weight loss 101

LV was saying instead of always writing at BP on random topics; I should be offering my services (pro bono) on weight loss and weight lifting.

https://www.facebook.com/32040/posts/10107759967235251?s=32040&sfns=mo

My Six Pack Journey — How I went from Fat to Ripped in 6 months

The author went from 87kg to 65kg. Roughly my height and weight but I started with much more muscle (at 89kg I was still a waist size 34).

I plan for 68.5kg to be my “death weight” so the idea is come what may I’ll stick to that.

I am relying on red meat however as I love it so much (it’s my crutch). A George Foreman grill cooks meat in 5 minutes flat and pair it off with a salad. I don’t put any oil on the meat but I probably should.

Apparently Protein is the most satiating nutrient so I tend to front-load my nutrition first thing in the morning.

I will rebalance my diet once I hit my weight metrics for more sustainability but I have the advantage that I have a somewhat “iron constitution” and I am not “taste-sensitive.”

I also use the mental trick of filling up my fridge and freezer with groceries. Since I have a pathological aversion to wasting any food, it stops me from going out to eat.

My problem is that I am a fast eater; I don’t chew as much as I want to so mindfulness is important in that area.

Apps I use:

Noom (Fitness Pal with Psychology)

Fitbod (for weight lifting)

Peak (for brain training)

Things I Do:

OMAD (one meal a day): I try to limit myself to 1.5kg a week of weight loss (so technically on Tuesday the 25th of June I should be 75.9kg instead of 79.9kg according to my timeline) so I use OMAD to nudge myself downward when I need.

IF (intermittent fasting): I used to do this 8/9yrs ago but I’m sort of building this up. I do find not eating does give a rest to the body.

The fear that if one *starves* the body goes into metabolic shutdown/slowdown seems a bit overrated. A Cambridge Prof, who runs some of the nation’s largest diabetes studies, was telling me that there were two Lancet published studies on the utility of a low calorie diet.

The key in an weight loss is long term sustainability.

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Razib Khan
Admin
5 years ago

great job zach!

what’s your height?

Dheeraj
Dheeraj
5 years ago
Reply to  Razib Khan

Dr. Razib he’s 5’9″ I think

Ali Choudhury
Ali Choudhury
5 years ago

I had a thorough and invigorating weight lifting workout this morning. Which was thereafter negated by the duty free Toblerone I had for dinner.

Razib Khan
Admin
5 years ago

i’ve noticed zach is trimming down on fb. so this post is not a surprise.

i’ve fluctuated btwn 140 and 170 lbs over the last 10 years. usually around 155-165. goal right now is to trip 10 lbs of that. i’m 5’8.

if you look at the risks for south asians we need to be lighter. we’re a ‘skinny fat’ ppl

Curious
Curious
5 years ago

So, people who follow nutritional research, why is so much of it of such low quality? Every week one study contradicts a previous study.

Also, is low carb just a meme? All that matters is calories in calories out? Sorry but I’m ignorant about most of this stuff.

Razib Khan
Admin
5 years ago
Reply to  Curious

Also, is low carb just a meme? All that matters is calories in calories out? Sorry but I’m ignorant about most of this stuff.

protein & fat result in more satiety. the low carbs for most ppl seem to mean they eat less. but, low carbs makes it hard to socialize with ppl.

Sumit
Sumit
5 years ago

Nice!! What is your weigh training routine like ?

I heard obesity related diseases (diabetes esp.) are becoming quite an issue in India as lifestyles become more sedentary and food becomes more abundant.

Razib Khan
Admin
5 years ago

“brown, do you lift?”

Numinous
Numinous
5 years ago

All that matters is calories in calories out?

Both nature and quantity have an effect.

I can offer one data point FWIW. I was a fat kid, right up to my mid-20s when I started getting serious about cutting down. At my peak, I weighed about 215 lb, and after a disciplined period of diet and exercise (over a period of 2-3 years), I went down to ~160lb (min around 155lb) where I managed to remain for almost a decade hence. Since then, I’ve gone up to about 180 lb: age and extra work at the office have taken a toll on me.

Here were the concrete things I did:
– Religiously avoided eating anything between mealtimes. No snacking, period. No consumption of food or drink (except water) for about 3 hrs before bedtime. I didn’t skimp on the meals themselves though. No fasting for me.
– I went from drinking whole milk to reduced fat milk. I believe that had a huge effect.
– I used to be a big soda drinker, but cut that down to about 1 can per month. Also cut down on fast food in general, but it was a reduction in frequency rather than elimination.
– In my evening meals, I’d substitute rice/rotis with salads and fruits (whenever I at Indian food, that is, which was most of the time.) Total quantity didn’t change though.
– (I couldn’t have eliminated carbs from my diet as I was and remain a vegetarian, but I did reduce it.)
– For exercise, to which I attribute no more than maybe 20% of my weight reduction, I used to work out 5 days a week: 3 days cardio, 2 days weights.

girmit
girmit
5 years ago

While I’ve found weight training (compound lifts) and high protein/low sugar diet to be great at maintaining a 16-20% bf walking around physique. Training boxing/muay thai/jiu-jitsu will get you shredded. There are exceptions, but most people respond to that type of intensity. Dropping 1kg a week is very doable. Personally, however, while its great fun and wasn’t in it for the weight loss, most people thought I looked quite haggard after cutting so much fat.

thewarlock
thewarlock
5 years ago

S Asians need to strength train

I weigh 170 lbs at 5’9. I started at 130 lbs. My waist was a 30 when I started and now a 32 (obliques and lower back got thicker). I recomped and gained mass over the past 5 years or so, and I am vegetarian. I also don’t take any supplements.

The key was focusing on big barbell movements and eating a lot. It was easy because I had access to college dining hall food, and my parents cook a lot of nutritious whole foods, albeit desi foods (aka only brown rice, lot of greek yogurt as our dahi, less oil and salt i veggies, and eating roti rather than something like nan from enriched flour).

I would recommend the book Starting Strength for anyone interested. I did variations of that and the Texas Method. I am not strong by powerlifting standards, but I improved a lot.

Pause bench 80lbs-> 240 lbs (250 touch and go)
Squat- 95lbs-> 335lbs (hip crease below knee crease depth so well below parallel to make meet standards)
Deadlift- 185lbs-> 415lbs
130×5 overhead press
15 clean dead hang pull ups
65 push ups in a minute

My dad also I suppose isn’t “typical” S Asian man. At 57 and 5’6 140lbs, he can still run 3-4 miles at 8 minute pace, do 40 push ups in a row, and do a few good dead hang pull ups. He takes no medicine. And his blood work is pristine. Heck his cholesterol is lower than mine. My mom is more typical. She is overweight and has diabetes and hypertension. I aim to be like my dad.

Razib Khan
Admin
5 years ago
Reply to  thewarlock

#brownGainz
#brownDoYouEvenLift

Gerard
Gerard
5 years ago

Great to hear your getting your weight / health under your control, Zach ?

You should post some details on the diet / excercise regime you used?

Brown Pundits