GeddyWrox wrote:I don't usually like to boast or call attention to myself, but today for the first time in over a decade, my scale read a number that started with a 2. For those of you who've met me, you know I have always been a big dude. I probably hit 200 lbs in 8th grade. I was probably close to 300 by the end of high school. There was a period of time before my second mini-wrox came along that I was down around 280, but after she was born everything diet-wise fell to sh!t and I was on a slow-but-steady upward climb. I topped out around 380 (that I know of) a few years ago. I started to cut out things like bread and pasta, and that helped, but I was still hovering around 350 lbs this past fall & early winter.
In the middle of December, I started eating Keto. The first couple of months, the weight just fell off. It was incredible. And it has continued to come off, albeit slower now (this is typical of people who succeed with Keto-based eating).
Anyway, I am incredibly proud of myself today, and wanted to toot my horn a bit. I think I'm going to get a tattoo to commemorate my success and to remind myself to never ever go back to the way things were.
Congrats! This is super motivating.
I literally started on Keto last Tuesday. Yesterday I decided to switch to Atkins, but they are vary simular. It's early, but I don't think I'll ever go back to the low fat diet I used to do.
I honestly didn't post this to prosthelytize, but stick with it. Keto is life-altering. Seriously. I was taken off my dia-beetus med by my doctor after about 6 weeks. I found tons of motivation, information and inspiration on reddit /keto. And yeah... Keto/Atkins... almost identical. I love that there's no plan to buy, no membership fees, no nothing. It's not a scam. It's not a fad. It just works. Basically, the whole food-pyramid we were taught growing up is completely upside down.
What's interesting about Atkins is it works because you eat less calories with high protein foods, not all the "burning fat takes more calories so you expend more calories" stuff he proposed. Basically, Atkins hit on the right diet but he was wrong on why it works. The only evidence I've seen in favor of low carb diets in scientific studies is that most people tend to find it easier to follow low carb diets and tend to eat less calroies than people on low fat diets. In studies where people on different diets consume the same number of calories, the diets perform basically the same.
I've found it's really hard to boost calories when I'm eating a lot of protein and veggies. I snack a lot less too. Before I started Atkins diet I knew carb heavy calories made you feel less full than calories from meat/protein, but I didn't realize how dramatic the difference is. The low fat diet is dead to me.
The thing about it for me is that I don't get hangry anymore like I used to. Carbs & sugar are, for me anyway, an addiction, no joke. Without the blood sugar spikes and crashes, I broke all my bad eating habits. I feel consistently satiated eating 1/2 or 2/3 the food I used to. I can go through a full day eating 1500-1800 calories now and not be starving at all. That's the magic part for me.
They say that once you're "fat adapted" (burning fat as your primary fuel rather than carbs) you burn off fat a lot easier. I don't know if that's true or not. I just know that eating meats, cheeses and veggies fills me up and I don't start thinking about my next meal an hour later.
Awesome news Geddy! Keep at it. I may have to look into Keto. I've heard about it but don't know the particulars. I know my diet is awful and that has to change. I think I have a dairy problem. Namely milk. I'm packing on some serious muscle too though. The problem is it's hidden in quite a lot of fat.
I've never followed keto or Atkins exactly, but I've always relied heavily on protein to beat the hunger pangs. Like geddy, I can get through a day pretty easily on 1800 calories. I can get all the way to dinner on like 800, but I'll start to feel a little sick if I wait too long for that last meal. My problem is just having that willpower to not have too many "cheat meals" that turn into "cheat days" that turn into "cheat weekends" etc. I've been doing pretty good lately, down 20 pounds since the start of the year. Only more recently have I started paying close attention to carbs, sugars, etc trying to find a truly sustainable diet to follow long term. My doctor has recommended I try low FODMAP but I haven't gotten around to it.
One of the reasons I went with Atkins over Keto is with Atkins there's a phased sustainable end game. Keto is basically phase 1 Atkins which is what I'm going to do until I'm 15 pounds to my goal weight.
cardsfansince82, you might want check out Atkins other phases if you're looking something closer to maintenance. Starting with the less hardcore Atkins 40 and adjusting is another option.
IMADreamer wrote:Awesome news Geddy! Keep at it. I may have to look into Keto. I've heard about it but don't know the particulars. I know my diet is awful and that has to change. I think I have a dairy problem. Namely milk. I'm packing on some serious muscle too though. The problem is it's hidden in quite a lot of fat.
