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From 363.4 to 197.7 lbs: My One-Meal-a-Day Success Story

arguablysamsonarguablysamson Member Posts: 1,653 Member Member Posts: 1,653 Member
in Success Stories
There are lots of ways to drop weight. Unfortunately, the way I chose is still viewed as a radical and reckless method that is "unhealthy." Well, blood panels and practical, measurable results don't lie, friends. It's not unhealthy, and it isn't as hard as it seems and can offer hope when hope seems altogether gone. The Macedonians, the Greeks and Romans, our hunter-gatherer ancestors, not to mention the followers of Elijah Muhammed, all ate one meal a day.

-BEFORE-
Age: 39
Height: 6'4
Clothing sizes: 4X shirts, 54' waist pants
Blood pressure: 152/117

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288 lbs, 3X shirts, 42 inch waist pants

-AFTER-
Age: 40
Final clothing sizes: Large and XL shirts, 34' waist pants
Blood pressure: 106/67

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234 lbs

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These last ten months have changed me in ways that it is hard to begin to describe. Going from a mouth-breathing, weazing, inactive fat guy who was sick all the time to an active guy who can actually live and interact in the world around him WITHOUT having to take 3-hour naps after eating is something that is hard to comprehend (unless you've gone through it). And, well, it makes me think I should pinch myself because it must all be a dream. I can't even imagine how I once managed to consume 9,500+ calories a day!

You start out with "baby steps," eating what you want to minimize discomfort, nursing your stomach to a smaller size all the while. Then, gradually, you make healthier eating choices (not because you have to but because it just feels right). Then, that extra energy and go-ahead power allows you to bring in exercise and see yet better improvements. Every little step is a step forward.

To whom it may concern, here is how I did it. You should ignore the haters and armchair dieticians out there and give it a try if you have serious trouble with obesity, are a binger, a psychological eater, or otherwise struggle with serious resistance to other, more lenient programs. Mind you, THIS WILL WORK when everything else has failed...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1241325-how-to-do-one-meal-a-day-the-basics

Once you get your system down and can readily remember WHY you must make the changes and stick with them, it isn't that hard to see them through.

But however you choose to knock off your pounds, the key is consistency and doing it for you. When all is said and done, you can only do it for you, not for anyone else. Aside from some loose skin and the need to keep getting rid of old clothes, I am left with incredible energy and gasping reactions from people who knew the fat me and the disbelief they experience in seeing the new me. I figure I'll ride this high for at least a year or so as I continue to maintain and "firm up," now with 2,100+ calories a day. It can absolutely be done, folks. It can be done. Food doesn't have to own you.

Feel free to add me if you'd like.
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Replies

  • fredgibletfredgiblet Member Posts: 241 Member Member Posts: 241 Member
    Impressive. Good job!
  • allotmentgardenerallotmentgardener Member Posts: 248 Member Member Posts: 248 Member
    Everybody has their own way that works for them. You have achieved a fantastic result and it shows. Congratulations - I'm sure you will keep up the great work :)
  • SupadoopaflySupadoopafly Member Posts: 253 Member Member Posts: 253 Member
    I think the biggest key to successful weight loss is finding what works for you - something you can stick to, that keeps you healthy. This is a perfect example of that. You've obviously found what works for you. It's not something I would have done. I do save the majority of my calories for dinner, but I find I get quite lightheaded if I don't have at least *something* during the day as well. But that's what works for *me*.

    Congratulations on your weight loss! I bet you feel amazing :D

    ^^^ what she said!

    Good for yo6 & well done.
  • NewLIFEstyle4MENewLIFEstyle4ME Member Posts: 4,447 Member Member Posts: 4,447 Member
    Congrats! Ya know...I was thinking, when I was skinny as a rail for years and years and years (until I started having children late in life--that's when the ugly pounds, ounces and flab and fat started piling on as I developed a more lazy...I mean sedentary lifestyle to boot--I used to only eat one or two meals per day myself. I was busy and active and relatively carefree when I was skinny (which I hated being skinny, as much as I hate being fat :grumble: ) Food and eating and lounging around was NEVER a thought to me. I only ate when I was hungry, which was about once or twice per day and I'd eat a boatload during those one or two times.

    ANYHOO...

    I was wondering about this "bit of loose skin" you speak of--how is it...is it really unsightly, like you may need surgery or something to correct it or not so bad looking/hardly noticeable? That's the only thing about relatively fast weight loss that kinda scares me--loose skin.

    Again, way to go dude--thank for post! :drinker: :flowerforyou: :drinker:
  • HeirgreatHeirgreat Member, Premium Posts: 263 Member Member, Premium Posts: 263 Member
    Good job & congratulations, I hope to be writing a success post someday, one meal a day doesn't work for me but it worked for you!
  • AnnaPixieAnnaPixie Member Posts: 7,447 Member Member Posts: 7,447 Member
    Great post! Good to see something different working around here. Congrats! :flowerforyou:
  • StacyRenee77StacyRenee77 Member Posts: 2,735 Member Posts: 2,735
    I really like this, thank u for sharing!! Good job
  • PolishprinsezzPolishprinsezz Member Posts: 249 Member Member Posts: 249 Member
    i want to agree with you on the one meal a day weightloss plan. it makes sense too. i had this discussion with my sister. our hunter gather ancestors were lucky to eat once a day too. i eat a piece of fruit for breakfast, lunch time i eat a meal giving several good hours to burn it off and a light healthy snack early eve. so far it works for me great. i have been able to control the urge to binge too. i will be seeing onederland any day now too!
  • littlelaurie14littlelaurie14 Member Posts: 224 Member Member Posts: 224 Member
    Very well worded. I'm very happy for you and your new healthy life and body! It makes me so happy to see these things. I have never heard of this one meal method, I imagine it was a last resort and you had a lot of weight to lose. I don't find it too radical, or nearly as bad as being obese and unhealthy. Way to go for sticking to your weight loss, really amazing! :drinker:
  • NewLIFEstyle4MENewLIFEstyle4ME Member Posts: 4,447 Member Member Posts: 4,447 Member
    Bump
  • FatGuyNLFatGuyNL Member Posts: 23 Member Member Posts: 23 Member
    Congrats! I don't think I would be able to hack the 1 meal a day, but you can't argue with over 160lbs gone and lowered blood pressure!
  • leeshultsleeshults Member Posts: 223 Member Member Posts: 223 Member
    You look awesome! And I don't think anyone can fault your determination......eating only once a day has to have real focus!!
  • QwertysaurusQwertysaurus Member Posts: 11 Member Member Posts: 11 Member
    Very inspiring, thanks for sharing :) You look brill
  • arguablysamsonarguablysamson Member Posts: 1,653 Member Member Posts: 1,653 Member
    It's not as hard as you'd think, peeps. I'm not some Vulcan with unearthly mind power, nor is anybody else who's done this. But anything worth doing is worth sacrificing for and costs something.

    Yes, the first week is really hard, less so the next 3 weeks. After that, if you're still doing it, you're saying: "I can keep doing this!" And that means you've as good as already done it since you know you've adopted it and can do it forever. The reason people fail on so many eating plans is because they can't make peace to live with the changes. This is not that hard to get used to. it requires sacrifice, but the payoff is worth it.

    And once you know that you can ONLY EAT ONCE PER DAY, the conviction sits in your mind and you get less hungry because you know when you can eat and that you only have to wait 23 hrs at the most for your meal (which will consist of just about whatever you want). You set a boundary and know you can never cross it for the sake of yourself. Therefore, it gets easier.

    Plus, multiple meal portion moderators are doing it the hard way since it's way easier to jinx your efforts by overeating 3 times a day as opposed to 1. The one-plate rule is yet another safeguard. The result is that this works and I'm almost never sick anymore. I have tons of energy and a more full day at my disposal.

    “Eat a single meal a day, no matter what anyone says. If your doctor says that you should eat more than one meal a day, ignore him with a smile and eat only once a day. If he tells you he eats three meals a day, tell him that his length of life is about the same as his patients. Then, tell the doctor to try eating one meal a day.”

    -Elijah Muhammed, How to Eat to Live, Book 1.
  • Kevalicious99Kevalicious99 Member Posts: 1,153 Member Member Posts: 1,153 Member
    The one meal a day thing doesn't bother me at all .. but it would never ever work for me. I hate eating .. I am not a food person. I only do it now to keep me breathing, but if I could I would just avoid it altogether. Well except chocolate .. lets be honest.

    How did I get fat .. junk food and pop and endless eating a couple of bad food items.

    So .. my only question, how much did you eat in that one meal ? You never did disclose that.

    My meals can be 200-300 cal for lunch or supper, so having a to eat 6 times that in one meal would be very very hard.

    But you do deserve credit for your progress. Your one meal must have been one **** of a meal though.
  • CMB1979CMB1979 Member Posts: 588 Member Member Posts: 588 Member
    The fitness model Greg Plitt says he does something similar with his one meal a day in a certain window of time. You can find articles about it through google search.
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