I just came back from a 1.5 hour of a ninjitsui class and ate a chiken breast and some spinach. I'm still hungry but I know if I give it some time to sit, it will go away after drinking lots of water. :)

.02

You can always eat more spinach yknow.

I think I've tried every diet out there, usualy quiting after a short time because my body wanted to eat real food.

I've been on my own low-carb diet for two years now. Eat like a pig, but no or little carbs. One problem is I simply have not figured out how to drive past a White Castle without buying a few sliders. :rolleyes: Anyway, I lost 50 pounds, went from a tight 40 pants size to a loose 34. Just had blood work done for the first time in about 4 years. Everything, other than my weight (was 250, now 200), is in the good range, which it was not before. My blood pressure is lower too. I also have to sleep less. The low carb thing is what works for me.

Ate a slice of watermelon and killed the pang. :)

Congratulations on the successes any way that you can get them. Obesity and diabetes cases are increasing at an alarming rate. You are the only one who can protect yourself from these conditions.

Many modern foods should be avoided whenever possible. These include high fructose corn syrup, refined grains and hydrogenated fats. Some of my favorite foods that are loaded with these are soft drinks, potato chips, french fries and snack cakes. I view these foods as candy.

Note that soft drinks and milk are not drinks, they are food. This idea extends to others.

Baked goods are loaded with lard, hydrogenated fats, refined grains and sugars. I love them but treat them as candy also.

I am just over six feet and am struggling to get back under 190lbs. I have never passed the 200lb mark but have been adjusting my food intake and exercise since I was in my late 20s.

I also treat caffeine as an occasional treat, I feel better and sleep better for it.

I think that a lot of people don't realize( i didn't) that as you get older, you can't get away with eating the same things you did when you were in your 20's, no matter how active.

I've always been a big, big eater but am realizing that I can't and shouldn't do it anymore.

I would like to lose another 10lbs by my birthday in late August. If I get under 230, I will be lighter than I have been in at least 12-13 years.

The good thing about being tall is that at 230, I actually look skinny. :P

We were just talking about this last night and decided that several "cheat meals" a week may work better than one "cheat day" a week. We love to sit on a day off and eat a traditional bacon and eggs breakfast and read the newspaper. After that we may not want another "cheat meal" that day.

Good work Plantman.

I've gone from 195 to 180 in the last 6 weeks through doing pretty much the same thing. Amazing how gratifying it is not to have to buy more pants this year because I don't fit into last years. I even tried on a pair of 33" waist ones that I still had in the closet, and while a little tight, they were wearable. At Christmas I couldn't even get them over my butt!

Did you not learn the first time?

I got to thinking a bit more and realized that I stil do eat a fair share of carbs, I just don't eat different ones or large quantities at the same sitting.

Example:

Breakfast will be a turkey and egg white omelette, lots of veggies. Than I have either whole wheat toast, or some home fries. I almost always have the toast, but you get the point.

If I go eat pizza, I skip the beer. I don't really deny myself tto much, I just watch what I eat more. If I really want to get the last 10-15 off, I'll REALLY watch what I eat.

If I were to have both hard carbs, I'd still be wearing baggy swim trunks all the time.

Besides my waist, everyone notices in my face. :pukeface:

I'm a poet and didn't know it. Ohhhhh!

Who said that?

I gotta repeat how much better I feel for my efforts at stretching. We hear official guidelines on diet and exercise but they don't warn you that a lack of flexibility can land you in the hospital also.

For just one example, if I skip my stretching for a few days I can feel the tightness in my back when I try to do any physical work. If you don't stretch your hamstrings properly you will likely end-up with back pain.

Pain meds, therapy and surgery are poor substitutes for stretching.

Funny you should bring that up. I have been stretching since I was in my teens. So much so, that any type of athletics requires me to go the whole leg,back routine. I just feel better and my body has gottne used to it.

My Ninjitsu instructors tells me that as you are tearing muscles, albeit small pieces. As you get older, your body does not repair them.

Consequently, these guys I train with, start their routines right out of their car.

Don't know if he's right or wrong, but I gotta stretch first.

To be honest, I have only taken 2 classes and don't really know the diffeence.

I do know that our instructor has trained with the grandmaster Hatsumi? in Japan.

I was training in Krav Maga before this. Still am. :)

Re: The benefits of eating light....
 

And let's not forget that photons are calorie-free.