Weight watchers 2022

[bonzobanana]

We really don’t. Unless you’ve worked out how to photosynthesise

Tbe human body still needs carbon dioxide to breathe, yes we convert oxygen into carbon dioxide but the human body still needs carbon dioxide to function in addition to the oxygen.


The human breathing mechanism actual revolves around CO2, not oxygen. Without carbon dioxide, humans wouldn't be able to breathe. It’s only when CO2 gets concentrated do you have to worry.

https://learn.kaiterra.com/en/air-a...his is an important fact,t be able to breathe.

 

[Julia9054]

Tbe human body still needs carbon dioxide to breathe, yes we convert oxygen into carbon dioxide but the human body still needs carbon dioxide to function in addition to the oxygen.


The human breathing mechanism actual revolves around CO2, not oxygen. Without carbon dioxide, humans wouldn't be able to breathe. It’s only when CO2 gets concentrated do you have to worry.

https://learn.kaiterra.com/en/air-academy/is-carbon-dioxide-harmful-to-people#:~:text=This is an important fact,t be able to breathe.

We don’t need to breathe in carbon dioxide to function. Tissues produce carbon dioxide in respiration which is then carried in the blood where it affects the pH. The more carbon dioxide in the blood - from increased respiration - the lower the pH. Chemoreceptors located in the medulla, carotid arteries and aorta detect lowered pH and send signals to the diaphragm to increase breathing rate. At normal levels in the atmosphere, carbon dioxide does not move from the air in our lungs into the blood.

 

[Etern4l]

One issue is if you exercise you gain muscle mass which is heavier than fat so can gain weight. We collect carbon from the air as we breathe with carbon dioxide and if your body thinks you need more muscle mass you can gain it without eating just like breathing on plants has been shown to accelerate their growth as you give them a rich source of carbon dioxide. However in the long term having more muscle mass has to be serviced by the body so you consume more calories and the body will only create so much muscle mass. I feel if you wish to reduce your fat levels then fasting and exercise is ideal. I know that if I stop the exercise I will lose muscle mass which has happened to me in the past while dieting alone. I think from the start of my diet to current my BMR has gone from about 1950 to 2070 so just resting doing nothing I now need 120 extra calories. Well 120x365 is about 44,000 calories over the year and there are 3,500 calories in a pound of human fat. So about 13-14 pounds of fat lost everything else being equal just by maintaining the same food and exercise over the year but having higher BMR assuming that food and exercise maintained your weight at the same level. The body becomes less efficient with more muscle mass which is why the body will try to lose muscle mass especially if not a lot of food is being eaten.

Besides the body needs glucose to operate and exercise consumes more glucose so more fat will be converted to glucose.

I personally think the issue is that there are many variables in the human body that can give a confusing picture and show strange weight gains when you are not expecting it but ultimately if you intermittantly fast or just fast and exercise you will have weight loss long term. That has certainly been my experience.

The issue with longer fasts is that they tend to down-regulate metabolism, increasing the risk of the yo-yo effect.

Maintaining a very low calorie keto diet/pseudo-fast is actually not that hard after 2-3 days once ketosis kicks in, the question is: will the weight loss be at least maintained 2-3 months on. I believe research shows that unfortunately the answer in most cases is: no.

Yet, the initial effects can be spectacular enough that a stable number of miracle diet peddlers manage to do well for themselves on the back of the serious problem people are trying to deal with.

 

[Noodle Legs]

A good old fashioned calorie deficit works for me. No “plans,” “diets” or “cutting out carbs/fats/other foods.” No foods are labelled “good, bad or other” and I eat what I want without judgement, that’s not to say I gorge on crappy junk food all the time but if I want a cake/pastry etc etc then I’ll have one and not feel bad. I’m just mindful that I remain in a deficit if I want to shed fat/weight.

 

[bonzobanana]

The issue with longer fasts is that they tend to down-regulate metabolism, increasing the risk of the yo-yo effect.

Maintaining a very low calorie keto diet/pseudo-fast is actually not that hard after 2-3 days once ketosis kicks in, the question is: will the weight loss be at least maintained 2-3 months on. I believe research shows that unfortunately the answer in most cases is: no.

Yet, the initial effects can be spectacular enough that a stable number of miracle diet peddlers manage to do well for themselves on the back of the serious problem people are trying to deal with.

It's a fair point but my muscle mass seems to be going up not down as I am exercising (according to my smart scales) and without going into details one of my very minor medical issues seems to be improving quite dramatically. I have had a bit of a pause though as got so bored of it for a few days but I'm back on the fasting now. I'm generally super pleased with the progress and how I'm feeling.

I'm not going to preach to others about what works or doesn't because I know different systems work for different people. I lost a lot of weight previously quite a few years ago and that was aided by a cycling commute and being a fairly physical job. I then went into a more stressful office environment and the weight went back on mostly as I was on a keyboard almost all day. It was an incredibly unhealthy environment for lots of reasons.

We shall see how it goes and if I reach my goals and can maintain the weight loss. After having soo much lung damage due to covid I'm just so pleased to be able to exercise again after getting back most of my lung capacity and starting to remove some of the additional weight caused by lack of activity due to covid. I'm not recommending my route to anyone you have to find what works for you. I do think occasional fasting at least is super healthy for the body as it puts the body into a repair cycle autophagy which you just don't get when constantly eating.

 

[Etern4l]

A good old fashioned calorie deficit works for me. No “plans,” “diets” or “cutting out carbs/fats/other foods.” No foods are labelled “good, bad or other” and I eat what I want without judgement, that’s not to say I gorge on crappy junk food all the time but if I want a cake/pastry etc etc then I’ll have one and not feel bad. I’m just mindful that I remain in a deficit if I want to shed fat/weight.

I had been trying to get that to work for several years. Some nice results at the beginning (or at one of the few "new beginnings") but ultinately didn't work for me long term.

In contrast, I lost 20 kg and significantly improved my health over the past 2 years without any calorie counting. The trick was to adopt a sustainable, healthy diet, that does not really require the admin overhead.

 

[Etern4l]

It's a fair point but my muscle mass seems to be going up not down as I am exercising (according to my smart scales) and without going into details one of my very minor medical issues seems to be improving quite dramatically. I have had a bit of a pause though as got so bored of it for a few days but I'm back on the fasting now. I'm generally super pleased with the progress and how I'm feeling.

I'm not going to preach to others about what works or doesn't because I know different systems work for different people. I lost a lot of weight previously quite a few years ago and that was aided by a cycling commute and being a fairly physical job. I then went into a more stressful office environment and the weight went back on mostly as I was on a keyboard almost all day. It was an incredibly unhealthy environment for lots of reasons.

We shall see how it goes and if I reach my goals and can maintain the weight loss. After having soo much lung damage due to covid I'm just so pleased to be able to exercise again after getting back most of my lung capacity and starting to remove some of the additional weight caused by lack of activity due to covid. I'm not recommending my route to anyone you have to find what works for you. I do think occasional fasting at least is super healthy for the body as it puts the body into a repair cycle autophagy which you just don't get when constantly eating.

Good luck, and just in case of any trouble along the way, rest assured there is/are good alternatives to starvation.

Yes, that's my understanding of the main benefit of fasting. Reputable providers/proponents also refrain from making any bold claims about the impact on weight loss. I have also been doing these periodically, with the clear understanding that my weight loss effort will temporarily get harder afterwards.

Always good to hear about the various approaches people take. I wish someone told me exactly what I know now several years ago. Unfortunately, the amount of noise in the space turns the whole thing into a painful and longwinded trial and error exercise. One good filter I would suggest is to outright discard any diets promising rapid weight loss in a short period of time. Another obvious one is to reject anything not backed up by rigorous academic research.

 

[potsy]

I've managed to shift around 8lbs so far in 2022, and am probably now as light as I've been as an adult.

Had plateaued after losing over 4st in the last 14-15 months, so am pleased things are going in the right direction again.

Have been on the 16 hour fasting thingy for a couple of weeks now and that seems to suit me at the minute, fits in quite well with my work shift and have adapted my off days accordingly.

 

[bonzobanana]

Good luck, and just in case of any trouble along the way, rest assured there is/are good alternatives to starvation.

Yes, that's my understanding of the main benefit of fasting. Reputable providers/proponents also refrain from making any bold claims about the impact on weight loss. I have also been doing these periodically, with the clear understanding that my weight loss effort will temporarily get harder afterwards.

Always good to hear about the various approaches people take. I wish someone told me exactly what I know now several years ago. Unfortunately, the amount of noise in the space turns the whole thing into a painful and longwinded trial and error exercise. One good filter I would suggest is to outright discard any diets promising rapid weight loss in a short period of time. Another obvious one is to reject anything not backed up by rigorous academic research.

Obviously fasting isn't starvation in fact you can often feel really, really good while fasting, intermittant fasting could be one or two meals a day within a window of lets say 4 hours and fasting up to 3 days is perfectly safe and backed up by a lot of science. The human body was never designed for 3 meals a day with snacks in between that is a modern approach based on easy food availability. Most animals get food much less regularly. That's why autophagy isn't really working in a lot of people and why so many people have insulin resistance as their bodies have lost the ability to use their own fat stores they rely on constantly eating food for glucose but that isn't healthy in itself. Huge amount of medical data about the benefits of fasting but then I'm sure there are huge amounts of data on the other side based on different teams and studies. Take a sensible approach and make sure when you do eat it is incredibly nutritious with good fibre etc and you won't go far wrong it can also help you clear out matter with regard the exhaust process so to speak. It's all positive really just slowing down the frequency of eating either to lose weight or enable many other health benefits. If you have weight to lose you can do it more often but if for those who haven't can do it very rarely just for the other benefits. Autophagy has been shown to consume damaged cells etc which could have become cancerous so that is a huge benefit in itself. Don't get me wrong though I look forward to the times I'm not fasting in fact food seems to taste better after a fast.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41418-019-0474-7

 

[Etern4l]

I've managed to shift around 8lbs so far in 2022, and am probably now as light as I've been as an adult.

Had plateaued after losing over 4st in the last 14-15 months, so am pleased things are going in the right direction again.

Have been on the 16 hour fasting thingy for a couple of weeks now and that seems to suit me at the minute, fits in quite well with my work shift and have adapted my off days accordingly.

Have been sticking close to 16:8 as well. The only downside I am aware of is that it increases the risk of developing gallstones. Likely applies more to people eating cholesterol-rich diets though.

 

[Ridgeway]

Decided not to try to loose weight until the clocks change. Happy that it dips slightly but focusing on fitness and i find it hard to slash calories and punish my body at the same time. So i may loose 2kgs ish but really im working on overall fitness, FTP, core and flexibility. Once the clocks change and i can increase the monthly KM’s i will then focus a bit more on calories reduction. My target is <70kgs (currently 76kg). I would normally get to 73kgs by June but it will take another little effort to make that additional 3kgs step. And if my winter training has worked then my power to weight should be good for this years mountain challenges

 

[Etern4l]

Obviously fasting isn't starvation in fact you can often feel really, really good while fasting, intermittant fasting could be one or two meals a day within a window of lets say 4 hours and fasting up to 3 days is perfectly safe and backed up by a lot of science. The human body was never designed for 3 meals a day with snacks in between that is a modern approach based on easy food availability. Most animals get food much less regularly. That's why autophagy isn't really working in a lot of people and why so many people have insulin resistance as their bodies have lost the ability to use their own fat stores they rely on constantly eating food for glucose but that isn't healthy in itself. Huge amount of medical data about the benefits of fasting but then I'm sure there are huge amounts of data on the other side based on different teams and studies. Take a sensible approach and make sure when you do eat it is incredibly nutritious with good fibre etc and you won't go far wrong it can also help you clear out matter with regard the exhaust process so to speak. It's all positive really just slowing down the frequency of eating either to lose weight or enable many other health benefits. If you have weight to lose you can do it more often but if for those who haven't can do it very rarely just for the other benefits. Autophagy has been shown to consume damaged cells etc which could have become cancerous so that is a huge benefit in itself. Don't get me wrong though I look forward to the times I'm not fasting in fact food seems to taste better after a fast.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41418-019-0474-7

Fasting is actually synonymous with starvation - please refer to the definition and "Stages of starvation":

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starvation

Even IF is technically stage II starvation, which indeed can be very well tolerated.

Reducing frequency of eating is also recommended by some prominent experts, no argument there.

As mentioned/agreed earlier, there is good research on the effects of autophagy. Benefits of fasting in terms of long term weight loss are less clear.

 

[filk]

A thread for those trying to lose a bit of weight in 2022. Sensible hits, tips and recipies are very welcome. Its not easy losing weight regardless of what weight you are starting at and what goal you are trying to reach. These posts are also to encourage others.

Like many times in the past my New Years resolution was to lose some weight and firm up a bit. Usually I fail in the first month because changes to my diet and lifestyle is too drastic for me to handle.

This year, I have taken another approach. Its made up by reading many posts on many sites and working out an easy way to tackle this.

I realised that there were regular foodstuffs that I like and eat, even when I am not hungry. I call it "go to food". I did not want to cut them out completely. But it was obvious they needed reducing quite a bit.

My Goto foods were

Burger King....twice a week
Sugar
Cake
Milk
Biscuits
Cheese
Pringles
Breakfast cereal with lots of milk.
Coffee with sugar...at least 6 mugs before lunch

All of the above have been cut down. I have had one bowl of breakfast cereal, visited Burger King once. I restrict my coffee to 2 cups a day. My weekly milk intake has gone from four liters to 1 and half liters. I have had no cheese, Pringles or biscuits in January.

The changes in my diet have not been difficult.

The odd thing is that I have reduced my cycling significantly this month. It has been wet, cold, windy and miserable for most of January. Then my works gym closed due to Covid. So I put my weight loss down to diet rather than excercise.

The other thing I did was weigh myself first thing every morning and record it. That was a daily reminder to stop cheating or pat myself on the back. It is a suprise how your weight fluctuates from day to day. It is like one step forward, two steps back. But I can see I am reaching my goal, without a lot of effort.

My goal is to lose 5kg by the end of April. It may not seem a lot. But I wanted an achievable goal instead of something that would demoralise me. If I reach 5kg, it will give me the confidence to go a bit further

I have lost 2.4kg in January. That is just by cutting back on the go to food. I dont mind new recipies. But I do not want to get into fancy diet or protein drinks.

Here is a look at my journey for January.

View attachment 629018

Eat mainly protein and fat (they often come together anyway - eg eggs, steak etc). Prioritise nutrient dense foods, eg, organ meats, meat. Ref Matt Lalond of Harvard re his studies. Never eat food out of cardboard boxes. Generally dump cereals, breads, wheat based products. Control Insulin, or it will Control you.
Eat in an 8 hour window, water, tea, coffee only in the interim. No alcohol! It can be hard at the start, It will get easier.
weight train three times a week, focusing upon compound movements eg squat, bench press, OH Press, pull ups, deadlifts and variations thereof. Seek to increase the weight lifted over time. Kettlebells swings, snatches for muscle endurance and power too. Some carbs post workout too. Rice, sweet potatoes, et al, even cake at this time.
Prioritise sleep, quantity and quality.
Cardio a couple of times a week, separate from weight sessions. Use HR monitor if possible to stay within the zone whereby you can still talk, but not sing. Rowing works for me! Sometimes cardio is not necessary. Weights gives great cardio. Try 20 squats at 50% of body weight and see how your heart rate elevates.
These will help drive up Testosterone, improve insulin Sensitivity and reset many other hormones that are probably out of kilter if you are carrying fat, especially the dangerous stuff on the belly. Waist to Height ratio is an excellent single marker of current status and progress.
Possible supplementation to include Magnesium, zinc, Vit D, K2.
Be strict for 30 days and assess how you look, feel and perform at that point, not before.
The liberation of toxins from fat cells as you starve them can lead to some cold and flu like symptoms which will pass quickly.
Body composition is more driven by what we eat, Exercise for Longevity.

 

[Julia9054]

Try 20 squats at 50% of body weight and see how your heart rate elevates

Just watch your knees. I increased weight too quickly and now - having successfully cured my twingeing hip - now have a twingeing left knee!

 

[filk]

True.
Squats should be progressed slowly initially. When advanced though I do find squats help with knee pains.
All assuming correct technique of course.