Look what fast food & ice cream have done to my cholesterol

bio01979

You look freaking fantastic! I completely agree with not forbidding foods. If you want to eat "clean" more power to you, but that's not the only way to be healthy.

definitely agree and definitely agree with the OP Great job!

Though I will say, that there are some people that seem to be prone to high cholesterol or high blood pressure unless they do completely cut out foods - I would hate to be one of them but there are some that do have to cut some things out

I would even add that there are some that even though they eat "unclean" and are overweight, they can actually be healthy and still able to run for miles

LuckyLeprechaun

This may work now, but long term i doubt. Definitely won't work for females. Eat that way if that's what you like but there are other benefits besides weight to consider of eating clean - more balanced energy levels, less temptation/urge to binge, better hair, skin and nails,, tec. I wouldn't advocate this plan for the masses

Why the fear? Why are you saying this won't work for females? Jonny is further down the track than I am, but I do the same thing, and have been enjoying excellent results

Don't be scared.

bio01979

it is about what works for you. Your post is just as bad as clean eaters criticizing junk food eaters. I could not eat like that and have the same results period. I had one weekend of junk food eating while still exercising, and my PT session Monday was still harder than any I had while simple eating, and I had no energy all weekend. So, be comfortable and proud of yourself without being snide and smug. What works for you doesn't mean it should be the norm. And what works for me does not mean it should be the norm.

Showing that it can be done another way through your own story does not make you snide or smug. I think he's saying if you find it hard to cut out processed food, sodium, fast food, etc...try moderation. I really don't understand why MFP makes assumptions about how "proud" or "comfortable" you are based on posts like these. I'm not knocking clean eating, however my experience was that trying to do clean eating 100% of the time made me miserable. I was not comfortable or proud and my relationship with food got worse instead of better. I didn't feel any better either. I felt a lot worse because I hadn't dealt with the REAL problem, which was not "dirty" food for me. I'm sure it IS the problem for some people but that wasn't my truth. There's a billion and one people out there preaching that fast food, sodium, processed food, etc makes you fat, unhappy, and unhealthy. It's just a bowl of lies, over consumption is the problem and whether your food is clean or dirty if over consumption is your problem, moderation is the answer. Calling out those lies is not wrong or an attack on clean eaters. It is simply saying you do not need to cut out everything you love to be healthy and feel awesome...which is 100% true.

Great post. I agree completely that 100% clean eating made my relationship with food worse because of the guilt of eating BAD foods. Also, it made it harder to get together with friends, and my poor husband who never struggled with his weigh had to put up with it....
A point to make to those who say they cannot moderate themselves. I was like that too but it got easier over time. I found for me I am better off eating a large portion of "junk" less often, than a little of something every day. So I might eat a pint of gelato in a weekend,(double dark Talenti) It is pretty rich and satisfying, so it usually lasts 2 days. When I eat candy, I normally eat 2 regular sized at a time. that way I am satisfied when im done and move on. I cant understand you people who can eat one square of dark chocolate a day and be happy with it! I spend the next few hours trying to distract myself from wanting the whole thing!

I decided a while ago that I am unwilling to live a long life never eating things I enjoy and that a slice or 2 of bacon isn't going to kill me and that I would be much happier doing all things in moderation and if I go past moderation one day well, then I better get my butt to the gym or pool

cici1028

Thanks for this post!!! I always struggle with how healthy I should eat and feel guilty for eating ice cream every day. Nice to know I'm not alone. Andy my numbers are on point as well! (Below optimum, actually, in all categories.)

LuckyLeprechaun

I am glad this has worked for you and good job on your success :drinker:

However, I have genetic hyperlipidemia, as do many others here on mfp.

I do both cardio and strength.
I am at goal weight and a very healthy person.
However, eating "non clean" foods is not an option for me.
And I am not comfortable with the side effects of the statin drugs used to lower cholesterol.
So, I need to eat as "clean" as possible along with exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

So you must have missed the part at the end of his post, where he specifically says that if you have a medical condition that restricts your dietary choices, you are not the target audience.

YOU have a medical condition, but the vast majority of our users do not. Anyone who does have a medical condition, or allergy, should respect it. Anyone who doesn't, can do what Jonny and I and lots of the long-term successful users are doing. Which he described here.

cwolfman13

Nice....don't fear the food...

EvilFeevil

What spare tire? That teensy little "pooch" thing below your abdomen? I scoff at that because you look AMAZING. :bigsmile:

I also eat mostly what I want and even though I'm in the 1200 club I always try to make room for my nightly ice cream sandwich. Exercising definitely helps us to eat more of the fun foods!

mandylgibbs

OP You're awesome. I FIRMLY believe in this philosophy and it has done wonders for me. I TRY to cut out red meat for the most part but I eat out DAILY and most days I eat out more than once. I have lost 80 pounds this way too, and my numbers are excellent. I applaud you.

Mustang_Susie

I am glad this has worked for you and good job on your success :drinker:

However, I have genetic hyperlipidemia, as do many others here on mfp.

I do both cardio and strength.
I am at goal weight and a very healthy person.
However, eating "non clean" foods is not an option for me.
And I am not comfortable with the side effects of the statin drugs used to lower cholesterol.
So, I need to eat as "clean" as possible along with exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

So you must have missed the part at the end of his post, where he specifically says that if you have a medical condition that restricts your dietary choices, you are not the target audience.

YOU have a medical condition, but the vast majority of our users do not. Anyone who does have a medical condition, or allergy, should respect it. Anyone who doesn't, can do what Jonny and I and lots of the long-term successful users are doing. Which he described here.

I'm glad he mentioned that at the end of his post.

Neither of us know the exact numbers of people here on mfp who have genetic hyperlipidemia.

I was offering more thoughts to be considered.

I was not suggesting this was the case for the "vast majority of our users".

heytherelameman

You look hot. I don't see a spare tire either.

And I agree with you!

This.

determinedbutlazy

IIFYM! Super post, super message and damn, that's some nice torso.

GermanicKnight

This is awesome. You are awesome! GREAT POST!

zyxst

If supporting what you eat gets me more towel pics, I will support you like the rock of Gibraltar. :drinker:

determinedbutlazy

This may work now, but long term i doubt. Definitely won't work for females. Eat that way if that's what you like but there are other benefits besides weight to consider of eating clean - more balanced energy levels, less temptation/urge to binge, better hair, skin and nails,, tec. I wouldn't advocate this plan for the masses

How long do I have to maintain this weight for it to be long term...? I went from about 210 maximum to 160 in 2004. I haven't been more than 5 lbs above that since. That's like..... 9 years.

And what do you know about my energy levels, hair, skin, or nails?

Because women are a completely different species. Duh.

jwdieter

Should be "look what cutting down dramatically on fast food & ice cream, and increasing exercise, have done to my cholesterol".

jonnythan

Should be "look what cutting down dramatically on fast food & ice cream, and increasing exercise, have done to my cholesterol".

That would be a lie, because I did not cut down on fast food, and I never ate ice cream before this year. So......

Anyway, good job missing the humor in the thread title and deliberately misunderstanding (or simply not reading) the post itself.

ldrosophila

what an accomplishment yay for portion control and movement

ItsCasey

This may work now, but long term i doubt. Definitely won't work for females. Eat that way if that's what you like but there are other benefits besides weight to consider of eating clean - more balanced energy levels, less temptation/urge to binge, better hair, skin and nails,, tec. I wouldn't advocate this plan for the masses

I'm female, and I didn't give you permission to speak for me.

This is his story. That's why it's on the "success stories" forum and not the general forum. If you don't want to eat fast food or ice cream, that's fine. But no one made you the arbiter of what does and doesn't work for females or anyone else.

jonnythan

This may work now, but long term i doubt. Definitely won't work for females. Eat that way if that's what you like but there are other benefits besides weight to consider of eating clean - more balanced energy levels, less temptation/urge to binge, better hair, skin and nails,, tec. I wouldn't advocate this plan for the masses

I'm female, and I didn't give you permission to speak for me.

This is his story. That's why it's on the "success stories" forum and not the general forum. If you don't want to eat fast food or ice cream, that's fine. But no one made you the arbiter of what does and doesn't work for females or anyone else.

But females are SPECIAL.

petechiae

Bumpity bump!

tigerblue

YAY!!

I say moderation in all things. I'd give up if I thought I had to live on leaves and twigs for the rest of my life.

Achrya

Should be "look what cutting down dramatically on fast food & ice cream, and increasing exercise, have done to my cholesterol".

That would be a lie, because I did not cut down on fast food, and I never ate ice cream before this year. So......

Anyway, good job missing the humor in the thread title and deliberately misunderstanding (or simply not reading) the post itself.

They don't want to see the humor/sully their clean eyes by reading. (Hence missing your "If you have a medical condition" disclaimer and other such things) It's easier to come in, noses high in the air, and declare why this won't work for them/people like them/women/anyone but you.

Meanwhile I've decided to have a little ice cream after my lunch. Nomnomnom.

bcattoes

This may work now, but long term i doubt. Definitely won't work for females. Eat that way if that's what you like but there are other benefits besides weight to consider of eating clean - more balanced energy levels, less temptation/urge to binge, better hair, skin and nails,, tec. I wouldn't advocate this plan for the masses

Why wouldn't it work for females?

Honestly I don't see the draw of fast food or ice cream. And I'm not advocating that anyone eat them. But what does being female have to do with anything? Exercise will lower a females cholesterol levels too.

If the choice were a sedentary life and a clean diet vs. an active life with a diet filled with junk food. Most would be better off with the active life. Luckily those are not our only choices.

wolverine66

thank you. this gives me encouragement, because a) what prompted me to drop weight was my cholesterol and b) i wanted to do it while eating the good stuff.

jwdieter

Should be "look what cutting down dramatically on fast food & ice cream, and increasing exercise, have done to my cholesterol".

That would be a lie, because I did not cut down on fast food, and I never ate ice cream before this year. So......

Anyway, good job missing the humor in the thread title and deliberately misunderstanding (or simply not reading) the post itself.

Your post is misleading in its approach, and provides a single result without a control.

You got fat because you ate too much relative to your activity level. You lost that fat because you resolved that issue - either by increasing your activity level dramatically, or reducing your intake, and probably both.

You pay close attention to what you eat. You eat nowhere near "a lot" of food, in an American context. And you're a young man.

Maybe your nutritional approach was efficient. Maybe it was horribly inefficient. You don't know.

I support the message that caloric deficit leads to weight loss, and ice cream isn't evil. I don't support a front and center message about fast food and ice cream that can easily lead to massive weight gain - because the most important elements that led to weight loss are downplayed.

Tropical_Turtle

And this is an incredibly awesome post!! I do not believe in denying anyone the foods they want! ROCK IT (and yes you could lose the towel - just sayin)

jonnythan

Your post is misleading in its approach, and provides a single result without a control.

I haven't reviewed your posting history, but I hope you go into all the success story threads and tell people about how their results provide a single result with no experimental controls. Cause it would be kinda awesome if you did.

Onesnap

I like real maple syrup so the IHOP every week thing would not work for me unless I snuck it in. :: reaches into purse for the local goodness ::

You have to do what works for you.

This diet and lifestyle works for you.

I could never not do any cardio (as the OP said, he does not do cardio). I love things like kayaking, hiking, Centergy (power yoga), Zumba, and kickboxing too much to give them up. I could not survive without my cardio mixed with strength training.



The OP has found his balance.

For me, his balance would have me all off kilter. I try to avoid factory farmed meat as much as possible. I also don't have it in my budget to eat out that much per week.

Yeller_Sensation

Awesome post.

Awesome message.

Awesome pictures.

LOSE THE TOWEL!

:flowerforyou: :blushing:

jonnythan

I like real maple syrup so the IHOP every week thing would not work for me unless I snuck it in. :: reaches into purse for the local goodness ::

You have to do what works for you.

This diet and lifestyle works for you.

I could never not do any cardio (as the OP said, he does not do cardio). I love things like kayaking, hiking, Centergy (power yoga), Zumba, and kickboxing too much to give them up. I could not survive without my cardio mixed with strength training.



The OP has found his balance.

For me, his balance would have me all off kilter. I try to avoid factory farmed meat as much as possible. I also don't have it in my budget to eat out that much per week.

FYI, I put cardio in quotes in the OP because I don't do "cardio." As I mentioned, I am an active person. I play tennis, mountain bike, hike, or something else for 3-15 hours per week. I don't think "cardio" is necessary, but having fun being active is.