Survival Simulation Diet. Don't try this at home.

Fletcher Knives

Fletcher Knives

STEEL BREATHING BLADE MAESTRO
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Before we get into it, please understand, I do not think that this is incredibly healthy. I understand that what I'm doing could be risky and have some serious negative effects. I don't encourage anyone else to do anything like this. I am in constant contact with my doctor and he will keep up with everything to make sure I don't do myself too much harm. He works right next door to my job, which is only a couple of miles from my home, so getting to him or him getting to me isn't a problem.

So I decided to do this for two reasons. One, I want to see what the minimum amount of food is that someone can live on and still maintain a good level of energy and keep physically fit. Two, I'm a fat f@#$ at the moment and I want to lose weight before my wife and I go on a cruise this Summer. Since I was going to go on a diet anyways, I figured, hey... no better time to find this out.

EDIT: To clear up further, I AM NOT DOING THIS AS A DIET TO LOSE WEIGHT. That is just when I had the idea, because I was going to go on a diet anyways. This is an experiment, not a diet. I'm not a teenaged prom queen. ...Otherwise I would just get free drugs and lose weight that way.

So here is what I'm doing. In almost any environment I've been in, short of tundra, I've been able to find a minimum amount of food. Most of the time it's a little bit of wild edibles and a small amount of meat or other protein (like bugs). To simulate this, I'm limiting myself to one teeny tiny serving of leafy stuff a day, followed by one very small meat or other food that contains a tiny amount of fat and a livable amount of protein. I'm also drinking plenty of water, but nothing else.

I've been doing this since last Friday. I'm going to go for two months, or until I lose too much weight and/or start have health issues, which ever comes first, more than likely will be the latter. Also, while doing this extremely horrible diet of damn near nothing, I'm still going to keep up my workout routine which consists of weights, running, and using an elliptical machine. I work out for approx. an hour and a half every single day. The workout will simulate having to gather firewood, build shelter, travel, etc. We'll see what the effects of the diet and daily strenuous activity will have.

One thing to keep in mind about this little experiment is that I am obese and my stomach is used to having a few LARGE meals every day.

So far, since last Friday, here is what has happened.

The first day sucked pretty bad. I had a lot of headaches and stomach pains. It was pretty much how it always feels to go a day without eating.

Saturday, I was hungry for most of the day, but only had a couple of headaches that didn't last very long. I felt a little bit weaker during the workout.

Sunday, The stomach pains are gone. I notice that my little bits of food keep me from getting too hungry and my second tiny meal actually fills me up to the point of feeling a little too full.

Yesterday, Monday, I felt better during the workout, No headaches, and no stomach pains. My energy level still seems fine. If anything, might be a little better with the toxins from fast food and junk food leaving me. I still get hungry, but it's not the same as before. Before, I would get hungry to the point of being super irritable and even nauseous.

This morning, I weighed myself. I have lost ten pounds. I still feel ok. I'm still getting hungry, but it has lightened up more. So far today, I've had two cherry tomatoes to eat.

Here is a fairly recent picture of my big fat ass. I'm actually a little bit heavier than that now. Or at least I was before this experiment.

Thanksgiving019.jpg
 
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I've done it with similar results.

Not for two months though. Went from 200 down to 180 in about 2 weeks, then lost 5 lbs or so a week after that. Stopped at 3 weeks and tried to eat a normal diet with smaller portions than I used to eat.

Be careful driving, you WILL get boughts of lightheaded/dizzyness, but you will also have euphoria sometimes.

I would recomend ONE thing. Take a multivitamin WITH your bit of food every other day or so. Your body is going to start leeching all the vitamins out of your system after a week or so.

When you start eating again, take it slow. If you try to hork down a big meal, you are gonna be in pain and red meat makes you want to barf for a while, especially if you like it on the rare side like I do.
 
I kind of understand what you're trying to do but as you stated it's not really healthy. Let me prempt this by saying I'm no expert but when you reduce your calorie intake like you're doing it makes your metabolism slow down and goes into starvation mode and the body tends to store the consumed calories as opposed to burning them. As for trying to lose weight there are better proven methods.
 
Interesting idea

Personally I would stear clear of weight training if I had a low protein diet. Thats a recipe for some serious muscle tears.

I'm laughing at the Americanised Boddingtons can, Boddingtons is Bitter not Ale!! :)
 
That and as I understand it, muscle is easier to break down than fat. So when your body freaks out because you're giving it no food, it will canibalize muscle first.
 
I like this idea. Now this might be crazy, but I suggest instead of eating a little bit of meat a day, actually eat bugs. I'm being serious here. I am just curious to see how much more caloric value bugs have over meat, and they are much easier to find. If you eat maybe 1/2 cup of bugs a day, how will that affect your energy levels?
 
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Evolute said:
Dylside,

Did you read my thread about starvation and fasting, a few months ago?
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Sure did. That was a good thread.

Also guys, I decided not to take a multivitamion as of yet since there aren't any that grow on trees or walk around. I want to keep it as close to real starvation as possible. At the moment, this is much more for the experiment side of it than just losing weight. If I just wanted to lose weight, I would NOT do this. lol. I've read a quite a few things, including threads here, about this kind of starvation and the effects it has on the human body, including how the body switches gears and burns muscle and everything. Believe me, I'm well aware of what is going on. As much of a stupid idea as this may be, I've never seen any real log of what happens and was just too interested in it to not do it.

I'll have a good month or so to get myself back on track after this before we go on our cruise, which I'll use to get back to regular portions of food and eating heavy foods and meats. Normally, when I'm in great shape, I have a very protein rich diet and eat multivitamins and do everything I can to make sure that my diet fuels me to meet my active lifestyle. I spent years and years practicing and instructing martial arts and spent years keeping my body up for motorcycle racing, so up until the last two years or so I really kept an incredibly healthy and productive diet. I wanted you guys to know that so you don't think I'm just putting myself on the Nicole Richy/Lindsay Lohan diet. lol.

I'll keep you guys updated regularly on how this goes. Might not be daily or anything, but I'll keep it nice and frequent.

Edit: One other thing. I won't be driving anytime soon. I always either walk to work or have my wife drop me off on her way to work. Also, none of my motorcycles are street legal right now so you guys don't have to worry about me trying to ride either. lol

Also, I do have a good amount of insects on hand to work into the diet. I have a good deal of mealworms, crickets, and so on.
 
Well, this will sure be interesting! As long as you are in touch with your doctor I am sure you'll be well ahead of any disasters that are likely to happen.
 
bladefixation2 said:
Interesting idea

Personally I would stear clear of weight training if I had a low protein diet. Thats a recipe for some serious muscle tears.

I'm laughing at the Americanised Boddingtons can, Boddingtons is Bitter not Ale!! :)
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if it has a top yeast fermentation, which Boddington does, then it's ale by definition. bitter is a flavor characteristic, dependent on hops.
 
I love Boddingtons!!!!!!!!!

Good luck Dylan. Ive been doin somewhat the same thing for the past 2 weeks. Just not as hardcore.
 
Very interesting idea:thumbup: And(under supervision) worth trying out.Eating IS a pleasure but most of us ingest far too much and much of it far too crap.

I agree about taking vitamins with this, are you drinking tea/coffee/soft drinks?
couldn't manage without caffeine myself....

If you do all this running and training how come you are big anyway Or do you eat massively? also is it mainly junk?

If you keep drinking that Boddington's Bitter that'll get the weight off you..it's a deadly laxative:D

A point to consider that in memoirs and diary accounts of long forced marches by armies and civilians on retreat, it was always the tallest biggest types who wilted and died first.Big strong men depend on a big strong diet,without it they often soon fade. The thinner types had much more resistance to enduring cold,hunger and fatigue.Survival of the thinnest eh?

Good luck with yout project and keep us posted:thumbup:
 
Good luck Dylside. Letting myself go has been a constant fear since my old man passed at 47. He was very active/athletic until his last 5 years, let his health slide due to work and kids and paid for it.
With sports/martial background it is very easy to pack it on quick weight when you stop, after all this find a sport or teach again. Once you hit 30+ it is very hard to fire up your metabolism and find the time to burn it off.
Fear of not making 50 and having to work too damn hard for it at the bar keeps me under 180 lb. 40(f**k) is only 2 years away.
good luck buddy and keep us posted.
 
Don`t starve yourself. You will never lose weight. If you want to lose weight, eat like a diabetic. Six small meals a day When you feel hungry snack on nuts and fruits. And most important, exercise. watch your sugar levels. Your body will run on sugar and keep your fat safely tucked away. I lost thirty pounds this way. Oh yeah, The beer has to go for awhile(the hardest part). When I am out in the woods, I always carry all kinds of snacks trailmix, jerky,nuts. salami and cheese is always good. good luck with your weight.
 
Hope you are keeping in touch with your doctor. The stresses you are subjecting to your body can result in permanent damage to your system.

Good experiment and good luck, but keep your doctor's # handy.
 
johnny reb said:
Don`t starve yourself. You will never lose weight. If you want to lose weight, eat like a diabetic. Six small meals a day When you feel hungry snack on nuts and fruits. And most important, exercise. watch your sugar levels. Your body will run on sugar and keep your fat safely tucked away. I lost thirty pounds this way. Oh yeah, The beer has to go for awhile(the hardest part). When I am out in the woods, I always carry all kinds of snacks trailmix, jerky,nuts. salami and cheese is always good. good luck with your weight.
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Johnny, read the whole thread. This isn't a diet designed to lose weight. This is an experiment in starvation.

CWL said:
Hope you are keeping in touch with your doctor. The stresses you are subjecting to your body can result in permanent damage to your system.

Good experiment and good luck, but keep your doctor's # handy.
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Got it. He will be giving me checkups regularly. He actually came by and saw me about an hour ago. Everything is still 5x5.

willgoy said:
Very interesting idea And(under supervision) worth trying out.Eating IS a pleasure but most of us ingest far too much and much of it far too crap.

I agree about taking vitamins with this, are you drinking tea/coffee/soft drinks?
couldn't manage without caffeine myself....

If you do all this running and training how come you are big anyway Or do you eat massively? also is it mainly junk?

If you keep drinking that Boddington's Bitter that'll get the weight off you..it's a deadly laxative

A point to consider that in memoirs and diary accounts of long forced marches by armies and civilians on retreat, it was always the tallest biggest types who wilted and died first.Big strong men depend on a big strong diet,without it they often soon fade. The thinner types had much more resistance to enduring cold,hunger and fatigue.Survival of the thinnest eh?

Good luck with yout project and keep us posted
Click to expand...

The running and training stopped about 2 years ago (got married / got comfortable) and I just started eating WAY too much crap food. That is about 2 years of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Burger King, etc. Plus I gained some weight when I quit smoking. I really let mmyself go to doodoo when I got married. I kept saying "oh I'm still on honeymoon/vacation eating status. I was always "fixin to" start working out again. I even went to the gym a couple of time thinking "ok. This is it." So now I'm the chunky husband. lol. No vitamins and nothing to drink but water. If I start to get funky, I'll add vitamins to the mix. Since this is to see what happens without the readily available food from a store, I decided not to take vitamins. If it isn't plant or animal, I'm not eating it.
 
johnny reb said:
Don`t starve yourself. You will never lose weight. If you want to lose weight, eat like a diabetic. Six small meals a day When you feel hungry snack on nuts and fruits. And most important, exercise. watch your sugar levels. Your body will run on sugar and keep your fat safely tucked away. I lost thirty pounds this way. Oh yeah, The beer has to go for awhile(the hardest part). When I am out in the woods, I always carry all kinds of snacks trailmix, jerky,nuts. salami and cheese is always good. good luck with your weight.
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Correct...Good advice.... You may lose mass but the weight will come roaring back if not done correctly....snack healthy thru the day ,smaller portion and the weight will come off !
I am doing the smaller portion thing and watching what I eat... and if I crave a Dr.pepper I drink 1-2 8oz cans a week( a wee 8oz goes fast)..... 95% of the time I mainly drink water.I cut back my Coffee due to all the sugar & cream I put in it... I use to drink up to 3 12oz cups a day,now I am down to one & using packets of sugar(2) instead of using a spoon from sugar container,it is hard .... Keep up the good work D-man !:D
 
texastonydobbs said:
Correct...Good advice.... You may lose mass but the weight will come roaring back if not done correctly....snack healthy thru the day ,smaller portion and the weight will come off !
I am doing the smaller portion thing and watching what I eat... and if I crave a Dr.pepper I drink 1-2 8oz cans a week( a wee 8oz goes fast)..... 95% of the time I mainly drink water.I cut back my Coffee due to all the sugar & cream I put in it... I use to drink up to 3 12oz cups a day,now I am down to one & using packets of sugar(2) instead of using a spoon from sugar container,it is hard .... Keep up the good work D-man !:D
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Yes. That is good advice. If you want to go on a diet, do that stuff. Not what I'm doing.
 
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