food part 2. Calories. FTS.

You've all heard it.  You may have even said it.  Calories in, calories out.  Right?  Even I used to look at how many calories I would burn during exercise and be confident that if I burnt 3,000 calories I would have lost a pound.  I even considered purposely burning 3000 calories a day to lose a pound a day.  Well, that never worked.  I did manage to lose weight.  But mostly because I starved myself and worked out like a fool.

really attractive. what a slob. and not sticking it out. 

About 8 years ago a few friends of mine all decided we were going to do a weight loss challenge.  We were scheduled to go to the beach in September, so approximately 3 months prior we had the initial weigh in.  I remember eating so much mcdonalds that day and drinking about a gallon and a half of water before weigh in having not peed at all.  I weighed in at 211.  Realistically, probably 205 minus the water.  Remember, this was pre-kid days.  Commence 3 months of intense exercise multiple days a week.  Hours a day on occasion.  Severe calorie restriction.   Low fat, mostly veggies, fruits, and lean meats.  Did I feel good?  I guess.  I was losing weight.  I was gonna win.  I was also the one with the least amount of weight to lose.  But dang was it hard work.  Sure enough though, the day of the weight in I had a plan.  It was bright and sunny.  So I sat in the back of my truck that had a cap on it for several hours.  Sweated till there was a river running out of the back.  I weighed in at 176.  I didn't win.   And I still had a gut and no visible 6 pack.

Over the next months and year.  It all came back.  This was the first of several weight loss attempts over the next several years.  I was good at it.  I could lose weight easy.  As long I severely reduced my caloric intake and exercised a lot.  It was never sustainable.  I hated it.  The cravings came all the time.  When someone brought pizza to an event, it was so hard to resist.  Usually after I lost 10-15 pounds I'd be satisfied with my results and ease off the diet.

I've probably lost over 100 pounds doing this.  Through 4 or 5 different weight loss sessions.

Just this past september I was heavier than I've ever been at that point.  Tried to do a weight loss challenge with some friends.  I weighed in at....you guessed it.  211.  I did good for two weeks.  Lost around 7-8 pounds.  But it sucked.  I didn't like the fact I had to eat in moderation.  So I quit.

In May...  I was drinking.  Pretty heavily.  At least a bottle or two of whiskey a week, maybe more. Never at work though, only at night.  As well as beer and wine...eating everything I could find and not caring at all.  Funny thing is...I still thought I was in good shape.  The last I checked the scale I was over 220.  I don't even know how far.  I kept jelly belly's with me at all times.   I would eat a pizza by myself.  Popcorn every night, string cheese, candy....I was on a path to die.  On may 13th I was sitting at Al's of Hampden/Pizza Boy brewing and eating a grilled chicken salad and drinking a beer.   It was that lunch I decided it was time to change.  Commence Keto.  Now....3 months later.  In the same amount of time or less of the challenge I did 8 years ago...I'm down over 35 pounds.  Visible muscle definition and in the best shape of my life.  Doing minimal exercise.  And happy as a clam would be before I'd cover it in butter, wrap it in bacon and eat it.

Three months of Keto.  No plans of stopping. 

So....I was supposed to talk about why calories aren't all created equal.  But I'll save that for tomorrow as part 3.  I will tell you why the best way to lose weight is to cut of your non-dominant arm.  Kidding.  I'm going to tell you that the best way to lose weight is to ditch the carbs and stop counting calories.  That's right, stop counting calories.  The photo on the right is of me in september of 2015.  About to embark on that failed attempt at a weight loss challenge.  Imagine another 10 or so pounds and that's my May weight.  i didn't even take pictures.  I didn't care.  The most recent photos...about 3 weeks ago.  I just got a clean bill of health from the doctors too.  He says I'm boring.  Why do I write all this?  I've seen way to many people have the desire to lose weight and get healthier and have no idea where to start.  They also have no idea what foods do in their bodies.   I had no clue.  Even though I was good at losing weight.  I had still thought a plate full of fruit and veggies would be better for me at weight loss than bacon wrapped cheese sticks smothered in pork rinds and cooked in oil.