# Living on coffee??



## speccy1 (19 Oct 2014)

I`m currently trying to lose a bit of weight before the TT season starts next year. I`m 5`11 and weight 83kg. I would really like to get down to 75kg, just to give me half a chance.

I did read on `tinternet that drinking coffee and eating very little is an easy way of losing weight. I`ve been doing this for about 6 weeks now and it works, the hunger is held off and I am on fire on the bike, but I can`t help feeling it`s too good to be true, any opinions on this? I`m eating around 1800 calories a day, while commuting to work is a 23 mile round trip mon-fri, and I`m turbo training, and doing the club run on a Sunday which is usually about 60 miles.

Am I heading for a rude awakening? Or do I carry on?

Unsure


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (19 Oct 2014)

If it's on the internet it must be true


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## Dayvo (19 Oct 2014)

speccy1 said:


> I`m currently trying to lose a bit of weight before the TT season starts next year. I`m 5`11 and weight 83kg. I would really like to get down to 75kg, just to give me half a chance.



You may want to weigh up the pros and cons of this: http://www.thelemonadesite.com/lemonade-diet-recipe.html

I've done it three times: 2x10 days and 1x 14 days. Whereas it is primarily a detox/body cleanse, by consuming virtually no calories at all, you WILL lose weight. 

By the end of the 'diet', I'd lost a kilo a day. I suffered no side-effects, other than cheating on the last day of the 14-day diet, by drinking natural orange juice and not freshly-squeezed orange juice, as recommended. I had a severe case of what is best explained as 'the bonk' for about 20 minutes.


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## vickster (19 Oct 2014)

I'm sure it's fine until your heart packs in


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## speccy1 (19 Oct 2014)

vickster said:


> I'm sure it's fine until your heart packs in


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## vickster (19 Oct 2014)

Too much caffeine, which is why you are buzzing = potentially bad for heart

Why not just eat fewer clean calories rather than using a stimulant to speed up your metabolism...or do it properly with amphetamines or cocaine


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## cyberknight (19 Oct 2014)

I must admit to living on coffee, rotating shifts mean i am in a constant state of buzz or bust .


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## JamieNUFCcoates (19 Oct 2014)

What are you eating when your not on the coffee ?


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## speccy1 (19 Oct 2014)

JamieNUFCcoates said:


> What are you eating when your not on the coffee ?


Flapjacks and fruit after I`ve cycled to work in the morning, then not normally much for lunch as there isn`t time, and then a normal (ish) meal in the evening, such as chilli, curry, fish, chunky soups etc


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## cyberknight (19 Oct 2014)

speccy1 said:


> Flapjacks and fruit after I`ve cycled to work in the morning, then not normally much for lunch as there isn`t time, and then a normal (ish) meal in the evening, such as chilli, curry, fish, chunky soups etc


Desk or manual job?, i reckon on 3000 a day with commute as well.


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## speccy1 (19 Oct 2014)

speccy1 said:


> Flapjacks and fruit after I`ve cycled to work in the morning, then not normally much for lunch as there isn`t time, and then a normal (ish) meal in the evening, such as chilli, curry, fish, chunky soups etc


I fill the rest of the day out with coffee, about 3 or 4 over the afternoon


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## speccy1 (19 Oct 2014)

cyberknight said:


> Desk or manual job?, i reckon on 3000 a day with commute as well.


It`s an engineering job, but not very physical. I don`t very often go straight home, I deviate and quite often end up doing nearly 40 miles instead of 23


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## JamieNUFCcoates (19 Oct 2014)

I'm looking at dropping my weight As well this method sounds good on the short term but that much coffee long term must have side affects have you noticed any


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## speccy1 (19 Oct 2014)

JamieNUFCcoates said:


> I'm looking at dropping my weight As well this method sounds good on the short term but that much coffee long term must have side affects have you noticed any


I don`t see it as a long term plan, just as a head start to next year. No I haven`t noticed any side effects, other than losing weight. I`m upping the calories again soon........but not too much


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## cyberknight (19 Oct 2014)

JamieNUFCcoates said:


> I'm looking at dropping my weight As well this method sounds good on the short term but that much coffee long term must have side affects have you noticed any


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## classic33 (19 Oct 2014)

From the  Mayo Clinic 
_"The bottom line: Be cautious about using caffeine products to help with weight loss. When used in moderation (400 milligrams or less) by healthy adults, caffeine is generally safe. But too much caffeine might cause nervousness, insomnia, nausea, increased blood pressure and other problems."_


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## Rob3rt (19 Oct 2014)

Absolute madness...


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## speccy1 (19 Oct 2014)

Ok, ok, ok point taken...............


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## speccy1 (19 Oct 2014)

That`s why I asked


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## Shut Up Legs (19 Oct 2014)

You may also find that constant use of coffee willl result in acid reflux, which is uncomfortable, to say the least.


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## deptfordmarmoset (19 Oct 2014)

I once left a cup of coffee when I went away for a week. When I got back, I found a thick blue-green crust of mould living on my coffee. This information may be of limited use to you in your researches.


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## speccy1 (19 Oct 2014)

victor said:


> You may also find that constant use of coffee willl result in acid reflux, which is uncomfortable, to say the least.


Ok, never suffered with that luckily, but I suppose no point in provoking it


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## Shut Up Legs (19 Oct 2014)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> I once left a cup of coffee when I went away for a week. When I got back, I found a thick blue-green crust of mould living on my coffee. This information may be of limited use to you in your researches.


Yes, forgot about that twist. If you drink a coffee, and it spends too much time inside you, blue mould will form inside your guts, work its way out, and you'll turn into a Smurf... I swear!


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## speccy1 (19 Oct 2014)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> I once left a cup of coffee when I went away for a week. When I got back, I found a thick blue-green crust of mould living on my coffee. This information may be of limited use to you in your researches.


Doesn`t anything go mouldy if its left hanging around for a few days??


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## deptfordmarmoset (19 Oct 2014)

Any alcohol->coffee->bike sequence will give me an odd kind of sight impairment. It's like how some people report migraines but it's painless. Nevertheless, I have had to stop riding until I can see where I'm going again. The sensible thing to do, obviously, is to cut down on the coffee.....


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## cyberknight (19 Oct 2014)

speccy1 said:


> Doesn`t anything go mouldy if its left hanging around for a few days??


Wear tighter shorts .


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## deptfordmarmoset (19 Oct 2014)

cyberknight said:


> Wear tighter shorts .


If we had a classic quotes thread, that would be today's surefire winner.


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## JoeyB (19 Oct 2014)

I live on coffee...but I also live on food too. I estimate that some days I have at least 10 mugs of coffee. However, my work situation is different for the next three months so I'll probably be consuming less coffee. I wish coffee would hold off my hunger, if it did I'd be a few stone lighter lol.


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## Cycling2Live (19 Oct 2014)

Your body may be losing lean muscle tissue. Muscle weighs more than fat and a little loss of muscle will show on the scale but it's not real good for you. Learn about nutrition and eat healthy.


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## classic33 (20 Oct 2014)

Well you have this one  Dangers of Coffee 
and then this one  Caffine Dangers


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (20 Oct 2014)

Cycling2Live said:


> Your body may be losing lean muscle tissue. Muscle weighs more than fat and a little loss of muscle will show on the scale but it's not real good for you. Learn about nutrition and eat healthy.


No,muscle does not weigh more than fat.


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## jefmcg (20 Oct 2014)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> No,muscle does not weigh more than fat.


It's a common english expression to mean it's more dense than fat. A litre of muscle weighs about 18% more than a litre of fat (try not to get the image of a litre of fat in your head)

But to the OP: any calorie restricting diet you'll lose muscle along with fat. The trick is to minimise that. Body builders just give up, and built fat and muscle together, and accept when losing the fat before a competition, they'll lose some of the muscle too.

If anyone finds the caffeine diet described scary, google _ECA stack*.*_


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## Rob3rt (20 Oct 2014)

jefmcg said:


> *It's a common english expression to mean it's more dense than fat.* A litre of muscle weighs about 18% more than a litre of fat (try not to get the image of a litre of fat in your head)
> 
> But to the OP: any calorie restricting diet you'll lose muscle along with fat. The trick is to minimise that. Body builders just give up, and built fat and muscle together, and accept when losing the fat before a competition, they'll lose some of the muscle too.
> 
> If anyone finds the caffeine diet described scary, google _ECA stack*.*_



I'd have took a punt that is it more a common lack of understanding than a common English expression.

ECA contains Ephedrine a banned substance.


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## vickster (20 Oct 2014)

jefmcg said:


> (try not to get the image of a litre of fat in your head)


= a large McDonald's milkshake


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## jefmcg (20 Oct 2014)

Rob3rt said:


> ECA contains Ephedrine a banned substance


http://www.nhs.uk/medicine-guides/pages/MedicineOverview.aspx?medicine=Do-Do Chesteze


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## vickster (20 Oct 2014)

I assume it's only banned if you are competing in races / competitions...like the OP, but do they test for amateur TTs?!


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (20 Oct 2014)

jefmcg said:


> It's a common english expression to mean it's more dense than fat. A litre of muscle weighs about 18% more than a litre of fat (try not to get the image of a litre of fat in your head)
> 
> But to the OP: any calorie restricting diet you'll lose muscle along with fat. The trick is to minimise that. Body builders just give up, and built fat and muscle together, and accept when losing the fat before a competition, they'll lose some of the muscle too.
> 
> If anyone finds the caffeine diet described scary, google _ECA stack*.*_


Its a common misunderstanding.


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## Rob3rt (20 Oct 2014)

vickster said:


> I assume it's only banned if you are competing in races / competitions...like the OP, but *do they test for amateur TTs?*!



Yes.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (20 Oct 2014)

vickster said:


> I assume it's only banned if you are competing in races / competitions...like the OP, but do they test for amateur TTs?!


With Cycling Ireland, anyone from leisure rider to Elite can be tested. The chances of a testing team being at a sportive though are slim.


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## Rob3rt (20 Oct 2014)

jefmcg said:


> http://www.nhs.uk/medicine-guides/pages/MedicineOverview.aspx?medicine=Do-Do Chesteze



Just because you can buy something doesn't mean it is not a banned substance, consult WADA, not the NHS!


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## vickster (20 Oct 2014)

OP better stay away from the speed and the coke then as weight loss aids and stick to salad


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## vickster (20 Oct 2014)

Rob3rt said:


> Just because you can buy something doesn't mean it is not a banned substance, consult WADA, not the NHS!


But it's not banned for people who aren't competing in any sort of sport and need it for its therapeutic properties. 

I work with the Pharma industry and if a drug is 'banned', it's unobtainable, unlicensed, illegal to sell. @jefmcg may have had the same interpretation


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## jefmcg (20 Oct 2014)

Rob3rt said:


> Just because you can buy something doesn't mean it is not a banned substance, consult WADA, not the NHS!


Well, I'll admit ignorance to this, so I just tried google. Stimulants are only banned in competition http://list.wada-ama.org/prohibited-in-competition/prohibited-substances/ so it would be ok to use it to lose weight prior, right? IE it's not on this list http://list.wada-ama.org/prohibited-all-times/prohibited-substances/


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## Rob3rt (20 Oct 2014)

Yes, according to the on-line listings, it is banned in-competition, I wasn't arguing the technicalities, I simply stated that Ephedrine is a banned substance, which it is. It is up to the individual to check on the details if they want to take something like this.

Might also want to check on the dosage required to illicit the "fat burning" effects, as this may mean taking large doses of medicine which includes other ingredients you shouldn't be taking in these quantities.

The normal thing to do is to simply east a decent diet and train well.


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## speccy1 (20 Oct 2014)

This thread is getting out of hand


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## vickster (20 Oct 2014)

speccy1 said:


> This thread is getting out of hand


Welcome to CycleChat


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## young Ed (20 Oct 2014)

if i were to ever need to lose some weight i would go for plenty of exercise and simply eating healthy stuff (real food such of proper meals and less snacking etc)
Cheers Ed


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## Crankarm (20 Oct 2014)

speccy1 said:


> I`m currently trying to lose a bit of weight before the TT season starts next year. I`m 5`11 and weight 83kg. I would really like to get down to 75kg, just to give me half a chance.
> 
> I did read on `tinternet that drinking coffee and eating very little is an easy way of losing weight. I`ve been doing this for about 6 weeks now and it works, the hunger is held off and I am on fire on the bike, but I can`t help feeling it`s too good to be true, any opinions on this? I`m eating around 1800 calories a day, while commuting to work is a 23 mile round trip mon-fri, and I`m turbo training, and doing the club run on a Sunday which is usually about 60 miles.
> 
> ...



I think you know the answer to your questions.


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## Crankarm (20 Oct 2014)

speccy1 said:


> This thread is getting out of hand



Well you started it !


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## Fab Foodie (20 Oct 2014)

young Ed said:


> if i were to ever need to lose some weight i would go for plenty of exercise and simply eating healthy stuff (real food such of proper meals and less snacking etc)
> Cheers Ed


Define healthy stuff in this weight-loss context ...


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## young Ed (20 Oct 2014)

Fab Foodie said:


> Define healthy stuff in this weight-loss context ...


less saturated fats and particularly salty food, minimal fried food etc 
plenty of greens and fruits and enough meat to get vital proteins etc but not too much and enough fish to get important oils etc but not too much 

may i stress though, that i am no expert on this as i have never needed to lose weight and i am fine at 6'0" and 70kg (mostly guts and muscle with enough but not too much fat)
Cheers Ed


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## Fab Foodie (20 Oct 2014)

young Ed said:


> less saturated fats and particularly salty food, minimal fried food etc
> plenty of greens and fruits and enough meat to get vital proteins etc but not too much and enough fish to get important oils etc but not too much
> 
> may i stress though, that i am no expert on this as i have never needed to lose weight and i am fine at 6'0" and 70kg (mostly guts and muscle with enough but not too much fat)
> Cheers Ed


I only ask because I have lost quite a bit of weight over the last few weeks by cutting out bread, pasta, rice and potato, all cereals. I have lots of fried foods (2 eggs for brekkie) and pretty much anything i like as long as not major carbs. The rest is fresh fruit and veg. So in this case eating bacon, sausages, processed foods, lots of saturated fats and plenty additional salt has not impacted my weight loss ....
never quite as simple as it looks young fella!


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## simon the viking (20 Oct 2014)

I bought a coffee machine for work and drink a full pot of strong filter coffee a day.... (I work on my own most of the time so no one to help me drink it) .... when I get home I find the instant in the cupboard a real let down..... but since buying it a year ago I manage to stay up till gone midnight every night if I went to bed before 11.00 pm I really wouldn't be able to sleep...... Is this wrong?.... and no I'm still eating and not getting slimmer (but could do with losing about half a stone)

Perhaps I'll follow OP's idea and up it to 2 pots and stop eating so much......


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## young Ed (20 Oct 2014)

Fab Foodie said:


> I only ask because I have lost quite a bit of weight over the last few weeks by cutting out bread, pasta, rice and potato, all cereals. I have lots of fried foods (2 eggs for brekkie) and pretty much anything i like as long as not major carbs. The rest is fresh fruit and veg. So in this case eating bacon, sausages, processed foods, lots of saturated fats and plenty additional salt has not impacted my weight loss ....
> never quite as simple as it looks young fella!


fair enough, i know various people who have tried your way and won and done as i just described and won
both methods are always topped up with plenty of exercise, especially the method i describe

as in my first post this is what *I* would try and as it is i do plenty of exercise in any case so that would be no problem and for the moment i am eating pretty much what i like which is mainly fruit and veg with meat 2-4 times a week as it is
Cheers Ed


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## Fab Foodie (20 Oct 2014)

young Ed said:


> fair enough, i know various people who have tried your way and won and done as i just described and won
> both methods are always topped up with plenty of exercise, especially the method i describe
> 
> as in my first post this is what *I* would try and as it is i do plenty of exercise in any case so that would be no problem and for the moment i am eating pretty much what i like which is mainly fruit and veg with meat 2-4 times a week as it is
> Cheers Ed


Sounds great. My point is ( and I am some kind of food professional) ... it's not always easy to define what's'healthy' in any particular context. But as a young whippersnapper you've started on a good path!


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## young Ed (20 Oct 2014)

Fab Foodie said:


> Sounds great. My point is ( and I am some kind of food professional) ... it's not always easy to define what's'healthy' in any particular context. But as a young whippersnapper you've started on a good path!


fair enough, i will listen to the pro's and let you teach 
my aim is to just keep riding and exercising like mad and eating as i do (maybe decrease it a little when i stop growing) and always stay at a good weight and avoid ever needing to lose any weight.....we will see how long that lasts! 
Cheers Ed


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## Fab Foodie (20 Oct 2014)

young Ed said:


> fair enough, i will listen to the pro's and let you teach
> my aim is to just keep riding and exercising like mad and eating as i do (maybe decrease it a little when i stop growing) and always stay at a good weight and avoid ever needing to lose any weight.....we will see how long that lasts!
> Cheers Ed


Don't listen to the Pro's .... they know nothing!


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## young Ed (20 Oct 2014)

Fab Foodie said:


> Don't listen to the Pro's .... they know nothing!


who should i listen to then? 
Cheers Ed


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## Fab Foodie (20 Oct 2014)

young Ed said:


> who should i listen to then?
> Cheers Ed


Read/listen broadly and question. Keep an open mind, be moderate, experiment.
I don't know the answers either (I'm a Food Scientist & Biochemist, not a Nutritionist). It's complicated, it's multi-factorial and many out there have a money making agenda to cloud the issue. 
You seem to have a good situation at the moment. I did too once, when I smoked and had a more active lifestyle. Could eat anything! When that changed all of a sudden, I became very overweight. It's taken me years, nearly 10 years to figure how to tackle my own situation and at last I'm getting there. But it's still difficult to tell what is healthy for one indvidual or another.


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## classic33 (21 Oct 2014)

simon the viking said:


> I bought a coffee machine for work and drink a full pot of strong filter coffee a day.... (I work on my own most of the time so no one to help me drink it) .... when I get home I find the instant in the cupboard a real let down..... but since buying it a year ago I manage to stay up till gone midnight every night if I went to bed before 11.00 pm I really wouldn't be able to sleep...... Is this wrong?.... and no I'm still eating and not getting slimmer (but could do with losing about half a stone)
> 
> Perhaps I'll follow OP's idea and up it to 2 pots and stop eating so much......


Don't drink coffee and up all hours. Also, give or take a few pounds the same weight I was in 82 & still able to fit into a pair of jeans from then. Tight round the legs, but still able to fasten them at the waist.


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## Ian A (21 Oct 2014)

young Ed said:


> less saturated fats and particularly salty food, minimal fried food etc
> plenty of greens and fruits and enough meat to get vital proteins etc but not too much and enough fish to get important oils etc but not too much
> 
> may i stress though, that i am no expert on this as i have never needed to lose weight and i am fine at 6'0" and 70kg (mostly guts and muscle with enough but not too much fat)
> Cheers Ed


Not meaning to be argumentative and it's a bit of a moot point but if you're talking from a weight point of view saturated fat is still 9cal per gram along with mono or poly fat. From a health point of view I'd say no sat fat from man made sources but oily fish has some for instance. No man made junk food in general (biscuits and cakes etc have all the wrong kinds of fats and carbs). With you 100% on the small portions of the meat, fish etc and much more of the green stuff and other veg along with fruit. these and lots of greens, veg fruit etc.


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## young Ed (21 Oct 2014)

Ian A said:


> Not meaning to be argumentative and it's a bit of a moot point but if you're talking from a weight point of view saturated fat is still 9cal per gram along with mono or poly fat. From a health point of view I'd say no sat fat from man made sources but oily fish has some for instance. No man made junk food in general (biscuits and cakes etc have all the wrong kinds of fats and carbs). With you 100% on the small portions of the meat, fish etc and much more of the green stuff and other veg along with fruit. these and lots of greens, veg fruit etc.


okay i admit, i was a bit vague and misleading on my thoughts on fats but your above post i would agree with and you have put it in much better words then i ever could 
Cheers Ed


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## Crankarm (21 Oct 2014)

Fab Foodie said:


> Define healthy stuff in this weight-loss context ...





Fab Foodie said:


> I only ask because I have lost quite a bit of weight over the last few weeks by cutting out bread, pasta, rice and potato, all cereals. I have lots of fried foods (2 eggs for brekkie) and pretty much anything i like as long as not major carbs. The rest is fresh fruit and veg. So in this case eating bacon, sausages, processed foods, lots of saturated fats and plenty additional salt has not impacted my weight loss ....
> never quite as simple as it looks young fella!





Fab Foodie said:


> Sounds great. My point is ( and I am some kind of food professional) ... it's not always easy to define what's'healthy' in any particular context. But as a young whippersnapper you've started on a good path!



And your meal this evening…. repas d'un bon viveur!



Fab Foodie said:


> I ordered, Black Pyrennean ham as a starter followed by a Rib steak and a large side salad washed down with a reasonable but not fabulous Chablis. Now drinking 6% Fischer beer from the Alsace region.



I would say this is pretty much the Atkins diet. But he is dead.

A little of everything in moderation is best and exercise.


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## Fab Foodie (21 Oct 2014)

Crankarm said:


> And your meal this evening…. repas d'un bon viveur!
> 
> I would say this is pretty much the Atkins diet. But he is dead.


So will you be one day ....


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## Crankarm (21 Oct 2014)

Fab Foodie said:


> So will you be one day ....



Alas I will, but hopefully not too soon though.

How come you didn't have a nice Roussillon red or full bodied Burgundy with your steak? Red wine is after all pretty good for you, in moderation .


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## Fab Foodie (21 Oct 2014)

Crankarm said:


> Alas I will, but hopefully not too soon though.
> 
> How come you didn't have a nice Roussillon red or full bodied Burgundy with your steak? Red wine is after all pretty good for you, in moderation .


Because Red is what I drink most nights and I fancied a change. The Chablis worked quite well with the Black Ham.


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## Dayvo (21 Oct 2014)

Fab Foodie said:


> Because Red is what I drink most nights and I fancied a change. The Chablis worked quite well with the *Black Ham*.



Well-done, charcoaled, or just plain burnt?


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## speccy1 (21 Oct 2014)

Crankarm said:


> Well you started it !


Typical Crankarm response...................


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## Crankarm (22 Oct 2014)

speccy1 said:


> Typical Crankarm response...................



Well you did, didn't you ……….. start it .


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## Ian A (22 Oct 2014)

young Ed said:


> you have put it in much better words then i ever could
> Cheers Ed



I hope not for your sake . I've forgotten to proof read and can't put a sentence together at all !




Ian A said:


> With you 100% on the small portions of the meat, fish etc and much more of the green stuff and other veg along with fruit. these and lots of greens, veg fruit etc.


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