Starting a new weight loss program - anyone wanna add?

Thoth8

Hi, I am not actually new technically, but I stopped logging in to this website for about half a year and all my MFP friends are MIA haha.

I'm 100 kilograms (220 pounds) at 27 years of age. I'm 177 cm tall (sorry, been out of the USA for a long time now, I use the metric system now, i think that's 5 feet 9.5 )

I am trying to do some daily light bodyweight exercises that take about a minute. (11 pushups, squats, and double-ended crunches as I like to call them <where lower body goes up too>)

My planned diet:

Monday: Water fasting (no food of any kind, only pure water : 0 calories)

Tuesday: Low Carb (meat/eggs/fish and veggies only, no fruit, no sweets, no starches, no junk food) (estimate 1500-1700 calories)

Wednesday: Cheat Day (eat anything I want in whatever amounts I want, estimate around 3000-4000 calories)

Thursday: Water fasting

Friday: Low Carb

Saturday: Water fasting

Sunday: Low Carb



This makes for 3 days of fasting, 3 days of low carb, and 1 day of all you can eat buffet fiesta.

I did a similar program last year and lost 20 kg (44 lbs) in around 3-4 months - i had to stop due to financial issues (since i was fasting 2.75 days a week during that program,(in one go, not spread out) I opted for organic foods during my low carb days for maximum vitamin absorption) . Now my financial issues have been settled for months, and I had trouble starting up again due to sugar cravings since I stopped the diet.

This time I am changing the program slightly, by adding about 0.25 days of fasting, but spreading them out so I only fast 1 day at a time.

Unfortunately I gained all the weight back in 6 months by eating junk food constantly. Thanks to various failed re-start attempts, hypnosis sessions, etc, I've finally got my "crap" together and am giving this program a second run. Hopefully to the end this time.

Anyone want to add me for mutual moral support??? :-D

capricorn_dude95

bro your diet plan sounds awesome!! I don't know if I should try it though, the last time I fasted, it ended up becoming sort of an addiction, I just went weeks without eating and eventually was diagnosed with anarexia, I lost like 30 pounds in 1.5 months but, I was not healthy : ( I'm better now but, back where I started, hopefully things turn out better this time!

Thoth8

Oh, dang, I didn't realize anyone could get addicted to fasting. And you were too young to fast anyway, your body is still developing, you fast naturally in your sleep 8 hours a day, that's enough for anyone under 25.

Fasting should definitely be done in a controlled manner. You can try it again in 7 years or so, but only once a week in the beginning :-)

capricorn_dude95

haha yeah, I think I just got a little too obsessed with loosing weight, so yeah maybe in a few years when I'm in more control I can try it!

TravisBikes

Sorry. Can't stop doing LOL.

I eat nearly double what you plan here. And I'm losing weight, and gaining strength. Please eat a reasonable amount, but at a deficit, Work hard. Pick things up, put them down. Eat ice cream and bacon.

Hit you macro goals. Succeed.

gsager

Why would you do that? Why don't you just use the site as it was designed to be used?

Thoth8

@ Travis Everyone has different goals, I am concentrating on losing fat. My base metabolic rate is 1950 calories per day, so I am only under by 100-400 cals on my low carb days. Since I have one day of major overfeeding per week, it balances out just fine. :-) ( I should note that I have a mostly sedentary lifestyle, and work out sporadically)

@ Gsager Could you be more specific, no idea what you mean or what you want to say? I am using the site as it was intended. :-)

gsager

I mean, I put my info into MFP and was given a number of calories to eat. Then I can work out and acquire more calories to eat. I make sure that my net and my goal are the same number or close to the same number at the end of the day. I eat every day.

rrobsgirl

Sorry...but I really don't think that's a healthy sustainable way to make a lifestyle change. I lost 30 pounds in the same amount of time and ate a considerable amount. Thanks for the invitation..

Thoth8

You are a woman, so you may have learned that fasting is unhealthy which would be true for your gender as it lowers estrogen. This is, on the contrary, good news for a man, since men have too much estrogen in this age due to all the plastics and chemical estrogens in the cosmetic products and shampoos we use.

In fact, there is plenty of scientific research that points towards fasting having many health benefits other than weight loss including healing of illnesses and the prolonging of your lifespan in general.

Everybody has different goals and goes about it in different styles. In fact, there is a rather prominent bodybuilder who fasts twice a week. His name is Brad Pilon, you can look him up on Google. This is nothing new or radical. Fasting is quite old in fact, people have been doing it for thousands of years.

In fact, when you are sick, your body naturally attempts to fast by making you lose your appetite. This is due to the fact that digestion takes enormous amounts of energy which your body would rather spend healing you.

TravisBikes

I would say something snarky. But not worth the effort.

Good luck with your "goals."

Thoth8

I only posted my weight loss program for mutual moral support and not for critiques. I spent many years researching fitness and nutrition, Therefore, I know what I am doing, I just have trouble pulling through and keeping it up. And this is only the beginning program, once my goal is attained I have a much easier program that is meant to be maintained for a lifetime.

capricorn_dude95

lol, why is everyone criticizing his diet, this site is for supporting others not criticizing or throwing smart remarks, guys calm down!!!

Thoth8

It's okay, Capricorn_Dude, it's human nature to single out people who do things a little differently. Most people haven't overcome this instinctual habit. It was a necessary instinct back in the day (thousands of years ago), as communities were smaller and people with ideas that varied too greatly from the others were considered a danger and a threat. Human DNA only changes 1% every million years. :-P

harley1968

Hello, I am not sure if I could fast for 3 days, as I do like my food and I really don't think I could get through the days on just water, but if it suits you then good luck.

I think as long as you are happy with your diet then people should be supportive and offer encouragement where they can, we all are made differently and not the same thing suits everyone

Thoth8

Yes, I'm definitely not planning on fasting 3 days a week forever. After my goal is achieved, I'll only fast once a week. (much easier)

As far as whether I'm happy with the diet or not... I'm gonna have to quote Jack LaLanne on exercise: "I hate exercise, but I love the results."

Same sentiments for me regarding fasting, haha.

harley1968

Yes, I'm definitely not planning on fasting 3 days a week forever. After my goal is achieved, I'll only fast once a week. (much easier)

As far as whether I'm happy with the diet or not... I'm gonna have to quote Jack LaLanne on exercise: "I hate exercise, but I love the results."

Same sentiments for me regarding fasting, haha.

Well it would be hard to keep up that sort of diet long term....and I am going to have to ask who is Jack LaLanne is as I am from the UK and have no clue :laugh:

Sarauk2sf

Sounds like a terrible idea to me. Why not stick with a reasonable caloric deficit? Also, you should look into the less extreme versions like 5:2 or ESE (Eat Stop Eat) if you want to incorporate fasting.

brencklea

I say do what you gotta do to get where you wanna be. Not sure that I agree with your methods, but if you can sustain your health and losses, go for it. Good luck!

rassha01

I think I am going to try an IF program eventually. i have been teetering between 5 pounds for the last 2 months and have tried upping my cals, lowering my cals and cannot seem to budge. After taking what seemed like the majoritys advice of upping my cals, I do not believe this will work for me. I do not understand why everyone gets so angry over this subject as the science has not been proven thoroughly for any method of weight loss or there would only be 1 method!! And if the developers believed there was only one true way to use this site they would not allow users to define their own nutritional requirements.

Anywho, like the OP stated he is looking for emcouragement and this is what I thought the site was supposed to be used for. So good luck kanifer!

Thoth8

@harley1968

Don't feel bad, I am practically in tears myself that I just recently learned who Jack LaLanne is. He's the patriarch of modern fitness. He invented the leg extension machine, the cable pulley system of weight machines which most of the world now uses, and was capable of several superhuman feats which left even prominent people like Arnold Schwarzenegger in awe. A summary of his superhuman accomplishments: 1000+ pushups in 20 mins (1955!!! in his 40s) pulling 70 boats while hand-cuffed and shackled, swimming only with his legs... he pulled them for 1 mile (1.5 km) and there were even people on the boats. This guy was a serious hulk. Not to mention he stopped eating all forms of junk food at the age of 15. He exercised for at least 2 hours everyday regardless of illness or weather. He lived to be 96 years old, he died in 2011. :-(

PetulantOne

If you put all the weight back on after the first time you did this, why would you be trying it again? It obviously wasn't sustainable.

Thoth8

@: Sarauk2sf

My fasting IS from Eat Stop Eat. He (Brad Pilon, the author) recommends 2 days a week. I just added a day. According to his research between 18-72 hours of fasting gives the greatest benefits. I am doing 3 bouts of 30 hours.


@ Rassha01 Thanks and yeah, definitely give it a shot. As long as you're an adult with no illnesses like diabetes or the like, trying a 24 hour session of fasting shouldn't be a problem. It's mentally tough though.

@ brencklea thanks!

Thoth8

@ Jackien2js I had financial issues at the time which is the only reason I stopped. It was sustainable but the organic foods were expensive and I was in debt, so I had to resort* to eating really cheap foods that were not so healthy, this killed my motivation. Now my financial issues are resolved, and I finally got my motivation back recently.

harley1968

@harley1968

Don't feel bad, I am practically in tears myself that I just recently learned who Jack LaLanne is. He's the patriarch of modern fitness. He invented the leg extension machine, the cable pulley system of weight machines which most of the world now uses, and was capable of several superhuman feats which left even prominent people like Arnold Schwarzenegger in awe. A summary of his superhuman accomplishments: 1000+ pushups in 20 mins (1955!!! in his 40s) pulling 70 boats while hand-cuffed and shackled, swimming only with his legs... he pulled them for 1 mile (1.5 km) and there were even people on the boats. This guy was a serious hulk. Not to mention he stopped eating all forms of junk food at the age of 15. He exercised for at least 2 hours everyday regardless of illness or weather. He lived to be 96 years old, he died in 2011. :-(

Thank you for letting me know

tphil58

Good Luck Kanifer! I am rooting for you to do it this time!

Woodmangler

Heya... just wanted to add something

" pulling 70 boats while hand-cuffed and shackled, swimming only with his legs... he pulled them for 1 mile (1.5 km) and there were even people on the boats"

One thing to add... this was on his 70th birthday

I was there... I was on my Coast Guard boat enforcing the safety/security zone. He came on board and kidded around with us... then towed our 41' boat a couple of hundred yards!

Amazing man.... glad I got pictures of this...

Thoth8

Thanks Tphil.

And Woodmangler, OMG I am so jealous. Yes, I forgot to mention he did this in his 70s. I am rather pissed that I only found out about him now. I only learned of his existence like 1-2 months ago. He's my number 1 idol on the fitness front now. Jeez... all my idols are dying out.... first George Carlin, then Robert Jordan, and now Jack LaLanne.

I would have loved to see that. I was really born in the wrong age haha.

shannashannabobana

I definately think fasting has benefits but you may be able to see them with a routine that is not quite as strict. It could be that is why you regained the weight last time? Try doing something including fasting you think you can live with forever, like leangains.

fuzzieme

Sounds good to me, similarly I know exactly what I should do but have trouble doing it, heh heh. I have fasted before but it is very tough, now I regularly consume only fresh vegetable juice every few weeks. I find it clears my mind and reduces the cravings for crappy foods. It teaches self discipline, for people like me who aren't always in control around food that can only be a good thing Best of luck man, I hope it goes well for you

Thoth8

Hi Shanna, yes it's not easy. I'm an impatient man by nature, this is the least radical thing I can accept right now. I will reduce the amount of fasting to one day once my goal is attained.