Weight Loss

[Tjupurula]

As long as it not sweet chilli it should be ok. Chilli's are good for you. Cant remember how but they are. And who could live with out garlic?

Hi Black-Pig
You and Manjimike ahve just put a smile on my face, as I love chilli (not sweet chilli) and garlic.  I use the little birdseye chillies and a heap of gralic with all my stirfries, and I do my vegies that way at least 4 times a week.  The wok ios the most used instrument in my kitchen.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Tjupurula]

Hi

What an inspiring thread.   

After I got crook about 4 years ago I put on about 15kg and could really notice it.  Over the past 8weeks I have dropped from 94.5 down to 88.2 by reducing my food intake.  Smaller plates/bowls at dinner and stick to a piece of fruit and a sandwich during the day.

We have free range chooks so twice a week my wife and I will have two poached eggs on a panini roll 

I think we are all different so different things work.  I also get the impression that as you get older you need to ease back on the quantities.

Good luck to everyone.

Hi Dazzler
Not so much inspiring my friend, it is simply a lot easier for me to ask a question when very few people know me personally.  THis way I can find out how other people have achieved weight loss, and I can take on board what is a good idea, and go from there.  No sense not using other peoples experiences to learn from.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Dogsbreakfast]

http://www.google.com.au/url?q=http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dh-jy3OtZAss&sa=U&ei=ZepqT4PiHMqtiQeepNyUBg&ved=0CBMQtwIwAA&sig2=pzHJwlhml0yaoJyVaofbhA&usg=AFQjCNHu6vl6wzVy_WOjMM96p7MMWsNI5w

[cheekygirl668]

I started my weight loss journey 4 weeks ago.... l joined Curves and Weight Watchers Online and have lost 4 kg's in that time........ l can still have the occasional piece of chocolate so l don't start snarling at hubby and l figure that by losing it slowly that it will stay off this time........... l have given myself a time frame of about 18 months (til we go back to Tassie next year) to get fit ... so have plenty of time to achieve this...

[GMac]

I also have struggled with this for a while.  Interestingly I dropped about 15kg when I found out I was a coeliac, simply by going back to a basic diet of fresh fuit and veg.

Being Gluten Free makes it a little harder to consider some of the meal replacement diets, but when I worked out the things I could eat, I worked out I can still my curries and gluten free pastas etc (by the way gluten free bread sux!).  This is where I stalled.  At the moment I am still sitting at about 120kg.

I just need to go back to eating the fresh fruit and veigies more, exercising and drinking more water.  Still want to go another 20kg to go.

Maybe we should start our own My Swag biggest loser!

Greg

[johnyd]

As long as it not sweet chilli it should be ok. Chilli's are good for you. Cant remember how but they are. And who could live with out garlic?

High in Vitamin C
Good in Vitamin A
Vitamin B (B6 and B1 I think)
High in Iron, Potassium and Copper
Also have a bunch of other minerals and stuff.

Also anti-bacterial, and can help lower cholesterol   

Garlic is also rather good for you,
Natural antibiotic
Antioxidants
Keeps Vampires at bay

[Burnsy]

Sir frys are great meals for watching your weight and make great lunches the ext day cold or hot.  A few tips, lean red meat or chicken (kangaroo is often mentioned as being good) to get some substance in it (you need protein and some fats), use spray oil instead of a few tablespoons of normal oil, no sweet chillis sauce or other thickened sweetened sauces like oyster (just use soy sauce) heaps of vegies and cut the rice out.  You are better to have a larger portion size of stir fry than adding rice.  If you do have rice some times, limit it to around half a cup of cooked rice.  I read that the reason chilli is good as it increases you metabloic rate.

Have a look at a calorie counter and you will find you have to eat an absolute tonne of vegetables to make up any reasonable amount of calories.  Likewise, skin free chicken breats poached in garlic and water with some onion is a great source of protein and you need to eat around half a kilo of it to make up the same amount of calories that is in a standard whopper.

[Tjupurula]

Sir frys are great meals for watching your weight and make great lunches the ext day cold or hot.  A few tips, lean red meat or chicken (kangaroo is often mentioned as being good) to get some substance in it (you need protein and some fats), use spray oil instead of a few tablespoons of normal oil, no sweet chillis sauce or other thickened sweetened sauces like oyster (just use soy sauce) heaps of vegies and cut the rice out.  You are better to have a larger portion size of stir fry than adding rice.  If you do have rice some times, limit it to around half a cup of cooked rice.  I read that the reason chilli is good as it increases you metabloic rate.

Have a look at a calorie counter and you will find you have to eat an absolute tonne of vegetables to make up any reasonable amount of calories.  Likewise, skin free chicken breats poached in garlic and water with some onion is a great source of protein and you need to eat around half a kilo of it to make up the same amount of calories that is in a standard whopper.

Cheers Burnsy
This has just become a lot more encouraging, as I can go without meat for a long time, but I love my stir fries with chilli, garlic and chunky vegetables.  Chicken breast I can handle, so I shall be getting into that poaching act in the next couple of days.
Regards
Tjupurula

[johnyd]

Maybe we should start our own My Swag biggest loser!

Greg

I'm starting to think there is a link between camper trailer ownership and obesity.   I might just get a little hiking tent and run everywhere.

I'm fairly lucky with the way I carry weight, I'm barrel chested, large shouldered and 195cm tall, at 118kg I'm starting to look as trim as a 195cm bloke built like an old school prop can look.  My target weight is 105kg, I'd have bones poking out everywhere if I manage to get down to my BMI weight.

Also I'm on -37kg (or 23.8% of my starting body weight gone)

[Tjupurula]

High in Vitamin C
Good in Vitamin A
Vitamin B (B6 and B1 I think)
High in Iron, Potassium and Copper
Also have a bunch of other minerals and stuff.

Also anti-bacterial, and can help lower cholesterol   

Garlic is also rather good for you,
Natural antibiotic
Antioxidants
Keeps Vampires at bay

Thanks John
You are just a wealth of good information.  The only vampire that I know I am married to, and the love bite thing vanished about 30 years ago (thankfully), and the wife loves the garlic and chilli as well.  The next day the grannies tell me I smell, but they say that at other times as well, so no loss there.
Regards
Tjupurula

[johnyd]

You are better to have a larger portion size of stir fry than adding rice.  If you do have rice some times, limit it to around half a cup of cooked rice. 

And if you must use rice, use small serves of brown rice.

If you are on a low-carb diet cooking with fats and oils is actually good for you.  Coconut oil is awesome.

[Tjupurula]

And if you must use rice, use small serves of brown rice.

If you are on a low-carb diet cooking with fats and oils is actually good for you.  Coconut oil is awesome.

Hi John
What about coconut cream and coconut milk in curries, that should be reasonably okay ?
Regards
Tjupurula

[fuji]

Thanks for the reply, mate garlic is the best thing, ever and I don't mind chillies so what would be better than stir fried vegies in a wok with heaps of garlic and chillies. Don't add oil, just a bit of water.  I hate exercising but I have to walk occasionally because of my back. Hopefully workcover will pay for a gym membership to strengthen my lower back. Look after number 1, life is too short. Cheers bloke
Donuts

[johnyd]

Hi John
What about coconut cream and coconut milk in curries, that should be reasonably okay ?
Regards
Tjupurula

Go for it!  You can make a rather nice panacotta using Coconut cream and berries as well.  I really have to get to work on putting together my recipes so I don't have to search all over the place to find where I wrote stuff down (mostly stolen from books at this stage).  They are both supposed to be quite healthy.

They are a supposed to boost immune system and provide an awesome source of energy for someone on a low-carb diet.  The fats are easier to break down than those in animals.  If I need a quick hit of energy eating a spoonful of coconut oil (or a nice smoothie with a spoonful in it) gives a bigger boost than Red Bull used to. 

You don't want to overdo it though, to lose weight you do need the amount of energy consumed in your food to be burned off by exercise.  Also it won't do a great deal to help energy levels unless you're burning fat for energy (ketosis) already.

Hopefully workcover will pay for a gym membership to strengthen my lower back. Look after number 1, life is too short. Cheers bloke
Donuts

A gym membership might not be the best thing for that sort of work.  You can quite easily cause more damage than good if you do some of the recommended exercises for strengthening the lower back wrong.  Really you want to start working on your core muscles, starting with the pelvic floor to build your stability.  It's kind of like the foundation of your back, if it is weak your back will be weak.  Pilates is very good for working the right muscles in a safe manner. 

[Burnsy]

Hi John
What about coconut cream and coconut milk in curries, that should be reasonably okay ?
Regards
Tjupurula

A better option is Carnation light and Creamy Coconut flavoured evaporated milk, far less calories and fat.  It is actualy really tastey and we are converts, grab some to try next time you are in Kununarra.

[Bird]

Also being in IT sittin round all day, being lazy, no motivation and suffering depression for years doesnt help..

I went to a dietitian and she put me on shakes. Meal replacement shakes it worked for me. Replaced 3 meals a day with a shake, and ate shed loads of apples and bananas and it fell off me... This is when family was in USA over xmas visiting outlaws, so I was on my own, and didnt need to cook..

The Dietitan told me you need a REASON to lose weight or a genuine goal, not like "i wanna get to X kg" but something like to get a job, or career, or a hot babe' you always liked.

I just wish I had the motivation to do it now.

[fuji]

Protein powder shakes with skim milk powder,water,ice, fresh fruit. cheerwayne

[johnyd]

A better option is Carnation light and Creamy Coconut flavoured evaporated milk, far less calories and fat.  It is actualy really tastey and we are converts, grab some to try next time you are in Kununarra.

I'm on massive amounts of fats, get told off regularly by my naturopath/nutritionist that I don't have enough fat in my diet for my needs.  The specific fats in the coconut are quite good for you.  They are more easily absorbed by the body than animal fats as well. 

The coconut cream I have in the cupboard also has no artificial flavours and much less sugar (1.5g per 100g vs 12.6g per 100g), it does have double the kJ though with 830kJ vs 415kJ.  If you're calorie counting it's not the best option, but for a low-carb diet there is absolutely no competition, coconut cream all the way.  Also when I put coconut cream in my curries I find I'm not able to eat as much before I'm satisfied, so adding the cream can also make the portion sizes smaller, potentially balancing out some of the difference.

Meeting her requirements has slowed my rapid weight loss, but I'm chock full of energy and my recovery times are getting far better since I've started having smoothies after I have a heavy day or a big workout.  My rate of strength improvement has sky-rocketed as well, which would account for some slowing of the weight-loss since I'm putting muscle on faster now than before, although that's probably the extra protein since WPI is a body-building supplement.

Smoothie ingredients (I just pour them in, but roughly):
1/2 cup Mixed Berries (Frozen Woolies Select)
15g Whey Protein Isolate (Body science chocolate flavour)
2 tsp Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Natural Yoghurt (Gippsland Diary Organic unflavoured)
1/2 cup Milk
3 tsp Chia seeds (both thickens the mixture and lowers the GI by slowing the absorption rate of the sugars into the system.

A lot of what my diet is based on is the Paleo Diet http://thepaleodiet.com/about my exercise program is completely based on Pilates.
So far my experience has coincided with pretty much everything that I've read about it.  It seems to be working for me, I'm the lightest I've been since I was in year 8, and I'm probably the fittest I've been since I was 8.  My recovery from Chronic fatigue isn't complete yet and still tire quickly and recover slowly if I push too hard, but as long as I stay within my limits I'm better than I was before I just can't push as far past them without consequence (if that makes any sense).

[Tjupurula]

Thanks for the reply, mate garlic is the best thing, ever and I don't mind chillies so what would be better than stir fried vegies in a wok with heaps of garlic and chillies. Don't add oil, just a bit of water.  I hate exercising but I have to walk occasionally because of my back. Hopefully workcover will pay for a gym membership to strengthen my lower back. Look after number 1, life is too short. Cheers bloke
Donuts

Hi again Donuts
This time I can share an experience.  When I was doing my apprenticeship (about 35 years back), I copped an oxygen bottle in the lower back.  (It fell and the cap broke, then the bottle flew like a torpedo).  A then young nurse, in training, told me to start walking and slowly jogging in water, and twisting around whilst I was doing it, to build the strength up again.  After four months I was damn near good as gold, and when I occasionally get a niggle these days, I do the same thing, and it works, no pain killers or anything.
Everyone says swimming to lose weight, and in the water there is NO weight on your back, so it works wonders for a bad back.
Regards
Tjupurula

[johnyd]

I apologise if I'm coming off as a jerk or anything, I'm just quite passionate about what I'm doing.

I hit 100kg in year six, when I was 11 years old, I've been over 120kg since year 8.  That entire time I've been on an extremely low fat diet and been as active if not more so than other kids my age and despite being relatively fit (I could play sports and swim multiple laps of an Olympic pool) the weight just kept stacking on.  I practically starved myself trying to follow the doctors advice of eating smaller portions and less fat.  Eventually I gave up and ate whatever I wanted (still quite healthy overall, but far too much soft-drink and pies) and my weight stayed stable around 145kg until the chronic fatigue set in and I was drinking nothing but energy drinks to try and keep going.  Which pushed my weight out to 155kg.

I worked hard with my routine and all natural healthy diet (inc carbs and still low fat) in the first few months of chronic fatigue and barely managed to drag myself back down to 145kg in nearly a year. 

A week after starting the low-carb higher-fats/proteins diet I noticed results, two weeks after my clothes were getting loose.  My exercise was still the same, but I'd cut the carbs and was eating seemingly insane amounts of fat.  I kept at it (being as sick as I was with chronic fatigue is a damned good motivator to get yourself into top physical shape) and the results are continuing 5 months after I started.  This is the longest prolonged weight loss I have ever had, other diets and routine shake-ups were good for 5-10kg, but always stalled after a month or two, then regardless if I kept at it or pushed harder the weight would start to creep back on until I was back at 145kg.  If it didn't creep back on I ended up sick, either from pushing too hard physically, or from the lack of nutrition in the diet and then put the weight back on.

I'd began to think I'd never be anywhere near a healthy weight, no matter what I did, but this diet has me very close after only 5 months and coming off the worst couple of years of my short life, it's nothing short of a miracle to me.

[Tjupurula]

Hi John
There is no way that you are coming off as a jerk.  A lot of people including yourself, have responded to my question, and please believe that I appreciate every comment, remark and recommendation that has been made.
My health has started to suffer, as I got to a weight that was simply shocking.  Admittedly my work involves a lot of lifting with steel and the like, as well as cutting and welding, but when it came to walking, I was lucky to make 50 metres without needing a breather.  Luckily now that I am down to just over 140 kg that has changed, but I know I must lose more weight.  I have quite a few grandchildren, another one born today (no name yet), and I want to be able to enjoy taking them to the playground, or to Lake Gregory for a swim, and that requires a bit of walking.
Any advice or suggestion helps, and I thank you for taking the time to share from what you have learned.
Regards
Tjupurula

[Nomad]

Good to read some success stories.

My best mate, who is a firey and sparky, and surfs a fair bit, blew out from 85kg to 115kgs after a battle with chronic fatigue. Recently he has battled to get his weight down again and before going on a good diet / exercise plan, the lady that is advising him got him to go on a colon cleansing plan. I can't remember the exact stuff he was on but it cleaned all the crap (pun intended) out of his bowels and helped him in his dieting afterwards.

The treatment went for 28 days and there was meant to be no booze.....there was the odd sneaky.......doing that program he lost about 7kgs.

Apparently it helps you to improve your digestion and processing of what you do eat. So more k's to the litre I suppose.

If you want me to find out a bit more just let me know and I will ask him the supplier and course and what not.

Cheers
Nomad.

 

[Tjupurula]

Hi Nomad
I am happy to learn all that I can, so that I can determine the best way to go.  I would like hearing from you all relevant data about the way in which your friend lost weight, and had the continuation afterwards.
Regards
Tjupurula

[johnyd]

Good to read some success stories.
the lady that is advising him got him to go on a colon cleansing plan. I can't remember the exact stuff he was on but it cleaned all the crap (pun intended) out of his bowels and helped him in his dieting afterwards.

I have an extremely good idea about what it involved.

I'd hazard a guess that he used something called Picoprep (probably only 4-5 times in that period) in conjunction with a diet program (mostly clear liquids) and crazy amounts of water.   If he did the same as I did he would've only done the laxatives once a week or so, otherwise it would leave him feeling very washed out and honestly wouldn't have achieved much after the first couple of doses.  He may have been on something less extreme that took the entire period to complete as well.  Would be interested in hearing what he did.

If you're going down that path I suggest getting hold of some pro-biotics such as Inner Health Plus (I used Ultra Flora Restore, from my naturopath) and take them once the Picoprep has done its work (no point taking them beforehand).

What will happen is that a lot of the bacteria that is supposed to be in your bowels will be flushed out with all the crap and the pro-biotics help to regrow it faster.

The doc told me that there was ~1kg of bacteria to regrow after the process.

Hi John
There is no way that you are coming off as a jerk.  A lot of people including yourself, have responded to my question, and please believe that I appreciate every comment, remark and recommendation that has been made.

Just seems I'm responding to everything and thought I might be coming off as an internet know it all.  Hate impersonal means of communication.

[cruisindub]

Talking of colon cleanse, I am now a believer.
Out of sympathy, I did a colon cleanse with my wife out of support and to encourage her. Hard for her to do it while I am snacking on Snickers and other treats.
Well, a sceptic no more.
We did a cleanse from WWW.blessedherbs.com
WOW. Imagine a 2' foot long condom filled with a rubbery stubstance.
That's inside of you. The photos on the website are real.
40 years of junk coming out of you. I am no longer a sceptic thinking its new age hippie crap.
I have the photos to prove it. It was scary to think that's inside you.
I also know wat PMS must be like for the women folk among us. Cramps,pains, moods, that's when all the crap is coming out of you.
To lose weight, without going to such extremes, eat healthy, exercise regularly, drink lots water, and something no one has mentioned yet, sleep well.
Those 4 elements are the key and are important.
Along with a good mindset to begin with.

There was a myswag.org quit smoking thread, why not a lose weight thread.
Post up your achievements.