In longer form:
Did research on insulin resistance and the body's adaptation to storing fat, both body and visceral fat. Learned that America's obesity epidemic started in the 70s and was due almost entirely to a new emphasis by the Government on the "Food Pyramid" and food makers pushing highly processed wheat and corn, with high fructose corn syrup and vegetable oils. Learned combining fat and carbs (Pizza, Doughnuts, Bagels, etc) causes an almost crack-like addiction which lead to cycle after cycle of insulin spikes, only to precipitate hunger and need for more carbs within 2 hours. Eating multiple small meals/snacks a day keeps insulin levels high, and does not address the root cause of hunger. The body becomes insulin resistant, and can't process the glucose except by storing it in new and existing Adipocytes, causing more fat deposits and enlarging the deposits you carry normally.
All that changed for me last June, as I tried to put that into practice.
I realized my diet sucked. I stopped eating all added carbs; no cookies, pizza, bagels, and bread, and avoided most processed foods including so-called "low carb" Atkins meal trays ("filled with healthy sugar alcohols!" /sarc). Stopped drinking alcohol.
I started tracking everything I ate in MyFitnessPal. Specifically, foods that appear frequently in my diet log include:
- MCT oil
- Kerrygold unsalted butter
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Lemon Juice
- Magnesium/Potassium supplement
- Turmeric
- Omega 3
- Avocado
- Eggs
- Bacon
- Blackened Salmon
- Grilled Chicken
- Bacon
- Steak (Filet/Ribeye)
- Hamburger
- Fresh strawberries or Blueberry's
- Bacon
- Cream cheese
- Green Tea
- Balsamic
My macro goals are 15% carb, 35% protein and 50% carb, on a net 1,700 cal a day.
Joined the gym at the apartment complex last year, and initiated a strength routine 3 days a week, these days, 5 days a week. Added 20" of cardio at the end to get my heart rate up.
I also started experimenting with Intermittent Fasting. Monday for example I did not eat until 4pm. I had had a steak the day before for Father's day, and a light salad at dinner. I try and do that maybe once a week. Other days I will eat a meal around 11, and another at 4. Some days I'm hungry when I get back from the gym and I will cook breakfast, but not often. I don't graze or snack after dinner like I used to. No more "Atkins Bars" as a pick me up. I don't feel hunger, real hunger, an hour after eating. It's really weird.
I'm currently working on figuring out how best to transition from "diet" mode to "this is how I'm going to eat the rest of my life mode". It's also coincided with a plateau about 180 lbs. I still have some fat to deal with, but I will need to probably continue to up my activity level. This week I started doing 1x a day at the gym, for example.
Hope this helps.