The transformation....I was a fat bastard! :)

[Aron Snyder]

I'll start a new thread right now.

Everyone looks a the General Forum a bit more, so I'll start it there.

Thanks for commenting on this everyone!

 

[Jdog]

Cut the CRAP...This is a good guide in my opinion....

Caffeine (too much results in stress hormone (Cortisol) in your body)
Refined Sugar (of any kind)
Alcohol
Processed "anything"

What he said! Get rid of that chit in your diets!

 

[Ray]

Ray could you do this diet if you had to travel a bunch. Do you eat the same way on your trips into the wilderness?

I started while in King Salmon. I ate low quality vegetables and non paleo chicken fingers along with meat from home, nuts and jerky. Then I moved on to another work site that was even more remote. I talked to my contractor and their subs and they agreed to help me out - I had already lost about 15 pounds by July 1 so they could see it was working. They had rice and quinoa and some bread and cereal, but the group foods were healthy bulk meat cuts and large amounts of vegetables. Eggs by the bulk box. Since I had the time most days I made lunches and nearly all dinners. That kept my contractors working all day rather than stopping early to go make dinner. It also helped that three of them were women and supportive by nature. One of whom I had known for several years. Watched her and her husband "fall in love" on one of my projects. It was more like a family camping trip after a while.

For traveling it would be easy. You can always get a large salad if you are on the road system in the states. Or a steak and have them hold the baked potato and put a second helping of steamed vegetables on the plate. Paleo in a restaurant is very simple. If I run into problems I say I am diabetic and need a bun-less bacon cheese burger and a side salad. Works every time. No extra charges most times.

Wilderness...well my sheep hunt back in August tested that out. I spent the winter researching food for backpacking. Pretty tough thing to find to meet paleo guidelines. OK, its impossible. There is no source of paleo freeze dried meals. Paleo take along meals that need to be cooked are out there. I did the research on making my own back packing foods using ideas from various make it yourself backpacking food websites. Most require cooking, which requires lots of water and washing dishes. Water and dish washing may not be possible in the sheep mountains. Since I don't get bored eating the same thing for several days (easy way to become obese BTW) I stuck to the idea of a base material and then adding in ingredients. I chose a good mashed potato base and Thai rice noodle base. Months of dehydrating later I have wonderful mashed tater dinners as well as spaghetti. Both meals were augmented by coconut oil from a small jar, or olive oil from a flask. breakfast was dehydrated pumpkin pie - seriously - and coconut flesh with a via flavored coffee (spoon of sugar right there). Lunch was home made lara bars from Every Day Paleo base recipe, macadamia nuts, and a few ounces of jerky. By the fourth day of the hunt I could tell I was not getting replenished enough during the day and started eating more olive oil at night. I carried it in there why have any left on the flight out?

As Travis1984 says, its the first week or two where you go nuts. It takes at least 30 days, and in some cases longer, to get your body to start pulling fat for fuel and stop looking for carbs. Then will come a day a few months in when you don't feel like eating because you are not doing much physically. Time to start intermittent fasting to speed up fat loss/use.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Great thread Aron! As you know I need to cut some weight My Moose hunt proved that to me in many ways. It's time to change my ways...

 

[Bearhunter]

Aron, you looked a lot like Joe D Cima back in the day!

 

[HellsCanyon]

Aron, you looked a lot like Joe D Cima back in the day!

I'm not sure I should laugh at this but I did... Ha

Aron good job on the lifestyle change I doubt it was easy! What kind of shape were u in while in the army compared to now?

Mike

 

[Bearhunter]

Michael I was referring to his facial features, Joe is a great guy! So don't LOL

 

[shaun]

It is crazy how life can bitch slap you with reality. I was also a fat boy.

 

[Aron Snyder]

Very good shape.

I was in a combat MOS/Rapid deployment unit.

I'm not sure I should laugh at this but I did... Ha

Aron good job on the lifestyle change I doubt it was easy! What kind of shape were u in while in the army compared to now?

Mike

 

[HellsCanyon]

Michael I was referring to his facial features, Joe is a great guy! So don't LOL

Never met him but I do follow some of his stuff... seems like a good guy!

Mike

 

[HellsCanyon]

Very good shape.

I was in a combat MOS/Rapid deployment unit.

How do you compare right now to what you were in the Army? Different type of physical condition? Heavier Weight? Leaner? Just curiosity is all...

Mike

 

[Aron Snyder]

I have a lot more muscle now and if my new self (present time), fought my old self (1994-2001), my present self would kick the shit out of my old self in every way.

 

[Bearhunter]

Dont be so Hard on yourself's my friends.... Round is a Shape as well which makes me a Prime Specimen!

 

[Clarktar]

How are people removing or cutting down on carbs in their diets? It seems like carbs are everywhere!

 

[ScottR_EHJ]

Carbs in things like fruit, aren't bad. 5 to 7 servings of fruit and veggies per day is a good start.

 

[Shrek]

Just have to pay attention. Oder two servings of green veggies when you go out and skip the potatoes and pasta. Nobody has a gun to your head making you eat the basket of rolls or bread they bring. Basically skip fast food joints altogether. At the grocery store don't buy the processed foods and breads and even put them in the house. I don't even go down the bread isle anymore because there is nothing there for me. I doesn't take a lot of work to eat this way really. Meals are simple. Steamed frozen veggies with a grilled piece of meat and a pre prepared leafy green salad with olive oil. Boom , I'm done in 10 min.

 

[Shrek]

And just so you don't think I'm being flippant , I'm struggling to get myself back under control after my hunt. I totally let myself go . I ate diner food with french fries , mountain house with pasta , candy bars , ect. Now the cravings and hunger are back and I have to beat them into submission again. At least I have done it before so I know how it works this time. I've let it slide until after Thanksgiving but it's time to get serious again. Salt is so hard to go without , thats the hardest to me. It just takes time for food to taste good without it.

 

[7mag.]

I replaced salt with pepper mostly. Sometimes garlic pepper.
The main problem I have is finding something to replace a sandwich for lunch. I work in the woods, and have to pack a cold lunch every day. I have been making a sandwich rolled in a tortilla. The taste is good, but not nearly as filling. I end up still hungry after I eat my lunch. I try to eat a smaller dinner, but I am still hungry from lunch, so it is a struggle.

 

[Ross]

Interesting thread this is. Weight management is a difficult chore for most and the only one we can blame or who can take credit is the one in the mirror. I was a fat kid growing up and my nickname was "blueberry pie boy"! I despised it and still recall how it made me feel. My daily routine is to weigh myself and I follow the Stid plan. Before I eat something or consume a large portion of something I think as well how long will this take to burn off. Growing up with an army ranger father routines were instilled early on that I try to practice and follow with my diet, weighing in and workout routines. It is not easy for any of us, just easier for some than others. Good luck to all in achieving your results and nice work Aron in accomplishing what you have.j

 

[Shrek]

I replaced salt with pepper mostly. Sometimes garlic pepper.
The main problem I have is finding something to replace a sandwich for lunch. I work in the woods, and have to pack a cold lunch every day. I have been making a sandwich rolled in a tortilla. The taste is good, but not nearly as filling. I end up still hungry after I eat my lunch. I try to eat a smaller dinner, but I am still hungry from lunch, so it is a struggle.

I freak people out with the amount of pepper and garlic I put on my food . I don't even bother shaking the pepper when I go out , I just take the top off and dump. Same with garlic. I bring along a bottle of granulated garlic often when I go out. I'm using a tortilla often also but it's just unleavened bread and I need to find a substitute for it. I use it to make a giant breakfast burrito so I can eat on the run.
A suggestion for the sandwich is to use a big romaine lettuce leaf to substitute for bread and pile on the meats and veggies. A bottle of EVO to soak the sandwich with to add fats to make it stick better. Not a perfect solution but it's a start.