I'm a fat bastard: time to go on a diet

[airspirit]

That is the only drawback, in my opinion: you end up taking almost as many bathroom breaks as women.

It's funny how many things have hidden carbs that you would never have suspected. Milk is common, but many people don't think of corn, steak sauce, or marinades either. Even some types of sausages are loaded while other near-identical ones have next to none. Go figure.

[joeyd]

Originally posted by mad mikee
I'm jumping in too. Been cutting out most of the carbs (or so I thought ) This thread made me take a closer look and made me jettison the 1 pint of grapefruit juice (35 GMs CARBS), the protein drink (22 gms of protein AND 22 grams of CARBS + 14 GRAMS CARBS in the MILK ), and the apple sauce (10+GMs). That oughta have some impact. . For the record: 5'10" and 205 this morn. Don't need to loose much, but this has been stubborn. Eat lots of fish and chicken, some beef, lots of salad (dressing only 2GMs carbs), and the 'healthy' nuts. Sufficient vitamins, fatty acids, aminos, etc.
Exercise w/ weights, walk 2+ miles a day (weekends, etc take between 8-14 miles) Soaking up the water all day at work (please body, don't decide to release whilst halfway home on train )

Yea try the protein shakes i mentions only 3 carbs in um . Make them with water.

[BillA]

gee,
there are only 6 carbs in a Corona Light
mix with Tequila

[joeyd]

heh i know it takes 30 coors lights to get me messed up . Not good for a diet haha

[BillA]

well it won't take 30 boilermakers, that's for sure

[maxim]

guys, comeon, drink vodka, it's good for you.

[pHaestus]

My tendency to drink many beers is where this weight came from (and snacking while doing so). Wife just pulled out this big ass piece of homemade apple pie but it didn't bother me any. I made coffee my bitch this week and so sweets and snacks are no biggie. I don't know if I can go much longer than 2-3 weeks without anything other than greens, meat, and eggs though. Eating is already getting kinda boring.

[airspirit]

You want some magic? Look up low carb recipes in google. That will teach you something ... my wife, for example, learned to make this green bean/cashew/cheese stuff that frickin rocks as a side dish. If you don't learn what you can eat and how to eat properly you will have a hard time succeeding due to that boredom. Don't torture yourself!

[pHaestus]

Was referring to this induction business airspirit. Don't cry for me though I had ~20oz tbone steak cooked rare on the grill this evening with a small green salad. I think I am coming in under 10g carbs most days. Just looking forward to having a beer and some homemade ice cream. Or some fruit even.

Do you make it as normal but use splenda? I am pretty sure our recipe uses eggs and sweetened condensed milk and milk; I am assuming this must be modified somewhat.

[airspirit]

I use heavy cream instead of milk (richer and better) and instead of sugar I use splenda, white stevia, and xylitol. White stevia is extremely powerful ... 1/2 tsp is equivalent to a cup of sugar. Xylitol and splenda can be substituted 1-1 with sugar. Also, splenda based flavored syrups can be used as a sweetener ... it boils down to balancing everything for the particular mouth feel you're going for. An example recipe is like this:

Rich Butter Rum Pecan

1 c chopped pecans
2 eggs
1/2 c SF vanilla syrup (Torani or Davinici)
2 c heavy cream
2 Tbsp glycerin
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp xantham gum
1 Tsp butter flavor extract
1 Tsp butter (I used whipped)
1/4 tsp stevia
1 Tbsp powdered splenda
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 oz gold rum

Brown the pecans, beat the eggs, and mix the dry ingredients. Mix the eggs and cream thoroughly. Melt the butter and mix in with the cream. Add the glycerin, syrup, vanilla, and butter flavor to the cream. Slowly mix the dry ingredients in.

When thoroughly mixed, stick it in your ice cream maker and let it go. When nearly done, add the pecans. When mixed thoroughly, add the rum to the mix.

NOTE: this will cause the mix to get a bit runny, and it will melt a bit. This is normal, since alcohol retards the freezing process.

Mix until it is a soft serve consistancy and stick it in the freezer for an hour with the mixing arm still in it. Then put the bowl back on the ice cream maker until it is smoothed out.

You can serve it in it's semi-soft texture here, or, as I prefer, put it in a tupperware container overnight. The next morning you will have nice and not-quite-solid ice cream (around B&R ice cream consistancy) that can be easily spooned out of the tub but remains solid.

This is a good recipe if you're into rum, btw.

Aw hell, here are a couple more:

Sloe Strawberry Cheesecake

8 oz cream cheese
2c heavy cream
1/4c SF vanilla syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp glycerin
1 Tbsp xylitol
1/4 tsp stevia
3/4c fresh strawberries
2/5 tsp xanthan gum
1 oz Sloe Gin

Irish Chunky Monkey

3/4c chopped walnuts
1/2c chocolate chunks (chip size)
2c heavy cream
2 eggs
2 Tbsp glycerine
1/2c SF vanilla syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 tsp banana extract
1/4 tsp stevia
1 Tbsp powdered splenda
4 drops yellow coloring
1/2 tsp xantham gum
1 oz irish creme

Chocolate Almond Creme

1 cup almond chunks
2 eggs
1/2c SF vanilla syrup
1/8c SF almond syrup
1/6c SF chocolate syrup
2c heavy whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp stevia powder
1/4 c xylitol
1 Tbsp powdered splenda
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 Tbsp glycerin
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
2 oz irish creme

They all use generally the same method to make them as the first, though for the strawberry cheesecake you'll need to toss the ingredients into a food processor with the whip attachment on low in order to thoroughly mix the stuff.

Before you ask, yes, these are MY recipes that I've developed, though there are many other recipes available if that prospect scares you. You can find glycerin, stevia, and xylitol at health food stores (or you can get glycerin at craft stores in the cake section). Splenda can be found anywhere. The syrups are in most grocery stores (make sure they are splenda and not aspartame!). I'm sure you can find the booze yourself.

Go to http://www.lowcarbluxury.com for a stack more goodies and a forum chock full of support and ideas.

[joeyd]

Originally posted by maxim
guys, comeon, drink vodka, it's good for you.

Heh my 21st birthday from 12pm - 3am I had 24 shots of drinks . Vodka , black label , 151 , mind earsers . I still walked home that night. Well Actually I was getting pizza messed up outta my head and nicki found me and brought me home and I had a really good night

[BillA]

eschew the potato, from which Vodka comes

gotta get thosse veggies, think Agave
and the protien in the worm is a BONUS
(as is the frigging headache in the AM)

[Jury]

Just wanted to thank you Airspirit (and others), for getting me motivated. I have dropped a pound and a half a day since I started 4 days ago. I got about 40 more to go, but I am actually really enjoying the diet. It gives me an excuse to drink Scotch, and eat steak.

There are a few things I didn't expect to have carbs in them (mustard mostly), but I can live without for the next few weeks.
Keep the advice coming though, every little bit helps.

Just wanted to say thanks, and the best of luck to all others on the diet as well. There is gonna be a lot of fit water coolers out there soon.

[airspirit]

You can get mustard with no carbs ... I'm actually surprised you found one that did ....

[pHaestus]

The scales were probably a bad idea. I have weighed exactly the same for 3 mornings now. Even their "high metabolic resistance" case should lose ~ 1.5 lbs in that time. I have been STRICTLY following this diet; no cheating and nothing but lettuce, eggs, cheese, and meat 3x a day. My suspicion is that the initial weight lost was just water. It's only been 6 days, but if I don't start to noticeably lose weight again by the end of two weeks I doubt I stay with the Atkins method. It's just too restrictive if it isn't working. It may be that my metabolism has just slowed way down from going off coffee completely.

Sorry to be negative just being around the house all weekend with everyone snacking and eating things I can't have followed by not even losing any weight is a bit of a drag.

[joeyd]

Originally posted by pHaestus
The scales were probably a bad idea. I have weighed exactly the same for 3 mornings now. Even their "high metabolic resistance" case should lose ~ 1.5 lbs in that time. I have been STRICTLY following this diet; no cheating and nothing but lettuce, eggs, cheese, and meat 3x a day. My suspicion is that the initial weight lost was just water. It's only been 6 days, but if I don't start to noticeably lose weight again by the end of two weeks I doubt I stay with the Atkins method. It's just too restrictive if it isn't working. It may be that my metabolism has just slowed way down from going off coffee completely.

Sorry to be negative just being around the house all weekend with everyone snacking and eating things I can't have followed by not even losing any weight is a bit of a drag.

Go pick up ketoses (sp?) strips . It will tell you whats going on. Also if your working out and running you may be putting on muscle which weighs more than fat .

[pHaestus]

No chance of that. I walk up and down the stairs (5 flights) a few times a day and back and forth to my car. About 4-5 days a week me and the family go for 15-30 minute walks. Definitely not muscle.

[pHaestus]

Guess I spoke a little too soon. Down 2.5 lbs from yesterday. Don't know WHY as I have been eating about the same portions and weigh every am after waking up and urinating. Only thing I can think of is (a) new scales are pretty inaccurate (they said 0.2lb though) or (b) body was just hardcore rehydrating for the last few days so I was picking up water as I lost fat. Oh well whatever. I will actually have to back off a little bit if I drop more than 1 lb today I think; don't want to start dipping into my muscles.

Last night along with a pork chop I had a legal portion of broccoli sauted in butter with a small amount of onions and then covered with mozzerella and cheddar and baked until the cheese melted. It tasted sooo sweet I couldn't believe it. Best thing I have eaten in the last week.

Decaf coffee just isn't as good as the real thing. I don't care what anyone says; they are lying or in denial.

[BillA]

Nescafe means 'no es cafe'

the apparent weight loss is not so even, don't sweat it
look at your weekly avg

[pHaestus]

For the week I am down ~7lbs. Not bad not bad. I had a dream that I made a big bowl of chocolate ice cream last night, but when I took a bite I felt super guilty. WTF?

[airspirit]

Hold on there, Tex: it is NORMAL to lose in big drops. You will NOT dip into your muscle weight at all. If you don't believe me, here is the reason:

When in a glucose metabolism, your body requires your blood sugar to maintain a certain level or it will begin breaking down muscle protien through glucogenesis to raise the blood sugar level. Why normal dieting causes muscle loss is that when you begin to starve yourself (well, that IS what you are doing) your body goes into a starvation mode, causing even more pronounced insulin releases after meals to trap as much sugar into fat as it can. This causes your blood sugar to plummet and your body will start furiously breaking down muscle mass to compensate.

When in a fat metabolism, your body uses very little glucose, and therefore your blood sugar stays normal. Since no significant amounts of sugar is introduced into your system, your body never releases significant amounts of insulin, so your body never goes into "emergency glucogenesis". The energy that 95% of your body is burning is strictly based off ketosis, and uses no glucose/protien at all. The small amount of glucose your brain requires to function is derived from the small amounts of carbs you eat along with extremely minor glucogenesis that is easily replaced through normal body functions. Typically, even with the most drastic weight loss on a low carb diet, there is absolutely no muscle mass loss.

Don't worry about losing muscle mass. There is no way your body is going to start glucogenesis.

Just to give you an idea, I'd sometimes do the same thing at first ... I'd stay within .2 lbs for a few days and then drop three pounds. To risk sounding a bit gross, it could have something to do with food retention ... you sure you're getting enough fiber? It takes a few days to get rid of everything ....

The above is why many people take additional fiber and/or CLA (conjugated lipoic acid), which seems to cause quicker size loss of the midsection. I suspect that CLA isn't really a fat loss agent, but is a form of diuretic, accounting for the smaller waistline while you take it. Just a thought. I would not recommend CLA, however, as it has some rather nasty side affects in a small portion of people, and there are a couple extremely tenuous links to cancer.

Oh, and yes: coffee is a pretty efficient diuretic as well (as is smoking). Combine that with the sudden drop in fiber, if you were a heavy coffee drinker before you are probably as backed up as all hell. That would explain the strange weight figures. Some of the weight a smoker gains when they quit is weight from food because they aren't getting rid of it as quick ... when the conveyer belt slows down you get a bit heavier. Don't get discouraged. If necessary, get some psyllium husk pills, or even better, find some low carb tortillas. They typically have like 20g of fiber per tortilla, so have a third of one per meal and you'll be all set. That would add 6g carbs per day, but would be worth it in results.

[pHaestus]

I did think of that, and it was an issue earlier in the week. I haven't had too much problem in that area the last few days though. I got some flax seed yesterday to grind and try to make sure I don't have any issues; don't wanna trade a few lbs for a life with hemmohroids

I have heard that when people give up coffee that they often gain weight as well (I know I did when I quit smoking).

From what I could tell on the label Tabasco sauce is acceptable: vinegar, hot peppers, and salt are the only listed ingredients. My omelet was rocking this morning

[joeyd]

You should all be taking liquid flaxseed oil . It will help you alot in crapping and your cardo vascular system.

[Joe]

Originally posted by pHaestus
Just looking forward to having a beer and some homemade ice cream.

Yeh us here in WI will take care of you... secretly, we are the ones who put the hit out on Mr Atkins... Beer, and custard... we are all about that here

[airspirit]

That's DOCTOR Atkins to you, HEATHEN! WAOR!

LOL!