Forks Over Knives (Or, the Western diet vs. a plant-based diet)

[RainMaker]

Yeah, I guess losing weight too fast might give you some saggy skin. For the butt, these work amazing.

[thesloppy]

Dr. Mike! He makes me laugh.

[Jas_lov]

So if you stop using Ozempic do you start gaining the weight back? Are you locked into taking it for life?

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

I just need to figure out a way not to be bored. That's literally the only reason I eat. If I could fix my boredom Id have no trouble losing weight. I focused for like 3 weeks, lost a little over 10 pound, but the boredom came back and I put it all back in about a month.

Like when we were on vacation i only ate twice a day, not a ton, and because I was busy I didn't just randomly snack. Even walking almost 20k steps a day my bod was like, you're fine. I just can't figure out how to not sit/stand at my desk and randomly mosey to the kitchen for something.

I feel ya. That's the hardest hurdle to get over in my opinion. It's not that you're bored, it's that you've spent years and years in this routine. To say it was a conscious decision for me would be wrong, it was an instinct. Walk by the kitchen and grab a cookie. Watch a game on TV and grab some chips.

When I was cutting, I would notice me grabbing a cookie or something without even thinking about it. Just a "why did I just do that? I wasn't even hungry".

All I can say is over time, you'll get over it. Just as you built a routine to eat while bored, you'll eventually build a routine to not eat while bored.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

So if you stop using Ozempic do you start gaining the weight back? Are you locked into taking it for life?

More or less, yes. People who go off tend to gain the weight back.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Alright, I will admit it. Down 30 pounds since January with Ozempic. I finally know what it feels like to be full and leave food on the plate.

Down 50 pounds since last October'ish also with Ozempic, and I agree, understanding what it feels like to feel full and stop eating is a new sensation, it's pretty neat.

I'm also on Ozempic for blood sugar control, the weight loss has just been a nice side effect. I've actually been on it for a couple years, initially it was helping with my blood sugar but I wasn't losing any weight. I kicked the sodas in October (again), and the weight started flying off. It seems to have stopped for now, I'm 6'4" and currently at 260 pounds.

[Qwikshot]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I feel ya. That's the hardest hurdle to get over in my opinion. It's not that you're bored, it's that you've spent years and years in this routine. To say it was a conscious decision for me would be wrong, it was an instinct. Walk by the kitchen and grab a cookie. Watch a game on TV and grab some chips.

When I was cutting, I would notice me grabbing a cookie or something without even thinking about it. Just a "why did I just do that? I wasn't even hungry".

All I can say is over time, you'll get over it. Just as you built a routine to eat while bored, you'll eventually build a routine to not eat while bored.

This I agree with. I joined Fight Camp and boxing/kickboxing 20-30 minutes a day has really helped. Instead of going right to the computer to veg after work, I workout immediately, then weightlift briefly, shower and then it's dinnertime. Mainly after that, I play with the kids or read or veg but I've taken away snack time.

I also snack differently and no dessert. Dessert for me is like a cup of yogurt.

[stevew]

I ended up, skipping over Ozempic/wegovey because my insurance wasn’t going to cover either one. So I started with Zepbound, which is super expensive without insurance. I gotta say the reaction was almost immediate, I dropped something like 15 to 20 pounds in the first two weeks. You can obviously tell it’s working. Then when I went to refill my prescription, the nationwide shortage kicked in and so I couldn’t get the second dose which sucked. Now I am using some bootleg compounding pharmacy and it’s cheaper than the namebrand but you don’t have the auto injector pens anymore, which is pretty annoying. I’m getting a new job. Maybe that job will actually cover weight loss drugs. It’s just weird if you have the coverage it costs About 25 bucks a month, and if you don’t it’s over 1000, but there’s a manufacturer coupon that will take it down to $550. The thought that you would see some progress and then you couldn’t get your med re-upped is pretty freaking annoying and terrifying to think about what if you lost 1000s of dollars worth of progress. Trying to eat a lot better, but I can definitely quiet the food noise now which is nice.

[stevew]

I was never in a great place with food but ever since my dad died about 2 1/2 years ago I’ve been a pretty big mess.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by stevew

I was never in a great place with food but ever since my dad died about 2 1/2 years ago I’ve been a pretty big mess.

It can be so hard. Stress and eating are intimately tied together. It makes sense that something that traumatic would affect your diet to such a degree.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Radii

Down 50 pounds since last October'ish also with Ozempic, and I agree, understanding what it feels like to feel full and stop eating is a new sensation, it's pretty neat.

I'm also on Ozempic for blood sugar control, the weight loss has just been a nice side effect. I've actually been on it for a couple years, initially it was helping with my blood sugar but I wasn't losing any weight. I kicked the sodas in October (again), and the weight started flying off. It seems to have stopped for now, I'm 6'4" and currently at 260 pounds.

The difference really is crazy. I have never been much of a snacker, and don't really have a serious sweet tooth. My problem has always been portion control. Having food in front of you and not finishing it just because it was there was just weird to me. The difference has been amazing.
I do wonder if you have the same issue as I do. Since I don't get hungry unless I really need food, and I know I am not going to eat very much of whatever I do eat, I have the hardest time deciding what to eat. I don't want to eat garbage calories because I need everything I eat to count toward nutrition, but there isn't a whole lot you can grab and go that is heavy in nutrients. I tried doing a big raw veggie thing, where I prepped a bunch of vegetables over the weekend for quick snacks. The problem with that was 1) Not a lot of calories in those even though they filled up my stomach, and 2) that's when my Crohn's went nuts and learned I had to stay away from most raw vegetables.

What are you snacking on?

[Edward64]

I hinted at it with my GP but he said I don’t need/qualify, he won’t prescribe ozempic.

So had to do it with regular dieting … and hunger pangs.

Was it easy for you guys to get the prescription?

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Edward64

I hinted at it with my GP but he said I don’t need/qualify, he won’t prescribe ozempic.

So had to do it with regular dieting … and hunger pangs.

Was it easy for you guys to get the prescription?

If you’re paying cash, you can get whatever you need via Teladoc

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by stevew

If you’re paying cash, you can get whatever you need via Teladoc

Hmmm. Can you share your process?

From what I've read so far, Teladoc still needs you to get a prescription from your doctor first, and then they'll start filling your prescriptions.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Hmmm. Can you share your process?

From what I've read so far, Teladoc still needs you to get a prescription from your doctor first, and then they'll start filling your prescriptions.

I don't know about Teladoc, but there are a number of online companies that sell Ozempic and versions of it that offer free online medical consultations to get the prescription. That crap is sketchy to me, but they do it for this just like they do it for boner pills and hair-loss meds.

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Was it easy for you guys to get the prescription?

I'm diabetic so the main focus of Ozempic for me is blood sugar control, the weight loss has just been a nice bonus. But yeah, since I'm diabetic it was easy for me to get.

[stevew]

Generally -

Ozempic(semaglutide) is for diabetics and it’s often covered by their insurance so unless you actually need that specifically, it should be left alone for them. Wegovy is the same active ingredient prescribed for weight loss. Often times drug coverages don’t work for weight loss so you’re paying 100% out of pocket or getting a manufacturer’s coupon.

Mounjaro(Tirzepatide)is a completely different drug but is similar to Ozempic whereas it might be covered by insurance for diabetics. The weight loss version , Zepbound is reportedly more effective for weight loss than Ozempic/Wegovy.

Zepbound is in short supply right now but a manufacturer coupon takes it down to $550 a month.

There aren’t generics for any of these drugs but you can find them compounded online through a variety of quasi legal sources. I couldn’t get the second dose of Zepbound (5.0mg) from my pharmacy so I had to alternative source Tirzepatide from Reddit. I’d much prefer the name brand as it’s packaged in auto injector pens. Hopefully supply levels come back soon.

If your doctor won’t write you a script for Zepbound or Wegovy, especially if you have an elevated BMI, find a new doctor.

[stevew]

I just meant generic telemed, didn’t realize teladoc was a brand.

[RainMaker]

If anyone is looking for food that is incredibly low in calories but filling, I highly recommend shirataki noodles. You can buy them online or at Asian grocery stores (noticed some big chains now carry them too). It's like 5 calories total and I make it with chicken broth. You have to rinse them first and let them soak in the broth for awhile but it comes out just like ramen (maybe a little rubbery). But it's a pretty good way to fill yourself up for like 30 calories when including the broth.

[stevew]

The Atkins shakes are tasty and decent at meal replacement and are fairly reasonable on amazon(17$ish for 12). Milk Chocolate delight and Cafe Caramel are my faves.

I’ll have to try those noodles out. Ordered some from Amazon.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

If anyone is looking for food that is incredibly low in calories but filling, I highly recommend shirataki noodles. You can buy them online or at Asian grocery stores (noticed some big chains now carry them too). It's like 5 calories total and I make it with chicken broth. You have to rinse them first and let them soak in the broth for awhile but it comes out just like ramen (maybe a little rubbery). But it's a pretty good way to fill yourself up for like 30 calories when including the broth.

I think I'll try this today, it looks like my local krogers has it. I'll probably follow your recipe and may throw in some canned mixed vegetables.

[RainMaker]

Make sure you rinse them thoroughly. It kind of comes in a slimy goo that sometimes has a weird smell. And I let them simmer in chicken broth for at least 20 minutes. Tossing in veggies is a good idea, I usually throw in some carrots.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Hmmm. Can you share your process?

From what I've read so far, Teladoc still needs you to get a prescription from your doctor first, and then they'll start filling your prescriptions.

I actually have a prescription for my doctor, but I couldn’t get it filled. I went through this company called emerge weight loss that had some decent feedback on Reddit. I just bought the strength that I needed and had to do a brief consultation with a doctor via text and then they got me a prescription and sent it out to a compounding pharmacy filled the prescription and mailed it to me. I think First month is about $290 or something like that and then it’s about $350 for the month cause you step up to 5.0 from 2.5. But you’re also measuring this shit with needles and injecting yourself whereas the namebrand Zepbound is much more streamlined. It comes in a pen which you just kinda push in your side and inject. There’s a bunch of other online weight loss, places that do the same thing and might even be cheaper than the one I went with. I would recommend talking to an actual doctor though, but if you already get started and then you can’t Namebrand because it’s shortage you gotta do what you gotta do.

[Edward64]

Thanks everyone for sharing. I've gotten to my target weight by regular dieting but was thinking about another "easy" 5-10 pounds. But my GP wasn't going to give me a prescription before and I'm pretty sure he won't give me a prescription now.

FWIW on dieting food.

Progresso 130 calorie Chicken Noodle Soup is one of my standbys. I'd tried oatmeal and other stuff for breakfast but found their "umami" lacking. If I was dieting, I want all the flavor I can get.

There's a 70 per slice, whole grain "Dave's killer bread" that we bought. Thinner slices but more macros than processed white/wheat bread. That with a little peanut butter was a nice snack.

Dieting does funny things to your bowel movement. There was a point where I was eating a green salad with every meal and you'd think that was enough for regular movement but it wasn't. I tried Metamucil and, surprisingly, did not work well. Raisin Bran Crunch did wonders for me even though Metamucil had more fiber content. Not sure why.

[GrantDawg]

Metamucil cookies are a game changer. They are actually pretty tasty.

[albionmoonlight]

Originally Posted by Edward64

I'd tried oatmeal and other stuff for breakfast but found their "umami" lacking. If I was dieting, I want all the flavor I can get

For umami, I add a spoonful of this stuff to a lot of what I eat: Amazon.com: Chu Hou Paste (8.5 ounce) : Electronics

It gives things a really layered complex flavor

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

For umami, I add a spoonful of this stuff to a lot of what I eat: Amazon.com: Chu Hou Paste (8.5 ounce) : Electronics

It gives things a really layered complex flavor

Thanks. I've seen the brand at the local Asian grocery but not that specific paste. Will keep my eye out for it next time.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Thanks everyone for sharing. I've gotten to my target weight by regular dieting but was thinking about another "easy" 5-10 pounds. But my GP wasn't going to give me a prescription before and I'm pretty sure he won't give me a prescription now.

FWIW on dieting food.

Progresso 130 calorie Chicken Noodle Soup is one of my standbys. I'd tried oatmeal and other stuff for breakfast but found their "umami" lacking. If I was dieting, I want all the flavor I can get.

There's a 70 per slice, whole grain "Dave's killer bread" that we bought. Thinner slices but more macros than processed white/wheat bread. That with a little peanut butter was a nice snack.

Dieting does funny things to your bowel movement. There was a point where I was eating a green salad with every meal and you'd think that was enough for regular movement but it wasn't. I tried Metamucil and, surprisingly, did not work well. Raisin Bran Crunch did wonders for me even though Metamucil had more fiber content. Not sure why.

Progresso light soups are the best. I love that Chicken Noodle but they make a pot roast one that's 150 calories. They used to have a huge selection of light soups that included a broccoli and cheese but I haven't been able to find them lately.

If you're still shopping for bread, I'd give keto bread a shot. Look at these macros. The consistency is a little different from regular bread, but I usually just use it for sandwiches and toast so it doesn't matter.

Healthy Life KETO Bread - Lewis Bake Shop

[stevew]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Make sure you rinse them thoroughly. It kind of comes in a slimy goo that sometimes has a weird smell. And I let them simmer in chicken broth for at least 20 minutes. Tossing in veggies is a good idea, I usually throw in some carrots.

Ok so I tried these. Rinsed well as per suggestion. Heated up a bit of olive oil and added some diced onions and garlic. Let that brown and threw in the noodles. Let them brown up a bit and then added some thinly sliced (leftover) steak, green onions, broccoli and beef stock. Let that simmer about 10 minutes or so. It was pretty decent. Maybe needed to go longer on the simmer before adding the steak slices. I bought some random value pack of the noodles so one pack was like ramen and the other was ramen type but knotted up. I liked it, maybe will experiment more. Looks like I have some rice type in the box too. Will try to make a lightly fried rice.

[Ghost Econ]

Not really diet, but I tried a curved manual treadmill at the gym... Whoever created that is a war criminal. What the actual fuck.

[Ksyrup]

So that's what that was!

I ran on one of those last fall at a hotel while at a work conference. It was a Woodway. I liked it but I couldn't understand why my heart rate was so different than running the same MPH on my own treadmill. I had no idea that was even a thing but at least I can now make sense of why I felt like I was working so much harder to achieve a much lower output.

[Ghost Econ]

My watch said I burned 125 calories in 10 minutes, and at least half that was just walking on it. I was dripping sweat. It did a good job of feeling like running, but it also seemed like if I put a foot wrong it made the "track" go faster than I intended. I will say the time flew by. It's kinda like those hamster wheels at a county fair. And when I got off it and walked to grab my water it felt like I got off a boat, there.my balance way off.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Make sure you rinse them thoroughly. It kind of comes in a slimy goo that sometimes has a weird smell. And I let them simmer in chicken broth for at least 20 minutes. Tossing in veggies is a good idea, I usually throw in some carrots.

Ok, I tried this and it was absolutely terrible. I will say I could've made a mistake in preparing it but given the cost this won't be making it into my rotation anytime soon.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Ghost Econ

My watch said I burned 125 calories in 10 minutes, and at least half that was just walking on it. I was dripping sweat. It did a good job of feeling like running, but it also seemed like if I put a foot wrong it made the "track" go faster than I intended. I will say the time flew by. It's kinda like those hamster wheels at a county fair. And when I got off it and walked to grab my water it felt like I got off a boat, there.my balance way off.

I assume those types of treadmills are impossible to use for speed or interval training. Just based on my HR (which I use to plan/monitor my workouts), it was actually harder than running outside. I had like a 25-30 BPM increase running at 6 MPH on that machine versus my treadmill. And running outside, the difference isn't that dramatic.

[Izulde]

Oats Overnight has been a gamechanger for me personally.

I used to skip breakfast because I didn't have time. Now I pour the milk in the cup, pour in my flavor oatmeal, cap on, shake, and stick it in the fridge overnight. Breakfast in the morning that I can eat on my walk to work.

It's made a huge difference in my energy levels in particular, and there have only been a couple dud flavors so far out of the 25 I've tried. Most of them are tasty, with some amazing.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by stevew

Ok so I tried these. Rinsed well as per suggestion. Heated up a bit of olive oil and added some diced onions and garlic. Let that brown and threw in the noodles. Let them brown up a bit and then added some thinly sliced (leftover) steak, green onions, broccoli and beef stock. Let that simmer about 10 minutes or so. It was pretty decent. Maybe needed to go longer on the simmer before adding the steak slices. I bought some random value pack of the noodles so one pack was like ramen and the other was ramen type but knotted up. I liked it, maybe will experiment more. Looks like I have some rice type in the box too. Will try to make a lightly fried rice.

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Ok, I tried this and it was absolutely terrible. I will say I could've made a mistake in preparing it but given the cost this won't be making it into my rotation anytime soon.

That sounds about right. It's really hit or miss with those noodles. Half the people are cool with them and half despise them. There's some good recipes online for them that you can try but if you find them terrible already, it probably won't help.

For me, I tolerate them as a ramen alternative because it's essentially a zero calorie way to fill myself up. But I completely understand it not your thing.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Oats Overnight has been a gamechanger for me personally.

I used to skip breakfast because I didn't have time. Now I pour the milk in the cup, pour in my flavor oatmeal, cap on, shake, and stick it in the fridge overnight. Breakfast in the morning that I can eat on my walk to work.

It's made a huge difference in my energy levels in particular, and there have only been a couple dud flavors so far out of the 25 I've tried. Most of them are tasty, with some amazing.

I keep seeing ads for this and it seems interesting. Is it like a shake or oatmeal that you eat? What's the calorie count on them when you add milk or whatever to it?

I've been eating these packets early in the morning before working out. It's around 200 calories with the milk and I usually toss in a pack of artificial sweetener.

Protein Instant Oatmeal - Maple and Brown Sugar | Quaker Oats

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Here's the scale I use. It's been shown to be fairly close to DEXA body scans which is the gold standard. $400 is steep but if you get motivated by numbers and think it'll help you stay healthy, it's worth it. Also if you have other family members who will use it.


The ultimate checkup of your body, for accelerated progress in physical fitness and the power of a clinically validated electrocardiogram. - Body Scan | Withings

So I was reading up on this while on vacation and found DEXA offered in Louisville for $150 a scan. However, nearer to me and cheaper is a Bod Pod scan offered at UK for $40. It's not as accurate, but I may give it a try just to get a baseline for some of the stuff I want to keep track of. I'm not in any kind of risk group that I know of, so this is just for my personal tracking. I go to my PCP on Friday for an annual check-up and will get his opinion as well.

[RainMaker]

Maybe this is common knowledge but I've been buying Halo Top ice cream (birthday cake flavor). Calories are pretty damn low for ice cream (300 calories per pint). Not quite as rich as regular ice cream, but pretty damn close, and like half the calories.

Been a nice dessert for when I have a craving for something sweet.

[Qwikshot]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

Maybe this is common knowledge but I've been buying Halo Top ice cream (birthday cake flavor). Calories are pretty damn low for ice cream (300 calories per pint). Not quite as rich as regular ice cream, but pretty damn close, and like half the calories.

Been a nice dessert for when I have a craving for something sweet.

I avoid ice cream anymore, but Fage Yogurt, especially the Strawberry fruit one is amazing. Fage yogurt is like eating cream cheese cake, I don't think it's that healthy but when they're on sale, I hoard them.

[RainMaker]

That sounds really good. Calories don't seem bad on it and it's got decent amounts of protein.

[Ksyrup]

Since I've been doing Intermittent Fasting, I rarely eat anything after dinner, but when I do, I enjoy Yasso bars. Low cal, high protein, and probably a bit too much added sugar, but since I've cut back in other areas, I'm good with it about once a week.

[albionmoonlight]

People are so weird about weight and health.

I was just visiting my sister, and she has been having some pretty serious GI-based health issues for the last 6-ish months (they are still trying to figure things out--might be an auto-immune thing)

Anyway, she has lost a lot of weight because she can barely eat and tends to feel sick when she does. And I was out with her, and her neighbor saw her and said "Oh, wow! You've lost so much weight! You look great!" And my sister responded that yeah, it's actually been really bad because she's got a pretty serious health issue and she can barely keep any food down and some days she's so tired she can't get out of bed.

And the neighbor responds with "Nonetheless you look GREAT"

(FWIW, she does not look great. She looks skinny and sickly).

Our obsession with skinny in this country is (pardon the pun) sick.

[Edward64]

PSA for those that use Ozempic or Wegovy stuff

Popular weight loss and diabetes drugs linked to increased risk of rare form of blindness | CNN

People who take Ozempic or Wegovy may have a higher risk of developing a rare form of blindness, a new study suggests. Still, doctors say it shouldn’t deter patients from using the medicines to treat diabetes or obesity.

Last summer, doctors at Mass Eye and Ear noticed an unusually high number of patients with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, a type of eye stroke that causes sudden, painless vision loss in one eye.

The condition is relatively rare — up to 10 out of 100,000 people in the general population may experience it — but the doctors noted three cases in one week, and each of those patients was taking semaglutide medications.

If you take semaglutide (whatever that is), maybe have a serious talk with your doctor?

A look back at six years of medical records showed that people with diabetes were more than four times more likely to be diagnosed NAION if they were taking a prescription semaglutide, and those who were overweight or obese were more than seven times more likely to experience the condition if they were taking the medication. The risk was found to be greatest within the first year of receiving a prescription for semaglutide.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Edward64

PSA for those that use Ozempic or Wegovy stuff

Popular weight loss and diabetes drugs linked to increased risk of rare form of blindness | CNN

If you take semaglutide (whatever that is), maybe have a serious talk with your doctor?

That sounds like a risk, but a pretty tiny one. Any medication has those kinds of risks.
What they also keep finding with Semaglutide is other ways that it is helpful. So far, they have discovered that it helps with kidney disease (yeah me!) and reduces the death from cardiovascular disease. It is also showing great promise as a treatment for forms of addiction (alcohol, drugs, cigarettes). Those studies are on going, but anecdotally I have seen many people reporting that they had a drinking problem and since they started taking Ozempic they have stopped or severely curbed their drinking. It seems to take away more than food cravings but other physical cravings. I know personally I haven't been able to have more than a few beers or drinks since I started. Not that I was ever a heavy drinker, but I can't even finish a 6 pack on a special occasion.

[Ghost Econ]

Why does it say 10 in 100,000? Isn't that just 1 in 10,000?

[Passacaglia]

I'm guessing because it would weird people out that they said "up to" 1 in 10,000 - people are expecting there to be one actual dude you're talking about, and if you're implying it's somewhere between 0 and 1, it wouldn't make sense to them.

[Subby]

I wish I could keep it at a consistent level and set a good example, but let's face it, I'm a 53 year-old man and if it hasn't happened yet, it is never going to happen.

Back in May of 2023 I had crept back to 210 pounds and shrunk to five foot nine. My consistency was terrible, and despite being a vegetarian since the beginning of 2020, I was not eating healthy. My bike riding was sporadic at best and my running could be optimistically described as short interludes between long term injuries. I came so close to calling my doctor and asking him to prescribe ozempic. So, so very close. I made a deal with myself that I would try to lose weight one more time through diet and exercise and if I failed again, I would call. I am not knocking semaglutides, but I already take cholesterol meds and I didn't want one more thing I had to worry about for the rest of my life if I could avoid it.

Predictably, I rode my bike like 200 miles per week for three weeks, lost 10 pounds, and flamed out. Then in mid-september, at about 201 pounds and going the wrong way, something clicked. I wish I could remember what it was, exactly.

I didn't do anything special or revolutionary, really, just three main things:

1. I never ate after 8pm. Ever. And most days did not eat before 10am. Having guard rails in place like this helped save me from late night junk calories, and in the morning I found that a cup of coffee or five was enough to help me work out or just get moving.

2. I moved every day. My goal was to burn between 500 to 1,000 calories every day with exercise - either cycling, running, or walking. At a bare minimum, if I did nothing else, I would go on a 3 mile walk outside.

3. I stopped eating desserts and limited my alcohol intake. I had been eating ice cream every night for like 9 months, so that was probably half the battle right there, but cutting back on red wine drinking, which can easily ooze into 3-4 nights per week (although I was never more than a 1-2 glass drinker) also made a difference in how I felt each morning.

I also used Lose It to nominally track my eating, but mostly to record my weight and take a picture of myself from the shoulders up every day. It is fun to see the transformation over a long period of time. I made it through Halloween without eating any candy. I didn't have seconds at Thanksgiving. By Christmas I was down to 162 pounds and hit 149 this past March. Right now I am hovering in the 150s, which I am good with.

Finally getting down to a good weight helped a ton with running, and I clocked my PR in the marathon in June (3 hours and 14 seconds - so close to breaking 3 hours). I am enjoying being competitive in my age group and have done 3 races this year, something I didn't think would ever happen again when I was at my lowest last year.

I'm still a vegetarian, my cholesterol still sucks, and losing weight is not a cure all. In general, however, it has taken care of a lot of little things. I definitely FEEL way better than I did before.

Tune in 7 years from now when I tell this story all over again!

[Kodos]

You, sir, are amazing. I feel like I know what I have to do to lose real weight like that, but I have trouble totally cutting out crap like candy bars.

[RainMaker]

Nice work!

I have an ice cream sweet tooth too and found that the Halo Top ice cream is a nice compromise (I like the birthday cake flavor). A pint is only 300 calories (as opposed to like 700 for regular) and it tastes pretty damn good. Maybe not as rich or thick, but close. I feel like a few scoops of that is only 150 calories and fits into my calorie threshold for the day well.