Fat Enders

[Karl Henning]

The no potatoes would be problematic at home.  Personally, I would be fine with removing potatoes from my diet entirely.  But the potato is iconic comfort food for the Russians in my life (the last time I tried putting my foot down and asked that I eat no potatoes, feelings were bruised).

[zamyrabyrd]

The no potatoes would be problematic at home.  Personally, I would be fine with removing potatoes from my diet entirely.  But the potato is iconic comfort food for the Russians in my life (the last time I tried putting my foot down and asked that I eat no potatoes, feelings were bruised).

Potatoes are actually good food. They have potassium and are not dense carbs. So per volume they don't have as many calories as grains. Sweet potatoes and yams are my faves.

Tendency to high cholesterol may be a limiting factor in high fat diets.

[North Star]

There's nothing wrong with potatoes. Rice and pasta are more problematic, but carbs are a part of a healthy diet. And to take out the same amount of calories, you have to cut away three times as much on the potatoes, compared to accomplishing the same cut with beef. And then you need to get your dietary fibers, potassium and vitamin C from something else.

[Karl Henning]

Thank you both;  I already feel better about potatoes in my diet.  And goodness knows, Mamochka knows how to cook 'em 

[NikF]

The no potatoes would be problematic at home.  Personally, I would be fine with removing potatoes from my diet entirely.  But the potato is iconic comfort food for the Russians in my life (the last time I tried putting my foot down and asked that I eat no potatoes, feelings were bruised).

Many years ago I remember coming home and walking into the kitchen and finding almost every available surface covered with pirozhki - most containing potato and mushrooms.

[mc ukrneal]

Thank you both;  I already feel better about potatoes in my diet.  And goodness knows, Mamochka knows how to cook 'em 

Limiting rice and white bread intake would probably have more impact than potato, unless you eat some sort of fried potato every day. But then potato isn't the only problem in that case!  

[Karl Henning]

I'm fairly reserved with rice, white bread & pasta.  Which is to say, point well taken 

[Mookalafalas]

If your weight is pretty much where you want it, potatoes, beans, rice, etc. are great foods.  I'm doing what is called "Low carb, High fat" eating.  It's referred to a lot as the ketogenic diet.  I have to keep my total carbs at around 20mg a day, which is VERY low.  The idea is you switch your whole system from burning sugars (from carbs), to burning fats only. The good thing is I can eat til I'm full at meals and have been losing a little over a kilo a week, with little exercise.  It's not a new diet, by any means (it's sort of the way we ate every day when I was a kid--a central meat dish with vegetable accompaniment), but everything in this way of eating was demonized by various American health organizations starting in the 1960s--that is, when we switched from meat and animal fats to carbs and vegetable oils--and the American epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes exploded. 

[Karl Henning]

Here I'm trying anew.

So last week I was on vacation.  (Before which I was merely in something of a holding pattern.)  I spent the week with my old mate Paul.  Paul and Jacquie are non-militant mostly-vegans, but, when I visit, they set that aside and the time is considered a festive departure.  It does mean (without any aspersion) that it were difficult to discipline my diet (and what kind of vacation is it, if I am logging every morsel, and counting?)

That is mere backstory, and not whingeing.  Thus, when I stood on the scales first thing I returned to Woburn, Wonder of the North, it read 239.0;  which is an improvement over a year ago, but not at all any dramatic improvement;  but, the day before I left for the Sunshine State, I weighed about 235.

As to today:  I have gotten into a good, sustainable daily rhythm of both minding very closely what I eat (in fact, planning the day's diet in a way both realistic, and focused on the goal) and seeing to it that I get a good half-hour's walk (or more) every day.

Not really surprisingly, the scales has logged a reduction each morning since my return, and this morning reads 232.8.

I know that it won't always be a straight line, but at the moment, I am pleased and highly motivated.

[Mookalafalas]

Amazing coincidence you revived this thread just today.  Last year I was doing great til 6 weeks of vacation and just threw the whole diet out the window.  I've been in a holding patter since then, keeping at around 200lb.  Just decided to buckle down again the last couple of days. Got a yogurt maker and dusted off my "Atkins diet" book today and giving it another go. I want to get down to 182lb. 

[Karl Henning]

Conquer!

[MN Dave]

Staying within my 201-209 range and have been for some time. It's all in the calories, yo.

[Mookalafalas]

Conquer!

Damn straight!

[Karl Henning]

Staying within my 201-209 range and have been for some time. It's all in the calories, yo.

You are an inspiration, Sir.

[Karl Henning]

This morning:  232.2

I'll take it.

[MN Dave]

This morning:  232.2

I'll take it.

[Mookalafalas]

just broke the 200lb barrier.  It's good to see 199 again.  Right now I'm psyched and self-control is easy.  But how long will it last? We have an all you can eat barbecue in the neighborhood, and it includes Haagen-Das and a terrific brand of Italian ice-cream, four flavors of each.  That place can wipe out weeks of consistent dieting in 90 minutes of pleasure
   Anyway, things are progressing smoothly so far. I was about 210 when I got back from Europe one month ago, and I've come this far without exercise or hunger pangs...

[Karl Henning]

just broke the 200lb barrier.  It's good to see 199 again.  Right now I'm psyched and self-control is easy.

Huzzah!

My scales this morning:  231.0

[Mookalafalas]

Huzzah!

My scales this morning:  231.0

  It's nice to be heading in the right direction.

[Karl Henning]

Indeed!