Anytime Fitness

[Dottleshead ★]

Welp signed up for a gym (Anytime Fitness) this summer and just getting back into it again. So far I managed to damage a hip flexor last week so doing leg lifts are out for a couple more weeks. Used too much weight apparently thinking I was doing wimpy reps. Tonight I was excited to give a really good workout to my upper body and managed to eff up my left shoulder. Crap. I’m a basket case. I’m not quitting though. If it takes me 6 months to be able to exercise maintenance reps I’m going to do it. I’m tired of this weak piece (peace?) of crap blob I’ve become and I’ve got a lot of time to make it happen at 56. Today bitches! Wait. I think that’s your line.

 I’m achieving modest weight loss through calorie reduction. That’s in my DNA. Except for the modern century, it was not uncommon for modern man to go days without food. I’m just a fat little spoiled modern blob who ate too much shrimp, apparently never missed a cheeseburger, and ventured out into ice cream land this summer. My best friend doctor buddy who I grew up with recently lost 82 pounds doing it the calorie reduction way. If that fat bastard could do it, I can. Now he’s a scrawny 168 lb. lackey living in Bozeman freezing his nads off no doubt. I wonder if he’s going to put some of that blubber back on?

Ok somebody shut me up. 

[BuffJim]

I too screwed up my shoulder first trip back to the gym 3 months ago. It’s permanent damage I suspect. Can’t be fixed without surgery, but I just work around it. Doing 15 pound curls with that arm, about ready to graduate to 20. I do like the feeling of being stronger that weight training gives, so I plan to keep up. 

[petitepedal ★]

Slow and steady wins the race.

And now that you've had a few issues in the gym..try a little less weight..you know this shit... injuries suck..and derail us...

Great that you are doing it and you have a formerly fat bastard friend as inspiration. You can rock this Dottles...you can..

[Dottleshead ★]

9 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

I too screwed up my shoulder first trip back to the gym 3 months ago. It’s permanent damage I suspect. Can’t be fixed without surgery, but I just work around it. Doing 15 pound curls with that arm, about ready to graduate to 20. I do like the feeling of being stronger that weight training gives, so I plan to keep up. 

Exactly!  I feel like the meat is falling off the bones otherwise.  I'm not looking to bulk up -- just keep them in shape and tone.

[Dottleshead ★]

8 minutes ago, petitepedal said:

 

... and you have a formerly fat bastard friend as inspiration.

This.  I'm surprised how much I feel it's motivated me.  I'm just glad it has. I can't let him one up me, you know?  There are other things he can top me on -- but this is not one of them.

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

Slow down there Hans n Franz. Light weights to begin with and increase in small increments. Cardio, don’t skip leg day. Do yogurts or stretches. Don’t stare or fart in yogurts class. 

[petitepedal ★]

 any yoga instructor will tell you farting in a yoga class is okay..but just make sure they are not deadly like mine were Thursday night   If you don't want to take a class..try Yoga with Adrienne on YouTube..I try to do one of her 15 minute sessions for flexibility a couple days a week...also..yoga is a practice...not a perfect..don't worry if you can't get all bendy (as RG calls it)...do your best and bendy will improve.

[Dottleshead ★]

Oh if I was in your class you would leave.

[Dottleshead ★]

19 minutes ago, Parsnip Totin Jack said:

Slow down there Hans n Franz. Light weights to begin with and increase in small increments. Cardio, don’t skip leg day. Do yogurts or stretches. Don’t stare or fart in yogurts class. 

I spent like 6 weeks getting in pretty good lifting shape for my goals but then a month happened. So thinking I was better off than before I upped the ante. Boy was that dumb.

[Longjohn ★]

1 hour ago, Dottleshead said:

I spent like 6 weeks getting in pretty good lifting shape for my goals but then a month happened. So thinking I was better off than before I upped the ante. Boy was that dumb.

Does your gym have a pool? One year I swam laps along side a lady that swam herself out of 100 pounds in a year. She was there every morning from 6am to 7. She didn’t end up with saggy skin either. I think the swimming helped tighten he skin as the pounds came off. She was young so I’m sure that helped.

[maddmaxx ★]

Back too early example.

I've been fighting the calf muscle tear for 3 months now and every time I feel that it's getting better I damage it again.  In the past when it felt better I'd start taking gentle walks again but after tiring the muscle on one day I'd get another minor injury the next doing something simple such as turning around.  This coming week I'm starting a PT program to gently strengthening the damaged muscle without taking the walks.  The first exercise is simply standing and then raising up on the toes then back down.  Talk about a wimp.  First time 5 was the limit........with a do not continue warning.  Don't tire out the muscle and just fail again.  This may take a while.

In the meantime I'm allowed back on the exercise bike as long as I don't strain the calf.  I can work with weights on the bench without using the legs.  I have to be careful using stairs.

I've been where you are dots after living in a hotel for a year on a contract job just after retiring from working as a soccer referee.  I didn't change my diet habits when I changed the work load. I zoomed up to 245 in a year.  I went from 245 to under 200 though and you can too.  It took years not days.

[Kirby]

Are you working with  a trainer? Would having at least a few sessions help establish a program to achieve your goals even if you impostor on your own?

[Further]

As we age the line between exercise and break becomes finer and finer.

I stopped abruptly while walking at work over a year ago, something in my knee popped and that knee is still much weaker than the other. Of course getting squashed by a giant forklift would have been bad also.  

[shootingstar]

10 hours ago, Dottleshead said:

Welp signed up for a gym (Anytime Fitness) this summer and just getting back into it again. So far I managed to damage a hip flexor last week so doing leg lifts are out for a couple more weeks. Used too much weight apparently thinking I was doing wimpy reps. Tonight I was excited to give a really good workout to my upper body and managed to eff up my left shoulder. Crap. I’m a basket case. I’m not quitting though. If it takes me 6 months to be able to exercise maintenance reps I’m going to do it. I’m tired of this weak piece (peace?) of crap blob I’ve become and I’ve got a lot of time to make it happen at 56. Today bitches! Wait. I think that’s your line.

 I’m achieving modest weight loss through calorie reduction. That’s in my DNA. Except for the modern century, it was not uncommon for modern man to go days without food. I’m just a fat little spoiled modern blob who ate too much shrimp, apparently never missed a cheeseburger, and ventured out into ice cream land this summer. My best friend doctor buddy who I grew up with recently lost 82 pounds doing it the calorie reduction way. If that fat bastard could do it, I can. Now he’s a scrawny 168 lb. lackey living in Bozeman freezing his nads off no doubt. I wonder if he’s going to put some of that blubber back on?

Ok somebody shut me up. 

Admittedly I was also laughing 'cause you have a colourful way of self-flagellation.

My 78-yr. friend lost her weight 15 yrs. ago by cutting her eating portions in half.  She lost over 20 lbs. So would your wife want half of your cheeseburger or shrimp dish?  Or save something for next day.

[groupw]

A friend’s doctor advised him that over 50 we should worry less about max weight and more about reps. He said find a weight where you can do 30 reps. If it feels easy, the NEXT workout bump up a notch and do it again. 
I took this approach and it was really working well before the wreck. I need to get back there. I will start at VERY light weights and work up as my body allows. I also found my body liked it if I rode my bike or ran/walked to the gym. My gym is only 1.5 miles from home, but even in Nebraska, the 3 mile distance from home to gym was beneficial. 

[maddmaxx ★]

2 hours ago, Kirby said:

Are you working with  a trainer? Would having at least a few sessions help establish a program to achieve your goals even if you impostor on your own?

I have the program but going to the trainer is $40/day copay at their facility.  No wonder there are so many trainers popping up.

[Dottleshead ★]

4 hours ago, Longjohn said:

Does your gym have a pool? One year I swam laps along side a lady that swam herself out of 100 pounds in a year. She was there every morning from 6am to 7. She didn’t end up with saggy skin either. I think the swimming helped tighten he skin as the pounds came off. She was young so I’m sure that helped.

No, unfortunately.  It's a chain up here (I think nationally?).  Do you guys have Anytime Fitness over there?

[Dottleshead ★]

1 hour ago, groupw said:

A friend’s doctor advised him that over 50 we should worry less about max weight and more about reps. He said find a weight where you can do 30 reps. If it feels easy, the NEXT workout bump up a notch and do it again. 
I took this approach and it was really working well before the wreck. I need to get back there. I will start at VERY light weights and work up as my body allows. I also found my body liked it if I rode my bike or ran/walked to the gym. My gym is only 1.5 miles from home, but even in Nebraska, the 3 mile distance from home to gym was beneficial. 

That's exactly what I did!  And then I got all macho and hosed myself.  I'll recover but the recovery time is in weeks if not months.  It's a good reminder that I'm not young anymore.

[Dottleshead ★]

4 hours ago, Kirby said:

Are you working with  a trainer? Would having at least a few sessions help establish a program to achieve your goals even if you impostor on your own?

I am not. When I met with her she was impressed with my knowledge.  In this case, it was failure to regulate my own self-discipline!  It was a good reminder to do less weight and a lot more of them.  I mean there are all kinds of machines there that I can work independent muscles and one basically just needs to go down the line and do each one.  Two sets of 8-10 reps is all that is needed.  Unlike @Parsnip Totin Jack, the next step is to incorporate my cardio into the deal.  I'll do it -- I know it -- but that piece is coming on slow (er).  

 

I have thought about a trainer but I feel like in this case, I'm just paying money for a cheerleader.  The motivational piece to it would be ineffective in my view because I'm one of those that don't like to be told what to do.  So I tell myself what I need to do and I can be really hard on myself  -- far worse than any trainer.  Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut.......  I've literally come to a point in my life where this has to get done one way or another so if I'm waffling or struggling or whatever, I'll get one. I'm literally pulling out all the stops. I already pay $110 a month and it'd be ideal if I could save myself the extra $40 a month too but my health matters more now that any monthly fee..  Stay tuned.

[Dottleshead ★]

5 hours ago, Longjohn said:

Does your gym have a pool? One year I swam laps along side a lady that swam herself out of 100 pounds in a year. She was there every morning from 6am to 7. She didn’t end up with saggy skin either. I think the swimming helped tighten he skin as the pounds came off. She was young so I’m sure that helped.

Nice thing about a pool is it's low impact on joints.  No pool though.  I think that's good because the sight of a whale in there exercise domain could scare the rest of the them off.

[Kirby]

4 hours ago, Kirby said:

Are you working with  a trainer? Would having at least a few sessions help establish a program to achieve your goals even if you impostor on your own?

That's supposed to say "implement on your own" but it's too late to edit.

[Dottleshead ★]

1 minute ago, Kirby said:

That's supposed to say "implement on your own" but it's too late to edit.

It's not a bad idea.  I'll run with what I'm doing for now but I can't afford to many more 'month long' relapses.  I'm keeping my mind and options open.

[BuffJim]

Just did my leg day workout. 7 individual exercises, mostly 3 sets of 8, except the squats, 100, 50 with no weights and 50 with barbells. And the weighted sled. 
After the weights I did 14 minutes on the stationary bike. Shower time. 
I was the only one in the building. I’d feel safer if there were people there, but it’s a non staffed 24 hour gym. 

[Dottleshead ★]

16 minutes ago, BuffJim said:

Just did my leg day workout. 7 individual exercises, mostly 3 sets of 8, except the squats, 100, 50 with no weights and 50 with barbells. And the weighted sled. 
After the weights I did 14 minutes on the stationary bike. Shower time. 
I was the only one in the building. I’d feel safer if there were people there, but it’s a non staffed 24 hour gym. 

Good for you Jim. Working out alleviates all the guilt. Even if you are coming up shy, you can hang your hat on it

[Longjohn ★]

4 hours ago, Dottleshead said:

Nice thing about a pool is it's low impact on joints.  No pool though.  I think that's good because the sight of a whale in there exercise domain could scare the rest of the them off.

How flexible is your schedule? In the daytime when younger people are at work or school the pool is filled with older fat people. Nobody would even notice you.

[Dottleshead ★]

Well, I have been going to the gym about 3 times a week -- trying to up that -- and not killing myself.  For instance, last night I walked a brisk mile in about 20 minutes and called it good.  Tonight I"ll go do some lower body strength + walking, and Sunday upper body + walking.  Monday I hope to just go walking.  I think it more important to establish the act of going to the gym at this point than exhausting myself once I get there.  I want to feel second nature so that when I'm not there something feels wrong.  The more I go the more I will do no doubt. It's just establishing the pattern of getting off my ass here and going.  Once I'm there, good things will happen.  I hope in a 3-6 months I'm jogging 4 miles, but the way I look at it, I was doing nothing before and a brisk mile and weight toning is a huge gain. The best part of it is I feel better and I don't have the guilt of sitting on my ass.  These are all things we know but I guess it just feels good to be actually doing it and not thinking about it or beating myself up because I didn't do it.

Also, I've cut my daily calorie intake to 1000 to 1500 and it's paying off.  In about 3 weeks or less I'm down 10 pounds.  I hope I'm not wrong but it feels like it's going to stick this time.  I'm tired of being fat and I'm tired of being out of shape.

 

[Dottleshead ★]

Getting back into shape is like quitting smoking.  You stop and start many times because you know you should but for most of us it doesn't take hold immediately.  Unlike cigarettes, you just keep starting and starting and starting until it does. Taint no shame in falling off... in my view... the shame comes when I fail to start again.

 

[shootingstar]

45 minutes ago, Dottleshead said:

Getting back into shape is like quitting smoking.  You stop and start many times because you know you should but for most of us it doesn't take hold immediately.  Unlike cigarettes, you just keep starting and starting and starting until it does. Taint no shame in falling off... in my view... the shame comes when I fail to start again.

So...you are abandoning your bike, in all this?  How dare you...  you live in an area that barely snows most of the winter.  

[Dottleshead ★]

12 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

So...you are abandoning your bike, in all this?  How dare you...  you live in an area that barely snows most of the winter.  

I didn't say that!  I have my stationary in home.  

[Longjohn ★]

On 11/4/2023 at 12:47 PM, Dottleshead said:

No, unfortunately.  It's a chain up here (I think nationally?).  Do you guys have Anytime Fitness over there?

We have them, the best thing about them is they are always open and around here they are cheap. They don’t offer much.

[Longjohn ★]

2 hours ago, Dottleshead said:

I didn't say that!  I have my stationary in home.  

Is that your ebike?

[KrAzY]

I get enough of a workout at work, I am not wanting to signup at a gym unless it is  having dodgeball classes. 

[Dottleshead ★]

Well, about 3 weeks in and I'm down 10 lbs as of this morning.  The last 2 lbs were very stubborn -- body resisting type of thing.  But I'm eating on average about 1200 calories a day and hitting the gym 4-5 nights a week.  Now I'm still doing modest workouts but I'm establishing a routine of getting off my ass and going albeit I've had fiercer workouts.  But it feels good knowing I'm doing something constructive for myself.  No more guilt or struggle to accept my fatness.  Clearly it is not ok.  Kind of following @MoseySusan advice about the food place -- glad I elected not to go with it (for now) -- I've decided to hire a trainer ( @petitepedal will love this also ).  It's highway robbery ($150 for 4 sessions) but I elected to do it for the following reason:  I fallback and tend to work out like I know -- endurance and strength -- but that doesn't work for me anymore.  Gaining muscle mass is not the problem (fatter people naturally develop more muscle to support their weight) and I just need to hit the machines that will tone them and not develop them.  I know. I know you say, "Todd just do more at less weight".  True but I think there are some machines I don't even need to do or a lot of them that have duplicate conditioning. And I do cardiovascular riding stationary bikes and walking/jogging the treadmill.  But they've got some other great machines I don't really understand or know how to get the most out of.

Bottom line is I'm looking to streamline and maximize my workouts at my age and weight.  I don't want to eff around and figure out 6 months later I was doing the wrong thing (well not optimally anyway).  Plus the trainer is smokin' hot. I'm not in the market -- and she's so far out of my league it doesn't matter even if I was -- but if I'm paying a cheerleader to move me forward, I might as well enjoy the sights.  Just sayin'. I know that sounds bad but it's a nice side benefit.  She does seem to know her stuff so she passes the most important aspect. Still a little natural instinct to help propel me down that treadmill or spend more time on that space machine never hurt.

 

[shootingstar]

19 minutes ago, Dottleshead said:

Well, about 3 weeks in and I'm down 10 lbs as of this morning.  The last 2 lbs were very stubborn -- body resisting type of thing.  But I'm eating on average about 1200 calories a day and hitting the gym 4-5 nights a week.  Now I'm still doing modest workouts but I'm establishing a routine of getting off my ass and going albeit I've had fiercer workouts.  But it feels good knowing I'm doing something constructive for myself.  No more guilt or struggle to accept my fatness.  Clearly it is not ok.  Kind of following @MoseySusan advice about the food place -- glad I elected not to go with it (for now) -- I've decided to hire a trainer ( @petitepedal will love this also ).  It's highway robbery ($150 for 4 sessions) but I elected to do it for the following reason:  I fallback and tend to work out like I know -- endurance and strength -- but that doesn't work for me anymore.  Gaining muscle mass is not the problem (fatter people naturally develop more muscle to support their weight) and I just need to hit the machines that will tone them and not develop them.  I know. I know you say, "Todd just do more at less weight".  True but I think there are some machines I don't even need to do or a lot of them that have duplicate conditioning. And I do cardiovascular riding stationary bikes and walking/jogging the treadmill.  But they've got some other great machines I don't really understand or know how to get the most out of.

Bottom line is I'm looking to streamline and maximize my workouts at my age and weight.  I don't want to eff around and figure out 6 months later I was doing the wrong thing (well not optimally anyway).  Plus the trainer is smokin' hot. I'm not in the market -- and she's so far out of my league it doesn't matter even if I was -- but if I'm paying a cheerleader to move me forward, I might as well enjoy the sights.  Just sayin'. I know that sounds bad but it's a nice side benefit.  She does seem to know her stuff so she passes the most important stuff. Still a little natural instinct to help propel me down that treadmill or space machine never hurt.

So it's an hr. each time with personal trainer? Good to hear about progress.  So when eating less calories, is it primarily just pulling away from certain foods or not even buying certain foods for home?

I'm trying to memorize certain exercises from my classes, so that I can add onto what I normally do at home...which at home, sometimes I slack off.  

 

[Dottleshead ★]

8 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

So it's an hr. each time with personal trainer? Good to hear about progress.  So when eating less calories, is it primarily just pulling away from certain foods or not even buying certain foods for home?

I'm trying to memorize certain exercises from my classes, so that I can add onto what I normally do at home...which at home, sometimes I slack off.  

I’m not sure about the sessions. I meet with her a week from tomorrow to get more details and decide then. But I’m going for it because I’m coming into this on a good streak and want to hammer it home. As for my diet… to be continued… give me 30 minutes… but there has been a really nice option we discovered some time ago.

[Dottleshead ★]

1 hour ago, shootingstar said:

1) So when eating less calories, is it primarily just pulling away from certain foods or not even buying certain foods for home?

2) I'm trying to memorize certain exercises from my classes, so that I can add onto what I normally do at home...which at home, sometimes I slack off.  

2)  I've already touched on 2) but I'll just add that for me it was about getting out of my home and going some where constructive.  I work from home so getting out of the house seemed particularly important -- to me.  I'd often sit around between 8 and midnight surfing the interwebz, posting drivel here, watching TV or playing some meaningless video game.  I kept telling myself I could be doing something but am not.  This literally went on for about a year before I said enough is enough.  Time to act.

1)  Like point 2) I got sick (am sick) of being fat and just one day when I had eaten exceptionally light I decided to carry the practice through and then caught fire the next 7 days.  I started cutting out all processed sugar and while that took a good week or two to totally eliminate it -- I have now.  The other thing that really helped me is I've tried this before and have lost up to 25 lbs only to give it back.  In fact i've done this a couple times now but have learned where I failed.  It's kind of like quitting smoking.  I don't know of anyone who does it first time.  You just keep quitting and quitting and quitting until it takes hold.  I also learned some really important things.  My goal is to be on a Meditteranean Diet and while I'm not there, I'm close.  I did have the advantage of working with a dietician so this was the major breakthrough for me (warning:  this trick really helps if you like spicy Asian food -- but could be a problem if you have Asian heritage because we swap out the rice).

My wife goes to Costco and gets Cauliflower rice.  She makes a big batch of it with frozen mixed vegetables and depending on the batch will use the most leanest ground turkey she can get.  She then dices onions and chives on it and I put a blanket of sriracha sauce on it.  I eat 4 cups of that stuff for dinner and I'm full and I've basically cut out 80% of my dinner calories.  Low salt.  Low sat fat.  Low calories.  It's awesome.  For breakfast and lunch I'll have a protein shake (160 cals) and wife either makes me 2 small slices of toast with plant butter (150-200 cals) or sometimes cooks and egg and puts a slice of Swiss cheese in between those slices of bread (often she'll use sourdough bread instead of Daves). 

I often skip lunch and drink coffee/water and sometimes will have an 8oz. latte when feeling hungry... and then roll into my secret Asian dish.  I honestly eat that stuff up like I'm out eating a nice Asian dish and there's hardly anything bad in it.  It's about as safe and guilty free as it gets.  Late night snacks include maybe another protein shake and/or some Debees superfruit freeze (70 cals for 2 frozen fruit cicles).

 

Today it's 3:03 PST and so far I've only had a Premier Protein shake, and 2 slices of Dave's Powerseed bread with plant butter.  I'm under 400 calories for breakfast and lunch + nominal calories for coffee+cream.  I don't count those.  I'm not anal enough and I get some leeway in this deal!

 

[shootingstar]

36 minutes ago, Dottleshead said:

I started cutting out all processed sugar and while that took a good week or two to totally eliminate it -- I have now.  The other thing that really helped me is I've tried this before and have lost up to 25 lbs only to give it back.  In fact i've done this a couple times now but have learned where I failed.  It's kind of like quitting smoking.  I don't know of anyone who does it first time.  You just keep quitting and quitting and quitting until it takes hold.  I also learned some really important things.  My goal is to be on a Meditteranean Diet and while I'm not there, I'm close.  I did have the advantage of working with a dietician so this was the major breakthrough for me (warning:  this trick really helps if you like spicy Asian food -- but could be a problem if you have Asian heritage because we swap out the rice).

My wife goes to Costco and gets Cauliflower rice.  She makes a big batch of it with frozen mixed vegetables and depending on the batch will use the most leanest ground turkey she can get.  She then dices onions and chives on it and I put a blanket of sriracha sauce on it.  I eat 4 cups of that stuff for dinner and I'm full and I've basically cut out 80% of my dinner calories.  Low salt.  Low sat fat.  Low calories.  It's awesome.  For breakfast and lunch I'll have a protein shake (160 cals) and wife either makes me 2 small slices of toast with plant butter (150-200 cals).  I often skip lunch and drink coffee/water and sometimes will have an 8oz. latte when feeling hungry... and then roll into my secret Asian dish.  I honestly eat that stuff up like I'm out eating a nice Asian dish and there's hardly anything bad in it.  It's about as safe and guilty free as it gets.  Late night snacks include maybe another protein shake and/or some Debees superfruit freeze (70 cals for 2 frozen fruit cicles).

Today it's 3:03 PST and so far I've only had a Premier Protein shake, and 2 slices of Dave's Powerseed bread with plant butter.  I'm under 400 calories for breakfast and lunch + nominal calories for coffee+cream.  I don't count those.  I'm not anal enough and I get some leeway in this deal!

In today's regime, if you added a c. or handful of fresh fruit some time during the day, that wouldn't have killed your food plan so far.  Especially during the winter, when fresh fruit is more expensive for winter-snow regions, I find myself I must consciously do it daily.  Great about the cauliflower rice. I can see you folks going nuts, when driving by a cauliflower field.

I only eat rice in 10-15 meals annually.  That tends to be at someone's home or restaurant. It's been like this for past 15 yrs. I haven't bought any rice to store for home since then or even longer.  

As for Asian dishes to make at home:  Clearly I'm a product of such...60% of my home meals, are Asian style for past few decades.  Much of cooking Asian dishes at home, it is reducing amount of oil, soy sauce and ensuring any meat, is lean and smaller amount. There's no /trace calories in ginger root, garlic, curry, etc. 

As I have said before on this forum, I don't prep eggs at home for breakfast.  I actually consider any egg dish more for dinner (or brunch)...it could be  stir-fried/scrambled eggs with veggies, onions, garlic.   I can't be bothered to do frittata or omelet..those extra steps, which then one fusses over if it's going to fall apart  when sliding from pan, etc.  To me, egg dish has a "fullness" in itself to stand as a centrepiece of a dinner. I know it is a different way of thinking, but might be worth it for anyone wanting to change their eating habits.

[Dottleshead ★]

15 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

In today's regime, if you added a c. or handful of fresh fruit some time during the day, that wouldn't have killed your food plan so far.  Especially during the winter, when fresh fruit is more expensive for winter-snow regions, I find myself I must consciously do it daily.  

Yeah, I forgot to mention some days my breakfast will be oat groats (not steel cut or rolled but the whole thing) and add raspberries on it.  Yes, it adds more calories but it provides variety and tends to stick with me longer throughout the day.  As a 56 year old man (sedentary mostly) I can have up to 2200 calories a day.  If I come under that number, I'm losing weight.  If I come way under that number and add exercise to the deal I'm losing it faster -- which is what I've done.

But there is danger here.  Losing weight fast can create a body with wrinkles and more importantly, starving yourself without letting your mind and body catch up can be disastrous because of the recoil factor.  If it's mind over stomach all the time at some point my stomach is going to win and the damage I can do in just a few days is very discouraging.  So I'll probably drop back a bit this Thanksgiving and allow myself to eat more than I have but without destroying my efforts.  That simply means one decent size plate serving minus stuffing, potatoes, and gravy -- and be damn sure to make way for a slice of pumpkin pie. No eggnog either.

If I get out of Thanksgiving with minimal damage (maybe a pound -- two tops) then I've got this.  Christmas will be relatively easy.

[Dottleshead ★]

18 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

In today's regime, if you added a c. or handful of fresh fruit some time during the day, that wouldn't have killed your food plan so far.  Especially during the winter, when fresh fruit is more expensive for winter-snow regions, I find myself I must consciously do it daily.  Great about the cauliflower rice. I can see you folks going nuts, when driving by a cauliflower field.

I only eat rice in 10-15 meals annually.  That tends to be at someone's home or restaurant. It's been like this for past 15 yrs. I haven't bought any rice to store for home since then or even longer.  

As for Asian dishes to make at home:  Clearly I'm a product of such...60% of my home meals, are Asian style for past few decades.  Much of cooking Asian dishes at home, it is reducing amount of oil, soy sauce and ensuring any meat, is lean and smaller amount. There's no /trace calories in ginger root, garlic, curry, etc. 

As I have said before on this forum, I don't prep eggs at home for breakfast.  I actually consider any egg dish more for dinner (or brunch)...it could be  stir-fried/scrambled eggs with veggies, onions, garlic.   I can't be bothered to do frittata or omelet..those extra steps, which then one fusses over if it's going to fall apart  when sliding from pan, etc.  To me, egg dish has a "fullness" in itself to stand as a centrepiece of a dinner. I know it is a different way of thinking, but might be worth it for anyone wanting to change their eating habits.

When are you inviting us over for dinner??

[shootingstar]

1 hour ago, Dottleshead said:

  So I'll probably drop back a bit this Thanksgiving and allow myself to eat more than I have but without destroying my efforts.  That simply means one decent size plate serving minus stuffing, potatoes, and gravy -- and be damn sure to make way for a slice of pumpkin pie. No eggnog either.

If I get out of Thanksgiving with minimal damage (maybe a pound -- two tops) then I've got this.  Christmas will be relatively easy.

You bet, Thxgiving will be an achievement.  I believe there are low-cal. gravy recipes. Maybe instead of eggnog, a sugar free latte...I know you have to get latte from somewhere.

 

 

[shootingstar]

1 hour ago, Dottleshead said:

When are you inviting us over for dinner??

I have a ton of butternut squash. Want stir fried cubed squash with onions, ginger root and garlic (can add sliced mushrooms at beginning)?    petitepedal did her version with broccoli and whatever else.

Or sauteed (or stir-fried) sliced anise bulb with tomatoes, ginger root, onions and light pasta. Sprinkle the fronds over dish before serving.  Just add a tiny jot to soy sauce at beginning when cooking stuff in pot/pan, to give sweet-salt-sour taste. I never put sugar in any dishes  at home. I don't have any.  (have maple syrup and some honey if sweetening really is needed)

But I eat desserts at cafes...like today, a peach danish from bakery.  Baker uses a very light puff pastry...my flimsy justification. 

 

[Dottleshead ★]

31 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

You bet, Thxgiving will be an achievement.  I believe there are low-cal. gravy recipes. Maybe instead of eggnog, a sugar free latte...I know you have to get latte from somewhere.

Oh I’m not in control of any of the food. I eat and enjoy the labor of those who provide the food on the plate presented to me and I’m damn careful showing gratitude and appreciation. The only thing I can do is limit dishes and portion control. 

[Dottleshead ★]

I'm down another pound this morning.  That's 12 pounds since early October.  

[petitepedal ★]

You are doing great ....FYI..my trainer sessions started at $50 an hour they raised them to $60..and then again.But I was grandfathered in at $60. I spent lots of $$ especially when I went to once a week

I would do it again 

You just need to find and build or create what works for you..great work @Dottleshead

[Dottleshead ★]

1 hour ago, petitepedal said:

You are doing great ....FYI..my trainer sessions started at $50 an hour they raised them to $60..and then again.But I was grandfathered in at $60. I spent lots of $$ especially when I went to once a week

I would do it again 

You just need to find and build or create what works for you..great work @Dottleshead

Thanks M!  I'm going to the gym now.  If I burn off 200 calories, it'll take me 20+ minutes and a 15 min drive and back (I'm going out to explore new gyms).  Even if I then have a vanilla iced coffee and give most of that back,, I've also killed probably and hour and a half or more of the day that I remain even or just below.  That matters because I only have 450 calories consumed so far and I'm sliding into dinner. It's going to easily be another 1000-1200 calorie day. Plus the metabolism is up for the remainder of the evening.

[Dottleshead ★]

It looks like I've found the formula.  I'm down another 2 pounds today.  I've been averaging about 1000-1200 calories a day and hitting the gym nightly or every other night.  I went twice yesterday.  I'm not killing myself.  Just burning about 150 - 200 calories a pop.  This probably will increase.  But it's been great for my psychology and apparently it has upped my metabolism too.  That was my hope.

[shootingstar]

25 minutes ago, Dottleshead said:

It looks like I've found the formula.  I'm down another 2 pounds today.  I've been averaging about 1000-1200 calories a day and hitting the gym nightly or every other night.  I went twice yesterday.  I'm not killing myself.  Just burning about 150 - 200 calories a pop.  This probably will increase.  But it's been great for my psychology and apparently it has upped my metabolism too.  That was my hope.

By Christmas you will be svelte ..and not torpedo it with Christmas food joy. But there will that joy, you and wifey just have to plan the meal differently.

[Dottleshead ★]

2 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

By Christmas you will be svelte ..and not torpedo it with Christmas food joy. But there will that joy, you and wifey just have to plan the meal differently.

She's been actively going to the gym with me and is putting my effort to shame.  She claims her libido is up so this can only be a good thing.  I see more exercise in the future.

[Dottleshead ★]

The problem with having success at losing weight is you can't go out to breakfast, lunch, or dinner to celebrate.  I mean you can but eating food to celebrate losing food doesn't really work. Looks like I'm having more coffee.

[shootingstar]

24 minutes ago, Dottleshead said:

The problem with having success at losing weight is you can't go out to breakfast, lunch, or dinner to celebrate.  I mean you can but eating food to celebrate losing food doesn't really work. Looks like I'm having more coffee.

Certain food dishes you can but it will require a very different way of thinking and prepping certain dishes for home...maybe some you've never had (much) before but will have more often.  Can include celebratory salad with...pomegranate seeds..in celebration of Christmas, etc. 

I would bring in 1 pre-made thing into home celebratory meal.  For me, it would be a sugar-free, (preferably matcha or spicy) latte since I don't have a latte making machine at home. (I probably will have a little dessert for Christmas.. small piece of baklava OR  a little tart with pastry snowflake....)