How to sensibly lose weight

I have been dieting for several months and lost 10 lbs. Mostly from trying to eat only two small meals a day.

If I eat one small meal a day, I lose a lot of weight. If I eat two small meals a day, I lose a little weight. If I eat three small meals a day I don't lose or gain any weight. If I eat four small meals a day I gain weight...

Simple as that. Mind over matter.

As I sat here eating french fries, I realized I may be in the wrong thread.

You have to cut the carbs, that means all the sugar and most of the grains. And increase the healthy fat and vegetables, tons of vegetables. And recent research indicates a connection between having a healthy bacterial intestinal biome and healthy weight. That means taking an excellent probiotic and then getting a lot of soluble fiber to feed these gut bacteria. The probiotic I've tried successfully is Keybiotics, an expensive but effective probiotic.

The alternative is insulin resistance somewhere down the line and, finally, diabetes.

Soup. Eat a lot of soup. Make your own so as to keep sodium and fats down to the lowest level you can.

Or just eat dry chicken and celery.


Maybe a salad without any croutons or dressing.

The thing about food is we all have different bodies and metabolisms. That is why some meal plans help one person lose weight while another will gain. Find what works for you and stick with it. Also, run it by a doctor.

More important than the exploration of outer space is the exploration of innerspace, that is the inner space of our microbiome, the ecology of microorganisms that inhabit our intestines and the rest of our body.

Huge amounts of money has been spent in the exploration of outer space, but the exploration of our inner space is a new field of research that promises immense revelations regarding our bacterial symbionts and their part in keeping our bodies and minds healthy.

We have to keep in mind that when we eat we're not just eating for one, but we're eating for one plus 100 trillion, for we are hosts to a vast array of mutualists.

I am lucky if I can get by with one small meal and one big meal. Mind over matter is not always easy. Probiotics are great for dieting and so are enzymes.

Keeping sugar low and eating the right kind of carbs also helps.

I tend to like the Mediterranean diet best.

Fish and seafood several times a week, olives, cheese and sourdough bread...

I got some figs on Amazon from Turkey that are pretty nice too.

I eat too much; it’s that simple.

I cut my portions in half, ate rye bread only, and got a lot of exercise this spring/ summer gardening. I also drank a lot of water flavored with lemonade. I have lost 6 pounds.

How my clothes fit is the real test.

I am glad we can work to lose weight together Punkey.

I have changed my diet from quantity to quality.

If I am only going to eat one meal in a day it will not be Ramin noodles and chips with ice cream for desert.

I eat quality and healthy food that is nourishing and satisfying.

I have had to learn to not over shop because food goes bad and is wasted when I am only consuming a small amount each day.

My freezer is loaded, packed full.

It is better to walk to the store each day, get the exercise and buy just what I need in most cases than have tons of perishable items going bad in the fridge and freezer.


Sturgis, I just read an article yesterday that science has clearly linked mortality and aging with salt intake. Great point!

If I can find it I will post it here in this thread.

I noticed that my ankles were swelling up. My blood pressure was somewhat elevated so I stopped all salt except for a tiny bit in yogurt. I haven't taken my blood pressure since, but my ankles are no longer swollen. I had been eating biscuits that I was rising with baking powder. Baking powder is sodium bicarbonate and sodium aluminum sulfate. So I stopped that.

There are tons of information on nutrition on YouTube, and the series I like is Doctor Berg. Check it out.

My Philosophy is to do all you can nutritionally to keep from going to the doctor. Once you go to the doctor and start taking medicine, it's a slippery slope.

The science of nutrition is progressing by leaps and bounds gaining knowledge and insight that was not even suspected several years ago, and a lot of it has to do with the intestinal bacteria, which some people refer to as another organ like the liver. That's why you hear so much about probiotics nowadays and prebiotics, which is the feeding of the intestinal bacteria.

Food high in fiber make your body work harder. Just an ounce of pecans can be very filling and boost your energy during the day.

Accurate measurements of sodium intake confirm relationship with mortality
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180622012101.htm

I would challenge anybody to eliminate all added sugar and all grains from their diet and still be fat. Eat everything else you want, fat, protein, unlimited vegetables, fruit, and I don't think you could maintain your fat.
And if you did it would probably mean that you have the wrong microbiome, that is the wrong bacteria in your gut, and that could be remedied with a probiotic or, if necessary, a fecal transplant.

I personally think a balanced diet is best. The only things absolutely prohibited in my diet are alcohol and drugs.

I limit salt and sugar also, but, I always have and I simply eat small meals, two to three meals a day and gradually the weight comes off.

Caloric reduction is the key for me.

There is something wrong about just eating meat. My karma cannot take it, nor can my conscience.

Weight loss: Surprising scale of health benefits for biggest losers
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180814103251.htm

I have lost 20 lbs. (10 more to go)

I have been going to the gym but that actually has caused me to gain weight because I have been increasing my muscle mass.

I have found that one meal a day is the only way to drop my weight on the scales.

If does not matter when I eat that meal as long as I only eat one meal.

I am actually a very muscular person so my body responds very well to caloric reduction.

I find if I eat the meal early in the day then it is harder to not snack or eat a second meal later in the day so the best plan for me is to wait for suppertime for that meal. Then i am able to possibly not eat again that day.

On the subject of "headaches" most people get headaches when they fast...

If it is possible, when you start to get a dieting headache take a nap and that will cure it and allow you to move past the headache without eating.

I do not fast every day because the urge to eat it too great. Consider that losing 20 lbs is a many month endeavor. Nearly every day you need to attempt to fast aiming for only one meal.

It has taken me many months of fasting every day to bring my weight down.

The benefits are that I am no longer out of breath when walking up the many hills in the city where I live. Pull-ups are possible when your weight is not so out of balance. When i was 20lbs heavier I could not even do one pull-up without experiencing a lot of discomfort and strain. Now I can do about three in a row and each day I am now able to do more where before i just gave up and did not even attempt to do them.

I have a much better self image now also and I am attractive again to others (so I am told).

This diet will not work if you, #1 drink alcohol or take drugs (they are too taxing on your liver and mind/motivation) ...No diet pills... also, alcohol, the hangovers deplete your body rapidly of nutrients you get from that one meal that are vital and drugs often cloud your mind and ability to focus. #2 drinking caffeine (decaffeinated beverages only and mostly water) Caffeine also depletes the body of vital nutrients #3 eating too much sugar... #4 smoking, if you smoke anything, why bother trying to lose weight you are already too far gone. Quit smoking first. Quit smoking cold turkey and no patches are needed they just complicate the process you can quit cold turkey without a patch even if you have smoked for many years. Quit smoking every morning until it sticks. #5 Soda, no soda (maybe one a week) and fruit juice a tiny glass is fine with your meal but it should not be used to quench thirst, use water for that. Flavored unsweetened club soda, tonic, seltzer and sparkling water are okay also just beware of their additives.

I suggest not trying to rush this diet, 5 lbs a month (or less) is a realistic goal use exercise to replace body girth. (and yes you can exercise on an empty stomach.) Drink as much water as you like within reason.

If you are able to fast one meal a day every day then back off from the diet and go to only one meal a few times a week and the other days do two meals.

One meal a day is how you regulate weight, if you start gaining you will bring this diet back time and again to keep your weight stable at your desired weight.

Do not eat cheap foods... Eat nourishing foods. You can eat whatever you like
on this diet but stick to foods that have a lot of quality nourishment.

For instance, if you are going to only eat one meal a day do not eat Ramen Noodles... Eat steak and fresh veggies. Also, be aware that going back for seconds and thirds that you can consume three meals worth of calories in one sitting.

Your one meal a day can be a generous and filling serving but not outrageously overboard.

Sugar is not forbidden on this diet but it is to be consumed with caution.

Forget this diet and losing weight if you binge drink... you need to deal with drinking, drugs and smoking before attempting this diet.

Clear and clean your body and mind then work on the fat.

Update on my diet.

I am still fasting almost every day.

One meal a day, I am getting more used to doing it.

I have lost almost 25 lbs.

I think it was easier quitting drinking alcohol and weed than it has been dieting every day.

If I have my one meal too early in the day then late at night my stomach starts to complain and I get "temptations".

Just a tiny ham and cheese sandwich, some cheese and crackers or how about a small glass of fruit juice?

Then I think of living my life alone because I am unwanted and fat and never having washboard abs and I am able to ward off the little voice inside my head providing me with suggestions on what to eat.

Every day I lose weight my attractiveness goes up, my popularity goes up and my friends desire to be around me more. It is a simple fact, no matter how superficial it seems, it is true.

I have perhaps another month of fasting each day with aiming for only one meal and I then will maybe be able to settle into two modest meals per day.

I will never allow myself to get fat again.

I realize I can fit three meals into one meal if I don't listen to my body when it tells me it is full...

I am not intending to insult fat people, I am just saying that people who are healthy and in shape seem to "generally" get more attention. It is a fact of life and I don't plan to let overeating ruin my health and quality of life.

I was fat and somehow I imagined that, that was okay. That was until I would see myself walk by and my reflection in a store window would shatter my imaginary perception of myself.

My face was fat, my stomach was fat and I looked like ****.

I have at least ten more lbs to go.

That is over a month or more perhaps of dieting.

That is 30 lbs overweight.

30lbs!

It is like carrying around a huge bag of potatoes!

If my belly is not gone with losing 10 more lbs then my weight problem was even worse.

I am not out of breath anymore when I go up stairs and walk up hills.

I can now stand to look at myself without my shirt on.

Ten more lbs and I will maybe have a swimsuit body and be able to walk around without a shirt or on the beach (in speedos).

I will not shy away from nearly every Facebook photo op and there will be photos of me online again.

There will be a body to attach to this person that I am happy with.

Losing weight needs one to be psyched out in order to stick to a regimented eating plan...

I think I have accomplished this. I do not fast every day but I try.

I manage to get in about 4 days a week with only one meal and that is how my weight loss plan has progressed. Exercise helps but caloric reduction seems to be by far the greatest means to lose weight.

My body would wear out if i tried to use only exercise to rid myself of this fat.

I am off to bed and I think I have successfully gone another day with only one medium sized meal.

Tomorrow the scale and my bathroom mirror will be kind to me...

Almost every single day I am modifying my diet in order to lose weight.

I call it fasting even though I do not really fast a single day; I always eat something every day.

Lately I have realized an important tip on how to fast and be more successful.

I have found that if I eat breakfast I am unable to go throughout the day without later having some kind of lunch or dinner. The urge to eat is too great and I give in.

So I have discovered that if I get up in the morning at around 9am -10am and prepare/drink my decaf coffee, I can then easily fast until about 5pm.

This fast is actually invigorating I feel full of energy and really good during this kind of fast. Then at 5pm my stomach has starts to talk to me.

Your stomach is an organ, and therefore it is an organism with its own soul and life. If you constantly fill its mouth then it is always busy chewing and can never speak to you. So at around 5 pm my stomach begins to speak to me. My stomach also shrinks during the day considerably and it also goes through a healing process (at least in my case) which is good if you have an irritated lining.

This shrinking process is good because when you do go to feed your "organism", it will tell you much sooner that it is full.

Also your stomach relishes the food much more while you are feeding your internal "pet" it oohs and ahhs and grumbles approvingly and considerably in approval.

This means your body is generally happy with your diet.

After all, over feeding your stomach has led to poor health.

Then from 5pm to 12am-1am I am able to go that length of time without eating also and I then go to bed. These long stretches of not eating are when you lose weight.

With eating only one reasonable meal a day you/I lose about a half a pound a day.

That is a good amount of weight.

Drinking fluids is important and I drink club soda or sparkling water with lime or simply water.

This method of losing weight is the best and easiest way to lose weight.

Also, when suppertime comes along, eating is such a satisfying pleasure like a reward and something sacred so be sure to consume good and healthy foods that are balanced in nutrients.

You do not have to worry about carbs or fats but try and consume some good proteins also.

Sugars are non nutritious so a small desert is okay but just realize that desert is not as beneficial for your healthy well being.

I hope this diet process helps you as much as it has helped me.

Good luck!

I'm not sure that even short term fasting is a good idea, but, of course, that's controversial. From what I understand, there is a little bit of sugar in the blood and more stored in the liver to be used for energy. When that energy is used up then the body starts breaking down fat for energy. But the brain, which uses a lot of energy, cannot use energy from breaking down the body's own fat stores, and it has to get energy from food sources such as fat. So when sugar levels are depleted, the body starts breaking down muscle tissue for energy for the brain. If you go for a long period without eating, you start feeling true hunger that is felt in the throat and not so much in the stomach. That's when you know you have to eat or else the body starts breaking down muscle tissue, which you don't want to happen.

That's why exercise and weight lifting is a good idea, to build up extra stores of muscle that will be broken down when you're ill and unable to eat regularly.

I got most of this information from a program on PBS by a neurologist called Dr. Perlmutter, anyway I think that's who it was. So I think the information is correct, at least it deserves more research.

I just googled and found these:

Dr Mowill is a doctor also and a diabetes coach.

The Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
https://drmowll.com/the-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting/

He writes
Intermittent Fasting is Good for Your Brain

Besides reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, as well as blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, research has suggested IF is good for our brain health as well. Several studies on rats have found that intermittent fasting may increase the growth of new nerve cells, which optimizes brain function. [11]

IF also increases the level of an important brain hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) [12]. Decreased levels of this hormone have been linked to depression and other cognitive problems.

Comment:
I have said in this tread that exercising on an empty stomach is actually a good thing. This diet I have outlined here does not discourage but it encourages exercise. It also encourages caloric reduction which is faster at lowering weight than exercise.

I have found that my calories lost by fasting have not returned and I am still just as muscular as I was. All I have lost is my belly which was very unhealthy for me.

Fasting like this works and it works rapidly on fat.

11 Myths About Fasting and Meal Frequency
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-myths-fasting-and-meal-frequency#section9

9. Intermittent Fasting Makes You Lose Muscle
Some believe that if we fast, that our bodies will start burning muscle and using it for fuel.

It is true that this happens with dieting in general, but there is no evidence that this happens more with intermittent fasting than other methods.

In fact, some studies even suggest that intermittent fasting is better for maintaining muscle mass.

In one review study, intermittent calorie restriction caused a similar amount of weight loss as continuous calorie restriction, but much less reduction in muscle mass (34).

There was also a study that had participants eat the same amount of calories as they were used to, except in one huge meal in the evening (31).

These people lost body fat and actually had a modest increase (almost statistically significant) in their muscle mass, along with a bunch of other beneficial effects on health markers.

Intermittent fasting is also popular among many bodybuilders, who find it to be an effective way to maintain high amounts of muscle with a low body fat percentage.