Archive for June, 2008
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Cut the B.S. and Get Your Diet in Order!
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But what about the many meals a day?! Well, this is another thing most people forget. Your body digests what it takes, in about 2 ½ hours. Most people eat 3 large meals a day and a few snacks, well, this will add up to around ~3,000 calories to the average person. The body, however, needs energy ALL through the day. Would you rather drive your car to E, fill up, drive your car to E, fill up, drive to E then park it, then fill it up in the morning again? Or, drive your car to ¼ tank, fill it, ¼ tank, fill it – see what I’m saying? It costs the same in the long run, but is better because at some point your fuel pump takes a beating sucking down that last little bit of gas – and this is a perfect reference, the body will go catabolic and then get a big meal and store what it left over as fat!
Breaking the ~3k cals down to 6-7 smaller meals of 4-500 calories, makes for a much more efficient body, as your metabolism stays high all day breaking down food. That, in itself, burns calories! But how do I break my meals down? That’s what gets most people …
Your food intake should consist of about 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fats. This is a pretty standard figure, but I like to manipulate this some because of some basic ways the body handles these nutrients. Think about your day, when do you expel the most energy? Morning (your didn’t eat all night, you need carbs to start your body – think, what’s recommended? Cereal, toast, fruits – all carbs). Lunchtime, usually when you go back to work and need energy to well – sustain life. Then most people, eat carbs around dinner time then proceed to workout. Great, carbs BEFORE you work out!
Then finish your workout and eat another carb rich meal, bad idea. You won’t be using much energy after 7:00PM will you? Probably not … so avoid the carbs. Chips? No way, don’t even go down that isle at the grocery store. Head over to the meat department, and get a nice lean steak. Or two, or 10 pounds worth … eat up! Get tuna, veggies to make salads, and a very light oil/vinegar dressing that’s low in overall calories and use sparingly. Fry some chicken lightly in a pan, 3-4 days worth, and keep it in the fridge to use with salads if you don’t care for tuna. Chicken and rice is a great carb/protein rich meal, and mixed vegetables are VERY low in calories (the frozen kind), and you can cook those up along with the chicken and again make a dozen or so in separate containers and have a few days worth of meals prepared in advance. Pop in microwave, some soy sauce, and have a great meal!
Mix a few raisins in with yogurt if you don’t care for protein shakes for something to eat before morning cardio. Protein is there to keep your body from breaking down muscle, and a little carbs in the mix won’t affect daily carb intakes! Little things like this, just to find ways to avoid foods that are just empty calories and won’t do you much good, make the biggest difference. Sure, you can still have a great meal every once in a while as a “cheat”, but don’t make it a regular habit. After a while, it’s a nice thing to have when you accomplish a goal - and after you see yourself changing, you will stay away from bad foods because you’ll love the new person you’re becoming.
This is a post from FatManUnleashed.com’s Weight Loss Blog:
Cut the B.S. and Get Your Diet in Order!
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Chato as FAT MAN Unleashed, Cartooning True Life!
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I feel like a kid in a candy shop… oops bad analogy for weight loss blog. Really, I am thrilled that out of all the hundreds of entries to be a guest cartoonist here at FMU, they picked me… Oh.. there was no contest.
Who am I? I’m Chato B Stewart who the hell are you? I’m the 37 year old Fat Man in the photo and I’ll be posting under “Chato as FAT MAN Unleashed Cartooning True Life!” With each post, I’ll add a cartoon about my weight loss progress and a little useless banter. As you can see from the pic of me, I like to clown around. Yet, what I focus on is no joke. At 356 lbs, I not only cope with my weight but deal with bipolar disorder, too. If you want to lean more about that and other mental illness, check out my blog later. My blog MentalHealthHumor.com is a little different. See I believe that in life we NEED, MUST HAVE humor to really survive in this world. So, I focus on healing with humor.
Mental health is very important with our weight issues. We deal with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, rage, and anger and many other issues. Without the proper mental state, no amount of weight loss will be permanent… We need to be focused on our goal, but sometimes we also need to find out what the root of our weight gain is. I have told people a simple truth about my weight issue… “I eat because I’m depressed, I’m depressed because I eat.” You know sometimes our medications can put on weight and make it much harder to take it off to. What are your root causes?
Join me every other week for the next cartoon installment as I chronicle my weight loss with blood, sweat, and ink. Today My stats are 356lbs Loss: 0
Thanks:
Chato B. Stewart
Mental Health Advocate - Cartoonist - and a few other things!
http://www.mentalhealthhumor.com
“Using Humor to Heal and Educate with badly drawn cartoons.”
P.S. If you really want to get to know me when you check out my site go to my video…
This is a post from FatManUnleashed.com’s Weight Loss Blog:
Chato as FAT MAN Unleashed, Cartooning True Life!
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The Best Foods For Men
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My favorite magazine is Men’s Health Magazine. Men’s Health has the best writers. It also has the best combination of fitness and non-fitness related information. In the June, 2008 issue is a value list called: The 125 Best Foods For Men. If you don’t have a subscription, I suggest you pick up this month’s issue because the list alone is worth the price of the magazine.
Of all of the 125 Best Foods, I have some favorites. I will share them with you today.
Food #2: Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal
They suggest the Banana Bread flavor, but I personally prefer the Cinnamon flavor. We all know that oatmeal is healthy for us. But this oatmeal has added fiber and protein making it great for weight loss. They are also inexpensive and a part of the Don’t Go Broke Diet.
Food #68: South Beach Diet Pepperoni Pizza
I love SBD Pizza, especially the Pepperoni. It tastes great. It is very high in protein (almost 40% protein). It is also high in fiber. SBD Pizzas are a great weight loss meal. I would have put them in my Don’t Go Broke Diet, but they are too expensive. All of the DGB Diet meals have to be under $2.00.
Food #75: Jimmy Dean D-lights
These Jimmy Dean D-lights sandwiches taste like the fast food breakfast sandwiches, but they are much healthier. The magazine suggests the Canadian Bacon variety, but I prefer the Turkey Sausage kind. These sandwiches are made with lean meats, egg-whites, low-fat cheese, and whole-wheat English muffins. They are high in protein. Jimmy Dean D-lights are also inexpensive and a part of the Don’t Go Broke Diet.
I did not like all of the food selections, but one in particular bothered me.
Food #33: Accelerade
Accelerade is a sports drink with protein in it. The average guy should only drink a sports drink if he is working out in the heat for an extended period of time. And, if you do need a sports drink, you do not need an expensive sports drink. Accelerade is like Gatorade with 4 grams of whey protein added. Whey protein is the best protein, but 4 grams of it should not increase the cost by that much.
Most of the food selections on this list are great options for overall health and weight loss. The list is intended for men, but women could benefit as well.
Dr. Kalvin Chinyere is a physician, weight-loss expert and ex-fat man. He is also the creator of the Don’t Go Broke Weight Loss Plan and the main contributor at Dr. Kal’s Blog.
This is a post from FatManUnleashed.com’s Weight Loss Blog:
The Best Foods For Men
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Cut the B.S. and Get Fit!
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Many people ask me “What’s a good workout routine?” and it’s hard to explain a lot of times, since everyone’s body types vary so much. What works for one, may not or will not work well for someone else, but what I’ve found through training myself and others, is best summarized in the next few pages.
There’s too much to explain in one sitting or a casual conversation, I may get a little technical but I will try to explain things as best as I can. What a good workout really is, though, is a complete lifestyle change.
If your goal is to lose fat, you’ll want to keep as much muscle mass as you can (if you’re male or female) because muscle is the best metabolism booster there is! This isn’t the 2 hour workout you can do for a week and you fit well into a new swimsuit … this is, a lifestyle change. This is getting rid of fast food, salads – please, lose the dressing, or go low-cal dressing (and not half the bottle), no more 4 hours of sleep and 10 pots of coffee loaded with sugar and creamer, and this change needs to last.
Want to pack on some muscle to bring out a 6 pack and some bigger arms? Start 6 months before you think you should start worrying about your summer body. Stop the weekly drinking, kiddo. Need to change your life too! Eat as much as you can, as cleanly as possible, 8-9 times a day! Fit 8-9 600 calorie meals a day, bust arse in the gym, and hit the treadmill in the morning to get some “endurance” (your girlfriend will thank you too!)
So, I said eat clean … and I don’t mean wash your plates before you eat. Cut the fat, your toast doesn’t need butter, sugar, and peanut butter, with an extra layer of jam! You don’t need to eat a big bowl of ice cream for your “casein protein” before bed. Get real, this is just a lie to yourself to make yourself feel better about that “12-grain whole wheat” toast your just ate. Beer, furthermore, does not count towards your daily carb intake.
What’s the big deal in morning cardio? Well, I talk about it a lot and the premise of it is this … first thing in the morning, your body is in a catabolic/anabolic state and your liver is completely drained of glucose (simple sugar, broken down carbs). Well, if you get some protein in you to help combat breaking down muscle during the workout for energy, your body will start to break down fat instead for energy - the whole point of walking/jogging/biking, whatever! The average gym bunny, though, gets tired after 15 minutes or so and says “Whoo! I’ma push myself” and goes to 20 minutes and calls it a day, showers, and goes home. The body, however, only started to break down fat in order to get energy. This is why I recommend a minimum of 30 minutes (if it’s higher intensity cardio), or 45 minutes to an hour if it’s low impact / low intensity (walk brisk pace, use incline, or a stationary bike).
Well, enough ranting. I’m pissed today and wanted to unleash.
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This is a post from FatManUnleashed.com’s Weight Loss Blog:
Cut the B.S. and Get Fit!
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Master List of Unconventional Benefits of Weight Loss
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This post was inspired by Dr. Kal’s previous post Decrease your Likelihood of Being Hit by a Meteor which I found through The Man Page’s The Manival 8th Edition. I thought it might be entertaining to ‘poke’ some fun at the seriousness of weight loss.
We all know at least one or many of the ‘”Conventional” benefits of weight loss:
- increased energy & stamina
- lower blood pressure
- increase metabolism
- reduce risk factors of heart disease, diabetes,etc
We are all aware of the numerous negative effects of obesity and living an unhealthy lifestyle have on the human body. The list is endless.
I think it’s safe to say that if you’ve done your homework, watched the news, read the newspaper, or have spent a blink of an eye’s amount of time on the internet, you’d come to the conclusion that weight loss is nothing but a BENEFIT.
So what about Unconventional Benefits?
: not conventional : not bound by or in accordance with convention : being out of the ordinary
The list was already started on the original post. Everything from avoiding that auspicious meteor, saving money on water, to being able to see your feet without bending over.
What are your thoughts on some unconventional benefits of weight loss? What benefits have you discovered along the path of becoming that Lean, Mean, Fighting Machine.
Israel has kindly agreed to add your comments and suggestions to the master list, bearing in mind that we all behave with our comments!
Without further ado, I would like to add the following:
Master List of Unconventional Benefits of Weight Loss
- you get to donate your old clothes to charity! ( a great tax deduction)
-certain body parts stop jiggling when you laugh or cough (or wave goodbye)
-get that tattoo you always wanted (since before you wouldn’t go without covering up)
_______________
I look forward to seeing how long this list can get.
Carpe Diem
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This is a post from FatManUnleashed.com’s Weight Loss Blog:
Master List of Unconventional Benefits of Weight Loss
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Shirt Sighting: Indoor Rock/Gym Climbing Unleashed
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This has got to be THE best Fat Man Unleashed shirt sighting yet! An old buddy of mine, who happens to be the CEO of a New York based strategic digital marketing firm called Elephant Ventures, is an indoor rock climbing buff. He isn’t buff himself, but I always thought he had a lot of potential. He taught me TABLES, TR’s, and TD’s. Those were the days Art, those were the days.
Here is Art Shectman unleashing his inner warrior (while sporting the awesomeness that is the Fat Man Unleashed shirt, of course).
Don’t the angles give you that Spider Man/Peter Parker feeling? How did he manage to get such great shots of himself? 
Art attended MIT, built robots, tutored inner city youth, and is an all around great person. He recently went gym climbing and managed to get some great shots from a cell phone. Some of the pics were a bit blurry but they came out great anyway. I have been climbing once and it’s a very good total body workout. I recommend it.
If you would like a Fat Man Unleashed shirt don’t hesitate to contact me. If you see anyone with a Fat Man Unleashed shirt let me know by leaving a comment or sending me an email. You can even take a picture of it and send to me (with the persons permission of course). I’m interested in knowing!!
This is a post from FatManUnleashed.com’s Weight Loss Blog:
Shirt Sighting: Indoor Rock/Gym Climbing Unleashed
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Dr. Kal Loses 130 Lbs, Featured on CNN Fit Nation
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Fat Man Unleashed’s resident doctor, Dr. Kal, was recently featured on CNN’s Fit Nation with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The minute I heard about it I was excited, not only was Dr. Kal given some love for his hard work and success, but now he can help share that expertise with even more people that could benefit.
Dr. Kalvin Chinyere has been contributing his health, weight loss, and fitness knowledge to FMU for quite some time now.
Dr. Kal is a physician, weight-loss expert and ex-fat man. He is also the creator of the Don’t Go Broke Weight Loss Plan and maintains his own health blog at Dr. Kal’s Blog. He is living proof that his program works. What more proof do you need?
The CNN piece covers how Dr. Kal saw patients die from obesity related diseases and changed his life. CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on his success.
Thanks Kal, and congrats.
This is a post from FatManUnleashed.com’s Weight Loss Blog:
Dr. Kal Loses 130 Lbs, Featured on CNN Fit Nation
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Are Stretch Marks Haunting You?
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“Striae Gravidarum” or Stretch Marks are nothing but areas of the skin that have been stretched out. It usually happens due to unusual weight gain or weight loss and depending upon the skin’s elasticity, it may leave a mark on the skin. Usually stretch marks are seen as fine lines on the body and are purplish or reddish in color in the early stages and then become hypo pigmented or colorless on maturity. As a result they start looking like glistening lines of scar tissue.
Stretch Marks are the most common type of skin lesion and are often known by medical names Striae Atrophicans, Striae Distensae, Striae Alba and Striae Rubra. Fortunately, stretch marks do not cause any medical problems but do raise cosmetic concerns for some of the individuals.
There are three different layers to the human skin. First there is the epidermis layer, more commonly known as the outer layer. Then there is the dermis layer or the layer in the middle, and lastly there is the deep layer that is called the subcutaneous stratum. The middle layer of the skin is what helps our skin to have elasticity and shape. This layer of the skin is where stretch marks occur. When someone gains weight, develops a lot of muscle mass, or even becomes pregnant, the middle layer of the skin will stay stretched and relaxed longer. This is unfortunately what causes stretch marks – where the skin loses its elasticity and connective fibers are broken.
These marks are completely harmless to our body and are more of a cosmetic or beauty concern then a health issue. They can occur anywhere on our body but are most commonly developed on the thighs, breasts, arms, buttocks and stomach. Stretch marks are likely to occur in men and women of all the age groups.
People who are constantly on diets such as bodybuilders usually have the problem of stretch marks due to drastic fluctuations in the body weight. The safe way to weight loss is to lose it at a slow rate. The risk of stretch marks is lowered if an individual were to let his or her skin and body adjust to the weight loss.
These days a lot of people go to extremes in order to lose weight. But once the drastic weight loss goals are achieved, they are shocked by the marks that appear on the skin. Whether these stretch marks appear due to pregnancy or weight loss, there is a solution to prevent or reduce the unsightly stretch marks. These days a lot of creams are available on the market, which can help you to reduce or prevent the stretch marks. Stretch mark creams work for some people but not for others. That is a topic we will discuss next time.
This is a post from FatManUnleashed.com’s Weight Loss Blog:
Are Stretch Marks Haunting You?
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The 4 Physical Laws of Dieting
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Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Charlie Hills who can be found at Back To The Fridge. He is the author of Why Your Last Diet Failed You and How This Book Won’t Help You on Your Next One, a humorous commentary on dieting not designed to help anybody.
Odds are you’ve been dieting for just as long as I have. And by now you’re familiar with the mechanics of weight loss. You know the basic premises. (”Burn more calories than you take in!”) You know the numbers. (”It takes an extra 3,500 calories to gain a pound.”) But I bet you haven’t heard these laws. (Probably because I made them up.)
Here they are: The Physical Laws of Dieting:
Law I. Weight returns at five times the velocity at which it was lost.
Unfortunately, most of us are all too familiar with this law. In some ways, this seems impossible. “How can it take five days to lose two pounds and only one day to get it back!? That’s not fair!” Well, unfortunately, life isn’t fair and this is just the way it works. Why? Because you can’t eat fewer than zero calories per day but you can eat five thousand or more if you really put your mind to it. What to do: If your diet is going well, here’s a helpful tip: don’t blow it. How? Well if I knew that, I’d be king of the world.
Law II. Any dietary straying, no matter how seemingly insignificant, causes instantaneous Diet Reversal.
Oh, we’ve all experienced this. You do well all week long then on Friday night you figure you deserve a little treat. So you have pizza. Oops. Does your body forgive you? Are you allowed to take a mulligan? Of course not. What to do: Giving yourself a food treat for losing weight is a lot like winning a Million Dollar Bake-Off and then shredding the check to celebrate your win. What’s wrong with you?
Law III. No diet, no matter how well it’s going, can survive Thanksgiving.
I don’t know about you, but the forty-day feed fest from Thanksgiving to New Year’s gets me every single time. I try. I really do. But no diet in history has ever been built to withstand a head-on collision with pumpkin pie. What to do: Remove all possible temptation by relocating to an uncharted island. There Mary Ann and Ginger can keep you on a strict diet of coconut and crab. In fact, you might enjoy this so much you’ll find yourself sabotaging the Professor’s rescue plans every single week.
Law IV. Informing others of your progress immediately halts progress.
I can’t be the only one this has happened to. You start your diet on Monday and by Thursday morning you’re miraculously down six pounds. You’re so excited you tell everyone you know, whether in person or by keyboard. But come Friday morning, you’re suddenly five pounds heavier. It’s a sinking feeling, but you brought it upon yourself. What to do: This one is obvious: never, ever tell anyone how well you’re doing. Even when you’ve lost fifty pounds and everyone asks, “Have you lost weight?” tell them, “No, I’m just wearing vertical stripes.”
So there you have it. I know it’s not pretty, but it’s the truth. I’m actively lobbying to see if I can get any of these laws repealed. So far, no such luck. I’ll keep you posted.
This is a post from FatManUnleashed.com’s Weight Loss Blog:
The 4 Physical Laws of Dieting
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Golf Can Be A Dangerous Sport
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I read this blog post from the New York Times yesterday.
The post is about the recent increase in golf cart related injuries since 1990. These injuries have occurred in infants as young as 2 months old and adults as old as 96 years old. Many injuries result in concussions and/or hospitalizations.
The experts have many reasons for the increase in golf cart related injuries. They include:
- Faster and more powerful golf carts
- Increased use of golf carts at non-golfing venues such as hospitals, parks, airports, colleges, businesses, and military bases
- Lack of mandatory golf cart driver’s licenses
- Lack of golf cart seat belts
- Lack of golf cart stability mechanisms
- Lack of golf cart federal regulations
- Lack of four-wheel brakes on golf carts
- Rear facing seats
I did some more research and I found that some of these golf cart related accidents can also be attributed to Leprechauns. Yes, those little green monsters often jump out in front of unsuspecting golf cart drivers, scaring them and causing an accident.
Something needs to be done about this golf cart thing. Maybe we should put air bags in golf carts or anti-lock brakes. Actually, I have a better idea. Why don’t we all try WALKING!!!!!
The number one reason for the increase in golf cart related injuries is the increase in lazy people who don’t want to walk. So, I suggest we make golf carts illegal for anyone who can walk. This would decrease the number of injuries and help people lose weight.
Bonus Advice: Lose Weight Playing Golf
I don’t consider golfing to be exercise but in honor of the 2008 U.S. Open which started today, I’m going to give you golfers a few tips to help you shed some pounds.
- Don’t use a golf cart - Walk, you will burn more calories
- Don’t use a caddy - Carry your golf bag yourself, you will burn more calories
- Drink lots of water - Hunger can often be confused with thirst
- Pack three healthy meals and two healthy snacks - So you don’t have to eat unhealthy club house food
- Have fun - Stress causes weight gain
Dr. Kal is a physician, weight-loss expert and ex-fat man. He is also the creator of the Don’t Go Broke Weight Loss Plan and the main contributor at Dr. Kal’s Blog.
Spread the Health News? - Get all of the latest health news, submit your own, and vote them to the top.
This is a post from FatManUnleashed.com’s Weight Loss Blog:
Golf Can Be A Dangerous Sport
