7 ms·

Couldn't agree more on this, throw out your alarm clock, it's killing you. Remove stress from your life, take a shotgun to stress and refuse to accept stressful

by fleitz 15y ago

Couldn't agree more on this, throw out your alarm clock, it's killing you. Remove stress from your life, take a shotgun to stress and refuse to accept stressful situations / people. I've lost 100 lbs in the last three years, here's how and how much weight I lost (I tend to have long plateaus). I started on Nov 25, 2008: 285 lbs Nov, 08: First Step, got Divorced: Lost 10 lbs - 275 lbs Jan, 09: Job tells me I have to be in at 9 am or will be fired. Gained 10 lbs - back at 285 Mar, 09: Haven't really been in by 9am, hand in my resignation as part of the earlier agreement. Lost 10 lbs - 275 Apr, 09: Job agrees that I can come in when I'm well-rested. Lost 10 lbs - 265 Aug, 09: Burning Man Lost 15 lbs - 250 Sep, 09 - Jan '10: Start seriously cutting refined fructose Lost 10 lbs - 240 Jun, 10 - The 30 people they hired to rewrite my code are finally done, I get fired. Lost 5 lbs - 235 This is the point at which I really start losing weight as I'm sleeping much more naturally Jun, 10 - Mar, 11 - Sleeping completely naturally and start cooking all my meals Lose 15 lbs - 220 Mar, 11 - Startup Bus - Having a blast helps! Lost 10 lbs - 210 Jun - Jul, 11 - Spend two months in SF, eating mainly homemade veg tacos (walking more) Lost 10 lbs - 200 Jul - Aug, 11 - Get back from SF, get an office downtown, start trying to get in by 9am. Gain 10 lbs - 210 Aug, 11 - Now - Give up on 9am, walking more, eating a little more veg Lost 20 lbs - 190 Pretty much everything that's led to weight loss for me has been all about enjoying life and cutting stress. Small improvements to diet and exercise as well but I don't go to the gym or stick to any sort of diet plan.

palish 15y ago
I don't really understand why fat people are so... well, upset at being fat. What I mean is, I would personally be OK with myself if I were 285lbs. Ok, this comment isn't really coming across very well. What I'm saying is, at worst, being fat would only shave ~20 years off my life expectancy. Since I don't want to live until I'm 70 anyway, I'd personally be happy with a ~50 year total life expectancy. I don't care what other people think of me. I don't need to run, ever. If I'm hungry, I eat. Thus I enjoy life. So I just don't understand why fat people have this desire to be skinny. Does it really just come down to... well, wanting people to think of you as attractive? (Caring what other people think of you.) I'm asking an honest question here, so I hope people won't skewer me for it. But since it's an interesting question, I'll eat the inevitable karma loss.
- epc 15y ago
  It's uncomfortable. You get chronic back pain. Your joints age faster. As you “grow”, clothing options shrink. People assume you’re lazy. Flying becomes uncomfortable. Don't ever assume you'll never need to run. Running is a natural reaction to discovering the building you’re in is on fire, for example.
  - dredmorbius 15y ago
    As you get seriously fit, your clothing options are somewhat constrained as well. Ask any squatter about buying jeans ... at your own risk.
    - dualogy 15y ago
      That's OK because the more ripped you are, the less clothes you need to wear =)
      - dredmorbius 15y ago
        As much as I find myself disliking wearing clothes as I get older, I'm not particularly exhibitionistic either. So I prefer wearing at least putatively conventional clothing. Still, a fair point.
    - Evgeny 15y ago
      It's a shame that's being downvoted ... I heard multiple people (who do proper weight training) complain about the fact their jeans or trousers get worn fast because their hips are well-developed and sort of brush against each other when they walk. I bought a suit recently - the coat (jacket) fit perfectly, but they had to take like 10 cm off the waist of the pants, so I had to come back in 4 hours ... tells you a bit about what they expect an average person to be. I did not see that comment as "that's why you should not get fit".
      - dredmorbius 15y ago
        I'm actually getting to the point where my jackets no longer fit. My training is for strength, not mass, but you're still going to get a certain amount of hypertrophy. Unfortunately I seem to have developed this habit just as fashion trends are toward ever skinnier designs -- jeans, shirts, slacks, etc. I haven't quite gone to full bespoke clothing, but I'm considering it. Casual wear -- shorts and t-shirt -- still works well. The other tendency I've noticed is that my body temperature is running warmer. I'll see people bundled in coats and scarves while I'm in shorts/t. And no, I'm definitely not arguing against getting fit.
frossie 15y ago
Your experience is consistent with research, eg. http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20110323/sleepy-people-overeat http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20110323/sleepy-pe... Not only does skimping on sleep raises your calorie consumption, but it seems that tired people show increased preference for fats.
- nazgulnarsil 15y ago
  fat doesn't make you fat.
  - phpnode 15y ago
    sure it does, fat is high in calories, an excess of calories are stored by your body as fat. Of course, it's possible to get fat by eating calorie dense but low fat food. But it's a lot easier to get fat eating fatty food because of the high calorie / high reward nature of it.
    - fsvehla 15y ago
      No, fats are most likely not the problem, It is much more likely that sugars are. While it is true that the same amount of calories lead pretty much to the same storage of fat, this fact is irrelevant. I think that the question that we should ask ourselves is why we eat more calories than necessary, and the answer is not necessary a psychological one, or one that needs to invoke the nebulous concept of willpower. Intake of sugar (most pronounced with rapid absorption of sugars) leads to high blood sugar concentration, which will need to lead to an insulin response to counteract it. The secretion of insulin will make you end up with a lower blood sugar as before the meal, which will lead to a higher appetite. Isocalorically, fat will not lead to such a pronounced curve, so you can extend the times between meals. There is no physiological need to eat food every few hours, as you might have been told. Sugary foodstuffs are also typically binge-foods, like ice-cream, cookies, milkshakes, soda, crisps, fries, or pizza. (I am aware that some of this foodstuffs also contain fats, but my argument is that stuffs high in fat, but low in carbohydrates aren't typical binge-foods). Additionally, most consumed carbohydrates are empty calories that are, opposed to fats, not necessary. Low-Fat diets have no positive effects on cardiovascular mortality, so there is no reason not to eat a moderate fat, very low sugar diet, and decrease the physiological effects of overeating.
dualogy 15y ago
Well sleep time for your body is "detox time". Body fat is one huge deposit of "toxines". This only gets burned when you "fast" / don't graze for a while and energy is obtained from those deposits. This alone would mean, more sleep = more burning. That's also why people doing one variation or another of "intermittent fasting" are getting great results, as they extend that phase well into daytime as well. I know I know, citation needed.
- euroclydon 15y ago
  I've drastically reduced my carb intake and ramped up fat intake and I've lost weight and never feel tired.
  - dualogy 15y ago
    Sure! Dietary fat is pretty good for you and absolutely doesn't translate into body fat per se, that is influenced by many factors including carb intake.
    - euroclydon 15y ago
      It seems to be metabolized (into glucose?) much more evenly than carbs.
      - dredmorbius 15y ago
        No, lipids are metabolized directly as lipids (via lipolysis). In the absence of sufficient dietary carbohydrate, some lipids may be transformed into ketone bodies via a process called ketosis, to provide an alternate fuel for the brain. This is what the Atkins and other very low carbohydrate (<~50-100g/day) diets seek to accomplish. Dietary carbohydrate (other than fructose) is directly metabolized by cells as glycogen. Two tissue types (brain and red blood cell) prefer glycogen, red blood cells require it. Your body can store about 200g of glycogen split between the liver (~100g) and skeletal muscle. Liver reserves can fuel any body function, muscle stores fuel just that muscle. Excess carbs are converted (by the liver) into fats, and stored as same via the insulin/glucagon endocrine balance. Look up the Krebs Cycle for more information. Dietary fats serve as long-term, low-rate fuel for skeletal muscle and organs (other than the brain and red blood cells), and is either metabolized directly or stored as adipose tissue. Dietary protein isn't metabolized directly. It's used for structural processes as its component amino acids, some of which can be synthesized by the body, but some (essential amino acids) cannot be, others are rate-limited to a degree that dietary supplementation is occasionally recommended. Protein (dietary or from body tissues) can be converted to glycogen through a process called gluconeogenesis. This occurs both in low-carb diets and during starvation.

by fleitz 15y ago

palish 15y ago

I don't really understand why fat people are so... well, upset at being fat. What I mean is, I would personally be OK with myself if I were 285lbs. Ok, this comment isn't really coming across very well. What I'm saying is, at worst, being fat would only shave ~20 years off my life expectancy. Since I don't want to live until I'm 70 anyway, I'd personally be happy with a ~50 year total life expectancy. I don't care what other people think of me. I don't need to run, ever. If I'm hungry, I eat. Thus I enjoy life. So I just don't understand why fat people have this desire to be skinny. Does it really just come down to... well, wanting people to think of you as attractive? (Caring what other people think of you.) I'm asking an honest question here, so I hope people won't skewer me for it. But since it's an interesting question, I'll eat the inevitable karma loss.

epc 15y ago
It's uncomfortable. You get chronic back pain. Your joints age faster. As you “grow”, clothing options shrink. People assume you’re lazy. Flying becomes uncomfortable. Don't ever assume you'll never need to run. Running is a natural reaction to discovering the building you’re in is on fire, for example.
- dredmorbius 15y ago
  As you get seriously fit, your clothing options are somewhat constrained as well. Ask any squatter about buying jeans ... at your own risk.
  - dualogy 15y ago
    That's OK because the more ripped you are, the less clothes you need to wear =)
    - dredmorbius 15y ago
      As much as I find myself disliking wearing clothes as I get older, I'm not particularly exhibitionistic either. So I prefer wearing at least putatively conventional clothing. Still, a fair point.
  - Evgeny 15y ago
    It's a shame that's being downvoted ... I heard multiple people (who do proper weight training) complain about the fact their jeans or trousers get worn fast because their hips are well-developed and sort of brush against each other when they walk. I bought a suit recently - the coat (jacket) fit perfectly, but they had to take like 10 cm off the waist of the pants, so I had to come back in 4 hours ... tells you a bit about what they expect an average person to be. I did not see that comment as "that's why you should not get fit".
    - dredmorbius 15y ago
      I'm actually getting to the point where my jackets no longer fit. My training is for strength, not mass, but you're still going to get a certain amount of hypertrophy. Unfortunately I seem to have developed this habit just as fashion trends are toward ever skinnier designs -- jeans, shirts, slacks, etc. I haven't quite gone to full bespoke clothing, but I'm considering it. Casual wear -- shorts and t-shirt -- still works well. The other tendency I've noticed is that my body temperature is running warmer. I'll see people bundled in coats and scarves while I'm in shorts/t. And no, I'm definitely not arguing against getting fit.

frossie 15y ago

Your experience is consistent with research, eg. http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20110323/sleepy-people-overeat http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20110323/sleepy-pe... Not only does skimping on sleep raises your calorie consumption, but it seems that tired people show increased preference for fats.

nazgulnarsil 15y ago
fat doesn't make you fat.
- phpnode 15y ago
  sure it does, fat is high in calories, an excess of calories are stored by your body as fat. Of course, it's possible to get fat by eating calorie dense but low fat food. But it's a lot easier to get fat eating fatty food because of the high calorie / high reward nature of it.
  - fsvehla 15y ago
    No, fats are most likely not the problem, It is much more likely that sugars are. While it is true that the same amount of calories lead pretty much to the same storage of fat, this fact is irrelevant. I think that the question that we should ask ourselves is why we eat more calories than necessary, and the answer is not necessary a psychological one, or one that needs to invoke the nebulous concept of willpower. Intake of sugar (most pronounced with rapid absorption of sugars) leads to high blood sugar concentration, which will need to lead to an insulin response to counteract it. The secretion of insulin will make you end up with a lower blood sugar as before the meal, which will lead to a higher appetite. Isocalorically, fat will not lead to such a pronounced curve, so you can extend the times between meals. There is no physiological need to eat food every few hours, as you might have been told. Sugary foodstuffs are also typically binge-foods, like ice-cream, cookies, milkshakes, soda, crisps, fries, or pizza. (I am aware that some of this foodstuffs also contain fats, but my argument is that stuffs high in fat, but low in carbohydrates aren't typical binge-foods). Additionally, most consumed carbohydrates are empty calories that are, opposed to fats, not necessary. Low-Fat diets have no positive effects on cardiovascular mortality, so there is no reason not to eat a moderate fat, very low sugar diet, and decrease the physiological effects of overeating.

dualogy 15y ago

Well sleep time for your body is "detox time". Body fat is one huge deposit of "toxines". This only gets burned when you "fast" / don't graze for a while and energy is obtained from those deposits. This alone would mean, more sleep = more burning. That's also why people doing one variation or another of "intermittent fasting" are getting great results, as they extend that phase well into daytime as well. I know I know, citation needed.

euroclydon 15y ago
I've drastically reduced my carb intake and ramped up fat intake and I've lost weight and never feel tired.
- dualogy 15y ago
  Sure! Dietary fat is pretty good for you and absolutely doesn't translate into body fat per se, that is influenced by many factors including carb intake.
  - euroclydon 15y ago
    It seems to be metabolized (into glucose?) much more evenly than carbs.
    - dredmorbius 15y ago
      No, lipids are metabolized directly as lipids (via lipolysis). In the absence of sufficient dietary carbohydrate, some lipids may be transformed into ketone bodies via a process called ketosis, to provide an alternate fuel for the brain. This is what the Atkins and other very low carbohydrate (<~50-100g/day) diets seek to accomplish. Dietary carbohydrate (other than fructose) is directly metabolized by cells as glycogen. Two tissue types (brain and red blood cell) prefer glycogen, red blood cells require it. Your body can store about 200g of glycogen split between the liver (~100g) and skeletal muscle. Liver reserves can fuel any body function, muscle stores fuel just that muscle. Excess carbs are converted (by the liver) into fats, and stored as same via the insulin/glucagon endocrine balance. Look up the Krebs Cycle for more information. Dietary fats serve as long-term, low-rate fuel for skeletal muscle and organs (other than the brain and red blood cells), and is either metabolized directly or stored as adipose tissue. Dietary protein isn't metabolized directly. It's used for structural processes as its component amino acids, some of which can be synthesized by the body, but some (essential amino acids) cannot be, others are rate-limited to a degree that dietary supplementation is occasionally recommended. Protein (dietary or from body tissues) can be converted to glycogen through a process called gluconeogenesis. This occurs both in low-carb diets and during starvation.