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  #1   ^
Old Tue, Apr-09-19, 12:13
Chef Ron Chef Ron is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 52
 
Plan: Keto
Stats: 293.6/261.6/180 Male 5' 11"
BF:
Progress: 28%
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Thumbs up Hello from Ottawa, Canada

Hi everyone. I won't bug you too much. I'm a 45 yr old guy from Ottawa, Ontario. I used to be in a great shape when I was 15-23 year old. I was in a military, working out, feeling like a million dollars. Then my son was born, I quit the army and started with a desk job, gained a lot of weight and then some. My max was 299lbs, I am currently sitting at 282lbs as of this morning. I've lost some weight long time ago, but then gained it all back. So, I am trying again. Started with a low carb approach on April 1, 2019, but I kept eating fruits until April 8, 2019. As of that date I am on a very clean, induction plan. I try to do at least 30 min of cardio per day. I have a few health issues that I am hoping to fix with the weight loss. The two biggest ones are acid reflux (I take prescription pills for that and I've noticed that getting better since I started eating clean) and pain in my hips, lower back, quads when I stand for a while. Sciatica issue and god knows what else. I have sleep apnea and I am using CPAP machine at night and every time I take a nap. My Dr told me that my blood sugar is OK, so is my cholesterol. My BP is on the edge, but no need for any meds yet. So, aside from wanting to look good naked (I won't post any pics like that here, I promise LOL) I really want my life back. I want to make my wife proud (she is in a great shape) and I want to be able to do stuff (sports and just enjoying regular activities). I want to make some people shut up and stop making fun of my weight (I usually laugh with them and pretend that I don't care, but...). I used to lift weights and run 5km/day. So, I can be pretty active, I just need to lose this fat that is holding me back. Anyways, that's about it. Once I reach my goal, I will post some pictures.

Cheers
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  #2   ^
Old Tue, Apr-09-19, 13:27
Grav Grav is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,469
 
Plan: Banting
Stats: 302/187/187 Male 175cm
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: New Zealand
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Hi Ron, welcome to the forum. Make yourself comfortable, look around, ask around, hang out in whatever capacity you choose.

There are a few things in your intro that resonate with me. In particular, your doctor's comments remind me of what I was being told a few years ago. My blood sugar, cholesterol and BP were all either OK or only marginally elevated. Had I known then what I know now, I would have asked them to measure my insulin levels.

Your starting and goal numbers are also similar to mine, and we're of similar ages (40 here), so we have that in common. There are plenty of other success stories around here too. Here's hoping you'll have a success story of your own before long.
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  #3   ^
Old Tue, Apr-09-19, 13:57
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,371
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Welcome Ron
Your acid reflux and joint pain,even the sleep apnea, may get much better even before you lose much weight. The latest is that they are caused by inflammation throughout the body and the keto diet has done wonders for many of us. I lost the knee arthritis, lots of good info in this thread: https://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=482196

My DH cured long-standing GERD, mainly just by giving up wheat. Details in this thread how to wean off the meds. https://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=455607 and https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb...-reflux-disease

You haven't read any books, but DietDoctor is a good resource for Keto rules. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto or for a stricter food list: https://www.dietdoctor.com/se/wp-co...starch_diet.pdf

Are you a chef? There is a treasure trove of recipes under the Kitchen forum, at the links above, and so many Keto Cookbooks now..it is somewhat overwhelming. No shortage of recipes to help you succeed.

All the best,
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  #4   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 06:10
Chef Ron Chef Ron is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 52
 
Plan: Keto
Stats: 293.6/261.6/180 Male 5' 11"
BF:
Progress: 28%
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Default

Thank you guys.
Grav, you've mentioned the insulin levels? Is that something that did not show in your regular blood work? What does the insulin level tell you?
Jay100, I will check those books out for sure. I'll try and post some of my daily food intake, so perhaps some of you more experienced low carbers can let me know if I'm doing anything wrong. And, to answer your question, I have a full time desk job and I also work part time as a chef for the last 12 years. It helps paying for my kids education and hockey :-)

Thank you again for your replies, it feels good to have someone to talk to about these issues.
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  #5   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 06:20
bkloots's Avatar
bkloots bkloots is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 10,147
 
Plan: LC--Atkins
Stats: 195/162/150 Female 62in
BF:
Progress: 73%
Location: Kansas City, MO
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Hi, Chef Ron. You've come to the right place. Plenty of support, success stories, smart people, good humor.

Ditto what everybody already said.

In February, husband and I decided step up our nutritional game to Keto. We did the four-week Keto Challenge at Diet Doctor. One outcome was enjoyable new recipes. Our usual "meat and salad" menu was fine, but variety is the...well, you know. Also, the experts at DD are inspiring and easy/free to access.

Oh...I just spotted your reply post. Low-carb is pretty easy. If there's a list (such as Dr Westman) the mantra is, "If it's not on the list, don't eat it." At Diet Doctor, there's a beautiful photo of a huge array of real food. Eat that. Easy.

Best wishes.
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  #6   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 06:40
Chef Ron Chef Ron is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 52
 
Plan: Keto
Stats: 293.6/261.6/180 Male 5' 11"
BF:
Progress: 28%
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Default

Thank you bkloots. I have to admit, I've been reading this forum for a while (years) and I love the success stories and some of you guys have posted tons of good and useful information as well. I've had some success with the low carb lifestyle, but then I fell off the wagon (I love beer and that was what ruined my effort, cause after one beer I start thinking about pizza, sigh....) and regained most of my weight back. That was about 5-6 years ago. But now I am really trying to change my life. I'll be 46 this summer, so I don't want to wait any more. So, now I am doing everything I can. I am taking notes of what I eat every day. I started working out about a month ago (before I started eating clean). And I think this forum and all of you wonderful people here can help me get my life back on track.
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  #7   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 06:50
GRB5111's Avatar
GRB5111 GRB5111 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,036
 
Plan: Very LC, Higher Protein
Stats: 227/186/185 Male 6' 0"
BF:
Progress: 98%
Location: Herndon, VA
Default

Welcome, Ron. When I started a strict keto way of eating about 7 years ago, I was taking meds for high blood pressure and GERD. I had moderate sleep apnea, joint stiffness, particularly in my fingers, and carried about 40-45 more pounds on my frame.

Today, all of that is gone and more. The weight was gone in 6 months, but the most valuable thing I learned and achieved was good health, energy, a clear head, and am no longer on any medication of any sort. The sleep apnea resolved in the first 6 months and the weight loss helped in that category. You can do this with dogged determination and consistency. After you get used to this WOE (way of eating), you WILL find that it's sustainable and whole food meals are delicious. I made a promise to get used to this WOE without trying to simulate the previous types of carb-laden foods I was eating with the many low-carb equivalent recipes available like keto "breads" or low carb desserts or to consume the many "low carb processed" foods available like the Atkins products, etc. The reason for this is that I learned that a keto WOE once one has transitioned to fat burning is easily managed with delicious meals. After a period of time, you won't feel you're lacking in anything.

Enjoy the journey, and don't hesitate to engage with the forum members here, as we have excellent information available and the people who frequent this forum are the best in knowledge and respect for others. Please take advantage of this space.
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  #8   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 09:10
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 14,608
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GRB5111
I made a promise to get used to this WOE without trying to simulate the previous types of carb-laden foods I was eating with the many low-carb equivalent recipes available like keto "breads" or low carb desserts or to consume the many "low carb processed" foods available like the Atkins products, etc.


Ron, this is an excellent point, and one which, as a chef, you have so many skills to make that happen.

I found going low carb enough to lose weight was fairly simple. But as I got older and health issues surfaced, I found I had to revamp my whole approach; like eliminating even small amounts of gluten, being alert to food sensitivities, and exploring fasting.

Remember, this is all about figuring out what works for YOU. We are all N = 1, as the saying around here goes. We all figure out our individual needs, which can vary more than I had ever realized.

My biggest challenges dealing with temptation got tempered when I came up with individual strategies. Instead of a sugary cocktail, I went to rum spritzers with a slice of lime. I can go out for Italian with my friends and order an antipasto and be even more happy because I'm having a good time I won't pay for later.

When the carbs start singing in your ear about how wonderful they are, remember this is a one night stand with a crazy person.

It's not going to work out
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  #9   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 10:21
Chef Ron Chef Ron is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 52
 
Plan: Keto
Stats: 293.6/261.6/180 Male 5' 11"
BF:
Progress: 28%
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by WereBear
When the carbs start singing in your ear about how wonderful they are, remember this is a one night stand with a crazy person.

It's not going to work out


OK, this is one of the BEST things I've heard in a long time LOL
It is sooooo true.
I actually want to print this and put it on my fridge.

And GRB5111, thanks for your input, it is good to hear that all of those health issues might go away at some point.

All the support from you guys means a lot. I know it sounds funny because we don't know each other, but it's very therapeutic to know that I can actually talk to someone who understands what I'm going through. It's like a Carboholics Anonymous in a way.
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  #10   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 10:25
Chef Ron Chef Ron is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 52
 
Plan: Keto
Stats: 293.6/261.6/180 Male 5' 11"
BF:
Progress: 28%
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grav
Hi Ron, welcome to the forum. Make yourself comfortable, look around, ask around, hang out in whatever capacity you choose.

There are a few things in your intro that resonate with me. In particular, your doctor's comments remind me of what I was being told a few years ago. My blood sugar, cholesterol and BP were all either OK or only marginally elevated. Had I known then what I know now, I would have asked them to measure my insulin levels.

Your starting and goal numbers are also similar to mine, and we're of similar ages (40 here), so we have that in common. There are plenty of other success stories around here too. Here's hoping you'll have a success story of your own before long.



BTW Grav, dude, I just saw your photos! Man, you look fantastic, 50 kg, congratulations! I hope I can get there at some point. Amazing!
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  #11   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 10:40
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,371
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Rob and Thud are also success stories, but shy guys, while Grav and Ken shared their amazing success with the world. https://www.dietdoctor.com/literally-60-man-used https://www.dietdoctor.com/way-eating-saved
Check out some of the other successs stories in your age group too...can't claim it is only water weight or too hard to stick with keto long term!
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  #12   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 10:57
CityGirl8 CityGirl8 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 856
 
Plan: Protein Power, IF
Stats: 238/204/145 Female 5'8"
BF:53.75%/46.6%/25%
Progress: 37%
Location: PNW
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chef Ron
I try to do at least 30 min of cardio per day. I have a few health issues that I am hoping to fix with the weight loss. The two biggest ones are acid reflux (I take prescription pills for that and I've noticed that getting better since I started eating clean) and pain in my hips, lower back, quads when I stand for a while. Sciatica issue and god knows what else.
Welcome!

You might want to take it easy with the workouts for a few weeks until you're adapted. Then, instead of lots of cardio which isn't really conducive to weight loss, try a strength plan--lifting if you have access to a gym or bodyweight strength training if you don't. Building muscle will help you increase your metabolism, as well as the more obvious benefit of helping to lower BF% and enabling you to do more things you want to do.

Mark's Daily Apple has a great basic plan that has you strength training twice a week (for less than 30 minutes), lots of moderate movement (3–5 hours a week) like walking, golfing, yard work, and then adding sprint sessions when you're ready: Primal Workout There's a link in that page to his Primal Blueprint Fitness ebook that's broken, but if you sign up for his newsletter you can it get for free.
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  #13   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 11:04
Chef Ron Chef Ron is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 52
 
Plan: Keto
Stats: 293.6/261.6/180 Male 5' 11"
BF:
Progress: 28%
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Default

Oh, I've just clicked on those links and I've realized that I'd read those two stories before! It's nice to connect these stories to the real people here on this forum. And a huge inspiration, as well.
Funny, I was at the gym about 2 hours ago on the elliptical and I was talking to my friend who was working out next to me, telling her what I'm doing and how I fight these late night carb cravings. Suddenly this one lady approached me and said she overheard me talking about these things and she said "try Keto, my husband and I lost ton of weight doing that and I don't care about sugar any more at all". She looked like she was in a top shape, mid 40s, you would never be able to tell that she had any weight related issues in her life. Anyways, we had a nice chat and I told her that's exactly what I'm doing right now. It's incredible how supportive the "low carb" people are once they hear about your struggles. Amazing.
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  #14   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 11:16
Chef Ron Chef Ron is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 52
 
Plan: Keto
Stats: 293.6/261.6/180 Male 5' 11"
BF:
Progress: 28%
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by CityGirl8
Welcome!

You might want to take it easy with the workouts for a few weeks until you're adapted. Then, instead of lots of cardio which isn't really conducive to weight loss, try a strength plan--lifting if you have access to a gym or bodyweight strength training if you don't. Building muscle will help you increase your metabolism, as well as the more obvious benefit of helping to lower BF% and enabling you to do more things you want to do.

Mark's Daily Apple has a great basic plan that has you strength training twice a week (for less than 30 minutes), lots of moderate movement (3–5 hours a week) like walking, golfing, yard work, and then adding sprint sessions when you're ready: Primal Workout There's a link in that page to his Primal Blueprint Fitness ebook that's broken, but if you sign up for his newsletter you can it get for free.


Thank you. Wow, you guys are amazing, really.
Here's the thing, I did A LOT of strength training, weight lifting etc, so I already have a decent muscle mass underneath this layer of fat
I'm not too weak, for example I can easily bench press 220 lbs (I know, it's a stupid guy thing to brag about it, but it makes me happy lol ). I'll try to see if my scale can give me a body fat %, not sure how accurate the scales are though when it comes to that.
So, the plan right now is to build up my cardio a bit, for about two weeks, of either walking fast, jogging, elliptical, whatever I chose that day, and then do cardio 3 times per week and the weight lifting other 3 days and have one day off to recuperate. I know how important the strength training is, so that's definitely the next step, right now this cardio is helping me with my anxiety issues.
But I think I know what you mean about my body adapting. It's a big difference to try and do some exercising while eating a low carb diet.
Now, I don't know if this is all in my head but I feel....lighter. I've lost only 3 pounds, but my whole body after about a week of this feels different. Almost like my body got more flexible, but how could that be in just 7 days?
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  #15   ^
Old Wed, Apr-10-19, 11:48
Kristine's Avatar
Kristine Kristine is offline
Forum Moderator
Posts: 25,585
 
Plan: Primal/P:E
Stats: 171/146/150 Female 5'7"
BF:
Progress: 119%
Location: Southern Ontario, Canada
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Hello from Oshawa, Ron! Congrats on your success so far. I bet your DW is already proud of you.
Quote:
I've lost only 3 pounds, but my whole body after about a week of this feels different. Almost like my body got more flexible, but how could that be in just 7 days?
Heh - I think it's the opposite of how lousy you feel when you blow it. You just get so used to being over-carbed and feeling slightly crappy all the time, that it's like making the world's longest hangover finally go away. You're naturally more energetic and there's less inflammation going on in your muscles and joints.

Former army girl here - I was in the reserves for 14 years.

Good luck and good health to you - keep posting.
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