So I jumped on the smart scale for the first time since I changed my diet about six weeks ago when Shawn moved in and we had to worry bout diabtes, cutting out all sugar, HFC, and processed foods, and apparently I lost 18 lbs. Two quick points:
1.) I doubt the name smart scale. If it was really smart, every time I got near it to step on it it would run and scream and dial 911.
2.) 18 pounds sounds like a lot for you little people, but when you are built like Hodor or the Hound and have rocked a Casey Hampton jersey for 8 years because it was “slimming,” it’s barely noticeable. I do feel better, though.
That is all. Fat person is still fat, but less so, for the TL:DR crowd.
Omnes Omnibus
Think of the number of years it took to put on the weight. It won’t all come off quickly. Also, don’t be depressed if you have some periods where you gain -especially if you start exercising, muscle is denser than fat.
Punchy
“my Shawn moved in”? Something more to this story or do you just suck at grammar?
John Cole
@Punchy: I originally had “my diabetic friend” written and realized you all knew who Shawn was, and deleted only diabetic friend and added “Shawn,” so it became my Shawn which was really inadvertently gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Mnemosyne
It’s a little fast, but still reasonable — average of 3 pounds a week. Keep an eye on it for a couple of weeks and make sure you’re staying within an average of 1/2 pound to 2 pounds a week. Faster than that, and you risk fucking up your gall bladder.
piratedan
can attest to that… folks know that I went through the weight loss surgery (sleeve gastrectomy) and don’t get discouraged John. Just exercise more and perhaps you won’t have to go through the procedure I did (not that the procedure was bad for me, I just hesitate to reccommend surgery for anyone). From a top weight of 450+, I’m now under 350 in a bit over 4 months. Someone likened it to having 5 20lb salt bags removed from my frame.
I do exercise more (hello recumbnt bike!) and eat less and eat “better”, i.e. more proteins fewer carbs and sugars and am still on traget for being around 250 by the holidays… so keep eating right and do more walking/exercising/physical exertion of your choosing…. and don’t forget to treat yourself once in a while (say the 5/2 method works well, five days of being good and two days of eating whatever sounds good), it my take more time but your less inclined to binge by denying yourself stuff all the time.
Bob In Portland
Congrats, brother.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mnemosyne: He is pretty big – not in meant offensively. Shouldn’t that poundage rate work on a percentage basis? Two pounds for a 100 lb person is different than 2 lbs for a (hypothetical) 300 lb person.
MomSense
Feeling better is the best part. Happy for you, John.
So I was watching Harry Potter on family channel with my youngest and then he went to bed and I did some laundry and took the dog out and when I came back in the living room Pat Robertson and his co hostess were discussing open marriage. Sooo creepy. Much scarier than Voldemort and the death eaters.
TaMara (BHF)
JC, You crack me up.
@Mnemosyne:
@Omnes Omnibus: And he’s a guy. Let’s face it, those of us with XX could make the same changes and the scale would be down 1-1/2 pounds.
Roger Moore
If you feel enough better to comment on it, it’s more than barely noticeable. Maybe it doesn’t show on your figure, but that’s the least important place for it to show up.
? Martin
18 pounds is a big accomplishment no matter where you’re starting. A pound is 3,500 calories. You need to run about 35 miles to lose a pound. So you lost the equivalent weight to running 630 miles. That’s no small thing.
MomSense
@piratedan:
Congratulations, piratedan!!
Mnemosyne
@Omnes Omnibus:
Not after the first few weeks, no. I mean, not unless you’ve arrived at the sleeve gastrectomy point, in which case they’re trading off the gall bladder risk for the risk the additional weight brings to things like blood pressure or asthma that could potentially kill you.
Also, note that I’m talking about an average. If you lose 3 pounds in one week, and then lose half a pound the following week, you’re still okay. It’s losing 3 or more pounds a week, every week, for a couple of months at a time that is a potential problem.
? Martin
@John Cole: Well, you used to be a Republican. Inadvertently gay seems to happen to them a lot, so we understand. Everyone slips. It’s cool.
Mnemosyne
@piratedan:
Yay! Since I don’t actually work for them anymore, I’ll recommend Weight Watchers again for when your doctor clears you to eat “normally.” They do a really good job of teaching you how to eat a balanced diet (with treats!) that you can live with for the rest of your life. And they shouldn’t get all judgy about the surgery — it’s not that unusual for people to have the surgery and then come in on a doctor’s recommendation to learn a new, healthier way of eating.
? Martin
@piratedan: Wow, that’s fantastic. I lost 40 pounds last summer. I’ve put about 15 of it back on and am working it back off again. 40 pounds was a hell of a lot of work. 100 pounds is amazing. Keep going!
Omnes Omnibus
@MomSense:
Let do this right: Robertson and his co-hostess = deatheaters. So it makes sense that: deatheaters < Voldemort + deatheaters. Simple math.
Mnemosyne
@TaMara (BHF):
Also, this. Some friends of mine switched to a vegan diet last year (his hereditary cardiac issues, her hereditary Type II diabetes). He’s lost about 40 pounds. She’s lost about 15 (though she didn’t have much to lose). Men suck.
TaMara (BHF)
@? Martin: You are so damn funny. BTW, no food allowed in my Kia Soul yet. That won’t last, but so far, no crumbs.
The Snarxist Formerly Known as Kryptik
Dunno how many people care about pro wrestling, but as a fan myself I find myself…conflicted at the sudden news that Ultimate Warrior died.
On one hand, he was a pretty scummy guy, both his history in the business and his political views which he became increasingly known for and pushy about without wrestling to rely on.
On the other hand, he as a part of my childhood. He was one of those real life supermen alongside Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage that you grew up wanting to be like. A guy who was on TV just in the last 3 days, mugging and trying to re-credit that memory of his career as WWF/WWE brought him back into the fold, and now….
Along with the health issues popping up within my family, it shows just how much life is passing by and…jesus christ.
Culture of Truth
Seems like a lot to me.
? Martin
@TaMara (BHF): 2 hours after getting my Element I spilled coffee in the back. That night both kids spilled ice cream in the back. I love not worrying about that shit. It’s very liberating for me.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mnemosyne: I have a friend, a big guy, who thin the ime I have known him has varied from a high of 330 to a low of 250 at 6’3″. Former football player. He could lose 10 lbs in a day. Of course, much of it was water. One did not want to be too close to him at the gym.
@TaMara (BHF): I spilled a milkshake in the backseat of my parents’ Corvair when I was no more than four (I know this because they had a different car well prior to my fifth birthday – yeah, I pay attention to cars and did early on); it was 10 years before i was allowed to eat in the car again. The next McD’s milkshake I had in proximity to my parents was two years ago when my brother bought Shamrock Shakes for everyone in celebration of his daughter winning a free throw competition. FWIW, no one eats in my car.
Edited a bit.
Violet
Congrats on the weight loss, John! Sounds like you’re right on track with the 1-3 pounds/week. It may be more some weeks, then less. You might even plateau for awhile. But if you keep it up plus moderate exercise, the weight will come off. How you feel is the most important part and since you seem to be feeling much better, that’s what counts.
Stella B.
That is an excellent start. Eating better and not getting too hung up on the scale number helps. I’ve been doing Weight Watchers for the last ten weeks and have managed to lose ten pounds, but I started at a “normal” weight. It’s hard not to slip back into the usual habits. WW involves “tracking” your intake, but since I like to weigh and measure and have had my iPad surgically attached to my left arm, that works well for me. Also, too, menopause sucks.
Suzanne
@piratedan: That is awesome. Way to go.
I lost about 25 pounds last year, then put it back on while studying, because I wasn’t exercising and was just eating whatever I wanted (which is mostly healthful, fresh food, with cannolis and cake added in). Started running again this week and I stinkin’ love it. I want to be able to run long distances.
piratedan
@Mnemosyne: ty Ma’am, I’m still learning on my end here, although with a smaller tummy volume, It’s a damn sight easier to keep from over indulging.
ruemara
Congrats! That’s fantastic. Congrats to your knees, your joints, your heart. This is good news for you. I’ve been feeling ultra fat because I did a diet adjustment to accommodate the new weight workouts I’ve tacked onto my HIIT treadmill routine. Then I put on some of my old clothes. Waist is smaller, but the muscles are bigger. You really have to trust your clothes and your health. But I now get to eat some carbs, which is epic.
Omnes Omnibus
@piratedan: Are you able to exercise more? I am sure that will come into play in the overall health measurements. I know I rediscovered it recently and can be a bit of an evangelist, but do consider cycling – not just the recumbent bike, a real one. Exercising felt like being a kid again once I switched from running to cycling. And my 49 year old knees are saved for skiing.
And keep up the good work.
? Martin
President’s aunt, Zeituni Onyango, dies
Brace yourselves for the inevitable birther/illegal immigrant/Obamacare killed her bullshit.
piratedan
@Omnes Omnibus: OO… yes I’m exercising more (a huge step up from none) most of it is walking and the recumbant (usually between 6 to 10 miles a day on it) for now, once I get under 3 bills, I plan on doing the gym thing (swimming privs). The hardest part for me is to avoid weight bearing exercise because my knees are shot (25 years of intramural volleyball), which made the whole weight loss thing very problematic for me, hence the surgery was a jump start because once the surgery was approved, the bike purchase was made. Have to watch my pain levels, because all of those ibuprofen based meds are contrindicated for me because of the surgery, so I even have to exercise in moderation but I can attest to stamina being increased, the more you push, the more progress you make, just have to take small steps…
kdaug
I suspect your improved diet is also contributing to your more upbeat mood, John. The weight loss is a happy side effect.
Karen in GA
@piratedan: Congratulations!
And John, congrats to you as well.
@Mnemosyne: I signed up for Weight Watchers last month. Lost 8.2 pounds so far. I have a ways to go, but I’m surprised at the changes I’ve already made. I’m actually cooking dinner when I get home from work, and paying attention to portion sizes. I’m willingly adding veggies to my meals now. It’s not even a conscious “my meeting leader said I should do this” choice, either.
I had my meeting tonight, and I was sure I had gained weight, because I wasn’t really paying too much conscious attention to my diet this past week and hadn’t exercised. Got on the scale, and found out I lost two pounds. Then I realized that yeah, I was eating a bit more this past week, but it was mostly good stuff. And when I ate bad stuff, I ate less of it. This is already a huge change, and I didn’t even realize I was doing it.
I love this program.
Omnes Omnibus
@ruemara:
QFT. In years past, while I was on a diet/cardio/weight program I started getting very frustrated that I was staying a around a certain weight until I notice that my belt kept getting cinching in and clothes were getting tight in the chest and shoulders (for a guy, this is good). I stopped weighing myself. I have clothes that fit right when I am in shape. If they don’t, I need to work. Full disclosure: after a winter as cold as this one was here, clothes are far tighter than they should be.
? Martin
Emoji update
Omnes Omnibus
@piratedan: My left knee has virtually no cartilage left. Running, skiing, rugby, parachuting had their toll. Cycling has made such a difference for the long term survival of that joint. It aches after a long day of skiing, but, I can still do the skiing.
Again, the enthusiasm of a convert. OTOH, the weird thing is that as a kid – through high school- my bike was how I got around. I would bike to cross country practice and then bike home without adding those 12 miles to my daily totals.
Violet
@Omnes Omnibus: If you’re not doing balancing exercises, try adding some into your workout. I do them too help with my hip strengthening workout plan, My gym has a couple of different balance boards and I use those when I’m there. A bosu trainer works too. Just balancing on the hard ones is tough enough. On the easier ones I do squats or balance on one leg or whatever. It helps keep all those smaller muscles engaged and toned. Really helps.
kc
@piratedan:
Congrats! That’s great.
Omnes Omnibus
@Violet: I did a bunch of balancing things in my ACL surgery recovery. They did help. since then, I haven’t done them. skiing, running, and cycling seemed to be enough. You are probably right, but I tend to blow off ancillary exercises.
Omnes Omnibus
Also too, this day is the anniversary of the release of the UK version of the first album by The Clash. So I am listening to it. The version with “Protex Blue.”
Goblue72
Hodor.
Mnemosyne
@piratedan:
When you’re eating a smaller volume, nutritional content is even more important than before. IIRC, there are some dietary restrictions that go along with the surgery but, again, WW is really flexible. When I was still an employee, we had at least one member who was on dialysis, and that’s a super-restricted diet.
@Karen in GA:
Yay! I have no idea how much I lost this week, because my leader forgot to bring the scale (I’m in an At Work meeting, so she has to bring everything with her every time). I’ve definitely been doing better about cooking and I’ve been trying to get 10,000 steps a day, but every little change helps.
@Omnes Omnibus:
I brought my Trek Cocoa (Dutch-style bike) off our balcony where it’s been sitting for the past 8 months, pumped up the tires, washed off the dirt, and rode it 12+ miles at CicLAvia. I love my slow, bulky three-speed because she’s a workhorse who doesn’t need (much) maintenance.
Omnes Omnibus
@Goblue72: Well, obviously.
JaneE
That sounds like a great start. I lost over 90 pounds before any of my friends noticed. Even then it was a question – have you lost weight? So barely noticeable sounds just about right. It was a slow steady loss, so I guess I will forgive them for not noticing sooner.
Goblue72
@Omnes Omnibus: Hodor?
opiejeanne
@? Martin: I lost 30 last year in about 4 months, after being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Right now I’m fighting to keep my weight where it is, but I’d love to lost another 20 but I know it will be slow-going since I’ve been fighting to hold steady right where I am because I am weak when people urge me to cheat a little. Stupid of me. My sister made supper for us and there was not a salad to be had, or a cooked vegetable, but there were S’Mores cupcakes. God help me.
I went from 185 to 155 on the home scale; I’m 5’3″ and 135 would be a good weight for me. Well, 125 would be better, but I’m 64 so that’s just a pipe dream.
One thing I did notice was that my knees stopped complaining when I climb the stairs. .
opiejeanne
@? Martin: A couple of days after we bought the new Subaru Forester a year ago, somebody hit the rear bumper. We were at the grocery store and we parked way away from every other car, and somebody hit it.
The Escape we bought in 2001 was a week old when some kid dropped a rock on the roof from an overpass. Thank God his timing was off.
hilzoy
As I understand it, it’s easier to lose weight the heavier you are, because you use more calories just keeping your body running. So the likelihood that weight loss will trigger ghastly things like gall bladder stuff is lower if you’re losing 3 lbs/week at a higher weight than at a lower weight. (Downside: the more weight you lose, the fewer calories you can afford to eat and still be losing weight. Very annoying.)
If you eat a balanced diet and stay above 1200 calories/day, on average, I think you should be fine. (But I am not a doctor! Just someone who lost a bunch of weight in a year and a half without adverse effects, through googling and the Fitbit boards. And I do recommend Fitbit; it makes engages one’s competitive streak in a good way.) (Look! I parked at the far end of the parking lot, so I get 200 extra steps each way for free! etc.)
rikyrah
Congratulations Cole. You are doing it the right way.
Thlayli
I’ve maintained a steady 10 pounds per month loss for the last 6 months. I’m doing WW (whipping out the iPhone app in restaurants); avoiding what I call “the four whites”: white sugar, white flour, white potatoes, white rice; and alternating treadmill days and weight-machine days in the gym.
My last blood test, the doc said my HDL could be higher but everything else is good.
DougJ
Great!!!
Patricia Kayden
Congrats on the weight loss. Losing weight is not as easy as some people woud have you believe. But if it’s for your health, it’s worth trying.
satby
Well done John! Attempts to lose weight are perpetual for me, because I love food. Fortunately I love healthy food, so my health is pretty good in spite of my spare tire.
Citizen_X
Congrats, John! Keep up the good work.
Rob in CT
3 pounds/week is good work, John. I know a relative who started out at ~290lbs and has since lost 75 of that, at 3lbs/wk. But cutting out the carbs, basically.
3lbs/wk for me would be crazy, since I’m a lot smaller. I started my weight loss attempt at 180lbs (presently 155). It’s definitely gotten harder of late. For whatever reason, the first 20 lbs was pretty easy. The last 15 looks like it’s going to be a struggle.
Paul in KY
Keep on truckin, John. That Rome of fat wasn’t built in a day & it won’t come off in a day.
Best wishes.
Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader
@John Cole: Nice recovery, you big fat homosexual.
Ed
Like throwing a deck chair off the Titanic.
One deck chair at a time – 18 times in this case.
Good Start, JC!
bobbo
A truly smart scale would tell you how much of what you lost was body fat and how much was muscle mass.
J R in WV
@? Martin:
My Dad got a new Studebaker, two-tone green, with really nice upholstered seats. First time out, we stopped at the drive-in and I got a chocolate shake – all over the back seats!
The back seat was never really nice again. He was pretty good about it… yelled a little bit, who could blame him. I was like 7 or 8. Obviously this was a long time ago, in the 1950s. When you could still get a new Studebaker.
Trinity
Yay for John Cole! Glad that you feel better.
That is all.
mazareth
Congratulations John and others. I agree that 18 pounds is significant.
One thing that helped me was using a digital scale and a calorie tracking website. I use the free tracker at livestrong.com.
After my thyroidectomy in 2009 I went from a presurgery weight of 200 down to 155. My appetite came back before I was strong enough to exercise. At my peak I weighed 240 in the fall of 2010. Through watching my diet and lots of exercise, I was back to my presurgery weight in April of 2011.
The first 20 pounds only took 8 weeks. The last 20 came off over the following 6 months.
LT
You are a champion, Cole, do not knock 18 pounds. That’s three newborns, for fuck’s sake! Way to fucking go!
Hoo funnys.
Original Lee
@hilzoy: I love my Fitbit. I have lost 50 pounds since last July, and I could not have achieved that without the device and the website logs. (I still would have lost weight, just not so much, I think.)
Original Lee
Oh, and congratulations, John Cole! Eighteen pounds is not to be sneezed at.