronnie

I worked out I'm consuming approx 1900-2500 calories a day provided I don't "snack" on pasties etc between meals.

I usually eat 4 meals a day - breakfast (cereal), mid morning break (sandwiches), lunch (toasted sandwich) and dinner (generally healthyish homemade stuff). I average around 3 cups of tea/coffee (milk, two sugars) a day and maybe a can of cider in the evening.

So the plan is to stop snacking, swap mid morning sarnies for low cal cracker things, swap toasted sarnies for tomato soup or similar with wholemeal bread, cut out the cider and try and swap tea/coffee for water/squash. I'll probably relax at the weeknds though.

I'm also going to start a tabata workout but I'll ease myself into that and slowly increase the intervals as I progress.

Wow, I almost believe myself when I type this crap!

:-j

grungebob

monquixote;11639" said:

Have you got a link to the story in Nature?

The science section in 5:2 has a lot of useful stuff in it.

In terms of links to stuff:This is very interesting http://www.precisionnutrition.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Intermittent-Fasting_Precision-Nutrition-2.pdf

Also this guy was one of the pioneers that inspired the 5:2:http://bradpilon.com/



Also this guy is quite interesting:http://www.leangains.com/2008/07/excerpt-from-my-upcoming-book.html



All of the research I'd found on Breakfast skipping being bad seemed to indicate it's because you would eat more later in the day, but in my case I have the same planned lunch every day and I don't eat between meals so I don't see why that should have any effect on me.

I can't find the article at the moment but I've read this morning some interesting articles from Cornell university along the lines of what you've been saying in how a recent study showed no difference in total calories consummed throughout the day in those that ate or skipped breakfast. It did go on to say that those who ate a protein rich breakfast where better able to utilise subsequent nutrition and store less unwanted carbs and fat. I'll keep looking for the nature link it's on the history on one of my pc's

jaygtr

I bike to work, 6 miles each way, it's lovely in the summer but a bit grim in winter, although there is a perverse sense of satisfaction when you arrive.

I didn't eat differently and lost about 7 lb in a year
10 times more energy now though and sleep much better too ;;)

jaygtr

Oh and +1 to what Frankus said earlier about core strength and posture, if you stand up straight you look like you've lost a stone.
A 70's les Paul will be useful for core strength :-\"

holnrew

Walking with good posture and technique can do wonders for your core. It's hard to try and overcome doing it how you're used to though.

Sporky

grungebob said:

the old addage of burn more calories than you consume has been proven to be incorrect

How so? If you eat more than you use, where does the excess go? And if you use more than you eat, where do they come from?

monquixote

Sporky said:

grungebob said:

the old addage of burn more calories than you consume has been proven to be incorrect

How so? If you eat more than you use, where does the excess go? And if you use more than you eat, where do they come from?

I think what he meant was that it's very hard for someone outside of a pro athlete to lose weight by eating a high calorie diet and doing exercise.

For example if you do a couple of half hour jogs a week you are going to burn probably no more than 700-800 calories. 

A couple of pints and a kebab is going to blow that away with change. 

grungebob

monquixote;11913" said:

Sporky said:



grungebob said:

the old addage of burn more calories than you consume has been proven to be incorrect





How so? If you eat more than you use, where does the excess go? And if you use more than you eat, where do they come from?

Yeah it is a strange one,obviously eating more calories than you need will make you obese but if you only increase your work rate without a change in input your likely to loose very little weight especialy so if you already have less weight to lose,this is the reason obese people can notice a drastic change in weight with only moderate exercise but will soon come to a plateau. The amount of calories burnt during most exercise is nowhere near what people expect it to be, for instance to use up the calories in say a mars bar you would have to run approx 3.5 miles at a pace of around 7.5 minute miles constant, most calorie counters on gym equipment are grossly inaccurate this is done on purpose to keep you going back for more.

bertie

monquixote said:

Everyone says "You have to eat breakfast because otherwise you will eat more" 

thats not why you should eat breakfast - its to keep your metabolism running at a constant rate.  Its the old fast/starvation mode/eat little and often  argument

Sporky

Ah! I getcha. Sorry, looking at the finger there.

I thought that the main benefit of exercise from a weight-loss point of view was that it resulted in a higher metabolic rate, and that while that's not going to be enough to offset three pies and a bag of chips it does help a bit?

jaygtr

One thing that also needs to be taken into account is that muscle weighs more than fat.
So regular exercise might not help you lose much weigh but you may look leaner

monquixote

bertie said:

thats not why you should eat breakfast - its to keep your metabolism running at a constant rate.  Its the old fast/starvation mode/eat little and often  argument

Most of the information on the web is hopelessly confused.

The reasons I've seen given are that:

• You will eat more later - But I don't 
• You will go into starvation mode and burn muscle - This requires fasting for over 48 hours from everything I've read
• It ups your metabolism - You hear this everywhere, but there don't seem to be any studies you can point to that actually show this to be the case.   
  

There are quite a few sports science case studies from Muslim countries that footballers performance and fitness levels aren't effected during ramadan. 

monquixote

Sporky said:

I thought that the main benefit of exercise from a weight-loss point of view was that it resulted in a higher metabolic rate, and that while that's not going to be enough to offset three pies and a bag of chips it does help a bit?

I think the thing is that it helps "A bit", but not compared to eating less. 

Fer'example if you cut 500 calories a day you will drop 3500 calories a week, but to do the same with exercise you would need to run about thirty miles. 

holnrew

If I'm hungry I get so grumpy.

Dieting is harder than quitting smoking.

Sporky

monquixote said:

I think the thing is that it helps "A bit", but not compared to eating less. 

Fer'example if you cut 500 calories a day you will drop 3500 calories a week, but to do the same with exercise you would need to run about thirty miles. 

Ayup. I think I missed what Grungebob was getting at earlier. Don't mind me!

bertie

monquixote said:

Most of the information on the web is hopelessly confused.

mine wasnt obtained 'on the web'   but from a dietitian in a conversation relating to a medical problem my M-I-L had

One thing we all need to bear in mind -  we aint all the same, what works for you........might not work for Menturm.............me ? I dont need it, Im perfick

Deadman

That 5:2 thing is working for me. I've lost 8 pounds in two weeks.

I know that seems a little too rapid but I've increased exercise by putting myself in situations at work where a lot of physical exertion is required and take the dog for 3 mile walks every evening. My plan is to aim for only 1-2 pounds per week loss once I've had an initial surge by eating 1800 calories a day (according to a calorie calculator I've used). I'm also gonna still carry on with the two day fasting thing as I think it's a great tool for psychological discipline.

I'm finding that no breakfast is key for me. If I don't eat it, I don't feel hungry until lunchtime, much like some of you other guys on here. Normally I'm gnawing my hands off by 9am.

Another thing with this 5:2 thing is that on the days you're 'fasting', you feel as though you're doing such good to your digestive system that on your 'normal' days you feel at liberty not to cane your body with fat and calories, well I do anyway. It sorts your head out and makes you more disciplined as I've said.

Start weight was 14 stone. I'm now 13st 6 lbs and I feel so much better already. My heart rate has also lowered (must be all the healthy grub) and my guts are thanking me for having lots of time off.

Major assistance is coming from:

Beer only on a Saturday evening, not 3 nights a week.
Avoiding bread.
No chocolate.
No crisps (I used to crave them, the craving's now gone).
Eating cous cous as a source of carbs.
No red meat.
Lots of salad, fruit and 'filling up' on vegetables.
Increased exercise from sedentary to moderate.

This thread is where it started, so thanks from me.

bertie

Deadman said:

Eating cous cous as a source of carbs.

apparently,  and I could be wrong -  bulgar wheat is even 'better'

Deadman

bertie said:

Deadman said:

Eating cous cous as a source of carbs.

apparently,  and I could be wrong -  bulgar wheat is even 'better'

One of my mates said exactly that to me yesterday Bertie funnily enough. Thanks, I'll check it out. Can't say I've ever tried it (I don't think).

bertie

its basically manly cous-cous.   
>:D<

takes more cooking (about 15 mins) but I much prefer it -  needs stock and/or some veg/meat to chuck in it