The Less is More Thread

[littleman]

Grnidone: I didin't keep any of the 40" pants.  I'll do a before & after eventually, but I don't think its time yet.  Maybe we could get Dras to do one first.

Rumbas: Nice work, keep at it.  Hope you make your goal.

4Eyes:  That's a very good start!  20kg, that's 44lbs.

Dras:  I've been seeing a lot of people do that type of workout these days, sort of like Cross-Fit, very intense, and people just keep moving.  I'd imagine its great for your cardio-system.   

[grnidone]

>I'll do a before & after eventually, but I don't think its time yet.

How could it not be time?  40 down to 34??!!  You are half the man you used to be!  Come on!  do a picture!!

[Brad]

Brewing beer has blown my low carb diet.  You can't brew beer and not drink it - it's like a Rule or something.  But the Atkins diet worked real good for awhile there.

[4Eyes]

4Eyes:  That's a very good start!  20kg, that's 44lbs.

I wish I could claim the credit - but I really can't - the new meds make you feel really sick for the first 3 weeks, so there is never a better time to go on a diet.

Now, if I can lose another 20Kg - then we are talking, but until then I am a fraud compared to those of you 'putting the effort in'

[littleman]

We're about to hit the new year so I figured I'd raise this one up again.  How you all doing?

Here's a picture of me at various sizes over the last  6 years.  The last one was taken mid November.

[edo]

That's impressive stuff. Sort of thing you see on a WeightWatchers advert!

[Drastic]

Wow, great job John. Keep it up!

I had gotten a bit sloppy with the gym and carbs, got back up to about 220.

3 weeks ago I started a new eating plan, mostly a whole food, plant based diet. More for overall health than just weight loss, but I've lost 5 lbs or so already.

It's pretty radical, but not really difficult at all, and I'm already seeing some gains outside of weight loss.

[thesaintv12]

Great stuff Littleman. 

I am joining this thread for 2012.  Anyone up for a mini challenge, or challenge per month?

[grnidone]

John, you look great!  You're half the man you once were!!

_{and...I like how your hair doesn't grow, it just sort of expands...like the white man's version of a 'fro...}

@Drastic: 
3 weeks ago I started a new eating plan, mostly a whole food, plant based diet. More for overall health than just weight loss,

I think that is the best reason to start any new eating/ exercise plan.  Do it for health.  Are you now a vegetarian/ vegan?  Or you just limit your meat intake to once or twice a week?  Do you eat any dairy?

[Drastic]

Pretty close and I may eventually go full vegan.

No meat, no dairy. The only animal products I am currently eating are fish, seafood, turkey and feta cheese. I may have a steak once or twice a month, but not for the first few weeks at least.

[agerhart]

I may eventually go full vegan.

Wow...that's quite a move.

Do you feel that is for health or moral reasons?

I've read about health benefits of vegetarian diets...but I've heard negatives of a full vegan diet.

[littleman]

Thanks for the encouragement guys, its a long term project, as you guys could tell from the years next to the pics.   Also, it wasn't always linear, at one point I worked my way down to 225 then I slowly pushed myself back up to nearly 240 thinking that it was just muscle gain, but it wasn't.  That up and down (220->240->220) took about a year.

@grnidone, I have the weirdest hair.  Basically, I could do three things with it:
1 grow it out to a ponytail
2 shave it off
3 stick gel in it and comb it back

@Dras:  That sounds good.  I think I'll eventually end up eating mostly plants once I'm done trying to lose.  Right now I seem to need the protein and fat from animal products to keep my appetite down.

@thesaintv12:  maybe we could post personal goals on the first of the months and then check in at the next month and report how we did?

[Drastic]

>Do you feel that is for health or moral reasons?

Health only, moral possibilities kinda make me chuckle.

>I've heard negatives of a full vegan diet.

From what I've learned is there is a common misconception about needing protein from animal food, but you get plenty from other sources. I'm not that into it at this point, but I may get there, especially if things continue to improve. Stuff like thinking more clearly, less muscle tension in neck & shoulders, not snoring any more, having more energy and being in a better mood have made the current changes worth it and I've got a ways to go.

Right now I just don't eat anything processed, red meat, dairy, or sugar. I also try to eat more of foods that are supposed to be beneficial for my blood type, and avoid ones which are negative. But from what I've learned and experienced, I may go a bit more extreme in the coming months.

Check out the documentary Forks Over Knives (on Netflix streaming right now), which I watched last night. It has medical studies from different countries showing some of the above, and the reasons why. It's pretty eye-opening. My new direction didn't come from this movie (it's a bit different but quite similar), but it supports this line of thinking very well.

>Right now I seem to need the protein and fat from animal products to keep my appetite down.

One thing that really surprises me is how I eat less yet am still satisfied. I would have bet against it.

[grnidone]

>I also try to eat more of foods that are supposed to be beneficial for my blood type, and avoid ones which are negative.

*cough* Yeah.  I just don't buy that blood type food thing.  Supposedly my blood type says I should eat loads of soy.  However, I'm allergic to it.

I've thought about going full on vegetarian, but since I'm allergic to soy, I'm pretty screwed when it comes to getting enough protein in my diet.  That, and I'm too lazy to learn how to combine the other grains to get all the amino acids found in protein.  Though I do know it can be done.

I find it easier to eat Vegetarian most of the time and have a cheeseburger/ steak/ chicken/ fish when I crave it.

[Drastic]

Anybody want to commit to 5 days/week at the gym, checking in to the thread?