Ask HN: How did you lose weight after 30?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29036934

by chrisjbuck • 5 years ago

10 11 5 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

wernsey• 5 years ago

Since the start of the year I've been on a meal plan given to me by a dietician, and have lost nearly 20kg.

She did a genetic profile which guided her. In my particular case it is mostly seafood and green vegetables, but I can see how it can be different for other individuals. She also did blood tests and track my insulin and cholesterol, and prescribed several supplements (Omega 3s and Vitamin Ds and so on).

As she explained it, the purpose of the supplements is to encourage my metabolism in a certain way so that once I reach my target weight I can deviate from the meal plan without gaining weight again.

I also have an exercise program. According to the genetic profile cardio exercises won't have a big impact on my weight, but I need to train with weights instead to build muscle and control my body chemistry.

It's been easy to stick to the plan because of the lockdowns. I can see how it would've been more difficult to stick to it if I had to go to the office and be among colleagues.

I'm very happy with the results. It is hard to think how terrible I felt before and just thought it was normal.

LinuxBender• 5 years ago

I cut out sugar, most carbs, got more exercise, more sleep, removed stressful things and people from my life, got a wide spectrum of essential and non essential amino acids, got more than the RDA of all the vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, enzymes, polyphenols. I cycled up and down various molecules to increase certain protein pathways, increased autophagy, nrf2, ampk. I clamped excess gluconeogenesis with berberine. Removed deformed proteins with a several enzymes like nattokinase and serrapeptase and a few related enzymes. I ignored many dogmatic mantras and slowly ramped up d3+k2-mk7+magnesium+garlic extract to remove excess calcium from my gut and cardio vascular system.

That is what has been working well for me. It may not work well for you.

TimSchumann• 5 years ago

Fasting.

demauroy• 5 years ago

I actually lost 20 pounds since the start of COVID. This is due to me eating a small home-prepared sandwich for lunch instead of a full meal on most week days.

I also eat a fruit every morning at breakfast.

At night, I have a full balanced meal but with no special restrictions. I sometimes enjoy fried stuff, good cakes.

In my experience, replacing a full meal by something small is a good way to lose weight.

jslove• 5 years ago

biking to work.. 2 hours per day

quantumofalpha• 5 years ago

Steadily losing 0.5-1kg/month just by cutting out carbs and sugar. Not really full keto (which requires like 70-80%+ calories from fat to maintain ketosis), just paying attention to nutrition facts, stopped buying high carb food, started cooking more with quality ingredients I control, otherwise eat whatever and however much I want.

The biggest change by far was cutting out cow milk which is actually very caloric and sugary. I easily drink 1l+ carton a day and that's 500+ cals alone! Human metabolism is pretty high but that's just too much calories to consume every day and that you can hardly feel. Found a good substitute - almond milk, especially Blue Diamond and Alpro brands - they cream coffee and taste in it just like regular milk with only a fraction of calories and no carbs. Another good sub I grew to love is grated/mashed cauliflower instead of rice and potatoes.

bratak• 5 years ago

I either eat carbs or protein. Since 1 Month I lost nearly 4Kg. I don't eat sugar, so no problem for me to leave out sweets.

Example meals:

Spaghetti with tomato-veggie sauce without cheese: - cut Peperoni and Onion into small peaces - press 1 big garlic into the tomato sauce - put 2 big spoons of good Olive Oil into the sauce - put powdered Pepper, Chilly, Salt and Oregano into the sauce

Now, heat the sauce up until it boils. Then reduce heat just so that it still kooks, but not bubbles. Let it kook for about 2 hours.

Finally, kook Spaghetti. Drip them down very good. Then put all the sauce (hopefully you made enough!) into the Spaghetti and leave them for about 5 Mins.

Enjoy by eating veeeeery slow, chew very eonjoyful and try to taste every ingredient. ;-)

And here's quickie: - Preparation: whisk eggs, put a sip of milk in it, whisk again - cut Onion and Bacon into small peaces and start to kook them with butter and salt on low fire. - after about 5 min. add the whisked eggs - stir it until good

Additional ideas:

- Steak with Broccoli

- Fish kooked in Butter with steamed (and salted) vegetables.

- Bread with Vegan topping (check that the topping has no, or very little protein)

- Bulgur with lot's of Onion and Peperoni (kook the vegetables first in a frying pan with good Olive Oil on very low heat. Olive Oil should not be used to fry because it creates poison if heated up too much!).

Besides all the eating it is very advisable that you go to bed early and drink a lot of good water. Here in Switzerland, we have Spring Water, so no problem if you drink Water from the Tap. But for example in the USA/Canda etc., I could not drink Tap water because it has way too much Chloride in it.

BONUS Tips: - before every meal, drink 3dl of water. - eat slooooow :-) ...and STOP eating when you feel you're full - don't look TV when you eat and put away your Phone too. Means, don't let anybody distract you when eating.

Aaaand finally... ...be happy ;-)

antman• 5 years ago

Lost 20kg.

No starch (bread, spaghetti etc) My kg weight in grams of protein. The rest of calories: 10-20 gr of CH and the rest fat.

Greens are free no, no sauces only olive oil half soup spoon. Especially eat spinach, magnesium is controlled and inadequate in vitamin pills. One multivitamin vm2000 per day.

Consider what would be sustainable for ever, needs a change of attitude, age is irrelevant.

Strength training. You lose equally fat and muscle if you dont do training you end up thinfat.

Chicken, Turkey, Greek Yogurt Total 2% or another with more than 8gr of protein per 100gr. Greens, Limited tuna, Greens, Brocolli.

Once a week anything up to the size of your palm.

No sweets or sweeteners.

Plan your buying and cooking remove all other food from your house or make it hard to access.

500kcals less per day equals 500grams of weight loss per week. It is enough, else you lose muscle.

Good luck it’s a marathon not a sprint

Jugurtha• 5 years ago

500kcals less per day equals 500grams of weight loss per week. It is enough, else you lose muscle.

Translating this into yearly terms: 500 grams of weight loss per week is 21 kilograms, or about 46 pounds of weight loss per year (52 weeks).

lukaszkups• 5 years ago

My story: https://lukaszkups.net/notes/busy-geek-training-1-13-months-...

&tldr;

I've lost 13kg over 13 months.

I've started running, like twice per week, ~2*7km

I've switched regular Coke/Pepsi for its non-sugar/zero versions.

I've reduced (just a little) eating sweets.

That's it, basically.

Also my 2nd article, with tips for others: https://lukaszkups.net/notes/busy-geek-training-2-lessons-le...

aprdm• 5 years ago

I've lost 30 kg this last two years ( 30 years old -> 32 years old).

I did it counting calories (eating less than 1800 per day), register the calories of everything you eat. It's quite easy. Start with 2100 or so and then go removing, it's incredible to see how much caloric intake we have once we start recording...

Ask HN: How did you lose weight after 30?

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