www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I admire what you guys are doing with this challenge so much that I decided to look at and modify my own diet (weight management and general better health being my goal). So I'm reducing caloric intake, and using less salt and sugar too.
Just for grins, take a look at this article on 2 newly-svelte "Gringas":
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/96450574.html

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

After the first week of dieting and working out, the results look good. I weighed in at 203 last Monday (6/14), my first time ever over 200. Last night, after dieting and working out for 7 days, I weighed in at 196.2. Lost almost 7 lbs in a week. I think that may be too much in one week, but I don't think I will drop 7 lbs every week. I cut out a lot of the fatty foods I used to eat for lunch near work, reduced breads (bagels)/potatoes/rice intake, eat more fruits/vegetables, and work out daily at home (30 minutes on the bike, push ups, crunches, some triceps and some lunges).

Great start!! The first few weeks is where you will see the most weight loss. I remember that I had loss seven and then five pounds the first two weeks. Those were glorious weeks. It gets to be a challenge when you are only experiencing one to two pounds a week. I have finished my downward trend and will start maintaining now. End result was 48 pounds in exactly 24 weeks. Feel great and getting ready to do a 13 mile race at Disneyland in September.

Good luck everyone,

Have a Great Day,

Dave

I remember hearing "eat more fruit." I'd think about this while at the grocery store so I'd get a bunch of fruit. The fruit would often go bad because after eating a normal lunch and a normal dinner I didn't feel like having any fruit. I kept thinking, how to put fruit in my diet. I ended up dumping regular lunch meals and instead eating as much fruit for lunch as I wanted. I didn't really have a "meal" for lunch, I got out of the "meal" habit. I got out of the going to "lunch" habit too. From morning to mid-afternoon I'd have different kinds of fruit and usually some yogurt too.

I did get bored with the fruit about the same time I was hearing "eat more whole grains." Whole grains - I'm thinking granola. Careful though, store-bought granola is often loaded with sugar and fat so it is whole grains baked in a pool of sugary whatever (not good). I found a grocery store that has a bulk section with whole grains, pure whole grains, and even some low fat granola. I get a mixture of grains including some flax seed which they also have in the bulk section. I mix all the grains together and throw in some raw almonds and flax seed too. When I feel like I want a snack, I grab a few spoons of these grains. It is a dry mixture, but remember it is load with fiber which will pull a lot of bad stuff from your body.

I like yogurt but I started to hear about all the sugar in the store brand so I'm thinking what to do? I also heard berries were really good for me so I buy berries sometimes fresh and sometimes frozen. I have strawberries, black berries, blue berries and I have a small mixer/blender so I buy some plain (PLAIN!) yogurt and mix some black berries in or some blue berries or a mixture of berries. I have my own fruit-yogurt without the sugar, nice and so good for you!

So for lunch, my own yogurt with some whole grains thrown on top and sometimes I slice a banana and throw that in too. Sprinkle some flax seed on top.

Flax seed is really good for you. Always get raw nuts, not roasted since the roasted nuts' oils have been destroyed when roasted and now the nut is just a POS even though it doesn't taste like a POS. Nuts are fattening, but no matter, they are good for you as long as they are raw.

These days I usually eat fruit first part of the day and often a big salad for dinner. Key to making a great salad is to mix it in a huge bowl so when you put salad dressing on it, you have plenty of room to mix it up so a small amount of dressing gets on everything. My salad, spinach, broccoli, olives, onion, tomato, APPLE, yes apple cut in cubes (apple tastes great and give crunch to a salad).

I like meat but I don't really like to cook so how to get protein? I like mixing a can of pinto beans with a can of refried beans. It is probably just me, but that combo is out of this world. I like putting cumin in there too - gives it some unique flavor.

Anyway, eating better means finding your groove. I don't like to cook so considering I have fruit first part of day and salad for dinner, all my food is raw which also saves me from eating fat (cooking oil fat).

I do like to cook a side of salmon and have it with my salad.

I also like salmon cakes. Get an expensive can of salmon and mix with bread crumbs and 2 eggs and make into patties then fry them in veggie oil. They are great tasting and good for you.

I haven't been in a fast food joint in years. I like Mexican and Indian food so when I want something different, these are the places I go to eat. Fast food, the burger joints, just isn't very appealing to me.

Find your groove. It is out there and often reprogramming yourself comes slowly but slow is good as long as you continue to step in the right direction.

I also have this rule - when I'm alone (no friends around) I eat my good-for-me stuff, but when friends are around I eat like I did 10 years ago.

My vital signs given the food I eat are great. I will probably live a long time even though I'm not so keen on the idea of living a long long time.

This is great, I am glad all you guys are trying to win the free session by eating better and Increasing exercise and I hope the best for all of you. But as some one who has drop weight I have just one thought on this, and please do not get mad about what I am about to say , just my thoughts,

Weight loss does not count until you have taken all your fat clothes and drop them off at Good Will, then on your way home stop and buy all new clothes ( exemption for any suit/sport coats that can be taken in, but you have get them altered !!) Now you have a no fall back position if the weight comes back, it is going to cost you money to gain weight. You now have made a commitment and backed it up with money I made a couple of trips to Good Will on my the way down , some clothes were never worn. So after going back up 5-8 lbs I was faced with a choice, stop eating and exercise more, or spend money on new clothes, being a cheap SOB, I saved the money and lost the few extra lbs, It has been a long 28 years of daily work, and now I am addicted to 7+ miles walks and a hour of weights every day. I am as bad as any junkie if I do not get my walk in,( even on vacation) so I added hill walks to get breathing up so I can walk even more... Walks in place of lunch and weights in place of dinner, and Diet coke for breakfast

AND never go cheap on good running shoes, will save the hip/knees and feet in the long run. Having gone thru every brand with most lasting only 3-6 weeks of heavy walking, running and dog training. Finally tried Merrell's. They last me 9-12 months, exercising, hunting, fishing and dog training.. Now they are all I own. Just my experience and thought on shoes.

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My best friend was the clock on the wall, and he turned out not to be much of a friend in the end

And remember Brother XMan00 is from the deep Wisconsin woods--he knows from dog training, fishing, hunting and such--no dilittante he *--more like survival mechanisms.

* http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dilettante

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

For long term it is best not to be too extreme. Remember, if you want it to be permanent, it is a lifestyle change. I read one time "Eat 80% good 80% of the time." Allow yourself to cheat on occasion and you won't get overly frustrated.

it is a slow evolution for sure. not like the weight just appeared. it took a lot of years to accumulate and it should be nearly equal to lose it in a healthy maintainable manner.

but my question is how the hell is orange in this? that guys a toothpick.

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im way deep into nothing special
riding the crest of a wave breaking just west of hollywood

It may be that Brother Orange is, like I am, using this Challenge to motivate behavioral change and a bit of body sculpting. My diet has been changed (less food, and healthier) to get rid of that tub in front. Y'all have your thing and it's a good thing; I have mine and it ain't so bad either.

_________________
"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Thanks for the compliment. But I do have a gut that I want to get rid of. I wear loose clothing, so I hide it well. I'm starting look like a typical CR monger.

So far, 2 weeks in, I lost 9 lbs (I lost 5 the first week, not 7, I just checked my chart. I need to learn counting to 10 again.)

I want to drop about 25 lbs, down to about 180. Like Jazz said, it's more of a lifestyle change than just losing the weight. I'm not eating lettuce all day, but I cut out the soda, fatty foods, and I'm working out regularly.

JazzboCR-- I had to look that up. Being nimble on my feet helps in the woods , so I can't be carrying that extra weight , I had to dodge a bear in my yard this afternoon, Why the dam dog did not bark and warn me is something I have to take up with the dog later. But at least the bear ran off with me having to shoot again, now it time to clean up the F&^*%$# garage> bear shit every where..
today 15 miles walk, 90 minutes weights and one hour of bear shot clean up, maybe some hill walking later
Keep at it guys...

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My best friend was the clock on the wall, and he turned out not to be much of a friend in the end

good job, just saying if we put you in those fotos with the truly big guys you would look rather fit. 180? aren't you around 6' tall?
biggest change that has worked for me is the elimination of white flour. but i love bread and rice so its hard to do. that and the copious amounts of beer i tend to drink.

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im way deep into nothing special
riding the crest of a wave breaking just west of hollywood

any updates?

The silence is deafening...sounds like the weight loss challenge has gone the way of most New Years resolutions...

Since nobody else is posting, I'll post my status.

Started at 203, 7 weeks ago. On Monday, I weighed in at 182.6. Down 20.4 lbs, that's almost 3 lbs/week.

I'm not in this for the free sessions, just needed some motivation to get back in shape. I'm down 1 belt loop and I feel better/stronger. I live in a 3rd floor walk-up, I don't feel winded after getting home anymore.

(I still have 3 weeks to get down to 175, my playing weight.)