I fought and i”ve won the battle of the bulge

PhilL

PhilL

Joined
Oct 1, 1999
Messages
6,490
I’ve been battling with my weight for about thirty years. Sometimes in public view on these forums, here’s three threads I started related to the subject going back to 2005.

Hurrrrray! I'm just OBESE!!! from 2005
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/347865-Hurrrrray!-I-m-just-OBESE!!!?highlight=Obese

Just Obese...Revisited from 2007[/b]
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/478512-Just-Obese-Revisited?highlight=Obese

My last post on this topic here was in 2008
Do You Take Time To Exercise Daily?
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/555499-Do-You-Take-Time-To-Exercise-Daily

On that thread I wrote, “For the record, last year I never made it to my Goal Weight of 180 lbs. I did get under 200, within 19 lbs of Goal.”

At last I can report that I’ve found the answer, the weight loss breakthrough I’ve been asking for and it was easier than I ever imagined. In all of those years of trying I never did hit my Goal Weight of 180 lbs. I did try everything, none of it worked for long.

In January 2012 I was probably 245 lbs (I say probably because I was afraid to get on a scale) I was walking with a cane and I was 63 years OLD. I went back to what I had done in the past and went Low Carb. It worked for a while, but I wasn’t losing a pound a day on it like I had done in the past, but I was losing about 10 lbs. a month, which was okay with me. I started a new job in May and I was 238 lbs. the good news was the cane was gone. I was walking a couple of miles a day, to and from the train to work and on my breaks.

On June 24th I watched a show on PBS that changed my life. I started the eating program which guaranteed a 20 pound weight loss in 6 weeks. It turns out I lost 27 lbs. in six weeks and I’ve changed the way I look at food and wil eat the for the rest of my life. I stayed on the program and continued to lose, for a while as much as a pound a day. I was eating good and feeling great.

I’ve been on the program for about five months. I’m proud to report that I’ve hit that goal weight of 180 lbs that I set in my mind so long ago. I haven’t been this weight in over 30 years, and I’m still losing, not as quickly, but I am losing. I’ll continue eating as I am, exercising daily and my new goal weight is whatever weight my body decides is right. I will probably end up at 150 - 155 lbs.

I expect to put on a few pounds this week of Thanksgiving, but it won’t be the 60 + pounds I’ve lost this year.

Of course I want to share what I’ve learned with all who care to listen. I’m not selling anything, I’m just sharing information. Information that I know has changed my life and everyone else who has tried it. The benefits go far beyond weight loss. It’s all about eating to live, instead of living to eat.

I want to hear how my old friends are doing: Ren, Grease-man, Bumpo, Tracker, Larry Harley, L6, Trout Tamer, Silent Hunter, KC Slim c’mon you guys know who you are?

And you FNG’s you don’t have to be a fat a$$ to chime in and let me know you’re there.

Be back soon.
 
Last edited:
Man, the accident I was in was one of the best things for me. Got me away from carryout food, got me eating more sensibly, and brought my pressure down considerably. I am over 300 but under 400, and I'll leave it at that. I've probably eaten out a total of 5 times since I've been driving again over the past two months. I feel so much better, I am getting around easier and am looking forward to walking/hiking again. I was looking forward to making it to the next level in weight loss, but really fell off the wagon at a family party. I ate and drank way too much, good food and good hard cider. Made myself sick, I think I not only went overboard on food, just the rich ethnic food was too much for my body that had grown accustomed to good healthy foods.

I am glad you are doing well, and would like to know what you tried. I have gotten away from food being a form of entertainment.
 
Yes it would be nice to hear what method finally worked for you. A desk job has led me to packing on the pounds.
 
I'd love to hear how...I could stand to lose 30-40 lbs, but have a hard time to find the motivation to work out after doing construction work all day :(
thanks for the opportunity and Im glad to hear you're feeling better Dan :D
CH
 
On Sunday.June 24th I was watching PBS, and I was interested in this show Dr. Joel Fuhrman - ‘Eat To Live’. It was time for a change from the Low Carb diet I’d been on. Eat to Live is a mostly vegetarian diet, where Salad is the Main Course. Everything he said made sense. He presented a very simple program designed to help you lose 20 pounds in 6 weeks.

I never had any desire to be a Vegetarian, and I’m not one now. The plan allows for 12 ounces of meat per week. I chose not to eat meat for the 6 weeks I was on the program. Even though I do eat meat, I do eat far more healthy than any Vegan. I have One Cheat Meal per week where I eat whatever I want. This week that meal will be my Thanksgiving dinner.

I started the next day Monday June 25th. I started at 230 lbs. my waist measurement 42 inches.
Today I’m 179 lbs with a 34” waist.

Here’s the Eat To Live Plan

Breakfast: Fresh Fruit
Lunch: Salad, Beans on top, and more fruit.
Dinner: Salad and two cooked vegetables.
Dessert: Fruit.

That’s the Plan in it’s simplest form.

About the book Eat To Live

This book will allow everyone who stays on the program to become
slimmer, healthier, and younger looking. You will embark on
an adventure that will transform your entire life. Not only will you
lose weight, you will sleep better, feel better physically, have more
energy, and feel better emotionally. And you will lower your chances
of developing serious diseases in the future. You will learn why diets
haven't worked for you in the past and why so many popular weightloss
plans simply do not meet the scientific criteria for effectiveness
and safety.

My promise is threefold: substantial, healthy weight reduction in
a short period of time; prevention or reversal of many chronic and
life-threatening medical conditions; and a new understanding of
food and health that will continue to pay dividends for the rest of
your life.

Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
​
 
PhilL, I'm curious as to what your grocery bill looks like? My wife and I have dabbled with attempts to eat a more healthy diet, but one unforeseen handicap we hit was that--at least locally--it grows prohibitively expensive, very quickly. Our food industry today has made it much cheaper (not to mention easier, with all the dietary naughtiness that accompanies that) to eat pre-packaged, frozen, or freeze-dried foods. We saw an increase of about 20% in our grocery bill when we tried to eat nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh meats and such. While I realise that it's an investment for our health and longevity, that butts up against the hard reality of our grocery budget. That, plus the ease-of-prep factor, pretty quickly dragged us back to the freezer aisle. My wife is a great cook, but neither of us really has the time to prepare meals on a regular basis, between me working two jobs (one on a rotating night shift, the other a part-time at any hour of the day), and her working a job that requires her to put in extra time beyond normal workday hours. Something has to give, and we've all but resigned ourselves to it being our diet. If you're on to something sustainable and affordable, I'd love to hear about it, because we, too, are in the boat of needing to be between twenty and forty pounds lighter for the good of our aging bodies.
 
Kalindras, "PhilL, I'm curious as to what your grocery bill looks like?"

Good question. I know that I'm saving money every week by eating healthier. The staples of the 'Eat To Live' program are inexpensive. My food costs for my wife and myself costs between $100 and $150 a week, here in Brooklyn, NY.

My regular meal plan is;

7AM Breakfast fruit (whatever I feel like and as much as I want),
11AM Break a piece of fruit,
1PM Lunch is mashed beans and vegetables,
3PM Snack a piece of fruit,
7PM Huge salad,
8PM Dinner is mashed beans and vegetables,
9PM Dessert fruit.

I eat every two hours or so.

My salad will be in a bowl big enough to serve four. In it I’ll use whatever lettuce looks good, celery, onion, cucumber, mushrooms, carrot, apple, pear, raw cashews, fresh or fire roasted red pepper. NO CROUTONS or BACON BITS, and NO HIGH CALORIE / HI Fat dressing. I make my own.

My salad dressing is; 1 tbs. Ground Flax seed, 2 tbs. of Red Wine Vinegar, 2 tbs. of Organic Apple Juice, 1/2 tsp. Dijon Mustard and a dash of Mrs Dash. I shake it up in an empty mustard jar, dress and toss my Huge salad. My dressing tastes great to me. It has No Fat, Oil or Salt.

Mashed (or pureed) beans are a staple of my personal meal plan.
The way I make them is; I dice an onion and sauté in a little butter and olive oil, add some crushed red pepper flakes and crushed garlic. When I smell the garlic (only takes about 30 seconds) I add 2 large cans (1 lb. 13 oz,) of rinsed Progresso beans. I stir the beans with the onion and garlic and then add chicken stock (1 cup to a 1 1/2 cups). I toss in some fresh herbs (tyme, rosemary) I let the beans simmer and get really tender, about 10 minutes. Then I puree them in a food processor. This makes about 8 portions. They're very filling and a good source of fibre and protein. Very little fat and no salt. They taste great hot or cold. Much more flavour than mashed potatoes, pasta or rice. Anything I might put over potatoes, pasta or rice I can put over my mashed beans. I've been eating them twice a day for over 5 months and haven't got tired of them yet.

I cook my vegetables for my lunches and dinners in large batches, so I don’t cook every night. My go-to vegetable dishes are; Gazpacho, Pasta Fagioli (minus the pasta), Caponata or Ratatouille (which surprisingly has no rat in the recipe) Chow Mein, or a combination of mixed vegetables steamed and dressed with black pepper and red Wine Vinegar. I search for recipies for vegetables that I don’t really eat, like I want to start eating more Kale, Brocolli and some others that I know are good for me, but I’m not used to them.

That’s when I found:
Gordon Ramsay’s Broccoli Soup:
Bring water to a boil in a large stock pot. Add a large pinch of salt (1 – 1 1/2 Tbsp.). Add broccoli and boil rapidly. Your broccoli is finished cooking when you can pierce it with little or no effort (15 to 20 mins.). Remove the stock pan from the stove burner. DO NOT POUR THE WATER OUT! Use a slotted spoon to add broccoli to a blender or food processor, but be careful because it’s boiling hot! Pour enough of the water left over from cooking the broccoli to fill the blender half way. Add a pinch (or more) of salt. Use several pulses on your blender to break the broccoli up and then puree for several seconds.
Pour soup into shallow bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and serve at once! Delicious!

I’ve been topping off my soup with sauteed onions & mushrooms and walnuts. The best Anti-Cancer soup I can think of. Amazing! Mostly because I never ate broccoli.


Geeeez, I just made myself hungry. I'm going to have some soup.
 
Last edited:
Great thread Phil! Any way of losing the weight and getting healthier and living better is a good way. Congrats and I hope your story is an inspiration to others.

Nathan
 
SurpriseGoat said:
I hope your story is an inspiration to others.
Nathan
Click to expand...

Nathan, that is exactly the reason for this thread.

“The #1 Killer of all American men and women - is almost 100% avoidable” Dr. Joel Furhman “Eat To Live”

Did you know that by eating green leafy vegetables and as little as one mushroom a day a woman can reduce the chances of getting breast cancer by 85%.

I'm not a woman, but all of the men in my family have died at age 70 of Cancer. At 63 years old you can bet I'm eating greens and mushrooms every day. I don't care what they cost.

Losing weight is a by-product of 'Eat To Live'.

If anyone would like links to the PBS 'Eat To Live' program that started me on the program, email me.
 
Last edited:
Good on you for taking control of your life! I started a similar journey about 18 months and I too used a low glycemic program to shave off 115lbs so far. I am within 7lbs of my final goal weight... For those interested, I used a program from a book called "The 17 day diet". My advise to those suffering with the indignities of being obese, take control of your own life and understand that the ONLY way for successful weight loss is that you must embrace fundamental and permanent change in your lifestyle.

/jr.
 
Congratulations!!!

I fought and won(?) the battle about ten years ago. Due to some health issues I went down to about half my body weight.



In 31 days. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

It didn't take. I now need to loose a bunch of weight yet again. I do not want to do it the same as last time. That sucked, it tool almost a year to recover. All my numbers are good but the knees let me know I need to do something.
 
Last edited:
Ebbtide said:
Good to see you back skinny!
Click to expand...
Wally!!!! Not yet my friend, but I'm getting there.

DustyZZ, you are so correct. It's not the taking it off it's the keeping it off.

Pyrguy, half your weight in a month is downright scary. If you're looking for another way to eat healthier and lose weight in the process I urge you to look at Dr. Furhman's program

What should you eat?
G-B-O-M-B-S
Greens
Beans
Onions
Mushrooms
Berries
Seeds
and less of everything else
 
I have been following Fuhrman "off and on" for a while. At it's strictest, for me, it is not sustainable. If you read some of Fuhrman's other papers, he states that a little bit of chicken or fish is okay, but he is much more militant in "Eat to Live". IMHO, it is because you have to take extreme positions in today's media blitz (i.e. Atkins--eat all the meat you want!; Esslestynn-eat veggies and grains--meat and dairy will kill you. His favorite aphorism is "moderation kills!")

I do like FUhrman's basic premise. Eat mostly plants, whole food, not processed. I can't handle strict vegetarianism, but I can't see much of a downside to eating a lot of veggies and grains, and less meat. My whole family has been sick lately, so I've used it as an excuse to "cheat" but I really do feel pretty good when I eat mostly veggies, with a little meat thrown in 3-4 times a week. I've cut my meat intake more than in half, my dairy by 75% and my processed food by 90%. I think that is all positive.
 
Great input Shann, it's good to hear from someone else who has applied the Furhman program.

The first six weeks of Eat To Live, is supposed to be strict, and is supposed to be the most difficult. Meat is allowed in the first six weeks, I chose to go meatless and felt no sense of loss. After the first six weeks the only thing I changes was to add one cheat meal per week. Not a Cheat Day, just a meal.

Once again, I'm not a 'Vegan' or Vegetarian, I'm a Meat Eater. But, I try to keep my meat eating to One Meal Per Week. That's not Furhman's plan, that's my plan.

I don't see any downside to the Dr. Furhman 'Eat To Live' program for life.

Dr. Furhman goes by the 90 - 10 Rule, if you eat clean 90% of the time than 10% of the time, you can eat what you want. What I've found is when you eat clean, you don't want that 10%. It's just not worth it. But, that's just me.
The more I can eats of those GBOMBS not only the healthier will I be, but the more weight I will lose and the less the desire for the Fats, Dairy, Grains, Meats and other garbage that we've come to consider the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.)

That diet is killing us. If I can eat my way out of this I'm going to do it.
 
Oh, and by the way congratulations Phil! It is terribly hard to lose weight and harder still to keep it off.

I agree that there isn't really a downside to Fuhrman. I just find it really hard. Intuitively, it "seems" like the right approach. A lot of diets you read about don't sound particularly healthy even if you do lose weight, but Fuhrman does. I am hoping that as we get over our colds\flus and survive Thanksgiving, we will get back on track.
 
Shann said:
I am hoping that as we get over our colds\flus and survive Thanksgiving, we will get back on track.
Click to expand...

Feel better soon Shann.

You're going to think I'm nuts, but I actually believe I'll be able to avoid colds/flu this year because I'm on 'Eat To Live'. I also think I'll be able to dodge the Big C.
I expect to die sometime, but it's not going to be because of weight related issues. ;)
 
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, I know I sure did.
My 'One Cheat Meal' turned into 4 days of real fine eating. Turkey of course and all the fixings, my wife's favorite cheese cake, beer, wine. Only to finish it all off Sunday night with Fettucini Alfredo. OMG, sometimes it's a curse to cook as good as I do.

I got on the scale Monday morning to look at 189 lbs. 10 pounds! I just had to smile, as much as I ate and enjoyed I know I didn't consume no 32,000 calories for me to have gained 10 pounds of FAT. I went right back on 'Eat To Live'. I was losing water like crazy and this morning I was 186. I expect to get down to 179 by Sunday.

When you know you have a plan that works, you can fall off the wagon for a couple of days (one and one only would be better) and then get right back on. Without worrying, without beating yourself up and without making excuses about how hard it's going to be. It's not hard, it is the right thing to do and the right way to eat.

Now, what have I learned to get me through Christmas and New Years?
 
Nice job, Phil.

Looking forward to seeing more about your diet, and the progress you are making.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top