Weight Loss tips and techniques

[ramssuperbowl99]

4 minutes ago, BobbyPhil1781 said:

A very valid point. I guess my underlying cause of stating this as much as I have is that I wasn't warned of the dangers of excessive sodium. I'm maybe overweight according to some charts and maybe not but I was just funneling sodium into my body when I was younger as I didn't know any better. Tony Chachere's is literally the greatest seasoning ever made and I will die on this hill lol. I wasn't going to the Dr every year b/c I was in my 20s and frankly, didn't care as I felt fine. Well, I went in for my ~5 year visit and my BP was extremely high and it's taken years to get off the medication I was put on. Guess I'm just trying to spread knowledge that might not be known to some lol. I was pumped when Doc told me I didn't have to take it any longer during my annual earlier this year and this is w/ someone who has white coat syndrome.

Yeah sounds like you got a bad roll of the genetic dice. That sucks man sorry to hear that.

The bolded is a great point too. Everyone needs to go to the doctor, full stop. I don't care how much you work out, how clean you eat, how much mental health work you do, etc etc., if you're not going to the doctor for a yearly physical with blood work, that needs to be priority number 1.

[MWil23]

15 hours ago, LETSGOBROWNIES said:

I hear ya.

I have a ruptured disc in my back so I’m pretty cautious when it comes to squat and deadlift these days.  I see value in the exercises and don’t plan to stop doing them, but I keep things pretty light.  Squats actually cause more issues than deads, so I rarely go above 225. I just try to knock out 5-6 sets of 8-12 (depending on the day) and call it good.   Deads are the same, anywhere from 225-365 depending on the day, keep the reps at 5-8 and if ANYTHING feels off, move on and do something else.  It’s just not worth it.

Even bench has become more of an issue over the last couple of years.  I’m fine up to about 275 but anything higher and my elbows and shoulders don’t feel great.  So I just don’t. I’ll continue to try to hit 225 for as many reps as possible use that as my max nowadays.

Ive also noticed movement changes.  I don’t notice as much change in like jumping straight up and sprinting but lateral mobility is.. whew… lol.  I definitely don’t feel as quick or explosive as I used to when I’m playing basketball or in general.  Granted I’m not doing those things a lot, but the changes have been more noticeable there than say in the weight room.

It’s definitely not fun to realize your best days are behind you, but I just try to focus my goals elsewhere.  

This was something I had to more or less "come to terms with" a couple/three years ago and it wasn't fun. My max squat is a 225 5x5 due to load on my back and knees given my age with some major wear and tear. The sports science guy said something along the lines of "You aren't going out there to play Friday nights anymore. Your goals are different now."

Same with deadlift. I used to enjoy the thrill of clearing heavy weights, and now I go between 275 and 305, if I even deadlift at all anymore with a straight/hex bar. 

From a bench standpoint, I usually do sets/reps of 5x5, 5/5/3/3/1+ with a load between 175 and 195 unless I have a spotter. I hit my "max" of 255 2 years ago, but I also had some significant shoulder and elbow/forearm pain, so it is what it is at this point...those days are officially over.

So, I look good in shorts, my wife likes to grab my arms/shoulders and pat my butt, so I'll take that as a compliment/affirmation of me doing the right things.

[BobbyPhil1781]

13 minutes ago, ramssuperbowl99 said:

Yeah sounds like you got a bad roll of the genetic dice. That sucks man sorry to hear that.

The bolded is a great point too. Everyone needs to go to the doctor, full stop. I don't care how much you work out, how clean you eat, how much mental health work you do, etc etc., if you're not going to the doctor for a yearly physical with blood work, that needs to be priority number 1.

I guess it depends on what way you look at it. Some good things w/ my genetics, some bad. I just wasn't really taking care of myself like I do now but that comes w/ age, I guess. I'm more conscious of my decisions now and I'm seeing the benefits and not really sacrificing too much..... except delicious Tony Chachere's unless I'm cooking salmon. That goes on every time lol. 

Definitely agreed that people should get their annual checkups done w/o question. I'm not one to dwell on my past and want to change things b/c I don't see the point but this is one regret I do have. Could've avoided a couple years of stress that happened right before Covid hit which added a little more stress at the beginning. 

[LETSGOBROWNIES]

23 minutes ago, MWil23 said:

This was something I had to more or less "come to terms with" a couple/three years ago and it wasn't fun. My max squat is a 225 5x5 due to load on my back and knees given my age with some major wear and tear. The sports science guy said something along the lines of "You aren't going out there to play Friday nights anymore. Your goals are different now."

Same with deadlift. I used to enjoy the thrill of clearing heavy weights, and now I go between 275 and 305, if I even deadlift at all anymore with a straight/hex bar. 

From a bench standpoint, I usually do sets/reps of 5x5, 5/5/3/3/1+ with a load between 175 and 195 unless I have a spotter. I hit my "max" of 255 2 years ago, but I also had some significant shoulder and elbow/forearm pain, so it is what it is at this point...those days are officially over.

So, I look good in shorts, my wife likes to grab my arms/shoulders and pat my butt, so I'll take that as a compliment/affirmation of me doing the right things.

That’s it man.  Do what you can, push through some minimal discomfort that comes with lifting and realize when something isn’t worth the squeeze any longer.

 

[LETSGOBROWNIES]

25 minutes ago, BobbyPhil1781 said:

I guess it depends on what way you look at it. Some good things w/ my genetics, some bad. I just wasn't really taking care of myself like I do now but that comes w/ age, I guess. I'm more conscious of my decisions now and I'm seeing the benefits and not really sacrificing too much..... except delicious Tony Chachere's unless I'm cooking salmon. That goes on every time lol. 
 

https://www.tonychachere.com/product/no-salt-seasoning/ 

There’s a low sodium version to (as opposed to no sodium)

https://www.tonychachere.com/product/lite-seasoning/

Edited May 18, 2023 by LETSGOBROWNIES

[BobbyPhil1781]

2 minutes ago, LETSGOBROWNIES said:

https://www.tonychachere.com/product/no-salt-seasoning/ 

 

Yeah, I'm very aware. Was pumped when I first saw it. They also have a light seasoning w/ more heat and less sodium. They're both just not the same as the OG to me.

Edited May 18, 2023 by BobbyPhil1781

[MWil23]

3 minutes ago, LETSGOBROWNIES said:

That’s it man.  Do what you can, push through some minimal discomfort that comes with lifting and realize when something isn’t worth the squeeze any longer.

 

I did my Monday lift, Tuesday lift, go to yesterday and just was not rebounding the way I used to, so I decided to mow grass instead and circle back today...then hopefully hit a full body aux lift Saturday morning. It hasn't been "fun" listening to my body, but it has been necessary.

[JohnChimpo]

Cut back on my (mostly) healthy snacks, and I’m back under 190 again. Looking to get down around 180 by the end of August.

[incognito_man]

On 5/9/2023 at 4:18 PM, naptownskinsfan said:

don’t keep that kind of food in the house

In my experience, this is by far the best way to change an eating habit. Controlling and modifying your environment and identifying as someone who does or is something are the best ways to change any habit. Go grocery shopping after a big meal, with a plan of what to get and don't deviate. If junk food is in the house, anyone is gonna eat it when they crave it. If you change your environment and stock snacking veggies (or whatever one's preference is for a healthy snack) in place of chips or ice cream or whatever is going to be far superior to trying to avoid junk food if it's convenient while you're relaxing at home. The other part of it is identifying as someone who is or does "x". After years of being a nail-biter, this finally worked for me. One day I just told myself (after reading James Clear's Atomic Habits) that I was a guy who takes good care of his nails and gets manicures, etc. I immediately stopped biting them.

So I think you're definitely onto something with this small snip I took from your good post - the key is to control your environment and your identification and the rest of the details will work themselves out. 90% of it is resetting your environment and identity IMO.

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by incognito_man

[incognito_man]

From a general health perspective (and a very effective weight loss perspective):

1) Avoid cheap dopamine.

Often this is free sugar for a lot of people. Avoid free sugar as much as possible. Don't eat food that has any added sweeteners to it. This extends to zero-calorie sweeteners as well. Practice a MUCH less sweet diet in general.

2) Avoid nutrient poor cereal grains. Yes, they're everywhere and hard to avoid. Pass on wheat, corn and rice as much as possible. Get your carbs from nutrient dense veggies, starchy tubers and grains.

3) Don't eat meat that doesn't have a "natural" life. Factory farming is the worst. 99% of biomass in the US is trash. All the costs have been externalized. One of the biggest ones is our collective poor health. Eat plant based as much as possible and otherwise eat meat that eats its natural food and can move freely across the ground.

Best advice I could give is to become familiar with Mark Sisson. He's an exemplary nutrition resource:

https://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-primal-carbohydrate-continuum/

Edited May 19, 2023 by incognito_man

[Malfatron]

Tdee-600

[Tetsujin]

On 5/18/2023 at 9:02 AM, LETSGOBROWNIES said:

https://www.tonychachere.com/product/no-salt-seasoning/ 

There’s a low sodium version to (as opposed to no sodium)

https://www.tonychachere.com/product/lite-seasoning/

I really think sodium is just a proxy marker for unhealthy processed food, and there lies the correlation with high blood pressure. It's hard to overconsume sodium just salting whole foods. 

[ramssuperbowl99]

5 minutes ago, Tetsujin said:

I really think sodium is just a proxy marker for unhealthy processed food, and there lies the correlation with high blood pressure.

Nope. Not at all. Our bodies use salt to move water around. Lots of water in one place causes pressure buildup.

[Tetsujin]

40 minutes ago, ramssuperbowl99 said:

Nope. Not at all. Our bodies use salt to move water around. Lots of water in one place causes pressure buildup.

My point is "hypertension", specifically, is a systemic condition and not because someone ate a few more grams of salt than recommended. 

There's a lot at play with mineral balance and hormones in the regulation of blood pressure, like not having enough potassium or having high too insulin.

Lots of studies have been done on sodium intake. In non-hypertensive individuals, it usually varies by a few measly points in systolic, with a little less difference in diastolic. In hypertensive individuals, it's maybe a few points more. Some individuals, especially healthy ones, are not that sensitive to sodium. Insulin, blood sugar and obesity are probably bigger factors and directly cause hypertension than a few extra grams of an essential mineral. If you really wanna drop excess fluids from your body, stop with the grains and sugar. And if you cut out processed foods, you can salt your meats and vegetables without a concern because it's really hard to consume an excess of sodium that way. (And because salt is only half sodium)

 

[ramssuperbowl99]

4 minutes ago, Tetsujin said:

My point is "hypertension", specifically, is a systemic condition and not because someone ate a few more grams of salt than recommended. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6770596/

Quote

The close relationship between hypertension and dietary sodium intake is widely recognized and supported by several studies. A reduction in dietary sodium not only decreases the blood pressure and the incidence of hypertension, but is also associated with a reduction in morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Prolonged modest reduction in salt intake induces a relevant fall in blood pressure in both hypertensive and normotensive individuals, irrespective of sex and ethnic group, with larger falls in systolic blood pressure for larger reductions in dietary salt. The high sodium intake and the increase in blood pressure levels are related to water retention, increase in systemic peripheral resistance, alterations in the endothelial function, changes in the structure and function of large elastic arteries, modification in sympathetic activity, and in the autonomic neuronal modulation of the cardiovascular system. In this review, we have focused on the effects of sodium intake on vascular hemodynamics and their implication in the pathogenesis of hypertension.

Before anyone freaks out and says that's different than what I said above:

Quote

Recent findings further support the calls for caution before applying salt restriction universally. Although more studies have confirmed the benefit of reducing sodium intake in hypertensive subjects with a high salt intake, it is unclear whether the remaining more than 90% of the population will profit from dietary sodium reduction. Therefore, until new robust data emerge from large trials, it might be prudent to recommend reduction in sodium intake only in those with high sodium intake and with hypertension. In other words, it would perhaps be more correct to start discussing about "inappropriate" rather than "excessive" salt intake.