NinjaCowboy
09-01-2004, 04:33 AM
I don't care about low carbs vs. low calorie or any of that.
My problem is that I am 5'7" and weigh about 240 lbs.
I have seen a lot of posts saying that you should eat about 5 small meals per day. This is impossible for me. I am almost never hungry, and usually feel nauseous when I eat when I am not hungry. I usually just eat dinner every day (about 11pm when I get home from work, usually go to sleep about 4am), and sometimes I have to remind and/or force myself to eat then. Even then I eat a very small portion of what is for dinner (usually just plain rice, maybe with a little butter, or ramen noodles - i drain out the water/soup & just eat the noodles)
Part of this is b/c of current financial troubles, but mostly I'm never hungry.
Since I eat so little (not 'depriving' myself of anything, just not hungry), I just don't understand why I'm overweight or what I can do to lose the weight. (obviously not cutting calories)
Most weight loss info that I have found focuses on how to eat less and/or control appetite, but this is obviously not my problem.
I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else has the same problem that I do, or if anyone has any suggestions as to what I should do...
My problem is that I am 5'7" and weigh about 240 lbs.
I have seen a lot of posts saying that you should eat about 5 small meals per day. This is impossible for me. I am almost never hungry, and usually feel nauseous when I eat when I am not hungry. I usually just eat dinner every day (about 11pm when I get home from work, usually go to sleep about 4am), and sometimes I have to remind and/or force myself to eat then. Even then I eat a very small portion of what is for dinner (usually just plain rice, maybe with a little butter, or ramen noodles - i drain out the water/soup & just eat the noodles)
Part of this is b/c of current financial troubles, but mostly I'm never hungry.
Since I eat so little (not 'depriving' myself of anything, just not hungry), I just don't understand why I'm overweight or what I can do to lose the weight. (obviously not cutting calories)
Most weight loss info that I have found focuses on how to eat less and/or control appetite, but this is obviously not my problem.
I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else has the same problem that I do, or if anyone has any suggestions as to what I should do...
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Gopherhead
09-01-2004, 08:58 AM
Since I eat so little (not 'depriving' myself of anything, just not hungry), I just don't understand why I'm overweight or what I can do to lose the weight. (obviously not cutting calories) Hold onto your hat, NijnaCowboy, this is going to sound bizarre, I promise you.
You're not losing fat because you're not eating. It's that simple. Here's what happens when you don't eat, in a nutshell. With no or little energy coming in your body will burn stored carbohydrates in the form of glycogen first and foremost. Once this is used up, which usually takes two or three days depending on your activity level and size it will then focus on muscle tissue because muscle is metabolically active and it takes energy to maintain it. With no energy coming it this becomes something of a liability, so 'out it goes'. Only then does it grudgingly dip into the fat stores. This is why most diets don't work, especially "starvation" diets. When you suddenly cut off the food supply, survival mechanisms kick in causing the body to store every little bit of fat that it can, because energy has been stopped and that is what fat is, stored energy. Severe caloric restiction and fasts will result in weight loss, but not much fat loss. Even worse, as soon as you DO eat something, it immediately gets stored as fat to replace any that was used. Do this a few times and you join the ranks of the frustrated yo-yo dieters.
Right now, because of how little you're eating, your cortisol levels would be sky high. Cortisol is one of the hormones in your body that respond to stress. It causes lean tissue to be used for energy and it stops fat burning in it's tracks. You've basically created an environment that is counterproductive to burning fat.
I understand the issues (time and money) you face but there are cheap and easy foods you can cook and use throughout the day. Foods like eggs, cottage cheese, nuts and seeds, potatoes and sweet potatoes, brown rice. Chicken legs are pretty cheap, buying them and removing the skin makes them a good source of protein.
If you do want to lose the fat you will have to start eating; exercising as well, but I would focus on the eating first.
Nat
You're not losing fat because you're not eating. It's that simple. Here's what happens when you don't eat, in a nutshell. With no or little energy coming in your body will burn stored carbohydrates in the form of glycogen first and foremost. Once this is used up, which usually takes two or three days depending on your activity level and size it will then focus on muscle tissue because muscle is metabolically active and it takes energy to maintain it. With no energy coming it this becomes something of a liability, so 'out it goes'. Only then does it grudgingly dip into the fat stores. This is why most diets don't work, especially "starvation" diets. When you suddenly cut off the food supply, survival mechanisms kick in causing the body to store every little bit of fat that it can, because energy has been stopped and that is what fat is, stored energy. Severe caloric restiction and fasts will result in weight loss, but not much fat loss. Even worse, as soon as you DO eat something, it immediately gets stored as fat to replace any that was used. Do this a few times and you join the ranks of the frustrated yo-yo dieters.
Right now, because of how little you're eating, your cortisol levels would be sky high. Cortisol is one of the hormones in your body that respond to stress. It causes lean tissue to be used for energy and it stops fat burning in it's tracks. You've basically created an environment that is counterproductive to burning fat.
I understand the issues (time and money) you face but there are cheap and easy foods you can cook and use throughout the day. Foods like eggs, cottage cheese, nuts and seeds, potatoes and sweet potatoes, brown rice. Chicken legs are pretty cheap, buying them and removing the skin makes them a good source of protein.
If you do want to lose the fat you will have to start eating; exercising as well, but I would focus on the eating first.
Nat
csoar2004
09-01-2004, 10:22 AM
Gopherhead is right on.
In addition, consider this: just as waiting to drink until you are thirsty is too late (you're already partially dehydrated), waiting to eat until you feel hungry is too late (your blood sugar is already tanking).
Eating SOMETHING every 2-3 hours helps keep your blood sugar (not to mention your hormones - including stress hormones such as cortisol) stable which - in turn - helps keep cravings under control and your metabolism perking along, burning FAT instead of lean muscle tissue.
DRINK LOTS of water. Your lymphatic system (think: garbage collector) cannot work when you are dehydrated and therefore nasty stuff builds up in your cells. :eek:
And get moving. Walk briskly each evening, (swinging your arms helps stimulate the lymphatic system too).
Buy veggies on sale. Munch on 'em throughout the day. Jennie-O 100% turkey burgers are a low cost great source of lean protein. :D
It's pretty clear that your CURRENT LIFESTYLE won't result in significant weight loss. Take a long hard look at that and see what you can change. Small steps can often lead to long term weight control (vs cold turkey unrealistic big steps).
Good luck!
_____________________
203/146/150 on the Fat Flush Plan for life and perky to the max! :D
(yep, lost MORE weight after attaining goal. Is that cool or WHAT?! ;) )
In addition, consider this: just as waiting to drink until you are thirsty is too late (you're already partially dehydrated), waiting to eat until you feel hungry is too late (your blood sugar is already tanking).
Eating SOMETHING every 2-3 hours helps keep your blood sugar (not to mention your hormones - including stress hormones such as cortisol) stable which - in turn - helps keep cravings under control and your metabolism perking along, burning FAT instead of lean muscle tissue.
DRINK LOTS of water. Your lymphatic system (think: garbage collector) cannot work when you are dehydrated and therefore nasty stuff builds up in your cells. :eek:
And get moving. Walk briskly each evening, (swinging your arms helps stimulate the lymphatic system too).
Buy veggies on sale. Munch on 'em throughout the day. Jennie-O 100% turkey burgers are a low cost great source of lean protein. :D
It's pretty clear that your CURRENT LIFESTYLE won't result in significant weight loss. Take a long hard look at that and see what you can change. Small steps can often lead to long term weight control (vs cold turkey unrealistic big steps).
Good luck!
_____________________
203/146/150 on the Fat Flush Plan for life and perky to the max! :D
(yep, lost MORE weight after attaining goal. Is that cool or WHAT?! ;) )
NinjaCowboy
09-02-2004, 12:19 AM
Thanks for the info, but I was wondering how much you have to eat for it to count as 'something'. A lot of the time if I am not hungry, i will get really nauseous if I eat anything.
Does drinking soda or eating lifesavers or other hard candy count as food? I know it's nothing substantial, but I usually only consume water during the day, and at least this would be some sugar or whatever.
Do you think this is better than nothing, or does it not make enough of a difference to matter?
Does drinking soda or eating lifesavers or other hard candy count as food? I know it's nothing substantial, but I usually only consume water during the day, and at least this would be some sugar or whatever.
Do you think this is better than nothing, or does it not make enough of a difference to matter?