How To Lose Weight, Part Three
By Easter Sunday of this year, I had had enough. I was angry at myself that I was going to have to lose weight that I'd already lost. I was angry that I was fat and slow on the bicycle. But my anger was overshadowed by my desire to get back to where I had been, so I got back in the saddle, and here I am today, still with a long way to go, but down fifty pounds.
To lose weight this year, I acted like I did when I had the oral surgery in 2005, meaning that I radically cut down my calorie intake. And when I say radically, I mean it. Many nutritionists would tell me I was flirting with disaster, but the bottom line is that it worked for me. I took my calorie intake down to about 800 calories a day. Its not that hard, once you get past the first few days. Some days I would take in 1000-1200, but never more than that. For at least a month, that was the plan. After about two weeks, it becomes easier, more tolerable. After a month, it is second nature. And after six to eight weeks, I went back to a healthier diet, taking in 1500-1800 calories a day--enough to lose weight in a healthy way. By that time, eating 1500 calories a day felt like I was stuffing my face. And that is, after all, the point. For a big fella like me, I needed to shrink my stomach, and going on a low calorie diet worked. There are doctors who advocate ultra-low calorie plans, so don't think that I had to develop an eating disorder to get here. I was radically big, so I had to deal with the problem in a radical way.
The biggest change I made this year is swearing off Diet Coke. I haven't had a diet pop since March 23. I used to drink a ton of it. It has been my drink of choice since I was 19. I would drink it for lunch, later in the day, and two or three for dinner. Its no wonder I wasn't sleeping well!
Diet Coke/Pepsi/Dr. Pepper, etc., is a culprit when you're trying to lose weight. I've always heard that, but never believed it. I've lost weight while drinking it, and it is an indulgence that you don't have to give up when you diet. But I'd always heard that it was bad for you when dieting. The reasons run the gamut, from sensible to absurd. Some say that you shouldn't drink it because the caffeine stimulates your appetite, and makes you want to eat more. On the opposite side, some say that cola companies are like the tobacco industry, and that there is a chemical in the soda that actually causes you to gain weight. That's the conspiracy theory explanation. After all, if Diet Coke really worked, there wouldn't be a need for Diet Coke anymore, right?
This was the most difficult adjustment I have ever made. I had a pretty tough time with it, but now I am glad I gave it up. I sleep better. I'm not as tightly wound. I feel more rested throughout the day. I don't miss it at all anymore. In fact, a few weeks ago Lisa and I were eating at a restaurant, and she had a diet coke, and I had a lemonade, but the cups were the same. I accidentally took a swig from her cup, and it tasted so bad I thought I was going to lose it. My taste has really changed.
To overcome the desire for diet soda, I took a page from my brother's playbook. Instead of buying pop at the store, I buy bottles of club soda. Wal Mart sells their store brand for less than sixty cents. I buy some limes. I cut up the lime, and squeeze a wedge into a glass of ice, then fill the glass with club soda. If you're used to the sweet taste of pop, it will take you a while to get used to it. But it satisfies the desire for carbonation, and it has no calories, no caffeine, no nothing. It just really tastes good.
I also started putting in miles on the bicycle. I had taken much of the last twelve months off the bike, because of work, laziness, and cold weather. But I know that cycling is the key for me to lose weight, and I had to get back on that bike. I started slowly--doing five miles at a time. Then I built it up to ten, then fifteen, and so on. In the past, I wouldn't even get on the bike unless I knew I could do fifty to seventy miles. But not this year. Instead, I tried to keep it between 20 and 30 miles a day, four or five days a week. I found that the weight came off faster this way, because I wasn't taxing my body too much, and wasn't driving my appetite through the roof.
On a typical day, here is what I eat.
So by the time I sit down to dinner later in the day, I have taken in a grand total of about 800 calories. If I'm shooting for 1800 calories a day, that gives me another 1000 calories left.
If you're going to start like I did, and try to keep it below 1000 calories a day, you just make sure you don't over do it on any meal. I eat a smaller bowl of cereal, skip the morning snack, Clif Bar, half the almonds, and a salad for dinner, with maybe a half a chicken breast and that's it. I will often eat a lot of grilled foods for dinner, a pork chop or a small steak, with a plain baked potato. Within a few days, you will be used to it, and it won't hurt so bad. As your body adjusts, you can add portion sizes to get back up to 1500-1800 calories a day.
In his book, I Can Make You Thin, Paul McKenna gives some great advice. His rules are simple, and effective. When you're hungry, eat. When you're full, as soon as you begin to feel full, stop eating. Eat what you want, not what you think you should. When I was first getting started, I was on the road a lot. I would have to eat out at places like Chili's. Normally at Chili's, I would order the Chicken Crispers, which come with fries and corn on the cob. It is good! Once I started dieting this year, I ordered the chicken breast platter instead. Even if you ate the whole thing, it is only 580 calories. But if you follow McKenna's advice, and stop eating as soon as you start to feel full, you're not eating nearly that many. It seems like you're maybe eating only half the food. You just have to get over the desire to eat a lot of food every time you sit down. That's why McKenna, and others in the nutrition industry, tell you to slow down, take smaller bites, and trick your brain into thinking you've been eating a long time.
Also, Lisa and I have started splitting meals when we eat out. We really don't eat out that much, but when we do, we split an order, we still get full, we don't consume nearly as many calories, and it costs a lot less.
I drink a lot of water throughout the day, both on and off the bike. I carry a one-liter bottle of water, and fill it up when it is empty. I probably drink two liters a day, not including what I drink while riding, and not including the club soda or coffee. Yes, I pee a lot.
These pictures were from San Diego, during the first week in June. I was down about 20 pounds then.
This was during FreeWheel, the second week in June, down about 30 pounds.
I want to make one thing very clear. The more active I become, the more food I need to eat. Since I started commuting to work, I have to eat a lot more than I did before. I'm finding that it is dangerous to not eat enough calories, when you're burning them off at such an aggressive rate. Currently, just on my commute, I am burning 2000-3000 calories a day. Maintaining a diet of only 1500 calories a day can be pretty unhealthy, so I'm having to ramp up my food intake to compensate. Its rough, but hey, I think I can handle it.
My goals are more ambitious this year than at any time in the past. I want to lose more weight--because I need to, and I know I can. I have learned (finally, hopefully) what it is that causes me to gain it back, and have vowed to not repeat the same mistakes.
Next time, I will talk about more about my exercise regimen.
To lose weight this year, I acted like I did when I had the oral surgery in 2005, meaning that I radically cut down my calorie intake. And when I say radically, I mean it. Many nutritionists would tell me I was flirting with disaster, but the bottom line is that it worked for me. I took my calorie intake down to about 800 calories a day. Its not that hard, once you get past the first few days. Some days I would take in 1000-1200, but never more than that. For at least a month, that was the plan. After about two weeks, it becomes easier, more tolerable. After a month, it is second nature. And after six to eight weeks, I went back to a healthier diet, taking in 1500-1800 calories a day--enough to lose weight in a healthy way. By that time, eating 1500 calories a day felt like I was stuffing my face. And that is, after all, the point. For a big fella like me, I needed to shrink my stomach, and going on a low calorie diet worked. There are doctors who advocate ultra-low calorie plans, so don't think that I had to develop an eating disorder to get here. I was radically big, so I had to deal with the problem in a radical way.
The biggest change I made this year is swearing off Diet Coke. I haven't had a diet pop since March 23. I used to drink a ton of it. It has been my drink of choice since I was 19. I would drink it for lunch, later in the day, and two or three for dinner. Its no wonder I wasn't sleeping well!
Diet Coke/Pepsi/Dr. Pepper, etc., is a culprit when you're trying to lose weight. I've always heard that, but never believed it. I've lost weight while drinking it, and it is an indulgence that you don't have to give up when you diet. But I'd always heard that it was bad for you when dieting. The reasons run the gamut, from sensible to absurd. Some say that you shouldn't drink it because the caffeine stimulates your appetite, and makes you want to eat more. On the opposite side, some say that cola companies are like the tobacco industry, and that there is a chemical in the soda that actually causes you to gain weight. That's the conspiracy theory explanation. After all, if Diet Coke really worked, there wouldn't be a need for Diet Coke anymore, right?
This was the most difficult adjustment I have ever made. I had a pretty tough time with it, but now I am glad I gave it up. I sleep better. I'm not as tightly wound. I feel more rested throughout the day. I don't miss it at all anymore. In fact, a few weeks ago Lisa and I were eating at a restaurant, and she had a diet coke, and I had a lemonade, but the cups were the same. I accidentally took a swig from her cup, and it tasted so bad I thought I was going to lose it. My taste has really changed.
To overcome the desire for diet soda, I took a page from my brother's playbook. Instead of buying pop at the store, I buy bottles of club soda. Wal Mart sells their store brand for less than sixty cents. I buy some limes. I cut up the lime, and squeeze a wedge into a glass of ice, then fill the glass with club soda. If you're used to the sweet taste of pop, it will take you a while to get used to it. But it satisfies the desire for carbonation, and it has no calories, no caffeine, no nothing. It just really tastes good.
I also started putting in miles on the bicycle. I had taken much of the last twelve months off the bike, because of work, laziness, and cold weather. But I know that cycling is the key for me to lose weight, and I had to get back on that bike. I started slowly--doing five miles at a time. Then I built it up to ten, then fifteen, and so on. In the past, I wouldn't even get on the bike unless I knew I could do fifty to seventy miles. But not this year. Instead, I tried to keep it between 20 and 30 miles a day, four or five days a week. I found that the weight came off faster this way, because I wasn't taxing my body too much, and wasn't driving my appetite through the roof.
On a typical day, here is what I eat.
- For breakfast, I eat a bowl of cereal. I like the Quaker Granola cereal. It doesn't matter what cereal you eat, just stick to the serving suggestion on the box. You might just find out that you've been eating two or three servings every morning. I use skim milk too. Many people tell me that they hate skim, but once you're used to it, 2% or whole milk is just too thick. I also have a cup or two of coffee, black, no cream or sugar.
- At 10:30 or so, I eat a serving of low fat yogurt. It is cheap--about 60 cents, and it tastes really good. And it is good for your body, so that never hurts. Most importantly, it takes the edge off your appetite so you don't go crazy at lunch.
- For lunch, I eat a Clif Bar. Clif bars are good, and they are easy. They come in a variety of flavors, and they have everything you need nutritionally. At first, it was hard to get used to not having a sandwich and chips and a pop for lunch, but now it is second nature.
- At about 3:30, I have a serving of almonds. I like almonds, even if there isn't chocolate surrounding them. Planters puts out a nice product that is lower in sodium than others, and the calorie content is acceptable.
So by the time I sit down to dinner later in the day, I have taken in a grand total of about 800 calories. If I'm shooting for 1800 calories a day, that gives me another 1000 calories left.
If you're going to start like I did, and try to keep it below 1000 calories a day, you just make sure you don't over do it on any meal. I eat a smaller bowl of cereal, skip the morning snack, Clif Bar, half the almonds, and a salad for dinner, with maybe a half a chicken breast and that's it. I will often eat a lot of grilled foods for dinner, a pork chop or a small steak, with a plain baked potato. Within a few days, you will be used to it, and it won't hurt so bad. As your body adjusts, you can add portion sizes to get back up to 1500-1800 calories a day.
In his book, I Can Make You Thin, Paul McKenna gives some great advice. His rules are simple, and effective. When you're hungry, eat. When you're full, as soon as you begin to feel full, stop eating. Eat what you want, not what you think you should. When I was first getting started, I was on the road a lot. I would have to eat out at places like Chili's. Normally at Chili's, I would order the Chicken Crispers, which come with fries and corn on the cob. It is good! Once I started dieting this year, I ordered the chicken breast platter instead. Even if you ate the whole thing, it is only 580 calories. But if you follow McKenna's advice, and stop eating as soon as you start to feel full, you're not eating nearly that many. It seems like you're maybe eating only half the food. You just have to get over the desire to eat a lot of food every time you sit down. That's why McKenna, and others in the nutrition industry, tell you to slow down, take smaller bites, and trick your brain into thinking you've been eating a long time.
Also, Lisa and I have started splitting meals when we eat out. We really don't eat out that much, but when we do, we split an order, we still get full, we don't consume nearly as many calories, and it costs a lot less.
I drink a lot of water throughout the day, both on and off the bike. I carry a one-liter bottle of water, and fill it up when it is empty. I probably drink two liters a day, not including what I drink while riding, and not including the club soda or coffee. Yes, I pee a lot.
These pictures were from San Diego, during the first week in June. I was down about 20 pounds then.
This was during FreeWheel, the second week in June, down about 30 pounds.
I want to make one thing very clear. The more active I become, the more food I need to eat. Since I started commuting to work, I have to eat a lot more than I did before. I'm finding that it is dangerous to not eat enough calories, when you're burning them off at such an aggressive rate. Currently, just on my commute, I am burning 2000-3000 calories a day. Maintaining a diet of only 1500 calories a day can be pretty unhealthy, so I'm having to ramp up my food intake to compensate. Its rough, but hey, I think I can handle it.
My goals are more ambitious this year than at any time in the past. I want to lose more weight--because I need to, and I know I can. I have learned (finally, hopefully) what it is that causes me to gain it back, and have vowed to not repeat the same mistakes.
Next time, I will talk about more about my exercise regimen.
Great tips and site!
I have always liked the idea of trying to eat a certain number of calories during the day, before dinner.
For most who need to lose weight, choosing a number like 800 calories as a limit for before dinner can work well.
That way, even a 600 calories dinner with a 200 calorie snack would still have you at 1600 calories.
If they are 'healthy' calories, and you are exercising, then that can be a great number for good weight loss.
Just another one type of 'goal' to shoot for and achieve with.
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Thanks for the encouragement, David. Maybe you'd like to elaborate on "healthy" calories. I think I know what you mean, but I'd like to hear you expand on that some. I read recently about "empty" calories--chips and stuff. I try to avoid them when I can, and choose fruit or a salad instead of fries. It is interesting that even when running through a fast food restaurant, you can do pretty well by getting a smaller burger, and skipping the fries. It has been my experience that it isn't the burger that is nearly as bad for you as the fries.
Thanks again, David.
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