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PAX FIT TEAM

RedsfxcRedsfxc Registered User regular
edited June 2011 in PAX Archive
Hi Everyone,
I didn't see any post of this kind directed towards PAX Prime, only east. So if one already exists let me know.
I want to set up a PAX group with a website and such dedicated to general fitness, weight loss, energy gain etc. I'd like to establish a community based on these things and expand on it. We'll have achievement unlocks of course and motivate each other to stay on track with our goals. If I get even 5 people on board with this to start then we can run with it and grow from there. I know there are similar things out there already. But if we build this thing together and have that connection to it it will only be that much stronger. My girlfriend can make us a website. I'll throw videos and whatnot up when I can, and everyone can contribute in whatever positive ways they can think of! Let me know what you all think and if you're interested in signing up PM me so I can assess interest levels. I should be able to have this off the ground inside of a week if the interest is there.
Thanks for reading
Redsfxc

"If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything"
Redsfxc on
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Posts

  • nearlysobernearlysober Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I've been thinking for awhile now that this could be a potentially good cause for the folks at PA to champion. I just haven't thought of anyway they could throw their power behind a community project like this.

    Weight, fitness & health is a major problem for most of America, and it definitely impacts a lot of us gamers to various degrees.

    nearlysober on
  • RedsfxcRedsfxc Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Well I'm sure if we manage to grow it into something tangible with enough interest. We could sell shirts and stuff to grow funding for say a Gamer Marathon or street hockey tournament etc. If we have enough people on board I'm sure sponsors would follow. Even better, the events could tied to other important causes like Child's Play, With a Cookie Brigade stand (they wouldn't have to be secret for once). Raffles, BBQ and awards ceremony. It could get big with the right organization. Now I'm excited. This needs to happen!

    Redsfxc on
    "If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything"
  • KhanmanKhanman Registered User new member
    edited May 2011
    I think this could be pretty fun. I'm currently about 10 pounds over weight and would love some motivation to lose it. I'm competitive by nature so I'd love to do some sort of contest (if only with myself). I'm thinking I'll bet myself that I lose the 10 pounds before PAX or I donate $100 to Child's Play. If win then the prize is I'm in better shape, if I lose it means the money goes to a fantastic organization.

    Anyone want to join me? Keeping track could be done via a website or even simply just a Google shared document.

    Khanman on
  • RedsfxcRedsfxc Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Good Idea Khanman. I'll make sure we have some links to some progress tracking sites on the page we build.

    Also, If anyone wants to create logos and or graphics for the site feel free. It would of course be volunteer work and we may not use everything that gets submitted but credit will be given and perhaps special achievement unlocks when we have that set up!

    Redsfxc on
    "If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything"
  • SwaeSwae Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I'd totally be in for something like this. I actually started a new exercise routine yesterday as part of my "lose 20 pounds before PAX" goal. Count me in, and let me know if I can do anything to help!

    Swae on
  • RedsfxcRedsfxc Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Awesome, good luck to you on your goal Swae, and once we get everything up and running I'll be sure to post more info on how to formally sign up. Anyone who would like to share their favorite exercise routine in the meantime go ahead and post it. Personally I'm an inline skater, back before I gained a bunch of weight again I skated a marathon in 07 that was a ton of fun and I'd like to get back to where I can do that again. I also bike and paintball. Most recently however, I've been wanted to get into Parkour/Free running type stuff. Then I can run jump and commando roll all day!!

    Redsfxc on
    "If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything"
  • Big GuyBig Guy Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I think this is a great idea. Probably because I just started a weight loss regimen yesterday with a friend. We will both be at PAX, but that's not the reason we started this. A good way (based on one day of experience) to track your progress is a website called www.myfitnesspal.com. It's also available in an Android and iPhone App. It can track your weight loss and keep track of calories in/ calories out.

    Big Guy on
    Survivor of PAX '06 (BALL!), PAX '07 (Don't be a Dick), PAX '08 (Bad Horse), PAX '09 (H1Nerd1), PAX '10
  • CaptainTapoleCaptainTapole Awesome in the Possum - Yee-Haw! Northern CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Big Guy wrote: »
    A good way (based on one day of experience) to track your progress is a website called www.myfitnesspal.com.

    I have been using it for nearly two weeks on my iPhone and it really does help me. It has a really wide database of food/drinks that is known nationwide (maybe globally?) and if it's on there, you can create it as well.

    I've been working out since May 2nd (not PAX-Specific, but it's conveniently going on while I am doing this) and I have lost close to 20 lbs. Yay for me!

    But yes, I approve the website and app!

    PS! The idea = brilliant!

    CaptainTapole on
    The Girl Who Gave Everyone the Shortest Jenga Game Ever.
  • PinkRangerPinkRanger Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I'm down. Just let me know if I need to do anything.

    PinkRanger on
    Cosplayer and a gamer.

    Find me on twitter- @pink_4ssass1n
    and twitch- twitch.tv/pink_4ssass1n
  • TOGSolidTOGSolid Drunk sailor Seattle, WashingtonRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I'm already working on slimming down and bulking up the weaker parts of my body. My legs and back are mighty fortresses of ass kicking, my arms and chest? Ehhhhhhh, not so much. So I guess I'm down just by default since I'm already kinda doing this.

    TOGSolid on
    wWuzwvJ.png
  • SwaeSwae Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I've been working out since May 2nd (not PAX-Specific, but it's conveniently going on while I am doing this) and I have lost close to 20 lbs. Yay for me!

    I'd love to know what you are doing if you don't mind sharing!

    I started the Couch to 5K program and am trying to watch what I eat. Unfortunately I've tried this before and never lost a pound. Sounds like whatever routine you are doing is working for you!

    Swae on
  • degreesplatinumdegreesplatinum aka. casual_geek Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    This sounds like a fun thing. I just hope my interest level in this stays until PAX (short attention span, sorry). But yeah, I can be a part of this as well. I'm a pretty fit guy so I can share some insights and advice. Although the ones that I'll share are mostly from past experiences as well as years of trial and error.

    degreesplatinum on
  • EnigmasEnigmas Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Khanman wrote: »
    I think this could be pretty fun. I'm currently about 10 pounds over weight and would love some motivation to lose it. I'm competitive by nature so I'd love to do some sort of contest (if only with myself). I'm thinking I'll bet myself that I lose the 10 pounds before PAX or I donate $100 to Child's Play. If win then the prize is I'm in better shape, if I lose it means the money goes to a fantastic organization.

    Anyone want to join me? Keeping track could be done via a website or even simply just a Google shared document.

    Or you could organize a "Drop-a-thon" where you get a few of your friends to pledge a few bucks for every pound you drop and donate it all to Child's Play. That way it's win-win and you have your friends on board with motivation.

    Enigmas on
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  • arwen_doll16_LOTRarwen_doll16_LOTR Commander Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I would like to join something like this. I am trying to lose 20 pounds this Summer before PAX. It would be nice to be able to talk to others about what is working for them and things like that.

    So far I have cut soda out of my diet almost completely (only one can a week)
    I am also going to start walking everyday hopefully progress into a run later on after this week of hellish summer classes is done. I am not one for the gym or hard workouts since I have a bad back that gets messed up with anything but upright walking or running.
    And I have started to try to eat healthier overall (less sugar and carbs, less boxed meals or going out to eat etc.)

    Unfortunately I do not have a lot of friends who are supporting me in this. They think I am fine on my weight and they are too polite and don't want to offend me by saying otherwise. And my boyfriend is not a very good advocate by buying McDonalds or take out once a week.

    arwen_doll16_LOTR on
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  • RedsfxcRedsfxc Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    The diet I've been trying to stick with is fairly strict but is amazing when coupled with exercise.
    I have a plain bagel in the morning with a yogurt for breakfast. (bagel is pretty good dipped in the yogurt)
    A plain can of tuna with some lemon juice for lunch
    and chicken or fish for dinner with veggies. Very low carb aside from the bagel which gives you lasting energy til lunch. Eat as many fruits and veggies as you want through out the day. If I exercise much I'll throw in a protein shake or bar. I try to drink at least a half gallon of water each day which also keeps you from getting hungry. there's a lot of things you can substitute for lunch like turkey chili is one example. I just try to stick to poultry and fish. Beef is still great for protein but much higher in fat.
    The important thing is to try different recipes and such to keep it from getting monotonous. but once you're
    2-3 weeks in its easy to stay on track. If you do a ton of exercise though (which is good) be sure to up your calorie intake a bit. there still has to be balance or you'll get tired and grumpy.

    Redsfxc on
    "If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything"
  • degreesplatinumdegreesplatinum aka. casual_geek Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Redsfxc wrote: »
    The diet I've been trying to stick with is fairly strict but is amazing when coupled with exercise.
    I have a plain bagel in the morning with a yogurt for breakfast. (bagel is pretty good dipped in the yogurt)
    A plain can of tuna with some lemon juice for lunch
    and chicken or fish for dinner with veggies. Very low carb aside from the bagel which gives you lasting energy til lunch. Eat as many fruits and veggies as you want through out the day. If I exercise much I'll throw in a protein shake or bar. I try to drink at least a half gallon of water each day which also keeps you from getting hungry. there's a lot of things you can substitute for lunch like turkey chili is one example. I just try to stick to poultry and fish. Beef is still great for protein but much higher in fat.
    The important thing is to try different recipes and such to keep it from getting monotonous. but once you're
    2-3 weeks in its easy to stay on track. If you do a ton of exercise though (which is good) be sure to up your calorie intake a bit. there still has to be balance or you'll get tired and grumpy.

    ^ That's actually a pretty good plan. Though, if I can make a few friendly suggestions:
    1. Instead of a plain bagel, try those 12-grain/whole grain bagels. They give me better energy as well as a bit of a fiber boost.
    2. I'm not exactly sure which part of the day you eat your fruits and veggies, but don't eat that much fruits during dinner (especially not before bed). They tend to make you feel heavy/bloated and the added sugar at night isn't necessarily a good thing.
    3. There's this book that I bought before that gave me a good general knowledge of what to eat. It's the Abs Diet: Eat Right Everytime Guide. It's the size of a pocketbook so you can take it pretty much everywhere. It's pretty handy when you do your groceries. It also has a food guide when you are eating out and such. It's like $3.60 at Amazon right now.

    degreesplatinum on
  • RedsfxcRedsfxc Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Good call on the whole grain bagel I definitly overlooked that.
    With dinner I usually have just vegetables not fruits. Those are usually with breakfast or lunch and sometimes a snack before 3 in the afternoon. It doesn't always work out but I try not to eat anything after 7 pm so that I'm not going to sleep on a full stomach. I'll check out that guide. Sounds like a handy resource to have.
    Thanks for the suggestions Platinum :D

    Redsfxc on
    "If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything"
  • PinkRangerPinkRanger Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I wish I had the option right now to choose my own foods, but sadly, my food selection is very limited. So I try and have at least a veggie for lunch and dinner (fruits aren't always available)

    PinkRanger on
    Cosplayer and a gamer.

    Find me on twitter- @pink_4ssass1n
    and twitch- twitch.tv/pink_4ssass1n
  • MattauiMattaui Dallas, TXRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    About two months ago I switched over to high fat/protein and less than 20g of carbs a day, and I've lost between 15 and 20 pounds (fluctuating) over that period. Most importantly, I'm never hungry and even with the occasional splurge day four to five times a month, my weight has been stable. I was motivated to try this out after reading Gary Taub's 'Why We Get Fat and What to Do About it' as well as watching Dr. Lustig's YouTube presentation on sugar. I think if everyone would just avoid -any kind- of sugar as much as possible, they'd be surprised by how much weight they'd lose from that alone. I've totally removed even artificial sweetners from my diet for other reasons as well, if for nothing else than to train myself to stop craving sweet things as much.

    With my nutritional intake, I'm trying to craft the sort of diet I want to be on for the rest of my life, rather than something short term. I've been there and done that, dropped 10-20 pounds and then gained 15-20 back, only to repeat the process with much sweat and annoyance.

    I've done caloric restriction diets in the past and had zero luck (and losing muscle mass and harming my overall metabolism in the process) as well as going low fat and high carb (puts the pounds right on). I'd like to lose another 10-15, which would put me around my ideal weight, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to up the exercise a bit to do that, and having a community based around that is always helpful.

    Mattaui on
  • ChadTVChadTV Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    PAX is a great motivation to lose weight. I decided back in February that I didn't want to squeeze into a plane seat, or take up so much real estate at PAX so I took to dropping calories and started exercising. I've lost close to 50lbs so far and I'm looking to lose another 30 before I go.

    Like others have already mentioned, dropping soda was incredibly helpful (but difficult at first), and eating smaller and better meals have been my plan so far.

    ChadTV on
  • SwaeSwae Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I just joined sparkpeople.com this week, and it's not bad for a free site. Obviously it would be awesome if we had our own custom PAX page, but if we can't find anyone with the time or motivation to do that, it looks like there are already some different sites out there with similar function. I believe on spark you can join a team (we could set up a PAX Prime team) and the team can have weekly challenges. You get points based on check-ins and achieving team and individual goals, etc.

    Not trying to pimp this site in particular, but as I said, we may can find a site with the functionality that we want without having to start from scratch.

    Swae on
  • kmaphekmaphe Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I'd be interested in something like this, sounds like good motivation to drop some pounds before PAX.

    kmaphe on
  • Lord MewtLord Mewt Registered User new member
    edited May 2011
    I'd be fully willing to do this. I have been gaining back some weight I'm afraid, so I want to melt it away again. Food is the big hurdle, as calories, fat, carbs, and sugars all matter in different ways to different people's bodies. But lowering all of them in general helps, just don't go too extreme!

    Exercise wise, I am just focusing on cardio and maximum fat-burn.

    Losing weight by PAX would be awesome, and I would love to have a group to be with. Just need to know if I can help. I think once we have a basic setup with goals, tracking, and a bit of competition, it will take care of itself and we can focus on our higher well-being.

    Lord Mewt on
  • TOGSolidTOGSolid Drunk sailor Seattle, WashingtonRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    My breakfast tends to just be some oatmeal, if I'm feeling frisky I'll toss some fruit in there.

    Lunch is almost always invariably some Braunschweiger, a cheese stick or two, and a few triscuits. This has more to do with the fact that I'm horribly addicted to Braunschweiger than anything and I'll be damned if I ever stop eating it. That said, Braunschweiger is actually good for you. Just don't ask what it's made from.

    Dinner is almost always a salad because salads are good and great for lazy people.

    I've never been a big fan of soda, usually just drink tons of water (cutting out soda is the most important thing you guys can do), and work out for an hour or so every day with a protein shake afterwards and an apple. Then a couple days of week I go out and do some fencing for a bit (swords, not black market).

    I broke my routine only cause I had to move and then go out to work but will be getting back to it whenever I do get home. I wasn't losing tons of weight, but my flabbyness was going away and I was bulking up pretty decently so I think I may have just hit some weird curve where my fat was burning as fast as I was gaining muscle.

    TOGSolid on
    wWuzwvJ.png
  • SkimblecatSkimblecat Victoria BCRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I'm in for this! I have 30 lbs to loose. I go to the gym at minimum of 3x/week, and walk at least an hour a day (thanks dog!) Overall I eat pretty well (I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian) but when I splurge I really splurge. I want to incorporate more exercise into my daily routine (bike to work, walk at lunch). I am also thinking of going back to a set "cheat day" so I stop cheating a little bit most days.

    Skimblecat on
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  • RedsfxcRedsfxc Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I live right across the water from Victoria here in Port Angeles which is okay. But If I was able to, I would ride my bike or rollerblade in Victoria every day. It's such a beautiful city.

    Redsfxc on
    "If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything"
  • yanthraxyanthrax boners bonersRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I think this is a great idea! I don't have a lot to contribute, but I did come down from 240 lbs to my current weight of 175 with proper diet and exercise (both cardio and resistance training). I still have 10 lbs to go before I hit my goal, and I recently switched to a pescatarian diet. I'm waiting for my Vibram FiveFingers to arrive in the mail next week so I can try barefoot running without tearing up my feet. As for a website or community of some sort, I can offer advice for what I did, as well as give some motivations to anyone who is looking to get started. If you need exercise instruction videos I would be happy to help with that as well.

    yanthrax on
  • ptriz21_teamkillptriz21_teamkill Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I love this. First of all I got a degree in exercise science which focused on biomechanics, physiology and nutrition so I would like to make myself available to questions.

    Currently I'm trying to cut down from 23% body fat to 10% (thinking by Christmas time). I'm doing heavy lifting 3 times a day and cardio 2 times a week.

    I'm eating 1200 to 1300 calories making sure I get about 130 g of protein per day and filling the rest of my calories with mostly carbs. I eat hella chicken and try to keep my fat limited to that.

    I read the thread quickly and posting from my phone and trying to play dominion so I'm posting hastily. Good luck all!

    ptriz21_teamkill on
    3DS: 3325-2059-2105
  • ptriz21_teamkillptriz21_teamkill Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Also I use fitday.com which is free calorie tracker and gives charts if you are a visual person.

    Continued a couple hours later (after dominion :) )
    Here is what my diet looks like

    Breakfast: chocolate whey + water. Tastes better with milk but saves about 150 calories that I can use later.

    Snack throughout the day: 1 cup worth of plain oats. Alot of times I don't eat all of the oats and I spend the calories later.

    Lunch: 6 oz baked chicken and 1+ cup veggies. 1 cup broccoli is like 50 calories, if that.

    Dinner: same as lunch. I usually have a couple hundred calories left to get up to 1300 max and I'll make that up with a slice of multi grain bread and some margarine.


    Since this thread doesn't have much of a direction, I'll give some advice.
    Cliffnotes:
    -Find your Basal Metabolic Rate (online calculator)
    -Eat less and move more
    -Be accurate when counting calories
    -Very simply: calories in<calories out = weight loss.



    -Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body burns just to live. If you sat on a couch all day, your BMR is how many calories you would burn in a day. You can find this out by searching online for a BMR calculator. A basic calculator will ask for your height, weight, age, sex and activity level. Plan the total calories in your diet to be less than your BMR. A general guideline number is to eat 500 calories less than your BMR.

    -Eat less; move more. Exercise is..........a vague concept. There is no correct fat burning routine. Lifting heavy weight causes you to tear muscle fiber. Your body needs to burn calories in order to repair your muscles. This happens when you are resting so you will inevitably burn calories while you are not working out. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is good for burning a lot of calories in one sitting. A simple routine for doing this would be alternating sprinting a jogging/walking. For example, you might sprint for 10 seconds and jog/walk for 30-45 seconds and do these intervals for 15-20 minutes. This is designed to be very tiring, so be warned. But in the end, exercise is there to help you burn more calories than you eat. So really any extra activity you do is helpful.


    -The BEST thing you can do for yourself is keep an accurate log of how many calories you eat. Probably one of the biggest mistakes you can make is underestimating how many calories a "bite or two" will add to your totals. Many many many people think they don't eat as much as they do and then they scratch their heads wondering why they don't lose weight. Make your diet, and don't deviate. If you deviate, take the time to calculate how much extra you ate, but it is by far easier to just stick to your diet plan religiously. This step would include getting a food scale.


    - The biggest thing is balancing calories consumed vs calories burned. In the end if you are burning more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. Eating more protein will spare your muscle mass as your body will start burning protein (muscle) for energy when it realizes it isn't getting as much food.

    -Someone earlier mentioned a high fat/protein and low carb diet. This works...to a point. 1g of carb carries 4g (i think) of water with it. So you will notice a quick drop in weight and a quick reduction in size when on a diet like this because you will be losing a lot of water weight via having no more carbs in your body. IF you can keep up this lifestyle, you will eventually start burning fat. This kind of diet keeps you full longer so it is hard to get an adequate amount of calories. If your do not get a minimal amount of calories, (most people believe this is around 1200 calories) your body will shut down and you will not burn anything. This diet also does not provide a source of fiber so you may want to include regular fiber supplement and vitamins or you'll have some regularity issues ;). Some worry that this diet is hard on your kidneys.

    ptriz21_teamkill on
    3DS: 3325-2059-2105
  • yanthraxyanthrax boners bonersRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    words and stuff

    Are you a small person? How is that caloric intake feasible in any sense?

    yanthrax on
  • CaptainTapoleCaptainTapole Awesome in the Possum - Yee-Haw! Northern CaliforniaRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    yanthrax wrote: »
    words and stuff

    Are you a small person? How is that caloric intake feasible in any sense?

    You are really required at the minimum of 1200 calories to keep yourself at a healthy rate. How you do it (low carbs, high protein, whatever) is up to you.

    CaptainTapole on
    The Girl Who Gave Everyone the Shortest Jenga Game Ever.
  • ptriz21_teamkillptriz21_teamkill Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    yanthrax wrote: »
    words and stuff

    Are you a small person? How is that caloric intake feasible in any sense?

    I'm 5'10 170. So I guess not small. My BMR is about 1750 calories. So I reduce by around 500 calories to get down to 1200-1300. I would not go below 1200 though. While I have not done the research myself, this number is regarded as the minimum you should eat. Any less and your body goes into starvation mode, which isn't conducive for proper weight loss.

    So you don't think its feasible as in, its too few calories to be healthy? I have lost about 5 pounds in the past couple weeks. And at the same time, I have enough energy in my muscles to still make strength gains in the weight room. If I had not made any progress in losing weight or lifting more, or if I stop making progress in the future, I would increase my calories by 100-200 calories and that would probably "reactivate" my metabolism.

    ptriz21_teamkill on
    3DS: 3325-2059-2105
  • MattauiMattaui Dallas, TXRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I'll reiterate my suggestion that people strenuously avoid trying to count calories or go on a caloric restriction plan, and see what cutting all carbs from your diet does. This talk of under 1500 calories for an adult of any size is pretty shocking and I've never read anywhere that such a thing would be considered healthy. Long term starvation diets (and that's what 1500 calories a day is) do. not. work. You can't help but lose a few pounds by forcing yourself to do that, but let me know where you are after doing that for six months or a year.

    Trying to eat less and exercise more, how do you think the vast majority of people are going to handle that? They'll struggle, feel terrible, fail miserably and then go back to gaining weight. You're burning more energy, and thus you'll have to eat more, or you'll be creating an even greater caloric deficit between what your body needs to burn and what you're taking in. This isn't to say exercise isn't good for you, but exercise isn't nearly so linked to gaining or losing weight as it's been portrayed to be. They're really two different discussions, and for most people who have weight issues, it's much more about diet than it ever was about not moving around enough.

    There's also the issue of the age of the individual here - I'm 34, so I'm battling with a slow metabolism that's just getting slower, but I weigh less than I did when I was 18, so I consider that a pretty major victory. I try to run when I can and hit the gym when I can, but it's always, always, always been about what I'm eating. I highly encourage anyone who hasn't tried it to at least give the ultra low carb thing a go. Don't count calories, just eat only fat, protein and leafy green veggies, keep to under 20g of carb a day. Give it a couple of weeks and see what you think, you'll be very surprised.

    Mattaui on
  • RedsfxcRedsfxc Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I agree with Mattaui. 1500 calories is really only okay if you're not exercising much at all. If you're actually exercising you need to need to eat more accordingly. example: if you eat 1500 calories and burn 500 you only took in 1000 calories which is not good. It's okay to count calories so long as you're not driving yourself crazy with it, but have a realistic goal.

    Redsfxc on
    "If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything"
  • shugaraeshugarae Phoenix, AZRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Mattaui wrote: »
    About two months ago I switched over to high fat/protein and less than 20g of carbs a day, and I've lost between 15 and 20 pounds (fluctuating) over that period. Most importantly, I'm never hungry and even with the occasional splurge day four to five times a month, my weight has been stable. I was motivated to try this out after reading Gary Taub's 'Why We Get Fat and What to Do About it' as well as watching Dr. Lustig's YouTube presentation on sugar. I think if everyone would just avoid -any kind- of sugar as much as possible, they'd be surprised by how much weight they'd lose from that alone. I've totally removed even artificial sweetners from my diet for other reasons as well, if for nothing else than to train myself to stop craving sweet things as much.

    With my nutritional intake, I'm trying to craft the sort of diet I want to be on for the rest of my life, rather than something short term. I've been there and done that, dropped 10-20 pounds and then gained 15-20 back, only to repeat the process with much sweat and annoyance.

    I've done caloric restriction diets in the past and had zero luck (and losing muscle mass and harming my overall metabolism in the process) as well as going low fat and high carb (puts the pounds right on). I'd like to lose another 10-15, which would put me around my ideal weight, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to up the exercise a bit to do that, and having a community based around that is always helpful.

    Same here, except I've been eating high fat/low carb for a little over a year and have lost 45lbs. I'm probably sitting really close to my ideal weight, even if it's not the weight that I "want" to be. I love that I don't have to count calories or feel guilty for gorging on bacon once in awhile.

    A couple of other resources to check out are the documentary "Fat Head" on hulu or netflix instant, and my favorite getting started guide over at Archevore (previously PaNu).

    shugarae on
    Omeganaut class of '08. Fuck Peggle. Omeganaut class of '17 West. Fuck Rainbow Road.
    The Best in Terms of Pants on JCCC3
  • yanthraxyanthrax boners bonersRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    yanthrax wrote: »
    words and stuff
    I'm 5'10 170. So I guess not small. My BMR is about 1750 calories. So I reduce by around 500 calories to get down to 1200-1300. I would not go below 1200 though. While I have not done the research myself, this number is regarded as the minimum you should eat. Any less and your body goes into starvation mode, which isn't conducive for proper weight loss.

    Uh, that would more or less put your body into starvation mode. That's an extremely large gap from your BMR. Especially if you're hitting the weight room.

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

    5'10, @ 170 lbs, in order to have a 1750 as a BMR, you're going to be 39 years old or so according to that calculator. I know this might not be the most accurate, but let's just use it as a point of reference. That's how many calories your body burns to maintain your weight if you literally did nothing all day and laid in bed. You're supposed to use your basal metabolic rate in the Harris Benedict Equation to estimate how many calories your body burns on an average day. Even with a "sedentary lifestyle", you'd end up with 2100 calories. Subtract500, you'd be at 1600. That's still a whopping four hundred calories over your current caloric consumption of 1200 calories. Do yourself a big favor. EAT MORE. Even if you're seeing youself lose weight, your body is likely eating away at your muscles to feed itself and conserving fat. You shouldn't be seeing huge gains if you're not properly feeding yourself.

    I could be all wrong, but it's alarming to hear someone at your stature try to maintain your health at that weight. If you have proper exercise, eating a little more won't be that big of a deal. In the end, weight shouldn't even be the determining factor. If you're burning fat, and building muscle, you're going to still have some weight, but visually you will be much smaller (density of 1 lb of fat vs density of 1 lb of muscle). Body fat % is a pretty good goal, if you can visit a nutritionist/dietician and get measurements.

    yanthrax on
  • ptriz21_teamkillptriz21_teamkill Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Everywhere I've read, be it at school or on the internet, I've seen 1200 calories as the minimum anyone should eat, prior to including exercise as part of your calorie deficit. I decided to start at the bottom and work my way up. Like I said, if my weight wasn't budging, I would eat more. However, I'm losing weight at a reasonable speed and still strong enough to lift in the weight room.
    The point that one should be monitoring BF % and not weight is a valid one. Thats why in my first post I said my goal is 10-12% body fat by December, not a weight number. I have a bio-electrical impedance scale which measures lean body % and BF %. While this style of measurement may not be the most accurate compared to other things such as hydrostatic weighing, it is at least consistent compared to itself. Also using a measuring tape and just how I look in the mirror. So i guess when I say my weight is down, I should also say that my body fat percent has also dropped 1-2% in the course of losing the 5 lbs that I stated in an earlier post.

    As far as a high fat/low carb diet, I've tried it. Any change in lifestyle is going to be tough. I personally think it is just as hard, if not harder to maintain this diet than a regular reduced calorie diet. Thats just my preference. I love rice, bread and pasta and the carb cravings on a high fat diet are pretty tough to resist. I also had difficulty forcing myself to eat enough because of the constant full feeling the diet gives you.
    On a reduced calorie diet, I still eat carbs in moderation. So some people may think its heaven on earth to eat such high fat and lose weight, but I find it difficult. Also it takes a bit more effort to keep you "regular" and you miss out on a lot of nutrients found in carbs. However, an easy fix would be fiber pills and vitamins.

    I break from my low calorie diet on the weekends. Today I probably destroyed my diet with alcohol and bbq foods. I don't really feel guilty about it because one maybe two days will not ruin any work that I've done over the course of the week.

    Long story short: different strokes for different folks. I'm going off of experience/own research and it may be well different from what others believe or have read. But that is the nature of diet and exercise. I think anyone coming here looking for advice will do well to read these different views and consider them carefully, or try some, if not all of them.




    You know what, for the sake of conversation/experimentation, I'm going to increase my caloric intake to about 1600 calories per day, which will probably end up being a little more in the end due to a random bite here or there. I'll measure and report my weight and BF% on Monday and after 2 weeks I'll post results. I feel like my progress in the weight room is slowing as it is, so an increase in calories should help out there as well.

    ptriz21_teamkill on
    3DS: 3325-2059-2105
  • ptriz21_teamkillptriz21_teamkill Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Also Redsfxc, I'm excited for this endeavor. I hope it gets off the ground as easily as you make it sound. With enough support, I feel like this would be a no brainer for PA to support.

    ptriz21_teamkill on
    3DS: 3325-2059-2105
  • MattauiMattaui Dallas, TXRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    shugarae wrote: »
    Same here, except I've been eating high fat/low carb for a little over a year and have lost 45lbs. I'm probably sitting really close to my ideal weight, even if it's not the weight that I "want" to be. I love that I don't have to count calories or feel guilty for gorging on bacon once in awhile.

    A couple of other resources to check out are the documentary "Fat Head" on hulu or netflix instant, and my favorite getting started guide over at Archevore (previously PaNu).

    I'll make sure to take a look at those resources, thanks. I think you bring up a very important point, in that the goal is being a healthy and fit individual and getting to a weight that works for the body in question. My experience with high fat low carb has been a big initial loss followed by very slow or no loss, but no gain, either. And it's a permanent lifestyle change for me, which should really be the goal of anyone trying to put their metabolism in a healthier place. Use getting in shape for PAX to kick it off, but try and find something you can really stick with.

    I'm sure everyone knows someone, or has been this person, but I have a relative who lost 40+ pounds and got really into the fitness thing to train for a marathon. And yeah, he looked great for about six to eight months, but he just couldn't stick with such a regimen, and now he's as heavy as he ever was. The short term fix tends to be the enemy of the slower but more permanent long term solution.

    Mattaui on
  • asleepypandaasleepypanda Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Hi! I'm the girlfriend of Redsfxc. :) I am very glad to see all the interest! I'm currently looking for the best solution right now that will help us in creating a community based site not just for PA fans but for gamers looking to be fit.

    I have lost weight in the past but due to laziness I gained it all back. I'm hoping that doing this will help motivate not just myself but others too!

    asleepypanda on
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