Results of a healthy diet experiment and cost

Interesting read.

As of next wednesday, I'll be doing a one month cut. Eating super healthy (to the point of timing my starchy carb consumption), no booze, and hitting the weights extra hard. I'll try and take before and after pics, and let you guys know how it goes.

I'm currently 6'1" 202 lbs, ~10% bf trying to get down to the low 190's and keep most of my muscle mass.

Oh and for the record, I do like getting some of the more expensive food, but can't afford to do it all the time.

And tenderloin is awesome, esp if you get it whole and do it as a roast vs as a steak. But again that's far too expensive for me to do that often.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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Or it could be that the world isn't 100% black and white like Slick Rikk would have you believe.

Haha, the world aint 100% black and white! Alcohol is just about like everything else; it's ok in moderation. Have a couple drinks on the weekend if you want to, just don't booze it up and expect your body to reward you. For someone who is serious about keeping a diet and eating clean it's a no -brainer to scale back on the alcohol.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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Or it could be that the world isn't 100% black and white like Slick Rikk would have you believe.

Phew! I get to have my cake and eat it too?

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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Dude just has to stop responding to everyone who talks **** on the internet. That's how you get 18,000 posts in under 3 years, and nobody wants to be that ******* loser.

I like to argue, what can I say? In a boring phase of work, need to pass the time.

Originally Posted by Rikkar501

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Haha, the world aint 100% black and white! Alcohol is just about like everything else; it's ok in moderation. Have a couple drinks on the weekend if you want to, just don't booze it up and expect your body to reward you. For someone who is serious about keeping a diet and eating clean it's a no -brainer to scale back on the alcohol.
Ahhh gotcha. I thought you were meaning that if someone is trying to live healthy and lose weight they need to cut alcohol out 100%. I'm sure that would speed along the weight loss faster, but in my mind it's negligible to substitute a couple of beers a week in order to hang out, even if it means I'm only at a 300 daily deficit instead of 500.

Originally Posted by DNW

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Phew! I get to have my cake and eat it too?
No cake dummy. Unless it's rum cake.

Originally Posted by username79

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I like to argue, what can I say? In a boring phase of work, need to pass the time.

At least you have the work to take you away from the internet. More than I can say.

Originally Posted by Rikkar501

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Haha, the world aint 100% black and white! Alcohol is just about like everything else; it's ok in moderation. Have a couple drinks on the weekend if you want to, just don't booze it up and expect your body to reward you. For someone who is serious about keeping a diet and eating clean it's a no -brainer to scale back on the alcohol.

While you can probably drink as much you want under calorie deficit, I do find excessive drinking at odds with a healthy lifestyle. I used to go out and drink 5 nights a week, now I'm down to one and feel much 'clearer' throughout the day.

Originally Posted by username79

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While you can probably drink as much you want under calorie deficit, I do find excessive drinking at odds with a healthy lifestyle. I used to go out and drink 5 nights a week, now I'm down to one and feel much 'clearer' throughout the day.

On the contrary, alcohol affects the fat-burning process as detoxication gets priority over fat-burning. Hence, all else being equal, if you're looking to lose weight, minimize your alcohol consumption.

The only point you make is you're a pompous self righteous asshole who thinks their **** doesn't stink.

Here's a list of meats in my freezer.

Wild Quail
Wild Turkey
Wild Pheasant
Wild Trout
Wild Salmon
Wild Crappie
Wild Catfish
Wild Sunfish
Wild Venison
Domestically raised Black Angus beef pasture fed and processed per my instructions.

You don't eat better than I do slick.

I will give you the courtesy and say at least you are on the right track food wise. Other than that you don't have a clue about eating to cut weight or how to maintain/build muscle mass. You think your healthy diet is doing you good but based on your stats, level of activity and your goals you've completely missed the boat and it shows. BTW how many grams a day of protein are you eating? Do you even know? What do you need to accomplish your 5x5 lifting goals? How about trace elements and vitamins? Getting enough?

Yeah I might live in the country but that doesn't mean I'm a dumb ******* hick like you think I am.

Originally Posted by username79

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Really?

As I've said numerous times, I am VERY aware I could have achieved some of the same results (e.g. weight loss, etc.) for the same cost. I could eat a 500 calories deficit on $2-3 dollars a day. Yes, but how many times do I have to say this: that was not the ******* point!. You cannot eat the same foods that I do for "significantly less cost" because you fail to factor in anything but the end cost of the product.

You said that you kill and or grow all your own food. Good for you. This is not practical where I live. Where you live, the nearest and most significant attraction for miles is the interstate. There are other things to do here, and the opportunity cost of not participating in them is far greater than missing an evening of moose watching and western grip handjobs. Then you suggested that people should grow their own tomatoes on a window sill, etc. Yes, I can spend $30 (or more) on soil, water, seeds, fertilizer, insecticide, a planter, etc. and have a yield of ten tomatoes in a several months and hope they taste good. Or, I can go to the market and spend less on the same amount of tomatoes in five minutes. You cannot compete with economies of scale of a supermarket when you factor in time, convenience, and distance traveled. It is enormously reductive to simply compare one factor (oh, they're now "free" six months later because I planted them). Therefore for many of the things I eat I am coincidentally paying the lowest cost based on my location and effort.

Do you have access locally to the following foods that I've eaten in the last week, for significantly less prices then I paid?

Wild Alaskan Salmon
Halibut (fresh caught, never frozen)
Rockfish (fresh caught, never frozen)
Chilean Sea Bass (from a sustainable Georgian fishery)
USDA graded prime filets
Fresh Lobster from Maine off the boat the same day
Certified organic milk
A lobe of Foie Gras from Hudson Valley
A flat of strawberries
Fresh tropical fruit (Kiwis, Mangos, Pineapples, Papayas, Bananas)

I very much doubt it.

You have no point. I could drive into the country, shoot a deer (I'd have to borrow a gun or maybe pick up of those axes in Tribeca and attempt to throw it at the deer), somehow put it in the partially functional back seat of my coupe, attempt to cut it up and eat. But I don't want to. I have no interest in doing so. I own none of the equipment to do so and the cost of purchasing said equipment would quickly eliminate any value proposition. I certainly respect that you a) own the equipment to do so b) have the interest in doing so c) have the skills to do so d) have the time to do so. A, B, C, D aggregate to make genuine cost, which for me, would be far more expensive than what I am spending now.

Finally, there is the element of social responsibility. I actively seek to support venues which place an emphasis on fair employee compensation, proper benefits, community involvement and outreach, etc. I have no problem paying more for an identical product sold in a place that treats its employees fairly. I know that for fruit, I pay approximately 25% more than I would down the street at the store where employees are paid approximately half and are not eligible for benefits. Not sure how many times I can say it: cost was NOT the point.

Originally Posted by Crane's

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I will give you the courtesy and say at least you are on the right track food wise. Other than that you don't have a clue about eating to cut weight or how to maintain/build muscle mass. You think your healthy diet is doing you good but based on your stats, level of activity and your goals you've completely missed the boat and it shows. BTW how many grams a day of protein are you eating? Do you even know? What do you need to accomplish your 5x5 lifting goals? How about trace elements and vitamins? Getting enough?
Note that I never said I eat better than you. My point was that you are incorrect that you can eat the same foods for cheaper since you were only calculating the end cost per food and not the costs associated with hunting, fishing, transporting, and storing when applied to my application. Therefore your assumption that you pointed something out to me that I was not aware of was completely false. No need to get all riled up because you made a thoroughly ill thought out argument. As for your other questions: yesterday I consumed an estimated 187g of protein. Yes. I am eating to accomplish goals. I have a spreadsheet of vitamins and other nutrients per foods consumed (remember one point of this exercise was to obtain all necessary nutrients/vitamins at or exceeding recommended daily values through whole foods without the use of supplementation or multivitamins). Yes. Note that goals vary from person to person and mine may not be the same as yours or even what you think mine should be. The first person to come across as a self righteous pompous asshole was you. You basically called me stupid while forgetting significant factors that differ between our situations, environments, and individual goals.

Originally Posted by Rikkar501

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Trying to be healthy and follow a diet while continuing to drink is counterproductive. Not only is alcohol loaded with calories (a single shot of liqueur can contain anywhere from 115-200 calories) it also lowers testosterone and dramatically slows your bodies ability to burn fat.

I'll be ok.

Great job, amigo. Very inspirational. What about booze? Wine? Did you drink during this time?

username, what did you use to track vitamins etc?

i did a similar experiment last year and my goals were 2000cal / day, 200g of protein per day and to hit all the vitamin and mineral targets as defined by fitday every day.

the only way i found it possible was to eat loads of vegetables (more than i have ever eaten in my life, im talking 500g of brocolli, quarter of a cabbage etc) and lean meats.

it was eye opening to how 'empty' rice, pasta, bread etc are in terms of nutrients and how they have no place in a healthy diet - shame they taste so good.

Originally Posted by Crane's

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The only point you make is you're a pompous self righteous asshole who thinks their **** doesn't stink. Here's a list of meats in my freezer. Wild Quail Wild Turkey Wild Pheasant Wild Trout Wild Salmon Wild Crappie Wild Catfish Wild Sunfish Wild Venison Domestically raised Black Angus beef pasture fed and processed per my instructions. You don't eat better than I do slick. I will give you the courtesy and say at least you are on the right track food wise. Other than that you don't have a clue about eating to cut weight or how to maintain/build muscle mass. You think your healthy diet is doing you good but based on your stats, level of activity and your goals you've completely missed the boat and it shows. BTW how many grams a day of protein are you eating? Do you even know? What do you need to accomplish your 5x5 lifting goals? How about trace elements and vitamins? Getting enough? Yeah I might live in the country but that doesn't mean I'm a dumb ******* hick like you think I am.
Remember who start criticizing who first. The guy simply posted about something that he enjoys and for some reason you feel the need to take the time to criticize him. The more you post the more you come across as a "dumb ******* hick" and a "self righteous asshole".

This thread never fails to stop giving. Love it.

Originally Posted by nioh

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On the contrary, alcohol affects the fat-burning process as detoxication gets priority over fat-burning. Hence, all else being equal, if you're looking to lose weight, minimize your alcohol consumption.

Let's think about this.

Eat a few strips of bacon: 300 calories
Have two beers: 300 calories

Now, which one causes more energy to enter the body?