Losing weight

[Jim at Gentex]

I'm only 1/4 mile from work, so I could easily ride a bike.
It's only a 5 minute walk, so I probably get more exercise from that than a 1 minute bike ride. 

[JParis]

I'm 45 miles, one way....walking or biking isn't an option 

[Flycut]

I need to lose 50lbs.
I feel like crap.

[Tim Johnson]

I am curious about this. With the various, sometimes multiple, workouts I do in a day, most calorie calculators say I need between 2500-3000 calories a day to maintain my weight. That is a ton of calories at one time if you are eating healthy whole foods. I don't know how I could possibly eat that much in one meal. Do you track how many calories you eat?

You can if oils are on the menu. Olive oil is 120 calories per tablespoon so I am getting somewhere around 1000 calories ten minutes after I wake up.

[YoDoug]

You can if oils are on the menu. Olive oil is 120 calories per tablespoon so I am getting somewhere around 1000 calories ten minutes after I wake up.

I personally try to stay away from oils for the most part, especially when cooking. Hence I said if you are eating whole foods it is hard to get that many calories. However, I do use some dressings, etc that have oils in them. One of my regular favs is broccoli slaw. I use some vegan mayo which has oils in it, but a tablespoon in a big bowl of slaw only adds 100 calories. I also add walnuts, craisins, and a splash of red wine vinegar. I eat that multiple times a week and never get tired of it. A giant bowl of that fills me up is only like 400 calories. 

[mega]

I'm not convinced looking at calories is a good metric of how fat that food is going to make you, I tend to foremost not want to eat any preservatives/weird sounding chemicals as much as possible.

[mega]

Oil's are definitely something I try to limit a lot,

[Tim Johnson]

I personally try to stay away from oils for the most part, especially when cooking. Hence I said if you are eating whole foods it is hard to get that many calories. However, I do use some dressings, etc that have oils in them. One of my regular favs is broccoli slaw. I use some vegan mayo which has oils in it, but a tablespoon in a big bowl of slaw only adds 100 calories. I also add walnuts, craisins, and a splash of red wine vinegar. I eat that multiple times a week and never get tired of it. A giant bowl of that fills me up is only like 400 calories. 

Oil's are definitely something I try to limit a lot,

Olive oil is one of the best foods you can put into your body (as long as it's from Europe or Morocco).

[JParis]

Olive oil is one of the best foods you can put into your body (as long as it's from Europe or Morocco).

EVO in particular

[Dan_AKA_ROY23]

My heaviest recent weight was around 195 lbs. (in my younger days I was in the 230's, weightlifting and strong as an ox).

For the past 15 years, I've averaged around 180 to 185.

Right now around 160 for the past 9 months. Low carb diet and watch the calories. The only thing keeping more weight on is my love for tree nuts (macadamia nuts my fav) and peanuts. But when on low carbs, one needs foods that fill you up.

My a1c was 10.2 9 months ago. So I did something about that without additional medication. About 5 months ago the a1c came in at 5.8. It's still low, in the 5's.

Plus I haven't had a drop of alcohol in almost 1 1/2 years (it lowers sugar levels).

I use google notes, keeping track. It can help motivate me.

[Dan_AKA_ROY23]

I need to lose 50lbs.
I feel like crap.

One approach you can start doing right away is avoiding breads. Even the healthy kinds. I eat plenty of veggies (and nuts) for fiber and use metamucil (sugar free). Metamucil good for gut health..

Stop eating breads and sweets and you'll be on your way.

[BrianP.]

Some times I think that it's a blessing that I can't handle dairy.   I love ice cream but a bowl of that stuff and I can't even get my cat to some around me.     

Try frozen yogurt. They make some real good ones.

[YoDoug]

EVO is a huge difference. Olives have anti-oxidants and and anti-inflammatory properties. However the processing into Olive oil changes those properties. The more it is processed, the worse it gets. Hence EVO is a little more neutral.

I could post a dozen studies that show that immediately after consuming olive oil you have impaired endothelial function in your arteries for several hours. Repeated impaired endothelial function leads to increased risk of CAD and heart issues. Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. MD of the Cleveland Clinic, is considered one of the leaders in treating and reversing heart disease. His program has a near 90%+ success rate of taking people that have suffered or are at high risk of heart attacks, etc and reversing their condition by diet, without medications. he is adamantly against olive oil. His track record and success in heart care makes me trust his opinion when it comes to olive oil

[Tim Johnson]

EVO is a huge difference. Olives have anti-oxidants and and anti-inflammatory properties. However the processing into Olive oil changes those properties. The more it is processed, the worse it gets. Hence EVO is a little more neutral.

I could post a dozen studies that show that immediately after consuming olive oil you have impaired endothelial function in your arteries for several hours. Repeated impaired endothelial function leads to increased risk of CAD and heart issues. Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. MD of the Cleveland Clinic, is considered one of the leaders in treating and reversing heart disease. His program has a near 90%+ success rate of taking people that have suffered or are at high risk of heart attacks, etc and reversing their condition by diet, without medications. he is adamantly against olive oil. His track record and success in heart care makes me trust his opinion when it comes to olive oil

Twenty minutes after slugging down EVO my heart-rate is 160 to 170 with no stress issues other than sucking down lots of air.

[YoDoug]

Twenty minutes after slugging down EVO my heart-rate is 160 to 170 with no stress issues other than sucking down lots of air.

I assume you mean 160-170 bpm during exercise?

By volume, approximately 10-20% percent of Olive oil is no different than the saturated fats in red meat. Yes, the other 80% is better for you than other oils/fats. However the real issue lies in individual body/diet/genetics/etc. For some people that 10-20% saturated fat will not be a big issue. For others it will. That is my biggest takeaway from all of the reading/studying I have done on diet. There are foods that improve health and there are foods that impair health. Each person has a saturation level and an overload level for different foods. We should be looking at foods by the effect they have on health and testing/tracking/monitoring those effects personally, versus looking for studies/opinions/articles that give blanket go/nogo on the foods we like and want to eat. I equate it to smoking. We know the damage done by smoking, but it is over time. It takes years for the damage from smoking to progress to major disease. However some people smoke their whole lives and don't suffer those ailments. Food is the same. Some people will stay thin and relatively healthy their whole lives regardless of what they eat. Others will build chronic illness at faster rates. You may be able to eat that EVO without immediate consequence, for others that much Saturated fat daily may trigger a heart event.