This Is My Story

[Stekmer]

This is my story …… Fat middle age man slims down

I find weight management to be a constant problem.

I love to eat and could previously eat whatever I liked and keep my weight at an acceptable level.

Then I turned 40.

Then I changed jobs and now spend more time behind a desk.

Then I gave up smoking.

Kept eating and drinking as normal – exercise minimal.

Went from 75 Kgs to 100 Kgs

Not sure what happened, perhaps it was not being able to bend over to put my shoes on, not being able to see my genitals without breathing in and bending forward …. Not to mention becoming breathless on fairly minor exertion.

Its about 15 months ago now that I started to turn things around.

I dropped 22 Kgs in just over 3 ½ months and swore I would never allow myself to get above 80 Kgs again.

The diet was very austere BUT I could see weight loss every time I weighed myself - which was daily. It was called … "The busy working woman's diet" ….. from the Australian Woman's Weekly series of cook books. (can elaborate if anyone wants). It's not a long term option but for quick weight loss to kick start the motivation it is very good.

There are countless diets, all with their own fans with success stories. I don't think it really matters which one you choose. Mine is very low fat and carbohydrates with lots of salad, vegies and fruit and moderate amounts of protein and low fat dairy products.

The booze was cut down dramatically and replaced with diet soft drinks – diet dry ginger ale with a slice of lemon works for me. Booze is now a weekend only indulgence.

Moderate exercise, in my case walking - with an increasing degree of ease and an increase in the distance walked. I now miss walking if I can't do at least a 30 to 40 minute rapid walk every day.

What has helped me stay in the range of 78 to 80 Kg for almost a year now are the following;

• Weighing myself each day
  
• Using a weight chart software programme to give me a visual display of my progress
  
• Saying to myself …I don't eat that (bread, potatoes, cheese) anymore, except on special occasions.
  
• Looking at myself in the mirror.
  
• Trying on my old clothes and smiling as my jeans fell to my feet.
  
• Throwing out all the 'fat clothes' and buying a new wardrobe.
  
• Breathing out, leaning back and waving at my genitals
  

I have noticed that when fat people would comment on how much weight I had lost there would be a longing look in their eyes as they asked "how did you do it"?

I sensed that they wanted to hear a magic formula that required no self denial or will power or commitment. Sadly, it takes all of these.

My usual response was …. Eat less and exercise more.

There is nothing special about me. I'm not know for self restraint or denying myself what I long for (food… ) – BUT – If I can do it I really can't see why others can't.

The battle goes on however, it is not over and will probably never be over.

I LOVE to eat. Totally unrelated to hunger. It's a hobby. I miss eating some foods very much.

Giving up smoking (for 6 years now) was relatively easy compared to keeping my weight down.

What keeps me going is remembering how I couldn't bend down to put my shoes on …. How I couldn't walk for more than a few hundred metres without running out of breath.

It's hard work but the improved self esteem and sense of accomplishment help keep me going.

[jumnien]

Thanks for the inspiration. I hope I can write a similar account 6 months from now!

[britmaveric]

Good story and like everything its all about will power and commitment!!

[Ijustwannateach]

Congrats!

[Dakhar]

Congrats!

My story:

Lost 20lbs after moving to Thailand.

How?

1) Work my rear end off

2) constantly on the run

3) Eating Thai "survival food" ie; squid, and other fish bait

I expect to keep the weight off too, because Thia cuisine aint changing any time soon.

[astral]

A good story.

I am trying to do the same and succeeding, but not as fast as you.

[dclaryjr]

A good story.

I am trying to do the same and succeeding, but not as fast as you.

I'm fighting the same battle without a lot of success.

I have lost over 50 pounds twice in my life. Once when the U.S. Air Force sent me to Thailand in '75 and again when they sent me to Korea in '83. So the solution is obvious--get my butt back to Thailand!

[stats]

Thats great .. good story and i respect what you have done to slim down ...

Cheers

tytus

[billd766]

Back in February I read this thread and realised that at 62 and 122kg I HAD to do something soon or it wouldn't matter any more.

I sent a pm to Stekmer and asked for a copy of the diet which he generously gave me.

I started on 20th Feb and dieted for 2 weeks and it worked and I was happy as I had lost about 5kg. Not much but better than nothing.

I then went back to what I was eating before but less of it and cut out sweets and biscuits completely which was hard for me, most bread and sandwiches except perhaps for 1 meal a week, all fizzy drinks (now it is Sangsom, ice and soda NO coke), most processed foods such as cheese and ham etc.

I now eat fresh food daily and as much fruit as I want.

Next I must resurrect my exercise machine from the dust and cobwebs and start exercising again.

In the 2 weeks of my diet I went from 122.3 down to 115.7 kg. Since then I went up a little to 116.6 and this morning I weighed 112.2kg.

I have tried to upload the diet but I cannot for some reason so I have just pasted it.

All credit to the diet goes to Stekmer and I will share the credit for my weight loss with him too as without his encouragement I would probably have quit. Thanks Stephen.

Last night I had a T bone steak and french fries and I could only manage about 75% of it so the dogs ate well this morning.

Signed by an 8% thinner man.

Diet

Hi Bill,

The diet I used to kick start things was "The Australian Women’s Weekly, Busy Working Woman’s diet"

It is fairly strict and is recommended for 14 days only.

The food that you must eat each day is:

2 eggs

2 oranges

2 tomatoes

1 slice wholemeal bread

125 gm of fish OR chicken OR cottage cheese (low fat)

Multi-vitamin tab

You can have as much celery, lettuce, capsicum, spring onions, shallots and bean sprouts as you like. Fresh herbs are allowed in salads or in cooking.

Flavour food with lemon juice and use spices. Low calorie Balsamic dressing is good and or other fat free or low cal prepared salad dressings.

Tea and coffee is allowed (black only)

NO - milk, butter, alcohol, sugar or anything else not on the list.

Use artificial sweeteners and diet soft drinks.

Weigh yourself daily and keep a record.

It is possible to drop a few kilos in the first few days - usually fluid only and the real weight loss occurs after the first week.

I use this diet whenever I need to re-set my metabolism and regain control of my eating. I find I loose my taste for fatty foods and carbohydrates.

After a couple of weeks I usually introduce a bit of red meat and vegetables to replace the salad.

Hope this helps.

Stephen

Hi Bill,

The eggs can be boiled or poached.

The fish or chicken can be baked, fried (NO OIL)

Try wrapping in aluminium foil and adding some herbs or spices - eg some lemon grass and coriander root on the meat, wrap in foil and bake.

If no oven - wrap in plastic wrap and use a microwave or still wrap in foil and fry in wok.

NO SKIN OR FAT on the chicken - use boned thighs or breasts.

You could poach the meat in some stock with flavourings.

Use balsamic vinegar or balsamic dressing NO OIL

Use 4 Thai oranges to replace the 2 western oranges. You could alternate with 1/2 a small pineapple instead of the oranges.

The idea is to stick to this very strict diet for 2 weeks.

NO variations and NOTHING that isn't on the list

The ONLY food that you eat each day is:

2 eggs

4 small oranges/tangerines

2 tomatoes

1 slice wholemeal bread

125 gm of fish OR chicken

Multi-vitamin tab

You can have as much of the following as you like;

celery

lettuce

capsicum

spring onions

shallots

bean sprouts

Fresh herbs are allowed in salads or in cooking.

Flavour food with lemon juice and use spices.

Low calorie Balsamic dressing is good and or other fat free or low cal prepared salad dressings.

Tea and coffee is allowed (black only)

NO - milk, butter, alcohol, sugar or anything else not on the list.

Use artificial sweeteners and diet soft drinks.

Weigh yourself daily and keep a record.

Stephen

[billd766]

I am now working in New Zealand and having access to all the food that I can't buy in Thailand I was like a small boy in a cake and sweet shop.

The result of that is that I gained 10 kg in the last 2 months and I was back up to 123.8kg.

Part of the problem here is that the portions are much bigger here and the other part was finding food that I haven't seen in a long time like chocolate biscuits and cakes.

I used to eat 2 sandwiches for breakfast, 2 large filled rolls plus a pie for lunch, biscuits with my morning and afternoon tea AND a large dinner. As it was winter I was drinking Ovaltine with full fat milk and a couple of spoonfuls of brown sugar.

So I went back on the diet once again and now I am on the second week of the diet and I have lost nearly 6kg in the last 10 days.

By Sunday I will have done my 2 weeks of strict diet so I will go back to eating properly again with smaller portions and I have even bought a bicycle to start exercising when it gets a bit warmer. Currently it is around 10 deg in the morning warming up to around 15 in the afternoon.

The main reason that I am doing this is that I am now 64 and my Thai son is 4 and I want to be alive to see him graduate from college or university which means I need to be around for the next 20 years so I need to lose weight, exercise and stay fit.