2012 Fall Fatty ChallengeFollow

One of the key things here for those not used to cooking for themselves is to look at ingredients on seasoning blends if you use them. Many, if not most, seasoning blends that you buy will have salt already in them. I can't tell you how many people I know who will use one of those and add salt while cooking, and then add more salt when eating.

While it might work for some people, and for me with other cravings, alcohol is just too accessible outside the house for this to really work. I work directly next door to a liquor store, and live across the street from another one. Attempting to cut it completely out would likely lead to a binge event after a bad day or whatever, which will be harder to recover from than if I incorporate a moderate amount into my diet. There's a great store with a massive craft beer selection that lets you buy individual bottles. They're next to the market I usually go to, so I'm thinking that on days I go to the market to buy food for dinner, I can go next door and buy one beer. This acts to satisfy my desire for beer as well as reward myself for going to the market instead of stopping at one of the fast food joints on the way home.

Edited, Aug 20th 2012 8:44am by Spoonless

I'm diabetic and therefore avoid sugar and often have artificial sweeteners and I have never found a piece of fruit to taste less sweet since. Actually, they taste better since they're predominantly, the only direct sugar I eat.

I can't stand treadmills. I have to resort to one when it really snows around here, and I just can't get over the fact I'm doing all that work and not getting anywhere. Also, the halfway point of my jog is a small deli, where I grab a coffee before heading back so a treadmill really lacks that motivation.

You can jog and drink coffee?

Or hook up the treadmill to power the coffee pot.

I recently started a lifestyle change myself. I'm currently 6' 3.5" and tipping the scales at right around 440 lbs. I've decided that it's high time I get myself into shape, seeing as I have a 3 yr old son who's only going to want me to do more things with him as he gets older. I'm looking to eventually get down to 240 lbs by losing a lot of fat and adding some upper body muscle.

I've started walking a half a mile every night that it doesn't rain (which unfortunately hasn't been often lately) and I've seriously changed my eating habits. Last week alone I had a salad for lunch twice and didn't eat Taco Bell a single time. The only problem I see myself having is that I can't find a home scale that will weight me, so I'm not going to get the benefit of the morale boosts that seeing the weight loss gives you until I get under 400 lbs.

It doesn't sound like you really have an alcohol problem though, Spoonless. I think the "just don't buy it except on special occasions" advice is for people who tend to binge drink more (like I'm assuming Allegory might?) You just have the habit of downing beer as a beverage, not so much as an intoxicant. I think your limit to one or two, and a few more on the weekends, is perfectly reasonable and still a fraction of what you say you're drinking now. In fact, 1-2 alcoholic drinks per day are usually good for the average person. Better than stress.

As far as beverages go, I'd recommend to everyone (well, maybe as the weather cools back down) to try brewed tea. We tried to switch from soda/coffee to tea at the beginning of the year when we quit smoking, but caffeine was too important and hard to give up for both of us at the same time as the nicotine. Also, the espresso machine at work was my nemesis. However, hot brewed tea (even iced) can be so satisfying... 10$/4oz is a little pricey, but when you average that out over the cost of a case of soda you're saving yourself money even by drinking high quality tea.



When I used to work out, I had a membership at the Y, which meant I could go to any of 3-4 buildings in a 10 mile radius. It really helped keep things more interesting, when it'd be more of my decision. "Should I go to the giant downtown Y, or the brand new one on the west side?"

I see a few people talking about cutting out coffee. Is coffee inherently bad, or is it the cream and sugar that make it so? I probably drink at least a half-pot of coffee every day, but I drink it black. I'd hate to have to give up another of my favorite things.

Black coffee is just 5 calories per cup.

It's pretty acidic and a diuretic, and of course the caffeine is addicting.

Caffeine is also a stimulant that can pump up your metabolism, which in turn helps burn calories, which is good for weight loss, which is the goal.

Coffee (I drink it strong and black) is one of the things I moderate when heartburn gets bad (as well as fried foods, spicy foods and citrus fruits).

You'll all get heartburn - just wait.

If you're drinking diet soda and nothing else in your diet or your routine changes what do you expect? Caffeine isn't some magic bullet, and eliminating it isn't going to just make the problems vanish. I'm not saying get an IV of Folgers attached to your carotid artery, but a cup or two a day of just black coffee is gonna do more good than bad provided the rest of your routine changes as well. More exercise and carefully watching your calorie intake. Eliminating something that really doesn't hurt is just more stress that will make everything else that much tougher.