The BLF Get-in-Shape Thread: (formerly, "A Newer, Thinner Rusty" Thread)....

Thanks for asking. Things are going well. Glad to hear you are still in control and seeing good results.

I have really taken off. I now have a website that all should visit if interested. It's more of a landing page on the subject of OMAD, but it serves its purpose and is simply about making the healthy one-meal-a-day switch than it is to promote me (which has never been a priority, mind you). I am now contacted many times a day from people who were just as bad off or worse than I was. Apparently, the universe has plans for me to bring some kind of deliverance! lol The site is omad.info.

I have really taken to strength training, but I have decided to make it a priority to remain as unobtrusive in size as possible. I continue to gain strength and muscular endurance. My real passion is running/sprinting, although I don't get to dedicate as much time to it as I'd like (due to career struggles). I still have to watch the bum left foot and nurse the occasional injury (had two emergency tooth extractions a month and a half ago, which left me recovering), but such is life. I am just now healed of a shin splint in the left leg, but beyond that, I am whipping 20-somethings when I need to.

At 41, I stay rather well and injury-free more so than I anticipated. It's crazy what your body can do when you count on it and push it to be there for you.

OMAD: interesting. For a long time, I only ate one meal per day, but not for any weight-loss goals. I don't have appetite first thing in the morning, so I would just start work. Once started, I would usually go through the day without a lunch, and just have a larger supper. More recently, I've started drinking a high-protein/low-carb shake around noon, as it really does help me stay more energized for the rest of the afternoon/evening. It also seems to help with reducing the amount I eat for the evening meal, as I'm not absolutely starved at the end of the day.

I'm starting to cut back for the time being, as I never recovered from the Thanksgiving/Christmas/Easter (and several subsequent birthdays) eating. Unfortunately, I'm a sugar junkie. I prefer sugar-free beverages, but love cake/snacks/ice cream/candy. My wife bakes cakes for people, and I get the trimmings. I'm not overweight, but am the heaviest I've ever been, and need to get on top of this to get back to my normal weight before it gets out of control. I had gotten back into the habit of eating a dessert several times a week; cutting this back should help, but it's a hard habit to break.

These are one of my weaknesses; they only come in these convenient single-serve packs, and as long as I can keep them out of my office, I do better:

(Actually, I think Wal-Mart has discontinued the Double-Filled vanilla variety which were my favorite by far.)

I had bariatric surgery jan 22 and lost 62 lbs since and 5 prescriptions

I am so glad that worked out for you--and congrats!

Congratulations and I applaud all of you!

I’m 67 years old and about 5 years ago I was 255 lbs. and had a 44” waist. I was diabetic and couldn’t walk around the block without resting several times and being completely out of breath.

When I would look in the mirror I was horrified with what I saw! My belly was so huge it looked like I was 9 months pregnant. Just trying to tie my shoes I had to rest 3-4 times to catch my breath. I started refusing to look in the mirror or at my reflection in a storefront window as it made me sick to see my huge belly.

I had resigned in my mind that I was in my 60’s and being fat was just the way it was going to be for the rest of my life and just deal with it.

I went on a 3 day motorcycle trip with my best friend who I had been riding with for 40 years. While we were riding one day, he had his digital camera out and snapped several pictures of me.

When we got back to our motel, he downloaded the pictures of me on my bike into his laptop. I was horrified with what I saw! It looked like my stomach was covering the complete gas tank! I immediately told him to delete the pictures.

Shortly after that trip, I was getting dressed one morning and all I had was was a pair of 44” waist jeans. I couldn’t get them buttoned and laid down on my back on the bed and with all my strength after struggling several minutes, I finally got them buttoned. That was the straw that finally broke the camel’s back!

I went into the living room and asked my wife if she would go on a diet with me. She immediately said she had been waiting to hear me say that for years. She asked me what diet and I said let’s try the Atkins or low carb diet.

Wow, what a struggle it was. After 3 months I hadn’t lost a pound and my wife was down 10 pounds. I told her that I would give it one more month and if I didn’t lose any weight, I was quitting.

This went on for 3 more months saying I was quitting every month until finally at 6 months I lost 5 lbs. My wife was down 15. I started losing 5 lbs. a month until around the 9th month the weight just started melting away like magic. I had to buy size 38 jeans. The next month 36 until I finally was wearing 32” waist jeans! In all, it took a little over 9 months.

My diabetes went completely away and I had plenty of breath. I could now walk a couple of miles without being out of breath. I was so dedicated and excited, I got all the way down to 150 lbs. and could wear 30” jeans.

However, my wife and everyone else said I looked too skinny and asked me to rein it back. Every time someone said I looked way too thin, I was ecstatic! :slight_smile:

I finally did settle on 170 lbs. and a 32” waist and have stayed there for over 4 years now. I don’t miss sweets anymore and if I do eat something even remotely sweet, it tastes too sweet.

Now, even though I walk occasionally, I did this by diet alone without exercise or going to the gym or anything else. We did the diet ourselves without paying anyone a penny. I don’t recommend my way to anyone as we’re all different but it sure worked for me.

At 67 years old, I now feel strong and my endurance has shot through the roof and I’m so proud when I look in the mirror now and see a flat stomach not to mention I haven’t worn 32” waist pants since my early 20’s.

I apologize for my long diatribe and again I’m not recommending the way I lost weight to anyone. I’m relating my story just to show how important it was for me to lose weight like others have found like Rusty who started this thread. It is one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself and I thank God for giving me the strength to do it.

What matters it that you took control, just like I did, and that's great. Ultimately, taking control is what it is all about. Self-mastery is the real secret behind just about all success!

Thanks for the updates. I’ve been watching this thread with great interest. Best of luck to you brave people.

I went off 5 prescriptions since and my joints hurt less and I use about 2/3 insulin on my pump you did it natraul which is. much much harder congrats to you as well sir,the only problem none of my clothes fit me anymore lol let me see at my work I was 282 and 5’8” now 215

Glad to see things are progressing well for you guys! 62lb in just 6 months is pretty crazy, and it's always nice to be able to ease off meds.

OMAD is definitely not the only option but it's a good one for lots of people simply because it's easy to follow. Personally I tend to limit myself to a very small breakfast (veggie powder, protein powder, two fish oil tablets, multivitamin) and sometimes a yogurt or pudding in the morning, and then a big dinner.

My goal is to hit ~120lb lost by end of summer, and to be able to run a 5k. Went for a very casual park hike yesterday, as it turned out the hike was 18 miles when I traced my route later at night. My legs are kind of sore, but nothing terrible. Don't think I would have been able to come close to doing that a year ago.

So glad to hear that a number of you are seeing improvements. Quality of life means everything, but it's sometimes hard to face that once you get in a place in life where you lose that optimum health, it is (to some degree at least) impossible to get it back.

Spending time around these young hiring managers has shown me that my weathered, saggy skin can still be seen, which translates to not aging well. These younger generations see it (it is TOUGH to get a job after 40!). Like myth presents Jacob who wrestled with the angel and won, but was given a limp that followed him for the rest of his days, being super-heavy leaves behind traces of its own. It has been hard for me to accept that.

I may be able to whip the crap out of most of these youngins' - or outlast them in a race, whichever I need to do - but the changes that are left behind after a sizable weight loss are there to stay. lol

The moral of this post is: DON'T LET YOURSELF GO TOO BADLY!

That part I'm actually dreading - the loose skin. Already I'm seeing some, and I know that when I get down to my goal weigh (185lb hopefully by my birthday in november) I'll have a lot more of it. Might have to get surgery, but I'm nowhere near there yet.

My story just made it on Real Bodies Real Results.

Congratulations Rusty, I hope you keep at it and don’t let complacency creep in over time. People who lose a good deal of weight often relax the fight once they don’t have that reward of watching the weight come off and sink back in to old habits. They not only regain the weight they lost, they gain even more.
People who are young or who have never been on a diet before often find it’s easy to shed pounds. As our bodies age, and especially for those of us who’ve battled the fat monster for years, we have a much harder time. Dieting and aging both metabolically change your body and it becomes harder to convince your body to burn those fat reserves it has built up.
Keep up the good work buddy!

I wanted to be the first to congratulate you ,great job could you post a link going to it please?

Good to hear your “effort” is recognized. Congratulations. :beer:

Big time props for this statement:

"Life is a cycle, a cycle of empty and full, happy and sad, building and tearing down, etc. Make peace with the cycle and you will have peace within yourself, which means peace with what and how you eat. This will give you a new body, and in a way, a new mind."

That, I'm sure, is what I needed to get back on track with OMAD full time.

That's fantastic congratulations! Didn't realize it before, but we actually used to wear the same size pants :D

Congratulations Rusty
and thanks for sharing with us, you are an inspiration.

Great job Rusty Joe.

Finally hit my original goal of 220lb on friday. Decided to celebrate by simulating the bike and run portion of a triathlon at the gym saturday.

Did 56 miles by standing bike, and 13.3 by foot, in about 6 - 6.5 hours. Not a great time apparently, especially without the swim part, but I don't think I would have been able to do even a third of it a year ago.