Dieting: Am I doing it right?

My experience is cheat meals are just bad, and often end up, just one more cheat meal. Doesn't mean you can't have a higher calorific day and something nicer, just try and keep it within the boundaries of your eating plan and look at the calories.
Like if you want a pizza, go for the thin base this can shave ~1000 calories off, don't go for the 100cal per dip pot.

It's great that its working for you, as I siad that really is the most important thing IME.
The other two things I suggest is a target, especially this far in it can start to get tempting to stray. For example I've signed up to climb Kilimanjaro next October(it's something I've always wanted to do, for as long as I can remeber, probably as my fp grandad did it when I was very young, also if I don't get sufficiently fit its over 2k down the drain) and am doing two intermediate charity events between now and then, but make them realistic. I can't run, so I haven't signed upto running events. Signed upto long distance walking and trying to get a group together for the three peaks challenge.

The other thing is new hobbie/experiences depending on why you were fat, I did lots of bordem eating and my main hobbie is cooking, that wasn't good. So walking now takes up a lot of hours a week, also taken up wood carving and once I've lost a bit more will be trying scuba and paragliding, also interested at looking into kayaking to try. If bordem is a problem I think finding new stuff is imprortnant, it's more experience, boosts confidence and obviously sucks up time and is often exercise, or at least not just sat in front of the tv.
 
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Nameless_87 said:
I've tried other diets before yes... did not stick with them.
This is the first I've done it for this long, and tbh I am liking it... I am not even seeing it as diet cause the food I'm cooking always tastes good. And I'm losing weight which obviously keeps me motivated.

Maybe in about a month I can add a cheat meal like a pizza every two weeks or something like it? I don't quite understand how it works though. Can it have positive effects meaning you will lose more weight/burn more fat in the next few days after the cheat meal?
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Not for you buddy, no. Bro, you weigh like over 120kg or something right? (I'm metrically biased...) At that weight, you are not going to run into any sort of diet-related adaptation problems for a very very long time. Not until you're relatively lean. Adding in extra cheat calories will do one thing for you, at present: it will slow down your rate of fat loss.

What I need to advise you of however is that the diet as it is will not be able to continue indefinitely. You have a monster metabolism at the moment. This is because you are so very large. Once you get substantially smaller, so will the rate at which you expend energy. So, what may presently be a 3,000 or so calorie diet which actually ALLOWS you to lose weight, will eventually need to be a 2,500 calorie diet, and then a 2,000 calorie diet, and then perhaps even lower.

How to know when to cut the diet down further? Simple as this: whenever you become displeased with the rate of fat loss.

Now, what you were referring to in your post are attempts to reverse or side-step the adaptive component to dieting. This translates roughly as metabolic slowdown that is hormonal function-related rather than merely consequential on a lower body mass. This only tends to happen in circumstances where one is already quite lean and nearing the END of a diet; the body is fighting to hold on to the remaining lowish level of fat deposits. There are a number of ways that ATTEMPT to get around this, to varying degrees of success. A simple CHEAT MEAL, however, is NOT one of these ways.

A single cheat meal is not going to have much if any effect on restoring normal hormone function at all. What it MAY help with, however, is simply adhering to the diet. If you know that you can have your big pizza once a week, then it may be psychologically beneficial and improve your capacity to stick to your regimen.

You don't have to worry about hormonal adaptive components to dieting for the time being, as you are simply too large for any of it to be an issue.

What I would say, as a final word, is that if an occasional pizza will help you stick to your diet, then I can't see any particularly good reason why not. Just don't make it so frequent that it seriously slows down your fat loss. One way or another, you really should lose that weight, as your health is bound to suffer if you stay at present size.

How tall are you, btw?
 
Glaucus said:
My experience is cheat meals are just bad, and often end up, just one more cheat meal. Doesn't mean you can't have a higher calorific day and something nicer, just try and keep it within the boundaries of your eating plan and look at the calories.
Like if you want a pizza, go for the thin base this can shave ~1000 calories off, don't go for the 100cal per dip pot.

It's great that its working for you, as I siad that really is the most important thing IME.
The other two things I suggest is a target, especially this far in it can start to get tempting to stray. For example I've signed up to climb Kilimanjaro next October(it's something I've always wanted to do, for as long as I can remeber, probably as my fp grandad did it when I was very young, also if I don't get sufficiently fit its over 2k down the drain) and am doing two intermediate charity events between now and then, but make them realistic. I can't run, so I haven't signed upto running events. Signed upto long distance walking and trying to get a group together for the three peaks challenge.

The other thing is new hobbie/experiences depending on why you were fat, I did lots of bordem eating and my main hobbie is cooking, that wasn't good. So walking now takes up a lot of hours a week, also taken up wood carving and once I've lost a bit more will be trying scuba and paragliding, also interested at looking into kayaking to try. If bordem is a problem I think finding new stuff is imprortnant, it's more experience, boosts confidence and obviously sucks up time and is often exercise, or at least not just sat in front of the tv.
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Thanks for this... I will try to get some new hobbies... at the moment I just started 5-a-side football again after stopping for 2-3 years.

BigPecsPeter said:
Not for you buddy, no. Bro, you weigh like over 120kg or something right? (I'm metrically biased...) At that weight, you are not going to run into any sort of diet-related adaptation problems for a very very long time. Not until you're relatively lean. Adding in extra cheat calories will do one thing for you, at present: it will slow down your rate of fat loss.

What I need to advise you of however is that the diet as it is will not be able to continue indefinitely. You have a monster metabolism at the moment. This is because you are so very large. Once you get substantially smaller, so will the rate at which you expend energy. So, what may presently be a 3,000 or so calorie diet which actually ALLOWS you to lose weight, will eventually need to be a 2,500 calorie diet, and then a 2,000 calorie diet, and then perhaps even lower.

How to know when to cut the diet down further? Simple as this: whenever you become displeased with the rate of fat loss.

Now, what you were referring to in your post are attempts to reverse or side-step the adaptive component to dieting. This translates roughly as metabolic slowdown that is hormonal function-related rather than merely consequential on a lower body mass. This only tends to happen in circumstances where one is already quite lean and nearing the END of a diet; the body is fighting to hold on to the remaining lowish level of fat deposits. There are a number of ways that ATTEMPT to get around this, to varying degrees of success. A simple CHEAT MEAL, however, is NOT one of these ways.

A single cheat meal is not going to have much if any effect on restoring normal hormone function at all. What it MAY help with, however, is simply adhering to the diet. If you know that you can have your big pizza once a week, then it may be psychologically beneficial and improve your capacity to stick to your regimen.

You don't have to worry about hormonal adaptive components to dieting for the time being, as you are simply too large for any of it to be an issue.

What I would say, as a final word, is that if an occasional pizza will help you stick to your diet, then I can't see any particularly good reason why not. Just don't make it so frequent that it seriously slows down your fat loss. One way or another, you really should lose that weight, as your health is bound to suffer if you stay at present size.

How tall are you, btw?
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Thanks for the explanation man!

I'm 5 foot 7

I don't need or currently feel the need for a cheat meal. I was just asking because I hear people talking a lot about it but it does not really effect me. If I get bored or start to deviate I will consider it as it could motivate me to get back on track, but as I said I do not need it now, so will stay away from that.

What I need, is a new weight training program or gym since I think it would be more helpful.

Cheers
 
Chris1712 said:
My log might be worth a read, I was in a similar position ~3 years ago. http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18453631

You've made a good start, keep doing what your doing. Adding a proper gym routine would be great as the weight loss at the moment is almost entirely coming from your diet.
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Yes, I read that yesterday. Congrats man, and tbh it's what made me start this thread... cause I was/am not that comfortable discussing my weight... but sometimes we have to do things outside our comfort zone for things to get better :)
 
With 3.5kg,of dumbbells, you're never going to get anything interesting done, I'm afraid.

The easiest answer would be to join a gym and follow one of the routines outlined by Steedie and GordyR in the OP to the GymRats thread, as they are both very good routines for pretty much anything (as a starting point).

Gyms will have a whole suite of interesting stuff to play with and throw around, giving you loads more options to work with.

However, the key thing to remember is they're useful only if they're used. If you want to change your lifestyle in the long term, the gym is a great place to start. :)

EDIT: Chris1712's log thread is a great example. In a number of ways. :eek: ;) :D In all seriousness, his transformation is fantastic!
 
Oh yes, whilst I can't offer any more advice than whats already been said: congratulations and keep going. It sounds like you've made a real, positive change in your life and long may it continue.
 
Nameless_87 said:
I though body fat is also important :confused:
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Not for monitoring purposes in the obese. It's worth tracking when you're lean.

Just focus on losing weight. What benefit would you get from knowing your body fat? None. Aside from that, you can't reliably and accurately monitor it with a bathroom scale (or any sort of scale for that matter).
 
If you want to make good use of your time, I would suggest perhaps counting the calories in your diet as it is and posting the result here in this thread. That will provide useful information about the present status of your metabolism. Please do it, it'll be the most useful thing for long term monitoring and adjusting.
 
Nameless_87 said:
Food
Breakfast
30g Cereal of choice from Jordan's, Quaker Cruesli, All Bran, or similar (all without milk as I don't like it and doesn't quite agree with me if I take it)
3 crackers of Devon's Branettes or Nairn's Oat Crackers together with 15g of Philadelphia Ham Spreadable Cheese. (These I only take when I do weight training)

Morning Snack
1 Banana OR 1 mixed fruit salad including 1/2 banana, strawberries and peaches.

Lunch
150g chicken breast cooked with different sauces/spices everyday. (tandoori, curry, lemon & paprika, peanut butter are the ones I use most).
30-40g couscous (the ones with flavour or plain. A sachet lasts for 3 portions).
Boiled Mixed Veg (peas, carrots, corn) OR some lettuce chopped into pieces.
20-30g Pickled Gherkins.
Once a week I substitute the chicken for tuna (Rio Mare 104g tuna drained).

Afternoon Snack
30g Mixed Nuts (mostly cashews) OR 3 crackers of Devon's Branettes or Nairn's Oat Crackers.

Dinner
Same as lunch but chicken will have different sauce/spices.

The only time I take something other than chicken is on Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday
Lunch - Soup with 20g wholegrain rice.
Dinner - 2 home-made beef burgers (90% pure beef mince 10% fat) 100g each on 2 small buns with a slice of cheese and some gherkins.

Sunday
Lunch - Varies every Sunday, usually a 200g Rib Eye Steak or 200g Pork meat (without fat).
Dinner - 1 wholewheat wrap with tuna, tomatoes, lettuce, gherkins.

For food I calculated (using myfitnesspal) a total of 1400-1600 calories per day with this diet.
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there is no way all of that food combined is 1400-1600 calories, e.g. 30g of cashews is easily 150-175 calories.

your having 3 meals and 2 snacks, it looks more like 2200 calories tbh, but i am guesstimating it all.

i have no idea how many calories crackers have as i dont eat them, etc, but i would suggest you actually look at the packaging of the food rather than some app for calorific content of foods. especially when it comes to "sauces" which tend to be hugely calorific if they are pre-made.

i also noticed you have not listed any drinks? no tea? no coffee? no coke? etc.

i only drink no added sugar flavoured water which is roughly 10-20 calories per litre, i actually no longer like fizzy juice, i am so used to flavoured water now.

i also use soya, almond or hazelnut milk instead of cow's milk due to lactose intolerance and i only every have that in a protein shake and sometimes on the rare occasion i have cereal.
 
Psycho Sonny said:
there is no way all of that food combined is 1400-1600 calories, e.g. 30g of cashews is easily 150-175 calories.

your having 3 meals and 2 snacks, it looks more like 2200 calories tbh, but i am guesstimating it all.

i have no idea how many calories crackers have as i dont eat them, etc, but i would suggest you actually look at the packaging of the food rather than some app for calorific content of foods. especially when it comes to "sauces" which tend to be hugely calorific if they are pre-made.

i also noticed you have not listed any drinks? no tea? no coffee? no coke? etc.

i only drink no added sugar flavoured water which is roughly 10-20 calories per litre, i actually no longer like fizzy juice, i am so used to flavoured water now.

i also use soya, almond or hazelnut milk instead of cow's milk due to lactose intolerance and i only every have that in a protein shake and sometimes on the rare occasion i have cereal.
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I am using myfitnesspal, and according to it, this typical day would be around 1600 cals (adding some sauces and spices). I found all the products I use there and if I didn't find them, I added them to the database using the nutritional info on the product. Regarding sauces, I mostly use curry, tandoori paste or peanut butter, and I never use more than one spoon per 150g of chicken.

I agree that during the weekend I maybe consuming a bit more due to the buns/wraps and steak with the occasional boiled potato.

Regarding drinks, I don't drink tea or coffee. I only drink water during the day (around 2L) and orange juice in the evening (I use a STEP powder packet... sugar free, but never paid attention to other ingredients. It is mixed with 2L of water and I drink around 0.5-1L during the evening).
 
Nameless_87 said:
I am using myfitnesspal, and according to it, this typical day would be around 1600 cals (adding some sauces and spices). I found all the products I use there and if I didn't find them, I added them to the database using the nutritional info on the product. Regarding sauces, I mostly use curry, tandoori paste or peanut butter, and I never use more than one spoon per 150g of chicken.

I agree that during the weekend I maybe consuming a bit more due to the buns/wraps and steak with the occasional boiled potato.

Regarding drinks, I don't drink tea or coffee. I only drink water during the day (around 2L) and orange juice in the evening (I use a STEP powder packet... sugar free, but never paid attention to other ingredients. It is mixed with 2L of water and I drink around 0.5-1L during the evening).
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Your couscous, rice etc...

Where you give the grams, is that the uncooked or cooked weight?
 
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