that was even one of the questions on the final.

dietary cholesterol is NOT needed.

according to our book:

Quote :

"When there isn't any (or very little) coming in from your diet it causes an up-regulation of certain liver enzymes that cause the body to overproduce cholesterol..."

this doesn't happen to the point where your body will overproduce, it will produce the amount you need, if you start to get more cholesterol in your diet later will then your levels will rise because you are adding more whilst your body is making the amount it needs.

did that make any sense?

[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 7:14 PM. Reason : maybe i'm remembering this wrong...but i will look into this further now. ]



[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 7:21 PM. Reason : and oh my dear sweet lord. did i just use the word whilst? forgive me wolfweb ]

5/25/2010 7:14:12 PM

haha, well you're the biochem major...I dropped to biology


Anyway, there is a lot to say about the topic and research to support either viewpoint. IMO I wouldn't worry about dietary cholesterol (getting too much or too little) unless you're inactive or have a genetic predisposition for high levels of cholesterol.

With myself and clients who had bloodwork done, I've seen a major drop in their blood cholesterol levels even with an increase in the amount of fats they were eating (mostly unsaturated, except that from animals). It's also important to note that these people significantly lowered their amounts of refined sugars and processed foods (which I believe is even more of a concern when looking at heart disease). Obviously this is a very small testing pool, and purely anecdotal.

5/25/2010 7:27:54 PM

i honestly thought your answer made more sense (why in the hell would we have a daily recommended allowance if we dont need it at all, ya know? )
combine that with the fact that i highly value your knowledge and opinion on the subject matter (for obvious reasons- you know what your talking about) i was more curious, just for my own knowledge...


and YES-

Quote :

"refined sugars and processed foods (which I believe is even more of a concern when looking at heart disease)"

ftw
ive been reading some stuff about this too!

[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 7:45 PM. Reason : rtre]

5/25/2010 7:43:48 PM

I'll submit another picture before sunday, this one is current, just my most up to date. I've had a pinched nerve for going on 3 weeks now and been gaining weight like crazy. I'm probably depressed I can't lift and have really lost control of my diet in the last week. Now that I'm back in town, I'm back at it. I had gone about 8 straight weeks without a cheat, dropped 30lbs but since I got reinjured, put at least 10lbs back on. So I'll see where I'm at by the end of the week...been starving myself for the past 2 days...pure whey, peanuts & broccoli. NOTHING else...I'll stay on this til I can exercise more seriously again. Tried to shoot some basketball with Quinn today and I think my lower back is totally fucked. I cannot feel half the nerve on my left leg now, my right one already had a deadened achilles reflex. Now, my left leg, which was my stronger leg, is now the gimp I feel like I'm running with a rubber boot on, its F-d so far. This will be a fun challenge to drop weight while gimped...the excuses will be piling up.

5/25/2010 8:54:19 PM

you can do it put your back into it

5/25/2010 9:00:06 PM

Quote :

"this doesn't happen to the point where your body will overproduce, it will produce the amount you need, if you start to get more cholesterol in your diet later will then your levels will rise because you are adding more whilst your body is making the amount it needs."

So what's more important is consistency in your cholesterol intake, regardless of level (assuming the level isn't super-high)? Interesting.

5/25/2010 9:23:15 PM

^thats from my understanding. i could be remembering it wrong, but i dont think i am.

(this is also assuming you have normal liver functions, youre relatively active etc....)

[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 9:35 PM. Reason : e]

5/25/2010 9:35:04 PM

*le sigh* here it goes... I decided I need to suck it up and just take the pictures because this stupid water retention isn't going to make THAT much of a difference in my "before" pic....







(bmel told me I should put up the last one )


As you can see, I carry most of my weight in my tummy... I think the only thing that bothers me besides my tummy (which is obviously just going to be done by losing fat) is how big my arms are. :\



OH and for dinner I had steak, asparagus, mushrooms, garlic, and cilantro cooked w/ Worcestershire sauce. Then I had a small glass of milk and oranges w/ splenda for dessert.

Also, today begonias convinced me to take a demo Strike class... it was hard but fun

5/25/2010 9:46:14 PM

I still cant believe I have to eat so much to lose weight...doesnt make sense to me.

5/25/2010 9:50:10 PM

O hai porcha

U r cute!

5/25/2010 9:59:44 PM

welp, wrap it up, porcha entered

5/25/2010 10:14:04 PM

Let me settle the cholesterol debate:

There is no apparent need for cholesterol in the diet.*

There is no AI, EAR, or RDA for cholesterol, but the DRI is 300mg/day. Most dietitians will tell you to "consume as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet." Cholesterol is pretty unavoidable in most diets, so totally eliminating it would require significant changes in a person's normal dietary intake (which would result in inadequate amounts of protein and other nutrients).

Nearly all tissues with nucleated cells can synthesize cholesterol. This synthesis is partly regulated by dietary cholesterol, and the ultimate goal is to achieve a cholesterol balance. While dietary cholesterol does effect HDL/LDL levels, saturated fat has a significantly greater effect, so if you're worried about your blood cholesterol levels, look at your saturated fat consumption.



*3 of my nutrition books (nutritional biochemistry, sports nutrition, and life cycle nutrition) all said this.

5/25/2010 10:22:24 PM

alright ladies and gents the day is done
heres the damage

insanity resistance first thing this morning
breakfast of chicken, eggs, and eziekiel bread.
snack 1 of grapes and cashews
snack 2 of a peach and coffee
lunch was grilled chicken breast in a salad with carrots
snack 3 was ostrich jerky
snack 4 was more cashews

lifted weights
(shoulders and arms-bench press, chin ups, flies, lat pull downs, bent over rows, sitting rows)
1/2 scoop protein powder and water immediately after. (shoulda' had some carbs but i didn't think about it!)

dinner was tuna. (a lot..i had to cook it tonight or throw it away ) and broccoli
now as a pre bedtime snack is (non caffeinated) african tea sweetened with honey (and because i let it get the best of me i ate two extra teaspoons!! i think i may be one of the few people who LOVES honey by itself)


i won't be writing every day like this, but i will be keeping track

[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 10:29 PM. Reason : until next time. good luck everyone ]

[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 10:35 PM. Reason : i would also like to add im about to much on cherries and watch the office ]

5/25/2010 10:27:33 PM

Does anyone have any natural cures for insomnia?

5/25/2010 10:35:04 PM

^gamma-Aminobutyric acid (aka GABA)

Today's totals:

5/25/2010 10:37:18 PM

Wow! This thread is taking off!

5/25/2010 10:38:29 PM

I had stir fry for dinner and then a bowl of moose tracks.

5/25/2010 10:38:33 PM

how the hell did you burn 3500 calories?

That's like running a marathon amount of calories.

5/25/2010 10:38:46 PM

God: stand in one place with your eyes closed

[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 10:43 PM. Reason : user]

5/25/2010 10:38:47 PM

gg to all participants in this thread, your dedication to good health and willingness to be collectively accountable is admirable

5/25/2010 10:39:03 PM

@begonias: Thank you for the info, begonias! Very helpful.

@God: Can you give more details about the troubles you have with sleeping and what your normal nighttime routine is like? I could rattle off a lot of things that might help which I've tried in the past, but none of them worked for me because it turns out I have delayed sleep phase disorder instead of insomnia. That's why I ask for details; it took years for me to be diagnosed properly after my symptoms were confused for insomnia.

[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 10:41 PM. Reason : ^ carets, dawg]

5/25/2010 10:40:35 PM

same diet for today but I'm eating some almonds and cheese right now. My arms are still pumped from working out this morning. I'm heading to Texas till Friday so I won't be able to work out till then.



[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 10:51 PM. Reason : food]

5/25/2010 10:40:56 PM

^^ As soon as I go to sleep, I get butterflies in my stomach. And then I just lie there away or drifting in and out of sleep for hours.

Usually I fall asleep, but I wake up around 5:30-6am (my wakeup time is 7am) and I have to go to the bathroom. Once I get back into bed the exact same thing happens and I lie there until my alarm goes off.

EDIT: Wow, that actually sounds like what I might have.

[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 10:45 PM. Reason : ]

5/25/2010 10:42:33 PM

i've been meaning to post in this thread but im injured right now and cant do much of anything so screw your rules lol

Quote :

"i think i may be one of the few people who LOVES honey by itself"

i completely stopped buying sugar at the store months ago and use honey to sweeten any and everything. i can eat a jar of it in no time and i love it by itself.

5/25/2010 10:43:17 PM

RMR + activities of daily living + 2.5 hours of exercise = 3500kcals

5/25/2010 10:43:19 PM

@God: What time is your usual first attempt to fall asleep? Do you typically drink any caffeine after 6 hours before bedtime, or any alcohol at night (with dinner or otherwise)? What are you usually doing for an hour or so before going to bed? It sounds like your main trouble is staying asleep, not necessarily falling asleep, would you agree?

[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 10:48 PM. Reason : Also, do you stay up later or sleep in later on weekends or other days of the week?]

5/25/2010 10:47:11 PM

-11pm
-Caffeine sometimes, it would be around 6pm. Not usually though.
-Watching television or browsing the internet
-It's both. I have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep, I think.
-Yep. I stay up until about 1 or 2am on the weekends and sleep until about 10:30am.

5/25/2010 10:50:02 PM

i get pretty bad insomnia when I'm dieting hardcore...4hrs per night is all i usually muster, it gets annoying fast as food directly relates to your energy levels...i treated with some MJ

5/25/2010 10:56:54 PM

My friend who does sleep studies says that any kind of light, even from an alarm clock can keep you awake (cover it up). You should have complete darkness so your brain is not stimulated. Oh, don't have caffiene past 7pm and don't watch anything 30 minutes before bedtime. /stimulation

5/25/2010 10:59:19 PM

Having an inconsistent bedtime on weekends can wreak havoc on some people's weekday sleep schedules, so that might be playing into it. Also, try doing something relatively relaxing that doesn't require a monitor for 30-60 minutes before bed; the high-contrast light source interferes with some people's ability to produce melatonin, disrupting your circadian rhythm. (Keep in mind that lots of people fall asleep watching TV all the time, so I'm just suggesting something that's a common problem based on what you've said, not asserting that it's the cause for you personally.)

If you do want to try something natural, I would suggest valerian root. It's a good source for the GABA that begonias mentioned. If that doesn't work, I might try melatonin.


Always good to give reasoning behind the recommendation: Valerian root can help with both falling asleep and nighttime waking, and it also has a calming effect on anxiety and cramping that might help with your stomach butterflies as well. My understanding is that side effects are less common than from melatonin, also.

[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 11:09 PM. Reason : reasoning]

5/25/2010 11:02:14 PM

I feel as if noone is helping out in this thread or commenting on other peoples progress/needs and instead rambling on. hey GOD can we just keep it to a workout schedule/food schedule/help and tips?

5/25/2010 11:23:45 PM

a note on an energy source besides caffeine:

ginger root gives me a fuck ton of energy. i like to put it in smoothies (can anyone tell im a big fan of making my own smoothies as meal replacements?)

well, i did skip dessert at dinner. i had 1 beer instead of wine

and i ate crab stuffed snapper with a sweet potato (all fixins on the side!)

i may or may not have had up to 3 bacon wrapped crab stuffed shrimp, wow.

5/25/2010 11:25:50 PM

Yo God, I used to have very similar sleep issues as well. Here's what I did to fix it:

1) Pitched the TV and Internet altogether. Especially in the bedroom. Nothing shiny in the bedroom.

2) Nothing exciting within an hour of bedtime.

3) No caffeine past 9 am.

4) Always go to bed within the same 2-hour period, unless you get a big nap that day.

5) MOST IMPoORTANTLY: eat largest meals at breakfast and lunch. You don't need much energy right before bed.

5/25/2010 11:27:09 PM

Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 191 (as of yesterday)
Age: 29
Diet:
Breakfast: Yogurt and one of these
Lunch: 4 days out of the week I have a sandwich. About 4 oz of roast beef/turkey/chicken breast from the deli counter with low fat mayo on whole wheat bread.
Dinner: If I cook it's usually baked chicken with rice and a veggie.
Snacks: Typically an apple/orange and 2 servings of this trail mix
I plan on drinking this to recharge after working out. My former personal trainer recommended it and it tastes great.

Typical Routine: 25-30 minutes on the treadmill 4-5 days out of the week. Just got back in the habit after being off and on for the last 6 months. Run about 3 miles.

Diet Pitfalls: Greasy food and alcohol. I get a craving for some pizza/burgers/fried seafood/whatever several times a week. I also like to have 2-4 beers, although I've cut that back lately.

Side note: Recently I've been getting headaches after having any alcohol. It's very inconsistent. I had ONE beer Friday night and had a bad headache the whole evening. Saturday I drank like a fish and had no problems.

My other problem is I tend to get hungry in the afternoon at work and since I'm sitting at my desk and usually bored it's hard to concentrate on anything else. Sometimes I tough it out, sometimes I cave in and hit the vending machine.

Exercise Pitfalls: Inconsistent on weight training. My gym is 15 minutes away and I usually just want to go home after work. I have a 2 20lb dumbbells and a 30 lb dumbbell at home and that's it.

Goal: 180 lbs by July 16th (trip to San Diego). 175 lbs would be great, but I don't want to get too ambitious.

No pic supplied because I look way too doughey

[Edited on May 25, 2010 at 11:33 PM. Reason : .]

5/25/2010 11:31:50 PM

Forgot to put my stats...

Height: 5'3"
Weight: 161
Age: 23

Goal: 145 lbs would be nice but I really want a 28 in waist (31 right now)

5/25/2010 11:39:10 PM

I don't think I ever put my initial measurements

Age: 25
Height: 6'
Weight: 178

5/26/2010 6:37:21 AM

Looking at people's diets, it is obvious most people must be constipated. If you have to strain, you are constipated. Forget straining, seems like many people must be doing half their resistance workouts on the toilet seat!

BluBalls, obviously you are doing some keto diet, but damn dude, 200+ grams of protein, almost 90 grams of fat, and just 3 GRAMS OF FIBER? You must be straining real hard in the toilet, and even if you are not, that diet is very very bad for you in the long run. You are obviously not eating any fruit and vegetables except perhaps one serving maximum.

begonias, you obviously don't need any nutrition advice, but really if you want to lose weight/fat, you need to bring the carbs down to 50%, fat to 30%, and protein up to 20% at the minimum. Also, just 13 grams of fiber is pretty low.

God, I use melatonin when I can't sleep, or when I only have like 6-7 hours of sleep ahead of me and I need to fall asleep fast. Look it up on Wikipedia to get some background and research done on it.

5/26/2010 6:50:49 AM

I drink metamucil through out the day so I don't have a real problem
I just don't add that to the food log. I eat a lot of broccoli, spinach, cabbage, green beans, etc and take a multivitamin also.

[Edited on May 26, 2010 at 7:08 AM. Reason : Actually I forgot to put the green beans in last night before i posted the picture]

5/26/2010 6:56:59 AM

Alright then.

But that much protein and fat is still bad for you in the long run.

P.S. I am assuming you enter the lots of broccoli, cabbage, spinach and green beans in the log? If so, how come just 3 grams of fiber?

Anyway, more importantly, as I said, even with enough fiber that diet is bad for you.


[Edited on May 26, 2010 at 7:03 AM. Reason : ]

5/26/2010 7:01:58 AM

You are not the first naysayer to my keto ways...

I usually stay on it for about 3 months, then take a month off and repeat

It's worked for me so far, I think I am one of those people who have a bad insulin response with carbs. I have tried dieting with carbs vs. without carbs and this way is much better (for me).

5/26/2010 7:06:57 AM

a targeted ketogenic diet is my favorite tool for transforming my body

5-6 meals/day....350-400 calorie meals....2000 cals/day

1-2 carb meals "targeted" around my workouts
3-4 no carb meals eaten throughout the deal

Carb meal:
1 serving whole grains - 120-200 cals
1 serving lean protein - 100-120 cals
1 serving fruit - 80-100 cals

No carb meal:
1.5 servings healthy fat - 200-300 cals
1 serving lean protein - 100-120 cals
1 serving dark green veggie - 5-30 cals

usually when I cut, I shoot for 10xBW in calories, but now I find I respond better to 10xTarget Body Weight in calories...its a bit more aggressive than 500 cals/day off my TDE...I was probably burning 4000 cals/day for 5-6days/wk for 8 weeks straight then I injured my back and have become lethargic and really broke down on my diet.

Right now while I can't lift I'm eating, we also just moved into our new apartment and I've had nothing else to cook/boxes packed and this is convenient and tasty:
1oz peanuts - 150 cals
1 scoop whey - 103 cals
1 serving dark greens - 30 cals

5x/day...I'll do this til I'm pissing ketones then I'll start slowly introducing a bit more carbs. I've been on this for 3 days now and still am not in ketosis from my lack of activity. Going to up it up today. Foot is feeling a bit better, still somewhat tingly, but better. I think this cortisol shot is finally kicking in. I feel I am doing a pretty good job with the rehab, I know all the physical therapy routines.

I'll post my starting stats on Sunday...I was around 209 in those photos above...I'd estimate I'm 220 right now and at the rate I'm used to losing weight, I'll be 209 again by Friday, but not the same composition as the other 209 I feel strong as fuck though, just weak in the legs as if I have no control though, not no strength.

and @BluBalls, great transformation! keep it up!

5/26/2010 7:27:55 AM

there's nothing unhealthy long-term about a ketogenic diet.

5/26/2010 8:05:51 AM

^To my surprise, this is true. Long-term studies on the effect of a keto diet show a decrease in weight, BMI, LDL, blood glucose, and triglycerides; as well as an increase in HDL; and no change in cognitive performance.

Quote :

"begonias, you obviously don't need any nutrition advice, but really if you want to lose weight/fat, you need to bring the carbs down to 50%, fat to 30%, and protein up to 20% at the minimum. Also, just 13 grams of fiber is pretty low. "

I know, I just wasn't trying to meet my macro goals yesterday, just the kcals. And I have a fiber supplement I mix in with green tea, but I'm bad about recording what I drink.

Today though, I'm aiming for BOTH macros and kcals.

5/26/2010 8:32:37 AM

Quote :

"As you can see, I carry most of my weight in my tummy... I think the only thing that bothers me besides my tummy (which is obviously just going to be done by losing fat) is how big my arms are. :\"

i'm the SAME way! arms and tummy.

Quote :

"Goal: 145 lbs would be nice but I really want a 28 in waist (31 right now)"

Samwise16 i weight 147 pounds and i'm between a 29 and 30 in waist so it's definitely possibly since it looks like your hips and waist are in good proportion (compared to me where my hips are a lot wider)

diet today
breakfast: 2 eggs and a venti skinny (skim milk and sugar free vanilla syrup) vanilla latte
snack: banana
lunch: about 5 ounces of baked skinless chicken, 1/2 medium sized avacado, 3/4 of a small red potato baked with olive oil
snack: 0% greek yogurt
post-workout snack: gluten free all natural protein bar with 1/2 serving of fruit in it
dinner: not sure if we're eating out with my dad tonight but if not then ground turkey meatballs and sweet potatos

i plan on running LJ after work and then doing Wii Active again.

i still need to put a picture up. found my camera. i just need to get around to doing it.

[Edited on May 26, 2010 at 8:34 AM. Reason : add name]

5/26/2010 8:33:51 AM

Quote :

"refined sugars and processed foods (which I believe is even more of a concern when looking at heart disease)"

Very true. I said the same on a previous page but in a different way:

Quote :

"BTW, high sugar and high glycemic index foods (such as SPECIAL K) are way worse for you than fat in terms of health, physique, body fat, everything."

And I will readily admit to having a ridiculous sweet tooth. However, I don't eat any packaged snack foods made of processed white flour (or potatoes), so that's good. But, every time we go out, I HAVE to get dessert (or hop over to B&R/Haagen Dazs!). And I eat whole wheat tea biscuits with tea for breakfast on some days. Still bad even if it is whole wheat (because the grains are so finely pulverized), even before considering the added sugar, butter/palm oil.

5/26/2010 8:40:49 AM

i think i saw cody at moe's in cary on monday

5/26/2010 8:50:05 AM

@ the ketogenic diet people....could you give me some reference material so I can really read up on this...it seems like the best option for me, but I'm having a hard time tracking down GOOD explanations...

5/26/2010 8:51:10 AM

i just follow the mindset

want to look like a caveman, eat like one

5/26/2010 9:13:56 AM

I noticed this morning that my water weight seems to be gone (felt and looked smaller) so I decided to take an updated picture



(not in a bathing suit, but oh well.)

Also, I got excited because my waist looked the smallest it's ever been (I think) in my dress!

5/26/2010 9:14:44 AM

Benching today, pretty pumped. I'm gonna shoot for bodyweight.

5/26/2010 9:17:33 AM