So I had put on some weight and decided to lose it.

[howard112211]

To be more precise: After a period of time that lasted a couple of months during which I was writing my PhD thesis I had developed bad eating habits and stopped doing sports. One day I stepped onto some scales and they showed 78 kilogram, which is on the low edge of being overweight for my height of 173 centimeters (I use metric units because that is what I am most familiar with). So after turning in my thesis I decided to do something about it, and bring that number down to 73 kilogram or lower (preferably lower). However, I wanted to do it in a healthy and effective way. So I thought about what would be the most straight forward approach.

Here is what I did: The first thing I did was to eliminate all added sugars from drinks or meals. So if I made me a cup of coffee, I used milk only or aspartame based sweetener (I am not afraid of that stuff and also think it tastes ok). I also replaced all breads by whole grains and stopped eating candies or salty snacks like potatoe chips altogether. Snacks in between meals were taken entirely in form of fruit. However, these were just the initial measures.

To proceed, I decided I would take a scientific no-bullshit approach: I searched the web for sites that offered calculators where one can compute the daily calorie demand based on age, gender, height, weight and activity levels. The two sites I used, unfortunately are in german, but I am sure there are similar things in english language out there.

Here are the the links that I used:
http://www.gesundheitstrends.de/lebensmitteldb/kalorienverbrauch.htm
http://tools.fettrechner.de/kalorienverbrauch.html

Especially the second one is very good, because it takes very detailed information into account. Then, using similar websites that provide tables of calorie values of different foods, I computed the calorie values of everything I ate, and wrote it down on a notepad. Especially in the beginning I was very strict about that. I purchased a set of kitchen scales to weigh my foods even. I decided
to undershoot the calculated calorie demand by atleast 200 a day, 500 at the most. I tried to be as accurate in my documentation as possible and not over and undercount.

I always saved a joghurt or a few pieces of fruit until the end of the day and ate it right before going to bed, to prevent nightly hunger surges or undersugaring. I did that every day.

Now, from what I read on the web, undereating causes the body to slow down the metabolism and reduce muscle mass, which is a natural reaction of the body in the face of a perceived food shortage which evolution generated as a survival strategy. This however leads to the infamous jojo effect, where one later gains the same amount of weight back.

The way to prevent that from happening is through sports. The body will keep a high metabolism, if it is routinely challanged, and will also keep the muscle mass. So I started (actually restarted because I used to do that a lot in the past) doing at the very least 25 minutes of jogging a week. On days which I went jogging, the above calculator of course showed a higher calorie demand, which I did take into account and ate more on that particular day. I also tried to get back to Karate practice as often as my job allowed it, which in the event that I could fit it into my schedule, often replaced one of the jogging sessions. At work, I started to always take the stairs and never use the elevator.

At the beginning of my diet, I also purchased a set of accurate scales that would measure kilograms up to one digit, and weight myself every morning. I wrote down my weight every morning and wrote down my calorie intake and what type of sport I had done that day every evening.

I did this for several weeks. I noticed my weight going down a little, but also noticed fluctuations. After a while, using GNUPLOT I created a worksheet where I could plot my weight against the day, and performed a linear regression, which gives the best linear function that describes a given data set. I updated that graph frequently. Here is the resulting graph after 80 days of dieting:



I was very strict for the first few weeks, but after I saw that I was getting results I loosened my diet a little bit and allowed for an occasional piece of chocolate or an „undocumented“ banana. I was pleased to see that this method was pretty effective and I was losing about 80 grams of weight every day on average.

After about 80 days I stopped the diet. I had made it even below the 73 kg that I had aimed at. I then decided to wait and see whether I would get a „jojo“ effect. It has been almost three months now since the end of my diet and I am at 71 kilogram right now. Also, just recently I took a two week trip to my family in the deep south where often such nutricious meals as „Ceasars pizza with a side order of buttered popcorn“ were imposed on me. I compensated for that by more frequent jogging sessions in the mornings.

I was pleased to see that my efforts where sucessful.


Several things I noticed or thought about during the whole time:

-This diet required more or less a complete restructuring of my eating habits. This was rough, especially during the beginning, and I also had to pay close attention to everything I ate. After a while, I got more firm about what I could eat and how much of it, and it got easier to follow it.

-I was probably overdoing the diet a bit in the beginning and I did go hungry quite often. I loosened the diet somewhat after a week or two since I found that it would not be sustainable otherwise. I went into „under-sugering“ a few times, which does not feel to good.

-The amount of food I could eat tremendously depended on the activity level of the particular day. On Karate days, my calorie demand skyrocketed, and I literally had to stuff myself with food on that day to get up to the 3200 calories that the calculator suggested. My regular intake was about 2300 to 2500.

-Had this method worked if I had thyroid problems, diabetes or some other chronic condition? Probably not.

-My weight could fluctuate up to 2 kilograms from one day to the next. This was something that confused me at first, until I learned that it is related to water storage and is not „real“ weight. The linear regression, I think, is the best way to screen out the effect of these fluctuations and see the actual trend.

-Weight loss is slow. Could I have pulled it off had I been 20 kilogram overweight instead of 5kg? Not sure. It was pretty tough there for a while. Although I kind of got used to it. At the same pace losing 20 kilgram would have taken almost a year. For me it was more of a „getting back in shape“ thing. I was not entirely out of shape at the beginning of the diet and could still do about 3 to 4 chin ups and about 40 to 50 push ups.

-I was pleased to see that the „intake minus outtake“ equation applies to me extremely well. I know some people claim it does not apply to them. I don't know anything about that. I suspect that it applies to most people, barring chronic medical conditions. I know some people who claim they can eat tremendous amounts of food and not gain weight. I don't know whether this is true, but they are certainly not the norm.

-I find it somewhat strange how people in the US always look for single issue solutions to the obestiy epidemic and try to circumvent the problem. The current „High Fructose Corn Syrup“ discussion sort of reminds of the days where everything was „low carb“. Does the body process different sugars in a different way and can fructose cause tumor growth in rats? Maybe. I don't know. These are interesting academic questions. But they are likely also completely irrelevant to the question what the cause of widespread obestiy is. It is very likely that „intake minus outtake“ is sufficient to explain at the very least 9 out of 10 cases of obesity.

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. That's a lot of analysis n/t

[LiberalLoner]

2. Good job on getting healthier! And Congratulations on earning your PhD.

I did read a study not that long ago that said something to the effect of, all the rats fed HFCS were obese on the same number of calories per day as the rats fed regular food without HFCS (same basic level of activity, same basic breed of rat.)

So there might be something in that. It sounds like an excuse, okay, but there may be something in that.

Another thing that we struggle with in the US that I didn't see when I lived in the Netherlands as a teen, is portion size. Here in America I would say our average portion size when we go out to eat (whether fast food or a nice restaurant) is easily twice the size of most European portions. Even our yogurt cups are much larger and have more calories. It's part of human nature to eat more when you have more sitting in front of you to eat. They have done studies showing this is true. Even things like plate size influence how much we eat!

So what happens is, we get used to eating portion sizes that are conducive to obesity rather than ideal weight. The stomach literally gets stretched out - then we deal with that hunger, with the low sugar in the blood, and all of those unpleasant symptoms. Even when we are eating what looks like to a European to be a normal portion of food, we feel hungry, because our stomachs are larger now and want more food.

It's not impossible for us Americans to lose weight or be a healthy weight (except for those of us with medical problems I mean) but our culture makes it really really really hard.

[varun]

3. Whats your age?

I think it gets harder to lose weight after 40. But you were diligent, and record keeping is a good way of getting feedback.

Congratulations!

[howard112211]

7. Were you asking me?

Male, 28 years old.

[LiberalLoner]

15. P.S. I forgot to add,

it would seem an easy answer to just say, "well, only eat half of what you get at the restaurants." In fact many diet experts advise just that. But it's harder than you would think, because in our culture, most of us are raised to think that wasting the food on our plate is a terrible thing. We are taught from the time we are a child onward, to eat all the food on our plate, even if we hate the food or if we are so full we are sick already from eating. In my household, where I grew up, we would be hit with a belt if we did not finish all of our dinner within a normal period of time.

So then when we grow up, it's very hard to overcome that earlier conditioning, and we tend to eat everything that is set in front of us. It only takes a few times of slipping back into the habit of finishing your whole meal, and then there you are again, with a stomach that demands way more food than what is good for you.

So in addition to the unhealthy HFCS and maybe other unhealthy additives, we have cultural pressures that make it a real uphill battle to remain slender and healthy.

And on top of all of that, we can't even have a rational discussion about all of this because weight issues have become such an emotionally fraught issue in America. The worst insult you can hurl at anyone (especially a woman) is: "You are fat!" It is devastating. We feel tremendous, unbearable shame if we do not live up to the models we see on TV and in the magazines. And this shame drives us to eat even more - to give up, to not even try anymore. We think we are already worthless failures, so why even try?

It's a very complicated issue here in the U.S. Much of the problem is cultural.

[hlthe2b]

4. I congratulate and caution you on your success.

The reasons for the US becoming #2 in the world for obesity are multi-factorial. You seem very willing to boil the entire problem down into one of poor self-control, a lack of "understanding" of nutritional concepts and a "one solution fits all" (i.e., intake minus outtake) conclusion.

Might I mention the fact that you appear to be male and unhindered by female hormonal cycles your body's response to food, drugs, and even some forms of exercise are different in varying degrees that impact success?

Again, congratulations on your success. But, please don't become one of the more sanctimonious who denigrates others who find weight loss a more challenging struggle.

[howard112211]

6. I apologize if I appear sanctimonious.

I just wanted to describe what worked for me. I realize also that had I been far overweight, this method would have likely not been so comparatively easy to apply.

[LiberalLoner]

12. Oh, I think this is a culture clash....I mean I wanted to say, I've been around alot of

Germans (my family in part comes from Germany) and I came to realize that there are cultural differences and differences in the way we express things, the way we use language, even when we are using each other's language. There are barriers to good understanding.

I completely understood where you were coming from because I know you wrote things with a good heart and with no malice. But I also cringed a little and was nervous because I know how the German style of writing and saying things can come across to us - as "holier than thou." Or smug.

I guess what I am trying to say is, if you are an American reading this, please understand that it's about 100% certain no smugness was meant by the way he communicated this. And if you are the original author reading this, please understand that there are cultural differences (you probably know this already!) that can cause these kinds of problems in communication.

:) Just trying to be a peacemaker here in my own clumsy way. :)

[hlthe2b]

17. re:

I forgot the :toast: ;)

[Wednesdays]

10. Also, I wonder what the HFCS content is in foods in Germany

vs the USA. That could be a factor, too.

[begin_within]

5. Good for you - so you lost about 15 lbs. What keyboard combination are you typing to get the "„"

[howard112211]

8. German Open Office does it automatically ;-)

[begin_within]

9. ok thanks

[Recursion]

11. Ah, the jojo effect

I love reading Europeans' typing :)

[Quantess]

16. Get back... Get back to where you once belong...

get back, jojo! :D

[Dappleganger]

13. Thanks for sharing your weight-loss journey.

Quite often women will share how they lost weight but not the men, so much.

Our oldest son (17) has been steadily losing weight, gaining muscle mass over the past two years. He's done this all on his own despite our own efforts to sabotage him along the way (unfortunately). The one thing he did do to appease his mother was to do it slowly, and not using any gimmicks. Lifting weights has also been great for his own self-esteem and he's formed some great friendships in the process (he's not a body sculptor, just the normal routine). He chose to cut out all white sugar, all white flour, all white rice and white pasta. He eats reasonably-sized lean cuts of meat, as much salad as he wants during the day (no croutons, cheese or fatty dressings). Limited amounts of low-fat milk, unlimited amounts of most veggies (except potatoes). On the weekends he'll eat maybe one big hamburger w/fries as a treat, but that's it. What he's done is found what works for HIM and something he can pursue as a lifestyle. He's also taken up mountain biking (although Florida has no mountains, we do have trails) and enjoys kayaking on the river near us.

Edited to add: Our son also gave up soda, completely. He claims it makes him feel sick to drink it and prefers water, my southern sweet tea or juice.

[Edweird]

22. That's my diet as well.

I went that way as an experiment and wound up losing 20lbs in like a month or so. It's basically atkins induction. PS, I suggest Santos (a little south of Gainesville on 441)as a mountain bike trip destination. Best biking in the state.

[ipaint]

14. Congrats!

Here is an american site that tracks everything-

http://www.sparkpeople.com/

It's free and has many tools like what you described using on the german site. You can track both food and fitness.

[jobycom]

18. PhD, metric, j instead of y, actually thinking about diet and things...

You ain't from around here, is you? :rofl:

I think you're right. There are no single causes, although things like trans fats and cigarettes are pretty close to single-cause destroyers. Intake should equal expenditure, and for most people that would work to maintain a healthy weight. I do think that some people need more drastic measures than that simple formula to get the weight loss started, but the best measure is the one you describe--give up all junk, eat whole grains and veggies, give up animal fats in favor of healthy plant oils, and exercise. I've known people who lost significant weight and lost all signs of diabetes that way.

I don't know why we fixate on single issues like that. It's not just food. Read any conspiracy theory and you'll find people who think one individual or organization was behind every bad thing since the invention of processed bread. I don't know it's America's frontier heritage, or our specifically Protestant religious background, or the fact that we are so linguistically and geographically isolated from different cultures, but something seems to make us more prone than most other cultures to that attitude. Or maybe we aren't, and that's just me obsessing over a single issue. :)

Anyway, thanks for the post. Glad to meet someone who can go on as long as I can. :)

[merqz]

19. You employed a sound methodology and discipline

And I applaud you. I agree about the current Corn Syrup hysteria. There is no EASY solution, just as there is no EVIL BOGEYMAN causing people to get fat.

[county worker]

20. I did a very similar thing last year and am doing it again.

For me it has a lot to do with my emotions. When I am feeling good I can lose weight by doing the type of things you did. I eat mainly fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, fruit juice and water and some cheese occasionally. I am a vegetarian so that is not a problem.

I start an exercise program so that I burn more calories than I am taking in. I walk/jog, do yoga and work out on an exercise machine daily. Last year from July to Nov I lost 20 lbs. I am doing again this year because I got very depressed in the spring and put the weight back on eating crap and being a slug.

Basically you have to reduce the caloric intake that keeps you overweight. Reduce calories by eating low calorie fresh food, exercise to burn off calories and maintain muscle mass. Not really to mind boggling.

[Scout]

21. thank you for an excellent post

Now, from what I read on the web, undereating causes the body to slow down the metabolism and reduce muscle mass, which is a natural reaction of the body in the face of a perceived food shortage which evolution generated as a survival strategy. This however leads to the infamous jojo effect, where one later gains the same amount of weight back.

when i describe how this has happened to me, that despite cutting calories and working out with both cardio and weight training with an excellent personal trainer, i did NOT lose weight i am told: nope, calories in, calories out--it is IMPOSSIBLE to be underfed and not lose weight. if that were true, why i would be bony and look like a concentration camp survivor!

despite the fact that when told by my trainer to EAT MORE and continue my workouts, which i did, i then went on to lose 50 pounds--of fat, not muscle, nope, i can't possibly know what i'm talking about when it comes to my body and my metabolism. :eyes: