Easy weight loss - need advice

[the lynx]

If you put yourself on a "starvation diet" your body goes into what is called starvation mode. When this happens, whatever you eat, regardless of how small, is converted to fat storage as the body doesn't know when it's going to get more food so it tries to hang on to everything you consume. Bad way to go and also can cause halitosis as well.

You should cut down on the four killer starches as much as possible and completely for the duration of the "dieting" e.g., consume no rice, bread, pasta or potatoes. Also stay away from any vegetable that grows underground as they are also carbohydrates.

I can attest to SMS's point on starvation mode because this is what I've learned in my health psychology. The worse thing that can happen when you're in starvation mode is that the moment you relent or switch back to your usual eating habit, you will gain the weight you've lost or even more as the body will still attempt to convert everything it can into storage fat. A backfire!

Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables and equal portions of protein (meat/seafood/fowl). No more than around 130 grams of each. Be sure to eat 3 meals a day and no more than a single protein source at a given meal. Do not eat pork. Also cut out both sugar (must) and salt (good if you can as salt causes fluid retention). Do not snack but a piece of fruit between meals is okay. Do not eat anything a least two hours before retiring at night and try to get 8 solid hours of sleep. Try to drink at least 2 litres of water daily. After around 7 days you will lose the carb cravings and after that you should lose somewhere around 1 kg/wk safely. If you are doing a exercise programme, cut back on intensity & frequency while on the diet. If you aren't on an exercise programme, don't start until you have lost the weight and have started eating a bit more to stabilize your loss of weight.

The biggest thing to note is that you cannot go back to "eating normally" as your idea of eating normally was abnormal. Had it been normal you wouldn't have gained all the weight in the first place.

You don't need supplements or pills with this diet and it works. However, taking a good multivitamin is always a good idea.

You can read my journey four years ago elsewhere on this forum.

So idea of dieting is that it should be healthy, comfortable and gradual because you never want your body to be on starvation mode, yet you don't want to feel that you're forced to upkeep that diet that you're hating.

[v4jr4]

@sundaymorningstaple: about the meat, which one that you put in the menu? Beef, fish, or chicken? Some people said to me that salmon is the star, while some others said that chicken breast is the best.

About the HBP (around 125-130/80), although I don't take any medication, I'm stopping the coffee and going for green tea. Combine well-balanced diet with jogging, I lost 8 kg in 2 months, with BMI from 29.1 to 26.4. I'm a little bit pessimistic about the blood pressure. Well, let's see later

[sundaymorningstaple]

If you put yourself on a "starvation diet" your body goes into what is called starvation mode. When this happens, whatever you eat, regardless of how small, is converted to fat storage as the body doesn't know when it's going to get more food so it tries to hang on to everything you consume. Bad way to go and also can cause halitosis as well.

You should cut down on the four killer starches as much as possible and completely for the duration of the "dieting" e.g., consume no rice, bread, pasta or potatoes. Also stay away from any vegetable that grows underground as they are also carbohydrates.

Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables and equal portions of protein (meat/seafood/fowl). No more than around 130 grams of each. Be sure to eat 3 meals a day and no more than a single protein source at a given meal. Do not eat pork. Also cut out both sugar (must) and salt (good if you can as salt causes fluid retention). Do not snack but a piece of fruit between meals is okay. Do not eat anything a least two hours before retiring at night and try to get 8 solid hours of sleep. Try to drink at least 2 litres of water daily. After around 7 days you will lose the carb cravings and after that you should lose somewhere around 1 kg/wk safely. If you are doing a exercise programme, cut back on intensity & frequency while on the diet. If you aren't on an exercise programme, don't start until you have lost the weight and have started eating a bit more to stabilize your loss of weight.

The biggest thing to note is that you cannot go back to "eating normally" as your idea of eating normally was abnormal. Had it been normal you wouldn't have gained all the weight in the first place.

You don't need supplements or pills with this diet and it works. However, taking a good multivitamin is always a good idea.

You can read my journey four years ago elsewhere on this forum.

Additionally, do not eat more than one regular egg per day and do not consume any dairy products while dieting. Cheese is a protein source so if you do want cheese, remember it has to replace on of the other protein sources and the weight of the portion should be half that of the other protein sources, e.g., around 65 gm. Try to space out your meals so that you have at least 5 hours between main meals, e.g., Breakfast, Lunch and Supper/Dinner, but try not to have your last main meal later than 8 pm if at all possible, remembering to not eat a minimum of two hours before retiring at night.

For anybody who's interested.......

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic ... hlight=man

[sundaymorningstaple]

@sundaymorningstaple: about the meat, which one that you put in the menu? Beef, fish, or chicken? Some people said to me that salmon is the star, while some others said that chicken breast is the best.

About the HBP (around 125-130/80), although I don't take any medication, I'm stopping the coffee and going for green tea. Combine well-balanced diet with jogging, I lost 8 kg in 2 months, with BMI from 29.1 to 26.4. I'm a little bit pessimistic about the blood pressure. Well, let's see later

Beef/fish/chicken all okay as long as the quantities are kept around 135-150 grams (vegetables should be the same weight) I used lean beef (eye round), chicken breast (not any dark meat), and in the interests of cost, fresh Toman or canned tuna fish (either in brine or water NOT oil). Prawns or crab or sotong also can. Seafoods can be mixed but total should not to exceed given weight, but fowl or beef cannot be mixed. Some people cannot eat prawns or crabs but they probably already know that.

Once can continue to drink coffee or tea but without cream/condensed milk/sugar although artificial sweeteners are okay. Soft drinks are out but diet soft drinks (without sugar) are okay as well.

Read my thread to see the health benefits I gained as a result of my diet four years ago.

[v4jr4]

Beef/fish/chicken all okay as long as the quantities are kept around 135-150 grams (vegetables should be the same weight) I used lean beef (eye round), chicken breast (not any dark meat), and in the interests of cost, fresh Toman or canned tuna fish (either in brine or water NOT oil).

Not oil? Even olive oil? Cause some people said that canned tuna with olive oil is better

Aside from that, based on your experience, I assume that you bring your own lunch, while I'm kinda lazy to do it. Yet, searching for healthy foods around hawker centre... well, I think thunder tea rice, yong tau foo, fish soup, or vegetarian sets are good enough

[the lynx]

Beef/fish/chicken all okay as long as the quantities are kept around 135-150 grams (vegetables should be the same weight) I used lean beef (eye round), chicken breast (not any dark meat), and in the interests of cost, fresh Toman or canned tuna fish (either in brine or water NOT oil).

Not oil? Even olive oil? Cause some people said that canned tuna with olive oil is better

Aside from that, based on your experience, I assume that you bring your own lunch, while I'm kinda lazy to do it. Yet, searching for healthy foods around hawker centre... well, I think thunder tea rice, yong tau foo, fish soup, or vegetarian sets are good enough

For your info, aside from thunder tea rice, other food tend to be high in sodium (you have to blame MSG for it) so that can backfire too.

Why don't you prepare your own lunch on the night before and pack it to work. Just chuck it into toaster or microwave oven and presto!

That's what I've been doing after having few bouts of food poisoning from eating out in hawker centres. Plus home-made food can be very healthy and cheap.

Just to share some breakdown:

A head of lettuce, few tomatoes, 2 cans of tuna, a loaf of bread, a block of olive oil butter, a bottle mixed herbs and spices (sometimes cheese ) = $20.

Spread over 8 sets of sandwiches and 2 salad sets for a week. >$2 a meal (because that olive oil butter and mixed herbs can run for weeks).

[v4jr4]

Just to share some breakdown:

A head of lettuce, few tomatoes, 2 cans of tuna, a loaf of bread, a block of olive oil butter, a bottle mixed herbs and spices (sometimes cheese ) = $20.

Spread over 8 sets of sandwiches and 2 salad sets for a week. >$2 a meal (because that olive oil butter and mixed herbs can run for weeks).

Sometimes I did that. Funny thing is that some people recommended Gardenia, Breadtalk, or Cedele products. Well, I'm juggling in between. How about you?

[sundaymorningstaple]

I cook in Extra Virgin Olive oil. Tuna should be in Water or Brine.

I still only use Olive oil to cook with and still pack my lunch.

In fact, while I'm cooking my dinner, I'm also preparing my breakfast and lunch for the next day. I eat a Veg Omelet for breakfast with a 1 inch ring of Papaya from a decent/large papaya and a cup of Black English Tea. For lunch I eat a salad usually comprised of lettuce, capsicum, cucumber, tomato, raw mushroom and either tuna (one can, drained is just about 135 grams), boiled chicken or Prawns. I just throw them in the bowl in the fridge and in the morning it's quick to beat the egg and throw in the vegetables (Tomato, Capsicum & Mushrooms & occasionally onions). I use a biokips locking container for my lunch and it's quick, easy and as mentioned, rather inexpensive. I still have no carbs for breakfast or lunch and rarely for dinner but occasionally I'll have some cookies/crackers in the evenings but I try not to as it causes me to have carb cravings.

Another thing, never have carbs for breakfast unless you are exercising shortly afterwards as carbs first thing in the morning will give you an insulin spike and at 9:30~10:00 am you will have to have a carb snack (UFOs are what I call them - Unidentified Fried Objects).

[the lynx]

Just to share some breakdown:

A head of lettuce, few tomatoes, 2 cans of tuna, a loaf of bread, a block of olive oil butter, a bottle mixed herbs and spices (sometimes cheese ) = $20.

Spread over 8 sets of sandwiches and 2 salad sets for a week. >$2 a meal (because that olive oil butter and mixed herbs can run for weeks).

Sometimes I did that. Funny thing is that some people recommended Gardenia, Breadtalk, or Cedele products. Well, I'm juggling in between. How about you?

To be honest, I go for Sunshine or even Fairprice (shocker!) - wholemeal or multigrain. Seriously if you pay attention to the labels for nutritional info, the names won't matter. Unless you have tight stomach for familiar brands.

[nakatago]

In fact, while I'm cooking my dinner, I'm also preparing my breakfast and lunch for the next day. I eat a Veg Omelet for breakfast with a 1 inch ring of Papaya from a decent/large papaya and a cup of Black English Tea. For lunch I eat a salad usually comprised of lettuce, capsicum, cucumber, tomato, raw mushroom and either tuna (one can, drained is just about 135 grams), boiled chicken or Prawns. I just throw them in the bowl in the fridge and in the morning it's quick to beat the egg and throw in the vegetables (Tomato, Capsicum & Mushrooms & occasionally onions). I use a biokips locking container for my lunch and it's quick, easy and as mentioned, rather inexpensive. I still have no carbs for breakfast or lunch and rarely for dinner but occasionally I'll have some cookies/crackers in the evenings but I try not to as it causes me to have carb cravings.

Another thing, never have carbs for breakfast unless you are exercising shortly afterwards as carbs first thing in the morning will give you an insulin spike and at 9:30~10:00 am you will have to have a carb snack (UFOs are what I call them - Unidentified Fried Objects).

Ah. Thanks for the idea on what to put on a veggie omelette. More often, I just do tuna or some chopped tomatoes. Then put that on multigrain bread with some lettuce--ok, maybe LOTS of lettuce (gotta use up the iceberg before it goes bad). When I feel like indulging, maybe a slice of cheese or some avocado.

Funnily enough, when I do lapse and have fried rice (I know) for breakfast, I have it with some egg. The egg makes me full even into lunch time--no carb cravings (I checked other combinations; it was definitely the egg).

Then again, I've also been getting a lot of exercise so it's alright.

[v4jr4]

I still have no carbs for breakfast or lunch and rarely for dinner but occasionally I'll have some cookies/crackers in the evenings but I try not to as it causes me to have carb cravings.

Even for, let's say, oatmeal for breakfast and brown rice - vegetables combo for lunch? Some links from Google said that they are pretty good. Not to mention mee sua

Seriously if you pay attention to the labels for nutritional info, the names won't matter.

Okay, that makes sense. I don't remember if Breadtalk or Cedele puts the nutritional info, but one thing for sure: I want to avoid white bread

And now, how about milk? Did you guys go for it? I still go for HL.

[the lynx]

I still have no carbs for breakfast or lunch and rarely for dinner but occasionally I'll have some cookies/crackers in the evenings but I try not to as it causes me to have carb cravings.

Even for, let's say, oatmeal for breakfast and brown rice - vegetables combo for lunch? Some links from Google said that they are pretty good. Not to mention mee sua

Seriously if you pay attention to the labels for nutritional info, the names won't matter.

Okay, that makes sense. I don't remember if Breadtalk or Cedele puts the nutritional info, but one thing for sure: I want to avoid white bread

And now, how about milk? Did you guys go for it? I still go for HL.

If you really want milk, you can switch to soy milk. For me I go for high calcium ones because I've seen enough aunties with bad osteoporosis (and I'm only in 20s - yikes!). And that is for my oatmeal.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Stay away from dairy products until you have lost the desired amount of weight. What you eat once you have obtained your desired weight will depend largely on the lifestyle you adopt. If you are younger than you will be able to consume items that are undesirable while on the diet. While other who are sedentary for the most part (like me nowadays), I have to watch more closely what groceries I shovel into my garbage disposal. What I have given you today is the recipe to get rid of a lot of weight in a short amount of time in a healthy manner.

Once you have gotten down to where your body thinks is the bottom, the hunger will come back with a vengeance. When it does, you will feel like you want to eat the legs off the kitchen table. Then it's time to stop as your body is telling you it is time to quit. (Not the same as your mind trying to trick you). As an alternative to an omelet for breadfast, you can also use a like weigh of lowfat yoghurt with fruit (or make a smoothie out of it with the fruit and a blender). I don't care for yoghurt so never tried it but it was allowable.

Soy milk is okay as a substitute for dairy milk. But make sure it doesn't have any sugar added.

[v4jr4]

Hmmm... I don't mind going back to soy milk, but cutting of dairy products are challenging. I guess I have to stay with fruits-vegetables-tuna chunks combo for a while.

About the protein sources, if I'm planning to stick with low-carb diet, I still prefer tofu and boiled egg (without soy sauce/pepper). Too bad tempeh is not the main star in Singapore. What's your favorite protein source?

[sundaymorningstaple]

I'd have to say seafood. But I used to be on a seefood diet and it made me fat! Back then if I "SEEFOOD" I ate it!