Topic: Enrollment and Weight Loss Quest from an ex fat kid.

[EpicBeardedMan]

Thought I'd post my struggles to get where I am now, with just under 2 months to go until I leave for BMQ. I started applying for MP, I have my diploma in Police Foundations and really wanted to be a Police Officer. I work as Loss Prevention and eventually I found myself not wanting to do Police work anymore, just dealing with the scum of society didn't really tickle my pickle anymore, mostly because I dealt with a lot of them at work and couldn't imagine myself doing that for life.

I switched to Navy 5 months ago, applying for NESOP first, and NCI OP second. I re-did my interview over the phone with the captain at the local CFRC for both trades and everything seemed alright. A week later I got a call at work from the CFRC offering me a NESOP position, which I accepted happily. That ENTIRE day was spent phoning family and friends because I was so happy about it.

Now there was one problem, my fitness level! There were times where I would be eating McDonalds twice a day. Not only is it junk food, the chemicals they put in the food are just downright nasty for you. I started going to a Crossfit gym which my mom found out about because she taught a learn to run class for the running room and one of the trainers came in and did a demonstration for the class and my mom went to check it out. She dragged me a long because 5 months from that date I'd be leaving for BMQ.

Anyways, the first and second time I went to Crossfit I puked, but I kept going back and back, etc. I was informed about the Paleo diet which to sum up is basically if you were a caveman what would you eat? (Fruit, nuts, vegetables, fruits, seeds, water, meat). I have 1 cheat meal a weak and that helps me keep things realistic. Anyway in the 3 months since I started Crossfit I lost 27 lbs, dropped 2 waist sizes and my cardio and strength have just turned ridiculous. Anyway I got asked to do a testimonial for my gym because of my results, which is here(Under Alex):
http://www.squareonecrossfit.com/testimonials/

I'm hooked and doing it until I leave for BMQ and hopefully BMQ will be a tad more easier on my body now that I've had these changes. Anyway just wanted to share my sucess story with people who are or were in the same boat as I am. 

[charlaje]

     I did loose a ton of weight in the 10 month process it took me to get in.  The first time I tried to run,  i did 20 steps and i stopped dead... I knew I wasn't gonna run right away.  Walking long distances and cycling was the way for me to kick off things,  as well as something very close to that caveman diet!  The first 3 months the results were staggering... 

     I wasnt anywhere near a gym or training facility, so I had to do calisthenics mostly.  Its an easy and affordable way to exercise at any given time.  Walking at least an hour a day is also a winner to shed the first few layers when you haven't exercise for a long time.

     As for BMQ and beyond,  its easy to carry on with your habits, as most units will do pt regularly and not to mention the BFT or EXPRES test, whatever case may apply, on a yearly basis.   I found the diet part to be the most difficult part, because on BMQ you won't eat like a caveman!

[Bluebulldog]

 because on BMQ you won't eat like a caveman!
[/quote]

That may be true. But you will have choices available to you that are more sensible than others.

Of course, during BMQ, your body will be burning a LOT of calories regardless, so I wouldn't worry too much about what you're feeding your body. It will be treated like a burnable fuel nonetheless.

[Dou You]

I was informed about the Paleo diet which to sum up is basically if you were a caveman what would you eat? (Fruit, nuts, vegetables, fruits, seeds, water, meat).

I have done Paleo and it does work and I highly recommend it for anyone to cut your body fat down quickly. However, for this diet to be successful you can not have anything "extra" on days in which aren't cheat days. That means no "little" snacks (like a bite of chocolate, or a cookie, or just a tiny bit of anything other than what EpicBeardedMan mentioned). It is strict, strict, strict which causes big, big, big cravings, but if you have the will-power it works wonders.

For those who want to follow this diet strictly and are serious in wanting to get more lean I would suggest a few things:

1) Eat ONLY meat and leafy green vegetables for the first two weeks. But have a handful of unsalted/all-natural nuts every breakfast as well (NO peanuts).

2) After two weeks, introduce berries (small ones, like blueberries, raspberries, etc.) throughout the day. After the next week you can then introduce apples. But for the first two weeks stay away from all fruit. Fruit is actually quite sugary.

3) Mix up your source of protein. Don't just have Chicken every day, all day. Your protein source should be diverse. Eg. Chicken, pork, beef, tuna, haddock, mackerel, salmon, halibut, shrimp, lobster, turkey, lamb, and wild game. Getting your protein from all of these sources, or even more, during the week would be optimal. Mixing up the nuts in the morning would be good as well. Eg. Brazilian, almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews. but remember no peanuts.

4) Get 1.0 to 1.5 times your bodyweight in grams of protein. Eg. 200 lbs. bodyweight = 200 -250 grams of protein per day.

5) Drink ONLY water. NO alcohol, NO energy drinks, NO coffee or tea (unless completely black with no additives whatsoever).

6) EpicBeardedMan mentioned a cheat day every week. I would recommend doing only a cheat MEAL every week. So, one dinner a week you can prepare whatever you want to eat, as much as you want, and then sit down to eat it, but once that dinner is finished your cheating is finished as well! No snacking after, you go straight back to eating only what ran, swam, or flew in it's lifetime. NO cheat meals for the first two weeks though!

If you follow this diet, even without my recommendations, you will lose weight. And I am one of the testimonials for sure. I was by no means fat, I just used it after a mass-gaining cycle, and it shredded my body fat big time. The recommendations I put in are for those are serious about getting "ripped" or"cut" and dropping their bodyfat percentage. It is really strict, and a ton of will-power is needed but if you follow it you will see amazing results. One last thing to remember; follow the diet to a T. It is a "strict" diet for a reason. So DON'T CHEAT YOURSELF!

Just my 6 cents  .

Good luck to those who are going to try it, and congrats to those who have kept to it and have seen results.

Cheers!

[MJP]

Anyways, the first and second time I went to Crossfit I puked, but I kept going back and back, etc. I was informed about the Paleo diet which to sum up is basically if you were a caveman what would you eat? (Fruit, nuts, vegetables, fruits, seeds, water, meat). I have 1 cheat meal a weak and that helps me keep things realistic. Anyway in the 3 months since I started Crossfit I lost 27 lbs, dropped 2 waist sizes and my cardio and strength have just turned ridiculous. Anyway I got asked to do a testimonial for my gym because of my results, which is here(Under Alex):
http://www.squareonecrossfit.com/testimonials/

Pushing yourself to puking during a WOD is stupid.  Since it was your first few times the trainers there should have been monitoring your process and scaling the WOD to your abilities.  Not matching the workout to your abilities is the easiest way for someone to injure themselves needlessly.  I use crossfit to maintain physical fitness while at school because the base gym is too far for me to go everyday.  My gym IMHO rocks in that aspect, the trainers use a very common sense approach to workouts and scale exercises and rep schemes to ensure that no one gets injured while still building overall physical fitness. 

As for Paleo it is good for losing weight and general energy levels.  I use it during the rugby season to ensure that my body has the required energy to last.  I will contest that it won't be easy to maintain on BMQ.  I was in the Mega for a good portion of last summer doing second language training and had to eat at both the recruit and officers mess.  It was relatively easy to maintain a fairly strict paleo diet eating just mess food.  Usually you'll have to remove some bread or other undesirable food to get the right mix but it is very doable.

[Kratos]

We aren't cavemen, why eat like one?

To get the full effect, you might as well not wear clothing. Also, make sure you hunt/kill and gather everything you eat yourself.

You know, just to get the full "Paleo" effect.

[Kat Stevens]

I ate just like a cave man in basic;  mostly with my hands, and wolfed it down like someone was going to take it away from me.

[PuckChaser]

I ate just like a cave man in basic;  mostly with my hands, and wolfed it down like someone was going to take it away from me.

Its a necessity when you have 20 minutes to eat, and it takes 15 minutes to get through the line to get food. I perfected fast eating with a fork, but there were plenty of handfuls completed.

[JB 11 11]

Congrats on your acheivement Epicbeardedman. I hope it serves an inspiration to others.

[EpicBeardedMan]

6) EpicBeardedMan mentioned a cheat day every week. I would recommend doing only a cheat MEAL every week.

Yeah meant to put this, I only have one meal where it's a cheat, and it usually ends up being a slice of pizza with a beer. I feel gross enough after that as it is

[Dou You]

Yeah meant to put this, I only have one meal where it's a cheat, and it usually ends up being a slice of pizza with a beer. I feel gross enough after that as it is

It feels gross the next day if you eat a lot eh?  Makes you want to just stick to the healthy stuff. The diet definitely works that way. Pizza, and some peanut butter for me, but then I feel gross as well.

[EpicBeardedMan]

It feels gross the next day if you eat a lot eh?  Makes you want to just stick to the healthy stuff. The diet definitely works that way. Pizza, and some peanut butter for me, but then I feel gross as well.

Yeah theres like a taste in my mouth kind of feels like a sheen of butter is covering the inside of my mouth at all times, its gross. Tommorow is my cheat day, pizza and sailor jerry's!

[Dou You]

Yeah theres like a taste in my mouth kind of feels like a sheen of butter is covering the inside of my mouth at all times, its gross. Tommorow is my cheat day, pizza and sailor jerry's!

Sunday is mine, and I just happen to be heading down to watch the Buffalo Bills game...there will plenty of good opportunities to have my cheat meal, for example, after seeing/smelling the deliciously greasy tailgate food  .

[hold_fast]

I was strongly considering the caveman diet after reading this topic. But then I realized how hard it was for me not to post a comment asking if that was EpicBeardedMan's mom or not in his testimonial.

Considering I've just said what I was trying not to say, well, you can see how my willpower for food would work out.

[ballz]

Its a necessity when you have 20 minutes to eat, and it takes 15 minutes to get through the line to get food. I perfected fast eating with a fork, but there were plenty of handfuls completed.

First I learned to swallow the peach halves whole...

Then I learned peaches were a waste of time.

Words to live by:
"You need meat to grow" - Dave Shirley

[EpicBeardedMan]

I was strongly considering the caveman diet after reading this topic. But then I realized how hard it was for me not to post a comment asking if that was EpicBeardedMan's mom or not in his testimonial.

Considering I've just said what I was trying not to say, well, you can see how my willpower for food would work out.

Not my mom, no. lol. It's PALEO not caveman diet

[Kratos]

So I guess Paleo/cavemen diet fanboys are going to be sad now that it's been discovered that they probably ate used flour/ate bread?

[EpicBeardedMan]

Kratos knows best, clearly.

[Kratos]

Kratos knows best, clearly.

When did I say or imply I "know best"? I didn't...

The Paleo/caveman diet and it's supporters were adamant about (among other things) the exclusion of grains from their diets because that's not how a caveman ate. There's a very popular website, Mark's Daily Apple, run by Mark Sisson, one of the biggest pushers of "Primal eating". He demonizes grains and so do most of the Paleo/primal followers.

I have been on more than one forum where there have been heated and long winded debates on the Paleo diet.

So yes, I find it hilarious that there is now very strong evidence, basically to the point of fact, that cavemen ate grains.

[MJP]

When did I say or imply I "know best"? I didn't...

The Paleo/caveman diet and it's supporters were adamant about (among other things) the exclusion of grains from their diets because that's not how a caveman ate. There's a very popular website, Mark's Daily Apple, run by Mark Sisson, one of the biggest pushers of "Primal eating". He demonizes grains and so do most of the Paleo/primal followers.

So yes, I find it hilarious that there is now very strong evidence, basically to the point of fact, that cavemen ate grains.

Can you post the study/studies that point to widespread grain within the Paleolithic population?  I wrote an essay for a bio anthro course on our Paleolithic ancestors diet last year and the prevailing research hasn’t shown a grain based trend for them.  That is not to say there was not usage of grains, however the evidence is slim.  Most isotope studies of Paleolithic bones have not supported the notion of a grains based diet, but rather a diet of meat (in many forms), fruits, nuts & vegetables as the dominant foods in their diets.

All that said, I think people have to take a step back and look at what works for them.  Personally for me milk doesn't help, but lots of the guys I train with swear by it when they are building up bulk.  For me it makes my body generally feel crappy, but it wasn’t till I took it out of my diet and then reintroduce it that I found this out. 

 

<sub>Ignore the horrible formating my browser was not making it easy to to cut and paste the citations in.

1. Diet, Mobility, and Settlement Pattern among Holocene Hunter-Gatherers in Southernmost Africa,  Judith Sealy, Current Anthropology, Vol. 47, No. 4 (Aug., 2006), pp. 569-595

       Neanderthal Diet at Vindija and Neanderthal Predation: The Evidence from Stable Isotopes, Michael P. Richards, Paul B. Pettitt, Erik Trinkaus, Fred H. Smith, Maja Paunovic, Ivor Karavanic, Vol. 97, No. 13 (Jun. 20, 2000), pp. 7663-7666 Published by: National Academy of Sciences

   Stable Isotope Evidence for Increasing Dietary Breadth in the European Mid-Upper Paleolithic , Michael P. Richards, Paul B. Pettitt, Mary C. Stiner, Erik Trinkau, Vol. 98, No. 11 (May 22, 2001), pp. 6528-6532 Published by: National Academy of Sciences

   Mesolithic and Neolithic Subsistence in Denmark: New Stable Isotope Data, Michael P. Richards, T. Douglas Price, Eva Koch, Current Anthropology. 44, No. 2,

edited for horrible grammar</sub>

[northernboy_24]

Eat what you want, but realize that people NEED a balance of complex carbs, proteins and healthy fats.  Associated with those foods you need to balance your intake of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.   Eating lots of vegetables and fruits is important (fiber, nutrients, vitamins and sometimes healthy fats).  The good news is that fruits are necessary and great for you.  Yes they contain sugars that is why you dont eat a bag of oranges or apples a day but they are great for you in moderation.

Complex carbs are necessary especially if you are active
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/34/9/1831
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/288/20/2569

As for those of you eating tons of proteins, that could cause issues as well (no long term analysis in healthy kidneys but patients with less than optimal renal function should be very careful)  Do not eat more than 2g/kg/day  1.5-1.9g/kg/day has been shown to be beneficial in high output athletes.

So what does this say, dont eat white pasta all day every day, dont eat extreme amounts of fruits, veggies, fats or proteins.   Have a healthy diet, balanced diet is important.  We need healthy fats (flax oil, olive oil, avocados, seafood (fish oils) and heck even nuts.

http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/2/1/25
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3018342  (yes men can have breast cancer)

Dont consume too much sodium (1500-2000mg/day; 2000 if you are sweating a lot), drink lots of water.  Your body needs fats and needs carbs to survive.  Stressing your body on a extremely low carb input to the point where you get dizzy (aka atkins) is not healthy.  Carbs and fats feed the brain and your muscles the energy they need to perform.

If you dont like my advice then talk to a licensed nutritionist.  Complex carbs dont always have to be grains (casava, sweet potato etc)

[Kratos]

Can you post the study/studies that point to widespread grain within the Paleolithic population?  I wrote an essay for a bio anthro course on our Paleolithic ancestors diet last year and the prevailing research hasn’t shown a grain based trend for them.  That is not to say there was not usage of grains, however the evidence is slim.  Most isotope studies of Paleolithic bones have not supported the notion of a grains based diet, but rather a diet of meat (in many forms), fruits, nuts & vegetables as the dominant foods in their diets.

All that said, I think people have to take a step back and look at what works for them.  Personally for me milk doesn't help, but lots of the guys I train with swear by it when they are building up bulk.  For me it makes my body generally feel crappy, but it wasn’t till I took it out of my diet and then reintroduce it that I found this out.

I never said their diets were grain based.

This news broke last week, I believe:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1321844/Stone-Age-man-ate-bread-just-meat.html

http://www.livescience.com/technology/ancient-flour-suggests-cavement-balanced-diet-101019.html

http://www.science20.com/cool-links/cavemans_kitchen_grains_menu_20000_years_farming

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=humans-made-flour-30000-years-ago-10-10-19

[Mudshuvel]

... so easy a caveman could do it!

Sorry, just had to say it.

[MJP]

I never said their diets were grain based.

This news broke last week, I believe:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1321844/Stone-Age-man-ate-bread-just-meat.html

http://www.livescience.com/technology/ancient-flour-suggests-cavement-balanced-diet-101019.html

http://www.science20.com/cool-links/cavemans_kitchen_grains_menu_20000_years_farming

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=humans-made-flour-30000-years-ago-10-10-19

I think even the most fervent researchers of paleolithic diets have conceded that grains made up a small portion of their diets.  To say it isn't so is to ignore archaeological findings and quite frankly I wouldn't pay much attention to their research.  Although reading the news articles it doesn't sound like they were cultivating the plants like our ancestors 10,000 years ago did when they gradually made the switch to horticulture.  I will certainly read the source article over the next few days though as it sounds interesting (as interesting as finding 30000 year old flour can be I guess
.

 The science however still shows through bone studies that their diet was primarily meat, fruit and veggies(or what passed for veggies back then).  Until we get better methods, and/or a broader sample base (or time machines) those are the findings we have to work with. 

[Kratos]

The science however still shows through bone studies that their diet was primarily meat, fruit and veggies(or what passed for veggies back then).  Until we get better methods, and/or a broader sample base (or time machines) those are the findings we have to work with.

Most people primarily eat meat, fruits and veggies. I'm not arguing with that.

The point was simply to lol at the Paleo prophets and groupies that demonize grains in our diet solely because the caveman didn't eat them.

[MJP]

Most people primarily eat meat, fruits and veggies. I'm not arguing with that.

The point was simply to lol at the Paleo prophets and groupies that demonize grains in our diet solely because the caveman didn't eat them.

Well you certainly got them......I am sure they feel appropriately chastised.

[Kratos]

Well you certainly got them......I am sure they feel appropriately chastised.

I know, right.

[anyone]

The point was simply to lol at the Paleo prophets and groupies that demonize grains in our diet solely because the caveman didn't eat them.

I wonder how they prove that? The few frozen or fossilized ancients they have discovered didn't eat grains shortly before their demise, thus they can make blanket assumptions?

I see that societies that we regard as primitive don't have a great deal of grains in their diet, but, it isn't "cave days" now so who knows what grew then? And grains are not the only source of carbs. Potatoes, squash, bananas/plantains in warmer climes, and other stuff have carbs a-plenty.