Thanks Brian.... I will remember that when it comes time to get off these bars... :-)
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So I don't know how much I trust my scale... From my first post it has been 7 days... Scale says I have lost 8.1 lbs... Now at 316.4... I don't know is losing slightly more then a pound a day reasonable/healthy? Or do you think my scale might be a little funky...?

I have been more or less militant eating a lot of replacement bars with only 1 cheat all week... I definitely have made sure my caloric intake has stayed below 1400 daily - that 1 2000 calorie day...

Thoughts?
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Not sure Rob. The more you weigh, the easier it is for you to lose weigh before you plateau. Rob, I just recently starting using the myfitnesspal app and website to help count calories. You should check it out. You can set your goals and how many lbs a week you want to lose and it'll tell you how many calories to eat and helps track them.
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Scales are accurate, but water weight value can swing your weight a few % either depending on intake and retention.

I'd be careful with those bars as they need a lot of water to balance them out. Make sure you are hitting over a half gallon + of water a day. Use one jug vs. multiple refills of something smaller.
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so if you take the 6.5 and add the 8.1 that is 14.6 lbs lost so far from the OP...

How much of this do you think is water? how much do you think is fat?

How much water weight does the average person carry anyway?
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your best bet is to weigh yourself the same time of day each time you weigh to help make it more consistent with water weight fluctuations
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Hmm... weird... only 24 hours later and the scale says 312.4... twice... :-)

2lbs in 24 hours? what? maybe this is water weight?
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Cheap scale?
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40 dollars... at wall-dubs...

I placed 2 20 lb hand weights on it... one on each foot pad... it reads 40lbs...? :-)
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It can't be possible... but everything seems to be correct... the scale zeros on 40lbs of test weight exactly...

a pound is theoretically 3500 calories... I know I didn't burn 7000 calories yesterday... some of this has to be water weight...
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I've been on this diet for 18 days now... how much f-ing water can I be holding?
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30 lbs+ of water retention is my guess, maybe even more. Lowering sodium helps. I would not recommend any diuretics as that can raise blood pressure and I bet your blood pressure is already a concern.

Have you done complete blood work with your primary? You could be showing some diabetic tendencies which retain water. I would not go on any drastic diets until you have a complete picture of your blood and health. Supplements bars should be used more as a snack than meal replacement. Taking psyllium husks with water 2-3 times a day will help both bigtime.

Have you done the calipers to measure body fat?
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well I am un-insured currently... so no primary to see unfortunately...

when I was younger I was covered... my blood looked good... pressure was up of course...

I have tried the husks before... didn't really do a lot for me, but then again it could just be because I am taking it so much more seriously now...

It worries me you mention diabetes... my mother developed adult onset diabetes at 45ish... she has got it under control and it didn't really affect her too bad I think other then her energy levels and she would take a lot of naps after eating carbs...

No calipers in my possession... I admit I am not too much a fan of them... I remember being a fat chubby kid and a gym teacher pinching the ever living sh!t out of my side... maybe if I did it myself my fear would wane... IDK if walmart carries them, more or less walmart is my only retail outlet in town... so if its unlikely to be found there its unlikely I have it... I'll look into acquiring a pair online...
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rob this makes me so happy to see! and im proud of you!..

btw, for real.. shoot me your phone number or email.. having a "buddy" to confide in with this stuff pays dividends.. it'd be my pleasure to help a fellow brother
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Ok, make the husks mandatory for one month, twice a day with a 12 oz water after a glass of water with the husks. The fiber will do a lot and take 30 minutes before meals.

Read up on low glycemic foods (and low sodium) and stick with them. Limit alcohol to 0-3 normal drinks a week (I know sucks), but the right diet and plenty of water will allow you to get the gym and not go through energy swings. Water and right food are critical.

Find a place to get your blood pressure taken. It sounds like you are big guy, so make sure they have the right cuff for your arm or the numbers will be off (and higher). Keep a journal, include time, pulse, mood, and when last exercised after blood pressure reading.

One other key suggestion is a pedometer. Your daily goal, I don't know enough to suggest, I am sure someone else here can... Make sure you hit that goal every day. I don't care if you have to walk up and down you street for 30 minutes...
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Moses, great advice. Rob, like was mentioned earlier, go get a blood work up. It will tell you a lot of things and whether there is anything you need to treat. It's better to catch anything early than to let it get worse. I speak from experience. About 2 years ago I was diagnosed as type two at age 42. In about a year, I lost enough weight to get off all meds, my blood sugar is under control, blood pressure is normal and I feel great.

Learn to love veggies. Theyre low in calories, high in vitamins and fiber. You can eat a lot of them to fill you up without taking in a lot of calories. Plus they're cheap.

You asked about a cheap exercise activity. One word, walking. 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. If you can't do it all at the same time, which would be best, do 2-15 minute sessions. The key is to do a pace that gets the heart rate up. If your just doing a leisurely stroll, it's not going to help as much as if you're doing a 4+ mph pace. That's how I started. Lost a LOT of weight that way.

If you have any questions, you can always shoot me a pm.
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First day trying out my new leg weights... gone all day with 10lbs strapped to each leg... burn calories burn... :-)
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As for the weight fluctuations it's normal. I was the subject of a personal trainer's essay on weight. Over a 24hr period, I was weighed hourly. My weight fluctuated +/- 5 lbs from the baseline. A total of about ten lbs. Don't get too caught up with the scale. Eat right, eat smaller portions, drink water (no sugary drinks or alcohol) exercise moderately and you should see the difference in the notches on your belt. Keep up the hard work brother! It's a marathon not a sprint!
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Did you buy a pedometer yet?
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no pedometer yet Moses... Sorry I hadn't seen your post...


UPDATE.... 303.2 LBS 27.8 lbs lost in 32 days...
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