I had all but given up on actually gaining any real weight. My wife took me into the clinic one day and had my cholesterol tested. And while I was sitting at 130 lbs, almost looking like a Holocaust survivor, my cholesterol was in the “Dangerously High” category. I changed my eating habits, eating more healthy, eating at home (and not from a hamburger helper box). I switched to chicken and salads in total fear that I was going to vaporize into the ether. I stopped stepping on the scale because I didn’t want to see me getting lighter and lighter.

A year passed. I moved, and when I weighed in for my new driver’s license… I was at 150! I couldn’t believe it! Here I was eating healthy and GAINING weight! But then my wife left me, and I dropped 30 lbs like it was last week’s Wal-Mart fashion… I couldn’t eat or sleep. (My friends call it the “Stress Diet”, really it is a dangerous crash that will land you in the hospital!)

Today I am divorced, and dealing daily with the problems of forcing myself to eat. I just found out I need 4,000 calories a day, (balanced properly of course, not all from soda or anything like that…) to get back to the right weight for me, which is 170. (Of course, I also have a very labor intensive job in the construction industry, so you desk-job types who may have problems similar to mine, adjust your intake accordingly.) I am 30lbs light right now. But I am resolved to doing it right, and I really appreciate sites like this.

Onoe thing is for sure, if you want to be the right weight, just eat right and exercise. (FYI, I live a kosher diet as a religious choice…) It takes will power and a lifestyle change for sure. Surgery in EXTREME cases. But we all can be healthy… if we choose to be.

I don’t know if you are familiar with Marks’ site.. I’m just reading through his posts now, but his perspective is basically paleolithic in nature. So… no grains, higher in fat and protein.

So your sample day doesn’t really jive with his message and perspective on what constitutes a healthy diet from the actual foods perspective. So, the toast, Just letting you know, not sure if you were aware.

But yeah, 4 meals x 400 calories is only 1600, which wouldn’t even be enough for me.

B:

2 eggs, scrambled
Ezekiel toast w/tbspn butter
Orange

L:
1/2 cup brown rice
Can of tuna
Tomato sauce
Two cups of salad veggies with small amt of vinaigrette

Snack:
String cheese
apple

D:
Chicken breast, grilled
small potato, tbspn butter
half a head of broccoli, steamed

Snack:

100 calorie bag of popcorn

It seems irresponsible to suggest that a 1600-calorie diet would be too much.

If I ate less than 400 calories a meal, I’d be getting less than 1000 calories/day, which is not enough.

Tools like this visual explanation of calories per day and the calorie calculator are so important to understand so that we can take control of our health.

I really appreciate information and support of healthy diets rather than criticism of a person who is “too fat” or “to skinny.” Neither is productive. We can not compare ourselves to others or pass judgment so easily. Obviously the portions at restaurants and even the sizes of clothing available are not a good indicator of where we should set our goals.

For me, choosing to eat foods that make me look and feel good has often alienated me from friends and family and made restaurant dining much less enjoyable. Food will always be a tough issue until we are all doing the math.

@ no more inertia- you are inspiring! I wish you all the love and support that you need to accomplish your goals. It is not easy, but you can do it.

305 lbs

*hang my head*

I found Mr. Sisson’s website by accident,….simply searching,
“What DO 4000 calories look like?”

Why?

In an attempt to become more accountable for my actions,…my jouney began at CalorieCountersplus.com. There I saw the science for the first time;
Take your body weight, divide it by 2.2, which will equal your weight in kilograms….then..x 30 will give you the results of how many calories you are consuming to maintain that amount of weight.

Results?
In order to maintain my weight at the time, I would have to be consuming 4,240 calories on a regular basis.

*stunned silence, followed by denial*

With a raised eyebrow, I decided to use their calorie calculator.
Total calories?
4,100 and change.
It…..was…..true.
900 of those calories were from wine. (Envisioning myself as some sort of sophisticate…..I would have a evening nosh of wine, fine cheese, imported crackers…After all it wasn’t a bag of Cheetos. Alas, no amount of mental SPIN can conceal “over-comsumption”.)

Normally, as a very overweight person, I would do anything(!) to escape exposing myself to this sort of public criticism….. Most overweight people want to scream the comforting words, “YOU PEOPLE JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND!!!” This time, after reading your posts I felt the need to confirm the facts with a true confession.

Please do not feel the need to post anything letting me know how horrified you are at my lack of personal control. I look at myself everyday. Your verbal disgust could not hold a candle to looking in the mirror. I, myself, once was a thin, attractive, overly-opinionated person about the subject of weight…… I cringe at remembering my over-simplification of the subject. Trust me, save yourself the embarrassment.

In order to be the weight I desire, I will have to consume 1800 calories a day, and learn to control my insulin levels by food choices. Balanced exercise routine. Build muscle.
Period.
If I do not, I will either maintain this weight, destroying my knees, feet and back,
or,
I will die, most likely in the next ten years.

Mr. Sisson, I want to say,”Thank you!” for exposing the facts. There are those of us out here who are

LITERALLY dying

to be told the TRUTH.