Daily Log: Food, Exercise, Photos, more…

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Welcome to my Daily Log of food, exercise, photos, videos, reviews, random thoughts, and lots more.

Here are other places you can find me:
Blog: http://www.nocarbsnosugar.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/nocarbsnosugar
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/nocarbsnosugardotcom
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM3QDb3O5ATdhmCxTFfotIA
******** UserName: NoCarbsNoSugar
FitBit UserName: NoCarbsNoSugar

I am providing some progress photos below, so scroll down a couple of posts to see them.
Before I share progress photos though, I’d like to share some background.

THE PAST
I had never imagined I would be an overweight person. During my childhood and teenage years, I was always fit. I played sports and moved around every day. You know that kid who went to soccer practice, and afterwards would go to the track to run for another hour… Yeah, that was me. Food was never an issue: I ate to my full and moved on.

It was during my college years that I started a slow climb on the scale. As my schedule changed dramatically and my stress levels increased considerably, I began to eat for comfort and had less chances to move around and burn the extra calories. During my college years, my top recorded weight was 225 lbs.

After graduating from college, I continued to gain more weight, and within 10 years I was in the 270’s. With a last climb on the scale, my 40th birthday found me weighing over 300 lbs. As of November 2014, my highest recorded weight was 316.6 lbs. It is actually possible that I weighed even more at times, and I believe I did, but 316.6 lbs is the highest number I actually saw on the scale.

I did have some short-lived attempts at losing weight in the last few years.
All these attempts had two things in common:

1. I wanted quick results without a concern for what I would do upon reaching my goal.

2. I lost the weight by doing things that were completely unsustainable, such as starvation and exaggerated amounts of exercise.

This did yield quick results, but they were also shallow results. Every single time, these attempts ultimately resulted in gaining all the weight back, and putting on even more weight than before. These yoyo rides quickly caused me to become discouraged and stop trying altogether, thinking to myself: “Why bother? I won’t be able to keep it up anyways.”

At the beginning of November 2014, I knew I had to do something different. I was feeling sick all the time, tired, always hungry, and I feared my obesity would result in a heart attack. I could barely walk… I had sprained an ankle and limped for almost two years. The amount of weight I was carrying around had become too heavy for my knees and ankles. I also hated the way I looked. At the beginning of the month I had an idea…

I asked myself: “I wonder what would happen if I stopped eating Carbs and Sugars until Christmas?”

So I did. I cut all Carbs and Sugars out of my daily diet completely. No compromise, no excuse. The first two weeks were excruciating! After the initial two weeks, it got easier, and after a month, it actually became very easy.

By Christmas, I had lost 30 lbs.
NO ONE REALLY NOTICED.

So I asked myself: “I wonder what would happen if I continued not eating Carbs and Sugars until Easter?”

So I did. During this period I began to educate myself about Carbs and Sugars, and decided that what I really wanted to keep out of my daily food intake were things like bread, pastries, pastas, pizza, spoon sugar, starches, etc. I began to realize that some Carbs and Sugars would be fine, as long as they come from natural/raw foods: fruits, vegetables, dairy, etc. During this time I was also introduced to the work of Dr. William Davis and his book “Wheat Belly”. I read the book twice and discovered that a lot of what he wrote actually confirmed what I was discovering in my own experience. Actually, what I do is more drastic than what Dr. William suggests: he prescribes the removal of all wheat products – I removed most products that contain Carbs and Sugars.

By Easter, I had lost 55 lbs.
NO ONE REALLY NOTICED.

So I asked myself: “I wonder what would happen if I continued not eating Carbs and Sugars until November?” This would be an entire calendar year.

So I did. I joined bodybuilding.com during this period and started a moderate exercise program that included basic dumbbell routines in my home, as well as occasional outdoor walking/biking.

By November 2014, I had lost 132 lbs.
EVERYONE NOTICED!

Joining bodybuilding.com was one of the best things I did during this process. I did not join for the bodybuilding part. I am not interested in bulking up. I joined for the wealth of information in the field of exercise/fitness/nutrition that is available when one becomes part of this community. I started logging my food and exercise and I’ve been doing it since, almost every day. The amount of information, support, and encouragement I found by joining this community is too vast to be described in this introductory post.

THE PRESENT
Today I weighed in at 185 lbs. That is 131 lbs less than 13 months ago. I am sitting here typing this, and I have a difficult time finding adequate words to describe the feelings I have inside.

This is easily one of the best things I have ever done. I am a whole new person, and I feel the same way I did when I was a teenager. I have lots of energy, no body aches, I sleep very well, and I am very comfortable with how I look. I plan to live to 94

The best part however is the realization that this time around I did everything quite differently than before. The way I eat and exercise currently is not difficult for me, nor is it simply bearable – it is enjoyable!

Here’s a glimpse at my THEN-AND-NOW:
THEN: 316.6 lbs ••• NOW: 185 lbs
THEN: Pants Size 52 ••• NOW: Pants Size 32 (slim fit)
THEN: Shirt Size 20 (B&T) ••• NOW: Shirt Size 16 (slim fit)
THEN: T-Shirt Size XXXL ••• NOW: T-Shirt Size SMALL
Even my shoe size changed, from 11 1/2 to 10. Whaat?

THE FUTURE
Short-Term Goals:
1. Shred down to 160 lbs.

2. Improve my exercise routines.

Long-Term Goals:
1. Make this change permanent by keeping my procedures sustainable and enjoyable.

2. Work towards a body and mind that are healthy, fit, and balanced.

3. Live to see my 94th birthday

Thanks for reading.
Happy New Year!

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Here is my 2015 weight-loss progress chart:



I am quite happy with the results.
It took discipline, perseverance, patience, and small, consistent steps.
I made mistakes along the way, but I kept going.
I am thankful for what I have done so far.

On December 30, as I was reflecting back at the year 2015, I summarized ten lessons I had learned on my journey. I named them Ten Success Lessons – 2015 and made a poster out of them.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Here are some progress photos.

The first set of shots goes from June 1st 2015 until November 1st 2015, and only covers the loss of around 50 lbs. I had already lost 80 lbs before I started taking progress photos, so by June 1st (first picture) I had already lost a lot of weight.

Too bad I can't find any shirtless photos from the time I weighed a lot more.




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This shot is a comparison between Summer of 2014 and Thanksgiving of 2015, and covers the loss of 137 lbs!

[phoenix4444]

Good to be the first one IN!

You are an inspiration to us all with your dedication to improving your life and health.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Hi Phoenix.
Thanks for checking in.
Thanks for the kind words.
Your steady work has also inspired me in the last few months.
That's for sure.

[justinlando]

Yeaaaaaah, new NoCarbsNoSugar thread? I'm in there like swimwear! Your newest progress pics are dynamite, great start to 2016.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Yeaaaaaah, new NoCarbsNoSugar thread? I'm in there like swimwear! Your newest progress pics are dynamite, great start to 2016.

Thanks, Justin!
It'll be a great year for all of us!

[The6ixGod]

It's really inspiring to see your progress, man. Honestly it makes me so excited to lose all this weight. I applaud you, seriously. I hope to see progress like this one day.

Congrats on everything so far and good luck with your future goals!


BTW: In your first post it says "By November 2014 I lost 132 pounds." I think it was meant to say 2015, but not sure.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

It's really inspiring to see your progress, man. Honestly it makes me so excited to lose all this weight. I applaud you, seriously. I hope to see progress like this one day.

Congrats on everything so far and good luck with your future goals!

Thank you very much!
I appreciate it.

Happy New Year!

[OfficerJimLahey]

I'll be following along, NCNS! Your progress pictures are always impressive!

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

I'll be following along, NCNS! Your progress pictures are always impressive!

Hi there, Officer.
Thank you very much!

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Had a wonderful New Year's Eve dinner last night, which sort of spread towards the morning.
We didn't have a lot of people this time. Just us and the kids.
Actually kinda special to have the house a bit more "quiet" on a festive occasion like this.
I use the word quiet conservatively, because we have children of different ages, with the youngest at 6 and 10...

Here are some of the dishes on the table.




and one of my plates


yes, those are cabbage rolls on my plate...
haven't had those since 2014, because I don't eat rice
now we found a recipe without rice
will share in a couple days

Happy New Year!

[phoenix4444]

Cabbage rolls are it man.

Tradition in my family to have them Christmas eve. Helped my sister roll them this year.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Cabbage rolls are it man.

Tradition in my family to have them Christmas eve. Helped my sister roll them this year.

cabbage rolls are the bomb!
and we made them with no rice this time
tasted awesome
will post pictures of that sometimes tomorrow
we made them on Wednesday

[Rboy711]

cabbage rolls are the bomb!
and we made them with no rice this time
tasted awesome
will post pictures of that sometimes tomorrow
we made them on Wednesday

Man cant wait to get the recipe for the cabbage rolls without rice. I eat those every Christmas but skipped it this year because of the rice.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Man cant wait to get the recipe for the cabbage rolls without rice. I eat those every Christmas but skipped it this year because of the rice.

they are a huge tradition in my family, but I was never crazy-crazy about them. I would eat them though. I haven't had them since before Thanksgiving of 2014, because of the rice. I had some last night and oh man, they were awesome. I will post a detailed recipe with photos.

Happy New Year!

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

I was going to skip dinner tonight, but the atmosphere was too sweet with everyone sitting around the table, chatting and having great food. Here was my plate tonight:

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Daily Food & Exercise Log

Friday, January 1, 2016

No Intermittent Fasting - Ate Freely Throughout The Day

Meals
Raw Food:
Red Pepper • Bananas • Oranges

Cooked/Processed Food:
Turkey Broth • EggPlant Salad/Spread • Summer Deli Sausage
Smoked Sausage • Baked Honey Ham • Baked Sausage
Mozzarella Cheese • Baked Green Beans • Cabbage Rolls

Supplements:
Bayer One-A-Day • Chewable Vitamin C • EVL LEANBCAA

Macro Totals:
Not Counting Right Now - Eating Intuitively

Exercise
Body-Only Routine:

Jumping Jacks: X50
Jump-Up Bicep Pullups (Iron Gym): 3X10
Jumping Jacks: X50
Sit Ups: 3X15
Jumping Jacks: X50
Floor Leg Raises: 3X15
Jumping Jacks: X50
Wide-Grip Push Ups (Iron Gym): 3X15
Jumping Jacks: X50
Squats: 3X15
Jumping Jacks: X50
Cross-Bar Close-Grip Push Ups (Iron Gym): 3X10
Jumping Jacks: X50
Backwards Standing Leg Raises: 3X15
Jumping Jacks: X50
Dips (Iron Gym): 3X10
Jumping Jacks: X50
Calf Raises: 3X15
Jumping Jacks: X50
Shoulder Push Ups (Iron Gym): 3X10
Jumping Jacks: X50

FitBit Dashboard




♫ Spotify Tracks ♫
Eduardo Fernandez, Guitar: "Giuliani/Vivaldi Guitar Concertos"

Comments
First day of 2016
First workout of 2016
Had more food than I wanted to, but that's alright
Looking forward to a wonderful 2016
Thanks for reading my log

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

I've been enjoying "Ultimate Dumbbell Guide" by Myatt Murphy. Already on chapter five.

I may introduce some weight training back into my weekly routine in the next few days.

I've been really enjoying body-weight exercises for a few months now, but I actually miss lifting.

Perhaps I can create a workout program for myself that involves a mixture of the three things I've been doing intermittently:

• dumbbell lifting (weekly)
• body-weight exercises (weekly)
• outdoor cardio (occasionally)

The only thing I end up not doing regularly is cardio, and I am fine with that.

Working on a new program for the new year.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

I had to laugh at this... saw it on the side of the forum as an ad



Ha Ha!
I wanted to shout at them and say: "hey, I got an easier way to quit sugar, and it doesn't cost anything... JUST STOP EATING IT?"

I know it's a sort of a Splenda thing, so I am not knocking it down.
It was just funny when I saw it there just a minute ago.

This gave me a good laugh this morning

[TheNormalMan]

Great work man. Really inspiring stuff you've done with your fitness journey.

Keep it rolling into 2016.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Great work man. Really inspiring stuff you've done with your fitness journey.

Keep it rolling into 2016.

Thanks!
Much appreciated!
We're going places in 2016!

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Daily Food & Exercise Log

Saturday, January 2, 2016

No Intermittent Fasting - Ate Freely Throughout The Day

Meals
Raw Food:
Bananas • Romaine Lettuce

Cooked/Processed Food:
Domino's BBQ Chicken Wings • Baked Sausage
Baked Honey Ham • Ranch Dressing
Kirkland Greek Yogurt • Isopure Protein Powder

Supplements:
Bayer One-A-Day • Chewable Vitamin C
Human Evolution BCAA Amino 5.0

Macro Totals:
Not Counting Right Now - Eating Intuitively

Exercise
2 Outdoor Power Walks 30 min & 55 min
12 Minutes breaking thick ice on sidewalk - hey, it counts, no?

FitBit Dashboard


♫ Spotify Tracks ♫
Eduardo Fernandez, Guitar: "The World of the Spanish Guitar"

Comments
Lots of great food today
Lots of outdoor movement today
Thanks for reading my log

[phoenix4444]

Breaking ice up on the side walk definitely counts!

I have a good layer of the stuff in my driveway waiting for the melt.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Breaking ice up on the side walk definitely counts!

my wife agreed that it does count!
we had some guests last night, and it would have been embarrassing if one of them would've slipped on the sidewalk...

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Daily Food & Exercise Log

Sunday, January 3, 2016

No Intermittent Fasting - Ate Freely Throughout The Day

Meals
Raw Food:
Baby Tomatoes • Bananas • Oranges

Cooked/Processed Food:
Mozzarella Cheese • Feta Cheese • EggPlant Paste/Spread
Cabbage Rolls • Turkey Breast • Baked Honey Ham • Olives
Venison Sausage • Baked Sausage

Supplements:
Bayer One-A-Day • Chewable Vitamin C

Macro Totals:
Not Counting Right Now - Eating Intuitively

Exercise
None

FitBit Dashboard


♫ Spotify Tracks ♫
None

Comments
Got a nice cheese/sausage platter tonight
I may post a photo of it tomorrow
Thanks for reading my log

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Book Review:
Ultimate Dumbbell Guide
by Myatt Murphy



Chapter One
“Two Weights… Many Options!”

Main Ideas:

• there are many, many exercises one can do with dumbbells: not hundreds, but literally thousands.

• initially, the author identifies 4,988 different dumbbell exercises, which can translate into even more variations.

• there are 130 basic exercises which the author refers to as MASTER MOVES. These can then be multiplied many times over by creating different variations.

• most exercises in the book can be completed with no additional tools needed, while some of them will require a weight bench or a Swiss ball.

• “Murphy Multilift”: an example of an exercise that involves all major muscle groups.

• the book will provide ready-made exercises as well as allow the opportunity for the user to create/name their own, according to personal needs and preferences.

===============================

Started reading this book a few days ago, as I am planning to reintroduce some weight training into my weekly routine. Perhaps today...

[phoenix4444]

Good here that you got some valuable info from the book.

Weight training really is the secret to fountain of youth.

[NoCarbsNoSugar]

Good here that you got some valuable info from the book.

Weight training really is the secret to fountain of youth.

thanks Phoenix!
I am looking forward to lifting again, but I will very cautious. I've been enjoying a few months of injury-free exercising. That is the best kind there is!

[Gen1GT]

I love it! So inspirational!