The ChillOut Log

[Chillen]

Chillen I Remember you saying you were gonna give me some recipes for craving foods (healthy versions)

do u have them yet??

what do u think of this? Recipe: Low-Fat, Low-Calorie, High-Fiber, High-Protein Blueberry Bran Muffins - Healthy Recipes, Low Fat Recipes, Diet Plans, Healthy Living, Meal Ideas, Healthy Meals

Jackie x

I admit, I have this "thing" against refined white sugar, and refined brown sugar isnt much different. I know, I know, a little isnt goanna kill someone, blah, blah,

If it were me, and it probably would change the taste--alot, but I would still try it to see how it pans out.---->I would remove the brown sugar and replace it with Splenda (I know, for those against artificial sweetners, we are, you know, dealing with a "bad choice set", and have to make decisions). The rest of the ingredients look wonderful. IMO, this would be fine for a snack once in while! YEP!

My son has my recipe book at the house, I will call him today and see if he can bring it over 2morrow when we go out and run. He is 22 and bakes! LOL! Isnt this wonderful!!

I will post them here.


Chillen

 

[Lillian]

Can you elaborate just a bit more on the particulars of your " sleep issues " ?

Hi Wrangell. When it's time to fall asleep I can't wind down. I feel wide awake. And, when I finally do fall asleep (if i eventually do) I don't stay asleep for too long. I usually wake in the am hours and it's hard to fall back asleep and then the next day i'm tired and groggy from not sleeping well. i think i'm laying down too early for sleep. my hubby is passed out by 9pm because he has to be up at 5am, so i kind of try to do the same thing except for that I have to be up at 6:15am. I know I should probably stay up later, but I guess I get bored and I'm the only one awake in the house so I just try to fall asleep too. hope that helps you to understand my situation. any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Wrangell]

With my situation Given the muscle I've stacked-on with my biking & swimming and weight-training, that's just not going to be practical. I was last weighed at 228 pounds and I'm confident my true body-fat% is around 12.5-14%. Given that I'm 5' 8" can you imagine how non-svelt I am?.

Not sure I follow ....but you've mentioned this term " svelt " a couple of times now and that ( at least according to you ) you're " non svelt "...yet.

It appears to me that this ' ideal ' body image that you're pursuing rests heavily on this notion of you being " svelt ".

What do you mean by " svelt " exactly ? Can you elaborate ?

Most guys at 5' 8" are looking to weigh about 167-170...if I got to 200 with my current muscle-mass ( I was fixed on getting below 200 pounds ) I'd be at like 5% body-fat or less. Again, not practical.

So, for your body type, aiming for 200 lbs. ( i.e 5% body-fat ) clearly makes no sense as a long term and sustainable goal IMO. In fact, even if you have to go lower - i.e to about 10% body fat - you'd still only be at about 218 lbs.

Now - and keep in mind this is only my personal opinion - but, there are no compelling reasons for most average gym rats to go below and sustain a body fat level below 10% on an ongoing basis. Which is to say, if it were me, I'd set 10% as your minimum body fat level target - which translates to a target weight of 215 lbs or so - not 200 lbs. The facts should tell you - again...facts don't lie - a target of 200 lbs is not realistic for you. You have been driving yourself to frustration etc. based on an unrealistic expectation of getting to 200 lbs ...when it should be more like 215 lbs. Unrealistic expectations are killing you ( mentally speaking ) IMO.

And again, you're focusing on other people as being the benchmark you should be using to validate and form your goals - i.e " Most guys at 5' 8" are looking to weigh about 167-170 ". It's almost as if you're are equating ' not average ' with being ' bad ' somehow....which is something I just don't grasp.

I can't say this will fix things, but it'll certainly make me think twice before slipping into another dark "I'm not getting anywhere" mood. Thanks again for helping me think this through!!!

Thanks ( I think ).

But I'm not sure if I'm being of any help to you or if I'm just making you more confused about your expectations .

 

[Lillian]

Hey Chillen!
I try to workout 3-5 days per week. Some days I do weight training along with fast pace walking on my treadmill, some days I will do just treadmill or just weights, depending on how I feel. I at least try to give myself 2-3 days of rest out of a 7 day week. I never workout every single day. 30 minutes to 1 hour is usually the length of time I workout. I drink a lot of water and only water. I hardly ever drink sugary drinks. I used to weigh 97 lbs. in 2004, then in 2005 i was about 105, then in 2006 about 108, now i'm about 110. i stopped working out and i think that's why i gained weight to 110 lbs. (i also quit smoking about a year and a half ago)(i also gained a couple lbs. after stopping birth control pills unbelievably) i'm most comfortable around the 105-108 lb mark. here's a day of eating for me as an example: breakfast(6:30am): 1-2 egg whites & coffee or 1 slice whole wheat toast w/smart balance butter, snack(10am): banana or raisins, lunch(1pm): either cottage cheese w/blueberries or 1 slice of whole wheat bread w/2 slices of low sodium turkey & 1 slice pepper jack cheese, mustard and i usually always have baby carrots, snack(3pm): yogurt, (coffee), dinner(5:30-6pm): chicken w/broccoli & mashed potatos or if i eat past i try to eat whole grain pasta w/either fresh tomatos or zucchini and just one bowl of it (except for when hubby makes it he wants the regular pasta), or whole grain rice w/black beans & mixed veggies, sometimes we make tacos, or my homemade chicken soup. i don't eat too much red meat. that's kind of a typical diet for me. i'm not too big on fish. occassionally i may have some tuna, but i have to be in the mood for it. i know i need to work on my diet as i know i'm probably not always combining the right amount of pro/carbs/fat. well about a year ago is when i started slipping and not workin out as much and i've been on and off w/eating the way i should. i just started getting back into the groove of things b/c i'm unhappy about how i've been feeling. i normally workout at around 6:30-7pm. i've been working out on and off for about 7+ years.

i work monday through friday at a desk job...ugh! LOL! I'm in the accounting/adminstrative field.

i'm very small boned, so any added weight is just uncomfortable for me. i just feel it mostly in the belly area and around my waist, which i hate. (hubby thinks i'm fine, but i don't like it) i am actually underweight for my height 5'4", but for most of my life i was more around the 100lb mark, so now that i'm 110 just simply does not feel good to me. also, high cholestorol runs in my family and mine tends to be a little high too, so i always try to watch what i eat. i hardly eat fast food.

thanks for trying to help chillen. i hope i answered all of your questions clearly to give you a better understanding. i know my issues may seem petty b/c i'm small already, but like i said it's how i feel mostly that is the bigger problem and i want to eat right and exercise, feel good, be energetic, etc. i really want to understand how to combine the right amount of pro/carbs/fats. i also need to tone up as my weight is not all muscle. you may have read some skinny people on the forum calling themselves a "skinny fat person", that's how i feel sometimes.

Thanks again for taking the time to understand and help out! I appreciate it!

by the way, i also take a multivitamin, flaxseed, and a calcium supplement. i sometimes will also take a coq10 and garlic supplement.

Could you display your workout routine for a typical week? Your typical diet during the day? How much water during the day? Are you trying to lose or gain weight? How long have you been training? How long in changing the habits of your diet? What are the habits of your diet (number of times you eat, about when you eat, and what you typically eat, etc)

What do you do for work? How many days per week, and how many days off.


Best regards,


Chillen

 

[Wrangell]

Hi Wrangell. When it's time to fall asleep I can't wind down. I feel wide awake. And, when I finally do fall asleep (if i eventually do) I don't stay asleep for too long. I usually wake in the am hours and it's hard to fall back asleep and then the next day i'm tired and groggy from not sleeping well. i think i'm laying down too early for sleep. my hubby is passed out by 9pm because he has to be up at 5am, so i kind of try to do the same thing except for that I have to be up at 6:15am. I know I should probably stay up later, but I guess I get bored and I'm the only one awake in the house so I just try to fall asleep too. hope that helps you to understand my situation. any advice is greatly appreciated.

Wow......thanks for the great detail......sounds very interesting.

Couple of quick questions.......

- I assume you workout ( ? ) , what time of day do you do that normally ?

- how's the daily caffeine consumption....i.e coffees ? soft drinks ? energy drinks ?

- any other ' significant ' things happening in your life that may cause you to be stressed, anxious or depressed ?

- what about meds ?

- what's your alcohol consumption like ?​

 

[Lillian]

LOL! Thanks! Doesn't sound interesting to me...haha!

i just started working out again. i had stopped for a while. see my reply to chillen for more detail, but i generally workout around 6:30-7pm because i get home around 5pm from work. i eat dinner around 5:30-6pm, rest myself for at least 30 minutes before my workout.

i drink about 2-3 cups of coffee per day. i actually am cutting down to 2 cups these past few days. one cup when i wake up and one in the afternoon. i hardly drink soft drinks or energy drinks.

hmmmm....anxiety is probably my middle name...lol! (actually i have a lot less anxiety now then i used to) i recently was prescribed meds to help w/sleep. i only take half the dose i was instructed to take which is .25 mg which isn't anything. i hate taking meds. i go on them for a short while just so i can sleep until i can try to do without them again. then when i get bad again i might go back on it again. i'm ready to be off but scared i won't sleep. i tried the other night to take a quarter dose and i was a mess all night. very frustrating. i think anxiety generally runs in my family. you know all us high strung italians are the same...hot headed and neurotic...LOL! i used to go out every weekend and have a few drinks but i don't do that anymore. i hardly drink these days, only once in a while, but rarely. alcohol can calm me down as far as helping w/anxiety or wake me up depending on how much i have, but still won't sleep through a night even if i did drink a lot. sheesh, can't explain that quite right. LOL! hope that answers most of your questions. thanks!

Wow......thanks for the great detail......sounds very interesting.

Couple of quick questions.......

- I assume you workout ( ? ) , what time of day do you do that normally ?

- how's the daily caffeine consumption....i.e coffees ? soft drinks ? energy drinks ?

- any other ' significant ' things happening in your life that may cause you to be stressed, anxious or depressed ?

- what about meds ?

- what's your alcohol consumption like ?​

 

[jokerswild1130]

Just checking in. Hit the gym tonight for my FBW but skipped cardio. I had a pretty good reason however...my brother and his wife just had a baby boy today and I wanted to get over to the hospital before visiting hours were over. Cute baby of course...and wow he had some big feet for a new born.

 

[Wrangell]

Wrangell,

As redundant as it may seem....I again thank you for your time, thoughts & consideration.

Hey ...no problem.

I enjoy reading your posts BSL .

I've given some serious thought to it and I've reconsiled the following as a "grand perspective" of things. I think it's a 2-fold issue. Part is my genetics and part is psychological:

Genetics: some people drop weight really fast & easily, some don't.

It took you 10 months to lose 40 pounds - and I'll assume you consider this to be ' slow ' ( as opposed to really fast & easy ) or perhaps less than the ' normal ' rate of loss other people might experience under similar circumstances

So, again, getting back to expectations...and what you consider a ' normal ' amount to lose over 10 months should be...for example, is it normal to lose perhaps 2X that amount or say 80 lbs in 10 months as being normal ? Does that mean that 100 lbs is closer to ' fast & easy ' ?

I'm curious......how many MINIMUM number of pounds did you expect to lose in 10 months anyway ...and why ?

Cause for me, taking 10 months to lose 40 pounds is dropping 1 lb a week - which is pretty much in line with is what's considered to be within a safe and sensible rate range of fat loss based on most of what I've ever read.

I have to accept my genetics and understand that I may have to work harder & longer to see the results I want

That's the critical phrase IMO - " see the results I want " - cause what you ' want ' may not be exactly what you should ' expect ' to see.

Again, the key to avoiding setbacks, frustrations, depressions etc. IMO is making sure you having realistic expectations ......realistic expectations which may or may not be consistent with what you ' want ' .

...these are "my cards" and so long as progress continues in the right direction (regardless of the depressingly slow rate)...all is well and I should stay the course.

You're doing it again.

" depressingly slow rate " - yet another negative phrase which just reinforces the notion tht you are not ' normal ' and highlights the possibility that you may not have realistic expectations.

Once again, all other things being equal, if it takes you 10 months to lose 40 lbs. and another guy loses a bit more such as 50 lbs in 10 months and yet another guy loses 30 lbs in 10 months, then I ask........... " so what " ?

Why do I feel my progress is unacceptibly slow? I'm figuring (largely due to the views expressed by yourself) that it's these issues & solutions:

1) My genetics are less inclined towards typical-paced weight-loss; I need to accept this DNA-reality, but realize I can just work longer to eventually reach my goal. It's not like I'm "failing"...just working against a headwind

Or, another possible way to look at it is, others are working with a ' tailwind ' and your results are perfectly normal.

....but when I stop and take a look, I've made excellent progress in weight-loss and achieved far-above-average results in endurance & cardiovascular training.

You've done an excellent job IMO.

And compared to other 43 years olds in the general population, your endurance & cardiovascular training results are likely near the top 5 % for the fitness level of your age group....you should be damn proud of what you've accomplished so far and continue to do.

2) I've made more progress then I've mentally allowed myself to realize. The change happens so slowly that I don't see it...but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened! Facts ARE facts, pictures don't lie. I should focus on the 85% of what I have done (as successs) and not obsess on the 15% remaining.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

3) My expecatations are not entirely realistic (line-backers don't become Lance Armstronger's). I'm 43, not 23. Some "thin & normal" people have double-chins, not everyone can be carved into a center-fold model, there's only one Chillen

Then again, as far as a " center-fold model " goes, you can't always judge a book by it's cover....

" the overwhelming majority of folks with cover model physiques seem to give the absolute worst advice " - Alan Aragon
​

...just something to keep in mind .

Also, I've been training in and out of gyms for around 30 years now, and trust me, there is more than one Chillen ' type ' out there..........in fact, if anything, they're a dime a dozen.

4) There are people who have lost 80-pounds quicker then I've lost 40, but these people don't have the muscle/endurance/capability that I have.

But then again, you don't know exactly how they lost the weight , how much of it was fat and or muscle - and most importantly - if it was done in a safe sensible manner that is sustainable as part of an ongoing healthy lifestyle. Beyond that, what other people do, should be irrelevant to you IMO.

It's comparing apples & oranges and the there is no common basis for comparison. Even if there was, that's them and I'm me

Again...spot on..

5) The journey is a long & hard one, sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind....but in the end you're only competing against yourself.

Right on ......the only person that matters, the only person that can truly motivate you, the only person that deserves either the credit or blame for your results is YOU ...and no one else.

What other people may do or not do or say is irrelevant.

6) Hockey is an inherently violent sport

That's why we love it !

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

getting back to expectations...and what you consider a ' normal ' amount to lose over 10 months should be...for example, is it normal to lose perhaps 2X that amount or say 80 lbs in 10 months as being normal ? Does that mean that 100 lbs is closer to ' fast & easy ' ?

I'm curious......how many MINIMUM number of pounds did you expect to lose in 10 months anyway ...and why ?

Okay, to answer your question....in 10 months I expected to lose 70 pounds. That's about 1.62 pounds per week, and that's a perfectly reasonable amount to expect for a guy who is spinning, swimming, playing racquetball, riding a mountain bike, moving weights and cutting calories!

Losing 40 pounds in 10 months is more consistent with someone who is doing a Jenny Craig diet and just getting occassional exercise. I went super-hardcore and expected some return on my perspiration.

And remember....I've only lost about 27 pounds on the scale, we're only calling it 40 pounds because of Alan's calc's on the body-fat calipers and his figures based on lost body-fat%.

Ya know...for what it's worth, Alan himself concedes that when he first met me he was skeptical of what my trainer reported to him (that I was working my butt off and eating right and not seeing much results)...but now he agrees that I'm "challenged". He says I'm his hardest-working client who has to fight the most to make headway. He watched my diet like a hawk, monitored my exercise and was himself shocked when I got on the scale and actually gained weight after weeks of hard work. My body flustered him! Fact is, he could see my looking leaner & thinner, yet that scale just kept the same or went up. Sure, we figure it must be muscle gain....but then you have people saying it's impossible for me to gain a legit 3-pounds of lean muscle in just one month. Alan says I can and did. Who knows.

As I see it...human beings see things happen and, for our own comfort, we try to assign meaning & understanding to it. We use science, research, clinical studies and write books & theories on it. Does it really matter if we understand exactly how the body burns fat?.....it happens regardless of our conceptual understanding or lack thereof.

Here's my reality: I eat very healthy....I don't eat much red-meat, I eat chicken, turkey & fish. I keep the sodium low, I eat fruits & vegetables, I avoid bad fats, I don't eat fried foods, I eat whole & healthy carbs and avoid sugar, additives and other artificial stuff. I take some good supplements and treat my body respectfully with healthy & clean choices. I drink lots of water and don't even use artificial sweetners in my ice tea! I really don't think I could do better and even if I did, that little margin of improvement really won't add-up to any real difference. I eat the best I can, I can't and won't be able to do any better.

As for exercise...I spin, swim, weight-train, play racquetball and train with a trainer. I keep it well rounded. I stretch, take spas, get occassional massages, use sun-screen, see the dentist & doctor routinely. I get 12-18 hours of exercise per week. I wear the best clothes, best shoes and own the best equipment. As I've said above; I really don't think I could do better and even if I did, that little margin of improvement really won't add-up to any real difference.

This is the best I can do, it's probably better then 98.5% of the general public...this is the most I can do. It will have to do. I am getting results. I will sit here all day and argue that my results ARE less then what they should be. If I exercised 5 hours a week that would be great, but since I do 15+ hours, that extra 10 hours (figuring 600 calories per hour, 6,000 calories per week) should in itself relate to an extra pound per week of fat-loss. My results should be FAR above average and yet they are modestly below average. It doesn't add-up, but it doesn't matter. In the grand spirit of "it is what it is".....it just is. And so I will condemn my results as unfair or "short"....but I'll just work with it AND be happy!

Dammit, I'm happy....Dammit!

I bet the ref's really hate you....eh???

 

[amp89]

+1 rep

I think that coming to terms with such a fact is something very difficult to do, and it appears as if you have done just that. I congratulate you, and all I can say is keep it up. That sucks that other people can work less and see better results, plain and simple. But you being able to get past that and workout 15 hours a week consistently, even when you don't see results is very admirable. Everyone is different like you said. You don't take life for granted and I think that amounts to something. Anyway good luck man, I can honestly not see anything in your future except for what you view as the perfect body.

 

[Wrangell]

Okay, to answer your question....in 10 months I expected to lose 70 pounds. That's about 1.62 pounds per week, and that's a perfectly reasonable amount to expect for a guy who is spinning, swimming, playing racquetball, riding a mountain bike, moving weights and cutting calories!

Losing 40 pounds in 10 months is more consistent with someone who is doing a Jenny Craig diet and just getting occassional exercise. I went super-hardcore and expected some return on my perspiration.

I'll provide a more detailed reply later...but till then, a few quick questions.

You'd said earlier that...

" I was last weighed at 228 pounds and I'm confident my true body-fat% is around 12.5-14%. Given that I'm 5' 8" can you imagine how non-svelt I am? " .​

- what weight would you be at if you had lost those 70 lbs. after 10 months ?

- and just to confirm, you're still around 228 lbs now ( ? ) ......i.e. what do you weigh now ( today ) ?

- what do you mean by " svelt " exactly ?

 

[Chillen]

February 27th, 2008: Thoughts for the Day (1)

An article by:

Brandon Pennock

Unleash the Power of Your Mind To Achieve Your Natural BodyBuilding Goals ​

If you’re reading this article, we are of a like mind in at least one regard: we both want to achieve our fitness goals to have our dream body. Taking the body you were given to your maximum natural bodybuilding potential is on the forefront of every person crazy enough to dedicate themselves to bodybuilding.

Maslow would call it self-actualization, the army would call it "be all that you can be"... but we just call it a Tuesday back workout. Obviously there are hundreds of facets to attaining your idea of physical perfection. Diet, training and supplementation are no-brainers as far as importance is concerned, and truth be told if you can dial-in those three pillars, you’ll get a long way towards your goals. However, there is an aspect to bodybuilding that transcends these very important pillars, and is completely intangible.

This aspect is the power of your mind. First and foremost, understanding how integral your brain is to bodybuilding will change your physique quicker than any diet, workout plan or supplement will ever do.

Only the best of the best ever fully realizes how vital the mental aspect of bodybuilding is. The mind saturates all aspects of bodybuilding, and can make or break any physique. It is so important that in my opinion, it should be the first thing trainees attempt to master, as it will positively affect every other aspect of your life. Your mind manifests itself in three major ways:

1. Attitude - Your attitude is controlled completely by your mind. You are the one who decides whether your workout is going to be ordinary, or so intense that the only thing you can do is collapse on the ground and smile. Your attitude determines if you are going to stick to the diet, or convince yourself with enough lies that one (insert unhealthy food here) is okay. It is so important to realize that reaching the pinnacle is a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week endeavor that is not for the faint of heart. This type of attitude is difficult to obtain to say the least, let alone maintain over the course of a lifetime. Fortunately, you can transform your attitude with knowledge.

Increasing your knowledge base is the best way to impact your attitude. Simply following a workout is all well and good, but delving into every aspect of your training splits will yield so much more. Confidence blooms from knowing that your training is completely thought out, your diet is spot on for your goals, and your supplements are adding exactly what is needed. Knowledge is the key to unlocking that "take no prisoners" type attitude that separates the beginners and intermediates from the advanced.

2. Focus - Once your attitude is set in stone, the next thing to conquer is focus. Knowing how to focus will take the intensity and results of training to unbelievable heights. Focus is very easy to spot in the weight room. Unfortunately, you can’t just outwardly copy focus and achieve the same results. Focus is mainly internal. And inside the confines of the human mind lay the deepest form of focus in the muscle-mind connection. For example, the bicep curl is a very simple and recognizable exercise yet most trainees never focus enough to take the exercise to the next level. Your brain has to leave your head and take up residence in your biceps. Envision each bicep as mechanical pistons with perfect form. Activate every muscle cell using the power of your mind. Envision the myosin and actin latching onto each other and fully contract each and every sarcomere (this is where the knowledge comes into play). Once you put yourself fully into the movement, you can make even the most rudimentary exercises skin-bursting intense.

3. Vision - Put simply, vision is that intangible goal in all of our minds that we are striving for. Natural bodybuilding without vision is like driving without a road map. You might end up where you trying to go eventually, but the odds are just as good that you’ll end up in the boonies. The main problem most new trainees have is that they think they know what they want to look like. However, without the attitude and drive, vision is nothing more than a dream.

Attaining a true vision of your future physique is difficult. First and foremost, you must have at least a sub 10% body fat level to understand what your body can transform into. Once there, study your physique in the mirror. Determine your body type, taking into account strengths and weaknesses of every body part.

Then study other natural bodybuilders with similar characteristics to understand what is possible for you. Once you clamp down your ideal physique, pin it to the front of your mind and situate all parts of your training, diet and supplementation to reach that goal. That vision will adapt and change as your body metamorphosis continues, but always have that vision in the front of your mind.

So, is it impossible to achieve a great physique without engaging the mind? You may achieve some of your goals but you will not realize your full bodybuilding potential. I’m sure every one reading this article can name one person in their gym that seems to nonchalantly cruise through their workout and boasts an impressive physique. But mastering the incorporation of the mind to your bodybuilding odyssey will give you infinitely more satisfaction than just going through the motions (not to mention the body of your dreams).

========================================================


Now get out there and learn!


ROCK ON!


Best wishes


Chillen

 

[jackie11]

hey Chillen, yeah u always did have a thing against sugar- brown sugar is white sugar but without all the good stuff taken out, so it anit refined sugar, i use brown sugar in my oat bars, i bet your going AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Now anit ya hahaha
i will make them muffin things one day lol

thats kool that your son can bake lol, i cant haha

Jackie xxx

 

[Chillen]

hey Chillen, yeah u always did have a thing against sugar- brown sugar is white sugar but without all the good stuff taken out, so it anit refined sugar, i use brown sugar in my oat bars, i bet your going AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Now anit ya hahaha
i will make them muffin things one day lol

thats kool that your son can bake lol, i cant haha

Jackie xxx

Chillen Chills in pulling hair......oh, I have none on top to pull, he, he.....

Jackie, my dear, do you truly believe that "all" brown sugar is refined white sugar that keeps its original small class of nutrients? Or do you think its possible that most commercial brown sugar is simply white sugar with mollasses added (to put this in simple terms)? Have you seen what "natural" sugar looks like?

I know, I am terrible against refined white sugar..., lol.

BUT, I eat a form of sugar with a chlorine molecule attached that in most cases passes through the body unrecognized as a form of energy (Splenda)........LOL, I know........he, he.....


There are two categories of brown sugar: those produced directly from the cane juice at the place of origin and those that are produced during the refining of raw sugar. The first type includes a variety of molasses and syrups, demerara, muscovado and turbinado sugars. The second type is coated brown or ‘soft’ sugars, manufactured demerara, and a variety of refinery molasses and golden syrups.

Those produced directly from the cane juice at the place of origin can be made using relatively low-cost and low technology processes suitable for small-scale production However, this level of production still requires experience, skill and knowledge to be successful. The technology involved is based on the open pan production which is described in the Practical Action’s technical briefs on gur and the open pan sulphitation (OPS) sugar processing.

The refined brown sugars are produced in modern vacuum pan (VP) sugar factories which are capital intensive and have high throughputs and are not suitable for small-scale production.

The brown sugar types can be further divided into those where the crystals are separated (centrifuged) and those that are not separated (non-centrifuged) from the molasses.


Source:












Chillen

 

[Chillen]

Just checking in. Hit the gym tonight for my FBW but skipped cardio. I had a pretty good reason however...my brother and his wife just had a baby boy today and I wanted to get over to the hospital before visiting hours were over. Cute baby of course...and wow he had some big feet for a new born.

Congrats on the new member within the family! Family is the most important in ones life!

GREAT! I hope your brother enjoys the new addition!

Hope you enjoyed the time, brotha!


Chillen

 

[BikeSwimLaugh]

+1 rep

I can honestly not see anything in your future except for what you view as the perfect body.

Did I neglect to mention that just recently I've experienced a sudden & rapid loss of hair? I've had a creeping recession for 20 years, but now my crown is opening and the front is thinning. THERE WILL BE NO PERFECT BODY Hey, I made it to 43 with most everything in tact....I'll count my hair folllicles, I mean blessings!

But thanks for rockin' my rep-count!!!!

On an odd note, they say testosterone breaks down into DiHexyTestosterone, aka DHT...which in turn is known to choke/kill hair follicles. Could my exercise have accelerated my hair loss? Probabably. I'm gonna let it fall into the category of "eh, who cares".

Just this morning I did both spin-classes AND swam a mile in the pool. I'm getting to know more of the hotties, I mean gals, in the class and it's all a lot of fun. I feel so good after I excercise and for the first time in my life I feel like I have a handle on the situation. Weight-loss is/was my last frontier. Built the business up into more then I ever expected. Built the "Dream House", even have the mid-life crisis Ferrari....about the only thing I didn't feel I achieve was getting away from my being heavy. So many other things have come to me fairly easily, it just makes sense that the weight-issue has been challenging....but it's happening. Sooner or later I'll have to post some pics.

You'd said earlier that...

" I was last weighed at 228 pounds and I'm confident my true body-fat% is around 12.5-14%. Given that I'm 5' 8" can you imagine how non-svelt I am? " .​

- what weight would you be at if you had lost those 70 lbs. after 10 months ?

- and just to confirm, you're still around 228 lbs now ( ? ) ......i.e. what do you weigh now ( today ) ?

- what do you mean by " svelt " exactly ?

Hmm...I think I started this whole endeavor at something like 264 pounds but I weighed about 256 when I started working with Alan.

About 6-7 weeks ago I was weighed at 228...I've been after Alan to schedule an appot. for some time now. I just got his email and we'll meet next week. It'll be interesting to see new results. I'm not expecting much because that's just the way it generally goes. Also, even though I'm doing a lot of exercise, it no longer makes me feel sore, wiped-out & tired...so I don't feel (perceieve) that I'm doing the hard work. My perceptions, however, will have nothing to do with what the scale measures or what the calipers pinch!

What is my idea of Svelt?...lean, slender but with reasonable muscle.... maybe Kevin Federline, Will Smith, FlyinFree. Basically a blend of PeeWee Herman & Hulk Hogan

I've come to terms with the reality of things. It's not like I'm swallowing a large pizza just before I sleep, not counting calories eaten during odd hours or including my transit time to and from the gym in my exercise hours. There's no smoking gun or gross ommission of some integral dieting concept.....it's just me. I subscribe to the notion that calories in vs. calories out determines things at the end of the day. The difference is just how genetics plays into it.

I spoke with a doctor recently about my situation (he works with people who have trouble losing weight). What he explained is that hormones have a lot to do with it and he told me he could recommend a cream that I'd apply on my shoulders every night...I'm almost willing to say it's estrogen and some long explanation that men have it too, yada yada yada. The thing is, my other doctor friends told me that taking hormones and playing with your body can cause other side-effects: tumors that might otherwise stay dormant can begin to grow.....ultimately an arguement can be made that it's not safe....

...which brings me back to the same position: so long as I'm able to make progress, even if it's slow....I'll stay the course. I won't exercise more, I can't eat any less...this is the best I can do, it's better then most anyone else is doing and it will have to do. I'm good.

Thanks all for time, thoughts & energy. Life is a gift and you've all been part of mine.

 

[jokerswild1130]

Congrats on the new member within the family! Family is the most important in ones life!

GREAT! I hope your brother enjoys the new addition!

Hope you enjoyed the time, brotha!


Chillen

Thanks!!!

 

[Lillian]

Thanks Chillen for all your posts! I enjoy reading them! I just need to stay motivated, eat right, exercise consistently and I think that's all that's to it. Your postings help with motivation and i thank you for it.

jokerswild congrats on the new baby in the family as well!

wrangell any sleep advice? LOL!

Thanks

 

[Wrangell]

Thanks Chillen for all your posts! I enjoy reading them! I just need to stay motivated, eat right, exercise consistently and I think that's all that's to it. Your postings help with motivation and i thank you for it.

jokerswild congrats on the new baby in the family as well!

wrangell any sleep advice? LOL!

Thanks

I'm far from a sleep expert, so I'm not sure how much ' helpful ' advice I can really provide.

I'm just running out of the house for an afternoon speaking engagement, so I'll try and touch base and respond to your post later this evening if I can.

 

[jokerswild1130]

Thanks Chillen for all your posts! I enjoy reading them! I just need to stay motivated, eat right, exercise consistently and I think that's all that's to it. Your postings help with motivation and i thank you for it.

jokerswild congrats on the new baby in the family as well!

wrangell any sleep advice? LOL!

Thanks

Thanks Lillian! I am going to try and get up to my brother's house this weekend to check in on the new baby again...plus to see my 16 month old niece as well. :jump1: