"Normal People" post here

The intent of this section is for those clients/friends who aren't bodybuilders, but want to reach their leanest, healthiest, highest level of functioning possible. I know Judy has lost almost 40 lbs in the last 3 months, Cindy is doing awesome over there on the other side of the Mississippi, John had a great year in NY and has become his own best nutritionist. Sally lost 75 lbs and referred several family members (along with hubby Paul who lost 50 lbs). Patrice inspires me every day with amazing determination and results - I hope you share your wit and enthusiasm with everyone. The bodybuilding training and nutrition sections will likely entertain you and you'll actually find some of it helpful, but this category is for you. Don't let all the grunting, ranting, burping, and scratching in those sections keep you away : ) Welcome!

Great idea to have an area like this. I was thinking it may be beneficial to start 3 different threads here; one for protein, one for carbs and one for fats. There is sure to be a lot of discussion about those and it would be good to have it all contained in certain threads, making it easier to search out valuable info.

I'm chasing you around the form, Sean - every time you post I'm right behind you. Do you know I've never posted on a chat room/forum? I've only even been "in one" a couple of times as people sent me links. Now that I have one of my one, I can really see how it's going to be an incredible help to my clients. Speaking of protein/carbs/fat - I just did the final fine-tooth-comb editing of my final manuscript of my next book. Dr. Scott Uloth, MD has coauthored a book with me, two+ years in the making and it's awesome. We really have a polished work that will be ready in January. It is very mainstream, general population-oriented, huge recipe section, great new info....and in January, after compiling data for a loooooong time, I begin working on my contest dieting/peaking book. That will be monumental!

so you're stalking me huh? Well, I always wanted a stalker, although I picture more of a Jessica Biel type. ;) Can't wait to see the new books, specifically the contest diet/peaking version. Oh, and let me warn you about message boards. Its very easy to spend entirely too much time hanging around on the boards. I'm guilty of that for sure...but then again, where else are we supposed to talk shop? There seem to be only a few of us "crazy" people in every town. LOL.

This will be an interesting area! I have battled weight my entire life, and have only some simple insights, though everything i know and understand about nutrition is because of Joe. But we all know Knowledge is not the same as applying what you know and putting it too action! Joe thanks for all your help in getting the near 100lbs i no longer have too live under gone forever.

congrats on dumping 100 pounds...thats amazing weight loss. I am a trainer here in Des Moines and have helped people lose a lot of weight, but I have never had anybody dump triple digits!! Very well done. I have several clients in the 50-60 pound range and that is amazing by itself, but you've doubled that! Sean

A few months after I turned 53, I got really tired of the fact that too many of my clothes were fitting tightly, even though I had been jogging, riding my bike, and “watching” what I ate. The weight on my 5’6” frame just seemed to stay around 165 no matter what I did. This was 20 pounds more that I weighed just ten years earlier. (I had lost 5 lbs on the “Body for Life” plan when I was 50, but like almost everyone else I know who tried it, I had gained it all back.) One day I “happened” to catch Dr. Joe on a local TV show. Having recognized him from church, I called him and set up an hour consultation. Joe’s approach to nutrition and good body stewardship has since affected my life very dramatically. In fact, the change has been so dynamic in me, it is a physical equivalent to the spiritual rebirth the Bible speaks of. Dr. Joe simply gave me an eating plan to make my body start burning stored fat. Within 25 days, I lost 10 lbs. of it, and in less than five months I was down to 135. My weight has remained between 131 and 135 for three years – along with the 30” waist I had in high school! My energy and stamina multiplied. I just feel like a new and different person. Medically speaking, my trigycerides have dropped from 249 to 83, my HDL (“good” cholesterol) rose from 46 to 73, and my LDL (“bad” cholesterol) dropped from 122 to 98. On the Metabolic Transformation plan…  I did not get the “munchies.” I just got hungry for a meal of real food.  I didn’t feel like I was sacrificing anything, food-wise.  I didn’t eat any “weird” food like rice cakes or celery bread or grapefruit rind.  I was not hungry for the cookies, cake, pie, etc. that had been one of my “basic food groups” all my life. It did not bother me to pass by the many sweets that I frequently encounter during the course of a day.  I don’t have any plan or desire to go back to my old eating habits. I love/enjoy what I am eating now, and could eat this way for the rest of my life. Part of Joe’s strategy is strengthening the body through weight training. This has been extremely invigorating. With the newfound energy that intelligent eating gives me, I am able to do a vigorous workout three times a week, and so at 56 am in the best shape of my life! In 2004 I set personal lifetime speed records for running the 5K, and was also able to climb 5,235 feet to the ridge crest of Mt. Whitney (13,600 ft) and back in one day. I have come to realize that an hour of vigorous exercise is NOT a waste of time “when you should be doing something more important.” It is tuning up your body so you can accomplish in a more efficient way what God needs you to. The hour I spend lifting weights or running I get back in the one less hour of sleep I need, a more alert mind and relaxed body. I know that there are many weight-loss theories and programs; however, I can’t help but thinking there is something very unique and permanent about Metabolic Transformation. And you won’t find anyone with a keener mind who is more concerned about your total well being than Dr. Joe. The surge in my self-confidence that he gave me has resulted in more positive effects too numerous to mention. Thanks a million, Joe!

Steve-buddy, nice of you to drop in!  After all the abuse you get from me and yet so say such nice things about me - trying to kill me with kindness, eh?  You need to brag a little more here - tell everyone how much of a stud you are in the gym now and how you run circles around me on the road.  And, we need to get a good picture of you posted here - I'll bring my camera to the gym Monday.  Deal?

Hi, Mary!!  Thanks for the post and the comments.  I'm bummed that you had to miss those lectures - this 4-week series, I think, is the best thing I've ever done.  It's made me dig deep and present some really practical ongoing information.  I'm not sure what the seating capacity is but someone estimated we've had about 300 people both weeks so far and about 3/4 of them are tracking food, making progress, and really doing great at creating their programs along the way with me.  This weekend, Dr. Uloth takes over on some medical/health/spiritual aspects of dieting, and then I wrap it up the following weekend.  If you can make the next two, it would still be well worth it.  The websites I know of are www.nutritiondata.com, www.calorieking.com, and www.fitday.com. There may be others that are even better, but I commonly recommend these.

I got tired of being normal...this is what normal got me- Then I got sick of it and started my journey.I have a mess to learn about all this...like holding a bit of size everytime I cut;)

During my transformation I would always read Joe's articles in Natural Physique, he really kept me motivated with his insight-even for the average guy. Someday I will have to get the books and maybe even get some coaching from the man himself! 

 

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Hi everybody.  I've been reading the posts on the forum for a while but decided today maybe I should post.  I'm a 26 year old mom of one little boy who just turned 18 months.  I've been heavy my entire life so I have no idea what it's like to look in the mirror and like what you see.  I've tried LOTS of different "diets" with no success--due mainly to my lack of ability to stick with things.  Can you offer up some advice as to how to stay motivated?  I've even hired a trainer and started slacking off on that too!  What do other "norma" people do to stay motivated long-term?  I've lost 20-30 pounds a couple of times in the past just to give up and gain it all back (plus more).