Maybe some cream cheese added to the mix will soften it up and give it a better flavor?

Just finished my 5th or 6th run of the year (I've also biked 3 times in January for 10+ miles each - love the weather we've had). Made it 25 minutes for the 2nd time this week.

Instead of hammers, it only feels like my knees have been hit with rubber mallets, so I call that progress. :thumb:

Good luck everyone! I wasn't in on the beginning of this. I started training for the marathon. Three months to go.

No special diet for me. If anything, I have to eat more. That said, I'm running 8 miles tonight and another fifteen on saturday.

Here's to keeping it off in 2013!

Maybe. Also may switch and try some "Golden Flax Seed Meal", which is supposed to have a much milder taste, but has the same amount of fiber/carbs and omega 3's as standard flax meal.

I'm about 205 lbs. I could stand to lose 25-35 LBS. MY only real problem is giving up soda, namely Coca-Cola.

Here are some pics. Pizza looked great, smelled good, crust had great texture......but tasted like complete dog crap. It was like eating cardboard covered in dirt. Not sure what those people of that blog were eating that warranted such high praise....

The quest for low carb diet pizza continues.

A friend of mine who first introduced me to low carb and had done well with it said that ONCE he had lost the weight he wanted he went to Pizza Hut once a week and had a small thin crust meat lover's and salad bar as part of his maintenance and never gained any weight back.

So I had a root canal and then a busy day the next day, and didn't really eat enough for whatever reason, and felt cruddy from the novocain/vicodin, and long story short I've gone four days without really exercising and it's butts. I feel terrible about it even though I've had a pretty reasonable excuse for having no energy and not feeling up for anything. I can't wait to get back on track tonight.

What's your routine?

Only dropped a 1/2 pound this week. Not sure why. I stayed within my points allowance, but only worked out twice. Looking for better results this week.

The good news is I'm eating healthier and smaller portions.

Down 13 lbs!

Instead of going low carb, why don't you go for a whole grain crust? Pretty much most of the stuff I read agrees that outside of straight sugar, calories are calories.

Lost 2 pounds so far, well on my way to a goal of 168 by vacation time.

Or eat it for lunch. Carbs aren't bad if they're done in moderation and earlier in the day so you have more time to burn the energy and calories.

I'm meeting with a personal trainer/certified weight loss manager tomorrow. I can't afford her monthly session rate, but the consultation is free and she will come up with an exercise program for me for $75. I'm really looking forward to it.

congrats! Well done!

I am trying to avoid gluten as well (the wheat belly type diet). I have found that avoiding gluten has greatly helped my blood sugar (I am a type 2 diabetic).

I love pizza, pasta, and bread though. Don't seem to miss the pasta as much as I thought...but I really, really, miss pizza. If I can find a low carb solution, gluten free, I could really do some damage on the scale.

is there such thing as an accurate, inexpensive scale?

I have a Weight Watchers digital scale I've had for years. Not sure on the accuracy, but I make sure to use the same one every time.

Throw me in the OP. At 205 and looking to get down to 180. I was at 220 a couple of weeks ago but have been watching my portions and limiting carbs in the afternoon and evening.

I've had an Escali digital scale for years and really like it. It is accurate and only about $22. The only downside is that a plate can obscure the display but I just put a bowl on the scale, tare it and then put the plate on.

Plus, you can get it in all kinds of neat-o colors. :D

Escali

I plateau'd for a week. I even gained 4 lbs.

Finally past that and now at 277.8.

Feb. 1st everyone will need to post their updated weight in the thread.....or PM me.

I met with a personal trainer last night. She was extremely nice and very easy to discuss things with. I am going at 9am Saturday for my first of two sessions in order for her to design a workout program for me. We talked about the changes I already made to my diet and how it's helped me to lose weight already. I have to keep a three day food log including one weekend day, so I'm doing it Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I mentioned that I have a bike, a couple of 2 lbs weights, enjoying walking, and have access to a Bowflex. She said it sounded like I was definitely well-equipped.

Sauna appointment after work today. I've gotten to where I really look forward to them. It's about the only time I actually sit down and read anymore. Currently working on Wicked with Son of a Witch coming next.

With Algebra coming back to me so easily (I'm making over 101%), my only real stress is my thesis paper for my Paralegal class. I present it next Thursday, but then I'm basically done!

Life is going well. Nearly finished with school, successful changing my diet (as opposed to just not eating), and starting on a workout program. For right now, I'm actually beyond content.

after almost 4 weeks im proud to say that ive dropped down to 366!

All I have access to consistently is my roommate's (fancy shmancy) stationary bike, so mostly I just ride it at moderate intensity (~150 watts) for 65-75 minutes 4/5 times a week. I started out averaging probably 80watts/30mins three or four times a week, and it's weird to think how far it's progressed.

I didn't really start doing it expecting much in the way of weight loss, and honestly I kind of always shied away from stationary bikes because of the stigma that they don't accomplish anything; it just seemed like a thing to do to feel slightly better physically and I guess combined with the preventative nature of brutally honest calorie tracking/forecasting (writing things down and updating an Excel file), I've been losing weight pretty consistently since summer despite not really starting out with that as a goal.

It's also incredibly cool feeling like I have stamina and am in decent shape, and the difference in my metabolism is palpable. I also have been surprised lately by how easily I've been able to touch my toes/the floor, so I guess stretching's also pretty rad when you get down to it. Maybe when spring comes around I'll have opportunities to do physically-fit-people things for the first time since I was 12 years old.

I took this picture on the right at like 6:30 am this morning, forgive me looking like shit.

This is why you should No-Carb diet.

http://i.imgur.com/VVWeG.jpg

you need to start pushing weight at the gym homie. you look like youre tasting some of the heisenberg

I AM THE ONE WHO KNOCKS.

2 days later: Buck is cackling like a maniac in the crawl space under his house.

(Also congrats, that owns!)

I have one of those that I bought a couple of years ago...I fluctuate 4-5 lbs. each day, but if I weigh at the same time in the morning, it seems to be consistent.

When was the before pic taken?

I keep thinking it's Thursday. I have class tonight. No sauna till tomorrow. :(

Yesterday. I grow a goatee that fast.

I don't know, sometime last year before I started dieting.

All of my weight loss has been from not eating carbs.

Outstanding. Keep it up.

I shaved off all my facial hair after I took that pic this morning.

It's been so long since I've seen my face without a mustache.

Enjoying your superstim, you beast?

Awwwwww yeeeeeeeah!

Last night I ate 2 Boca Burgers for lack of my friend not having anything else Keto Friendly.

I've been farting all this morning. I haven't farted since December, lol.

Sauna night. I've gotten to where I really look forward to it. Saturday morning, I'm meeting with the personal trainer at 9am before going to my sauna appointment at 10am. Can't wait! After Monday evening, she'll have a program designed specifically for me that targets my goals.

I ranked the following in order of importance:

1. Fat Loss
2. Improved health
3. More endurance
4. More strength
5. More power
6. More muscle mass
7. Specific sports training
8. Gain weight

You should just cut out your carbs and all of those will happen.

Sorry. I refuse to simply cut out a food group. What happens when I start eating them again? They are important to the body for a reason. I've just learned moderation and to try to eat any carbs early in the day. That way, I have the remainder of the day to burn them off. I'm not doing any special diet. I'm changing the way I eat, and learning more about what's good for my body. This way, it's a lifestyle change, and not just a diet (which would eventually end).

The personal trainer made a good point to me when I met with her the other night. It's not that Americans can't lose weight. Thousands do it all the time. The main problem is that Americans don't know how to properly maintain a lower weight. That's what I'm hoping to accomplish.

Carbs are not important to your body for any reason and you should probably not eat them ever again.

http://health.nytimes.com/health/gui.../overview.html

And increasing fats? Depends on the fat. There are good types of fat and bad types of fat. You're increasing fats to make up for the lack of calories you're denying your body from not eating any carbs. If you're going to go with no carbs, I hope you research what kinds of fats are good for you before just eating anything you want.

luv, you know how you say you eat your carbs early in the day so you can burn them off?

Well you know if you stop eating carbs, then your body has to get energy from else where.

Instead of getting glucose from the carbs you intake, your body will start using ketones in your fat cells to get energy, hence you lose weight (and fat weight, not muscle weight).

I'm serious. The Standard American Diet (starvation diet) is no good because you will always put the weight back on.

No offense, but how many times have you done a diet and put back on the weight? I know you've talked about it a few times on here.

I did keto for months, stopped, didn't put the weight back on. I put some of it back on because I was drinking 12 beers a night and eating Jack in the Box every night. But for 6 months I didn't put back on a single pound.

I'm not starving myself in the least. Yes, I've done that before. I've revamped my diet (as in food intake, not fad diets). While losing weight is my main goal right now, my other focus is overall health. Sorry, I can't go the rest of my life without bread, pasta, potatoes, yogurt, etc. However, I don't have to deprive myself of something I enjoy. I simply have to do all things in moderation.

This is such bullshit. I cannot explain to you how bullshit this is.

Okay. I hope it works for you. If it doesn't, please give a very low carb diet a chance for 1 month. If you do 1 month and decide it's not the best thing you ever did, then you can forget everything I've said.

Rausch is back to the robust 205...

Please do. I want to know how creating a balanced diet, with all things in moderation, is complete bullshit.

You implied that increasing fats instead of taking in carbs is bad for you.

Just because it's also called fat doesn't mean it makes you fat.

Carbs are what make you fat. This is scientifically proven.

As far as what kinds of fats you take in, I don't even know what you mean.

I'm already doing a low carb diet. What carbs I am eating are in the morning. Unless I eat a yogurt after dinner. Putting a thick & creamy or whipped yoplait light in the freezer for a little while gets it cold enough that it's almost like eating ice cream. :D

Look up fats. Do a little research. Fats contain calories. Eating them in excess will also cause weight gain. More calories in than calories burned = weight gain.

You've obviously researched carbs. Now research other things that you eat.

I've researched everything. Believe me.

Clay set me on the right path a year ago. I know what I'm doing.

Have you not seen the progress pictures?

So you know about saturated fat (fried foods, for example) vs. unsaturated fat. Weight loss is great, but what about your heart health? And yes, I've seen the progress pictures. I'm glad you know what works for you. I hope you enjoy your carb free life. We're on different paths. I'm simply looking for overall health, which inevitably includes weight loss if I'm carrying too much around. Right now, that's what I want. I'm just looking at what will make me healthier overall in the long run.

Yes, eating excess calories will make you gain weight.

Keto diets, provided you maintain a caloric deficit, are more efficient at burning fat though.

When you take in carbs, your body is going to consume those first as an energy source. If it can't do that, it's going to go after your fat stores.

Hence, more efficient.

And FYI, most people can't maintain the keto diet long term, but it's very effective for fast weight loss.

And you will keep the weight off by eating properly and exercising, whether you're eating carbs or not.

I know you're the god of losing weight. That's great. I want to lose weight, but I'm also a woman in my mid-thirties. I want overall health, which weight loss is only a part of.

I don't know why you think a ketogenic diet is unhealthy.

It's probably one of the healthiest diets for you body. It gets rid of the fat which cause stress to the rest of your body, especially your heart.

Keto diets are healthy.

I doubt you have the discipline required to stay on one, though.

And I'm running a marathon, not a sprint. :)

I'm not trying to discourage anyone's rapid weight loss. I think it's great that people are happy. I've lost 14 lbs with the switch in my diet. It's a healthy weight loss, and I'm happy with that. I've had a few people notice the difference, but not enough of a physical difference yet to jump up and down about. Exercise is the next phase of getting healthy now that I'm getting my diet down.

Buck, sorry if I sounded argumentative.

Thanks for the discouragement. I'm doing what works. Just because I don't follow your every word doesn't mean I'm doing anything wrong.

8 years ago I was at 281 when I started "my own" low carb program.Ten months later I was at 199 and since then the heaviest I've gotten back to is 230 but like you it was because I got back into the same old habits.

Now back at 213,doing low carb and went to the doc the other day and cholesterol was at 192,NEVER seen it that low and I'm eating real salad dressings and plenty of eggs.

Sauna appointment. LMAO

People laughing at me, calling me undisciplined...

I disagree with a certain diet. I'm doing what I need to do for myself, and it's working for me. I thought I'd share it. Tough crowd.

No LeAnn, I hope that it does work out for you.

This all started when I mentioned the Keto Diet and you said you wouldn't try it.

Meh, you're choosing to engage Clay in what he thinks about things. He's a dumbass who thinks he's some kind of athlete because he stopped shoving ding dongs in his mouth, at least the chocolate kind.

It's real simple. Calories expended vs. calories eaten. Work harder, eat less. Fad diets are for dumbasses.

I guess that does sound a little funny. It's an infrared sauna. Thirty minutes in there completely makes my day. There's a local wight loss/health awareness program that I'm participating in, and this place is one of the sponsors. Got a great deal on a couple of packages. Since there are 168 people in this program, and several of them are trying several different things for the first time, the people there told me that if I was an after work or weekend person (which I am), then it's best to place a hold on one for those certain times. I guess that's where I came up with "sauna appointment". Heh.

Depends on what you consider a fad diet.

A Keto Diet works.

I can find you a fad diet called the Bread Diet that will make you fatter than shit.

Here is me from the 2010 Bash and from just now. Wearing basically the same thing. All weight lost was from cutting carbs. I don't even know how much I weighed when I was at the Bash. I was really fat though.

http://i.imgur.com/qi5pj.jpg

Whatever works for you. I'm just saying there is nothing, NOTHING that works better than working out hard and eating less. It's good that you lost weight, but if it's true that "all weight lost was from cutting carbs", I'd hesitate to say that you are necessarily any healthier than you were before.

Where did I say you were doing anything wrong?

You should not talk shit on keto, though, it works.

I've heard that this

http://www.bikes.org.uk/wp-content/u...ain-bike-2.jpg

and these

http://newbalancerunningshoes.org/wp...g-Shoes-10.jpg

are a good way to lose fat.

Then, when you've lost a bunch of weight you can even start using these

http://www.healthstylesexercise.com/...-Dumbbells.jpg

Getting ready to start this. :thumb:

Or you could lift FROM THE VERY BEGINNING!

Fat people can lift weights, too.

You could, but generally fat people want to shed lbs and mayyyyyyybe lift later.

You're wrong.

You are ill-informed.

I have a caloric deficit, and my body doesn't take energy from glucose consumption. It gets its energy from ketones which are stored in my fat cells. I am way healthier than I was before it. Both my blood pressure and cholesterol are at good levels now and I'm losing at least 2 lbs a week, usually around 5.

Whatever you say.

Thanks.