-20lbs in 78 days, Good? Bad? Indiferent?

[IamDavid]

Looking for a little feedback on my recent attempt to lose a little weight. I don't want to be a typical non stop dieter so I approached everything as a lifestyle change. Eliminated soda, most processed foods and most carbs. I've felt better over the past 3 months but I still haven't lost my constant cravings for soda and pastas.

A few questions:
1) I've read multiple places say the cravings go away, when should I start feeling this happen?
2) My main source of carbs are now from vegetables and peanuts. Should I be eating any actual sugars or grains? I haven't.
3) My absolute savior thru all of this has been a drink called Bai5. It's the only drink I could find that uses erythritol as the sweetener, any thoughts on this? I know everyone has strong opinions on the use of ANY sweeteners but I found the least concerns with this one.
4) Any thoughts on how much is too much to lose in a certain amount of time?

Thanks for any responses, I've enjoyed lurking in the sub forum of the past few months.

Here's a bit of data. I'm 6.1, 36yo.

Day Wgt. +/-
5-Sep 210.2
7-Sep 209.8 -0.4
14-Sep 207 -2.8
20-Sep 204.5 -2.5
Sep-14 200 -4.5
25-Sep 199.4 -0.6
26-Sep 197.8 -1.6
27-Sep 197 -0.8
28-Sep 197.2 0.2
29-Sep 198.4 1.2
30-Sep 197.8 -0.6
3-Oct 201.4 3.6
4-Oct 201.8 0.4
29-Oct 196.2 -5.6
30-Oct 194.2 -2
5-Nov 193.6 -0.6
6-Nov 194.6 1
7-Nov 192.4 -2.2
8-Nov 191.6 -0.8
10-Nov 192 0.4
11-Nov 194 2
15-Nov 191.4 -2.6
16-Nov 192.6 1.2
17-Nov 191.6 -1
18-Nov 191.8 0.2
20-Nov 191.2 -0.6
22-Nov 191.2 0

 

[Zivic]

I'd say it's on the higher end of most peoples charts, but I don't see issue with it.

I would worry about becoming skinny fat more than I would worry about the actual numbers on the scale. At a certain point you shouldn't care how much you weigh and care more how you look and feel. Not sure if you feel you are at that point or not, but I would at least start planning out how you are going to maintain the desired end result. IMHO that's were the fast weight loss becomes an issue. You can deal with 30, 60, 90 or whatever amount of days of 'dieting'. The months and years afterwards is where things fall apart. Can you continue to eat the way you are currently?

congrats on the weight loss

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

That's a little less than 2lbs/week of weight loss, so no worries, you're healthy.
Diet sodas are fine - I take a small Coke Zero and rum every day for my alcohol intake.

 

[Zivic]

Diet sodas are fine - I take a small Coke Zero and rum every day for my alcohol intake.

Everyday?

I personally wouldn't be drinking a diet cola everyday let alone mixed with booze. If one wants to drink diet soda, at least drink diet 'clear' sodas -> diet 7-up, diet sprite, etc

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

I personally wouldn't be drinking a diet cola everyday let alone mixed with booze. If one wants to drink diet soda, at least drink diet 'clear' sodas -> diet 7-up, diet sprite, etc

Almost. I switch up between a 12oz Coke Zero with a small amount of rum and Irish coffee (small amount of whiskey).

 

[IamDavid]

Interesting, I'm a Crown and Coke guy myself so I've been missing that for sure.


Thanks Zivic, the "diet" I'm using wasn't intended to be a short term change, I put it together around what I believe I can do forever. Problem is I can't seem to shake the cravings. Pecan pie for the sweets and Pastitio for the pastas are always on my mind. I really expected most of it to be gone by now but some days its crazy strong.

Simple menu:
Lean beef and boneless chicken breast for protein/ main dishes.
Broccoli and asparagus for sides. Yellow squash and zucchini when I can.
Salad with a little ranch dressing just about every dinner. Darker greens.
Raspberries and blueberries for light snacks.
Almonds and peanuts for heavy snacks.
Lots of cheese.
Bacon a couple times per week.
Oatmeal on days I know I'll be extremely active.

Lots of Bai5. 6 flavors so it stays fresh. Unsweet tea when dining out.

This is pretty much it. Its amazing how many ways I've learned to season each of the items or combine together to make entirely new dishes.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Like Zivic said though, careful about getting "skinny fat".

Best way I can figure is to throw in resistance training for your various muscle groups.

Easy way is to use the machines at your gym, since you don't have to worry as much about proper form.

Of course, nothing beats free weights for "true" strength gain, but all you're trying to do is tell your body to keep as much muscle mass / loose as much fat as possible.

Last but not least - just keep at it. You can undo a decade+ of damage with just <= 1 year of steady, non-heroic effort.

 

[smackababy]

While I agree you should do some resistance training, losing any amount of weight as a lifestyle change is a great accomplishment.

Just keep it up! The cravings are just psychological. Eventually, you won't crave them, especially if you keep off them for long time.

 

[Kaido]

That's a little less than 2lbs/week of weight loss, so no worries, you're healthy.

Yup. OP, google "loose skin" if you ever want to see what happens when you lose too much weight quickly. I had a buddy who lost well over a hundred pounds in under six months & had really horrible-looking loose skin for a looooong time afterwards. Props for doing it right!

 

[Kaido]

Looking for a little feedback on my recent attempt to lose a little weight. I don't want to be a typical non stop dieter so I approached everything as a lifestyle change. Eliminated soda, most processed foods and most carbs. I've felt better over the past 3 months but I still haven't lost my constant cravings for soda and pastas.

A few questions:
1) I've read multiple places say the cravings go away, when should I start feeling this happen?
2) My main source of carbs are now from vegetables and peanuts. Should I be eating any actual sugars or grains? I haven't.
3) My absolute savior thru all of this has been a drink called Bai5. It's the only drink I could find that uses erythritol as the sweetener, any thoughts on this? I know everyone has strong opinions on the use of ANY sweeteners but I found the least concerns with this one.
4) Any thoughts on how much is too much to lose in a certain amount of time?

Personally I like high-carb diets & feel the best on a high-carb diet. I always craved sugary desserts after dinner because I wasn't getting enough carbs in my diet. Per the fat loss sticky, there are tons of good carbs for you to eat:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=162171

Complex Carbs (nothing enriched, bleached or processed if possible)

Oatmeal (Old fashioned, Quick oats, Irish steal cut)
Sweet Potatoes, Yams
Beans (Black eyed, Pinto, Red, Kidney, Black)
Oat Bran Cereal, Grape nuts, Rye cereal, Multi grain hot cereal
Farin (Cream of wheat)
Whole Wheat frozen Bagels, Pitas
Whole wheat or Spinach Pasta, Whey Pasta
Rice (Brown, white, jasmin, basmiti, arborio, wild)
Potatoes (red, white, baking)

Fibrous Carbs

Green Leafy lettuce (red, green, romaine)
Broccoli
Asparagus
String Beans
Spinach
Bell Pepers (Green or Red)
Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Celery
Cucumber
Carrots
Eggplant
Onions
Pumpkin
Garlic
Tomatoes
Zucchini

Fruit (If acceptable on diet)
bananas, oranges, apples, grapefruit, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, lemons or limes

That may not look super appealing, but some simple treats to try based off the list above:

* Whole wheat bagels with fruit jam
* Thai sweet sticky rice with mango
* Fruit salad

Also, now that you've experienced some success with weightloss, it's a good idea to start expanding your knowledge about nutrition. I'd say start out with reading about macros; here's a basic introduction:

http://ontheregimen.com/2013/10/15/how-to-count-your-macros-a-comprehensive-guide/

The nice thing that you can still eat junk food, as long as you're meeting your other nutritional goals. I had pizza for dinner last night, ice cream for dessert the other day, etc., but I haven't had any weight change because I'm eating good the rest of the time. You definitely don't have to kill yourself over diet; the trouble happens when the junk food becomes the majority of your diet rather than the minority. However, if you don't mind cooking, you can actually make some amazing protein-laced junk food - check out Protein Pow, one of my favorite cooking websites:

http://proteinpow.com/

It's basically a ton of dessert recipes using all kinds of different protein powders, so you get your treat fix plus some good nutrition without screwing up your diet!

 

[nickbits]

Yup. OP, google "loose skin" if you ever want to see what happens when you lose too much weight quickly. I had a buddy who lost well over a hundred pounds in under six months & had really horrible-looking loose skin for a looooong time afterwards. Props for doing it right!

Loose skin will be an issue unless you are young and your skin hasn't been stretched to hell.

 

[z1ggy]

20lb in 11 weeks is pretty good if you ask me. Obviously if you were very over weight to begin with, that might be simply average, but hey, you are doing something which is all that really matters.

Keep going until you are at a safe and healthy weight. I'd say aim to be no more than 20% body fat. You're not exactly old though, so if you really wanted to hit a good goal, you could be going for 12% eventually. That's where I am looking to walk around at on the regular...And maybe cut down to 9-10% for the summer months.

 

[SP33Demon]

You basically just went cold turkey which is why your body is hitting you with cravings and since you're not actually eating sugar outside of veggies. Add in some frozen strawberries/pineapple/blueberries when the cravings hit. Fructose is processed by the body a little differently than sucrose.

One difference between sucrose and fructose, explain Drs. Mary Campbell and Shawn Farrell in their book "Biochemistry," is that sucrose contains glucose. This means sucrose triggers insulin release. Insulin is a hormone that the pancreas releases that tells cells to take up glucose from the blood. Fructose consumption triggers a much less significant insulin release.

Also, the pulp from fruit lessens the impact of fructose on your system. So stay away from all sucrose if you can, while sticking strictly to fruits to satisfy your cravings for soda/pasta. Don't worry, even I get the cravings but I'll eat a bunch of frozen organic pineapple and strawberries which kills them.

 

[Kaido]

Loose skin will be an issue unless you are young and your skin hasn't been stretched to hell.

Does that apply if you are older regardless of how slowly you lose the weight? (my only experience has been with people under 30 years old)

 

[Zivic]

Does that apply if you are older regardless of how slowly you lose the weight? (my only experience has been with people under 30 years old)

I'm over 30 and have lost 70 lbs over a year or so, I have lose skin.... everyone is different.

 

[Kaido]

I'm over 30 and have lost 70 lbs over a year or so, I have lose skin.... everyone is different.

Good to know, it makes sense that the skin gets more elastic as you get older.

 

[IamDavid]

Thanks everyone, excellent information.

My end goal is around 165 so I'll see a total loss of 45lbs. Hoping to have it all off by next march or so.
I walk/jog/run 2 miles per day but think I need to step this up and add in a few light workouts a week.

A nice byproduct of all this is my daughters are now eating healthier too. They were never overweight at all but our/their diet sucked. Win for everyone except fast food restaurants!

 

[smackababy]

Personally, I'd focus solely on weight loss while doing some light resistance training (to not lose muscle you already have) and once you hit your goal, transition to the building muscle phase. Don't worry about "getting skinny fat" while you're trying to not be "fat fat".

Great about your daughters as well. I am sure watching you go through this change and being more healthy will teach them about a more healthy lifestyle and stick with them.

 

[JBT]

Seems like a pretty good weight loss trajectory. I Lost about 100 lbs over the course and a year and a half. I've got a bit of lose skin. I don't think losing weight slowly can do much for you if you just plain got to big. There is only so much skin is going to do to "snap" back.

 

[Koing]

Thanks everyone, excellent information.

My end goal is around 165 so I'll see a total loss of 45lbs. Hoping to have it all off by next march or so.
I walk/jog/run 2 miles per day but think I need to step this up and add in a few light workouts a week.

A nice byproduct of all this is my daughters are now eating healthier too. They were never overweight at all but our/their diet sucked. Win for everyone except fast food restaurants!

Good job.

As for working out, if you give it a go and enjoy them, good for you. I always recommend people do some form of resistance training. But not everyone wants to be be built like a fitness model or likes weights. You can try bodyweight exercises or gymnastics type of training.

Dropping 20lbs fast isn't going to be enough weight to cause loose skin IMO for most people.

Koing

 

[Zivic]

Good to know, it makes sense that the skin gets more elastic as you get older.

mine's just waiting for more muscle to fill it back out again

 

[smackababy]

but not everyone wants to look great

ftfy >_<

 

[Kaido]

mine's just waiting for more muscle to fill it back out again

I keep an extra layer of insulation to prevent loose skin from ever occurring :awe:

 

[Koing]

ftfy >_<

Some guys don't want to look a certain way and I respect their choice. Like how some guys push the cardio thing over and over again. I absolutely no desire to be able to run for 5-10miles in a row without stopping. I don't get this "runners high". I know for me as long as I can play 2-3hrs of Tennis and swim a reasonable distance I'm good to go.

mine's just waiting for more muscle to fill it back out again

I didn't know you lost 70lbs!

Koing

 

[Zivic]

Some guys don't want to look a certain way and I respect their choice. Like how some guys push the cardio thing over and over again. I absolutely no desire to be able to run for 5-10miles in a row without stopping. I don't get this "runners high". I know for me as long as I can play 2-3hrs of Tennis and swim a reasonable distance I'm good to go.



I didn't know you lost 70lbs!

Koing

my highest I was at 268... got down to 192 at my lowest. I usually was at 240-255 range, but if you go high to low, yeah, 70 lbs. All the steriods I take made me smaller. Not sure how that worked

I hang now about 202-205.