The Subway Challenge - Could You Do It?

[bhilton]

There's no way I could do it. I've tried before and didn't last long at all. I just get tired of going to the same place every day. I like to splurge a little and get a slightly unhealthy meal. The best way I've found for me to lose weight and to keep it off is to run. I usually run 4-5 days a week and can still eat whatever I want for the most part and still maintain my weight.

 

[War Eagle]

Don't want to make a blanket statement here, but in my case, this isn't true. I did Insanity for the entire 60 days, but didn't change my diet (I don't eat much fast food, but still ate a good amount of home fried goodness), and lost 20 pounds and was in the best shape I'd been in in 15 years - since high school.

Actually, it is true, in everyones case. I used to believe the same as you did, but after studying it for a while and looking at the scientific side of a proper diet, I learned the correct way. I too did the Insanity workout, along with some other cardio programs after it was complete. Eating a better diet with foods that your body needs to compliment your workout is definitely a must. That 20 lbs you lost could have been 60 lbs, and probably would have packed on a good bit of muscle as well. I had long been a believer in the "I'll just workout and lose weight" school of though. Instead, this past January, I decided to workout and change my diet to eating healthier options. In the past, what would have been a 15 lb loss, has now turned in to a 72 lb loss, as well as added muscle and a complete change in my physique.

How do you know that you would not have lost more or been in better shape had you changed the diet. Im not an expert in the field, but I know War Eagle spends his days working with incredible dieticians and the like and just went through his own major transformation that was nothing short of miraculous.

I tell you what, sitting and talking it all out with the Dieitians I work with, as well as consulting with a few Doctors on the subject, learning the science behind diet and exercise was quite enlightening.

 

[JB]

JB,

How strongly are you considering doing this?

I have no idea honestly. Just something that popped up into conversation as we are planning 2014 travel.

 

[War Eagle]

Definitely possibly that I could've had better results. I won't dispute that at all. All I was saying was that I would rather exercise and be in the shape that I achieved while still enjoying the foods I love, rather then dieting (and exercising) to achieve relatively slightly better physical results. I admire people that have the will power to give up delicious foods, but I am not one of them.

I did not give up delicious foods at all. I still ate what I wanted to, but focused on portion control and the like. Eating a solid breakfast and lunch, allows me to eat what I wish at dinner.

It just so happens what I call delicious food is not terribly bad for you (i.e. Sushi). But then again, my idea of delicious foods is not McDonalds and Burger King.

 

[War Eagle]

I have no idea honestly. Just something that popped up into conversation as we are planning 2014 travel.

I think it would be awesome if you guys did it. Would be interesting to hear how it goes, from a diet perspective but also from a perspective of two foodies.

 

[TRyan]

I have no idea honestly. Just something that popped up into conversation as we are planning 2014 travel.

Oh ok, I was just curious. I think if I end up traveling as much as I might be for my new job it will be something I will look into also

 

[MoparMan]

Not at all. More than twice a week for lunch and I'm tired if subway..

 

[JB]

I think it would be awesome if you guys did it. Would be interesting to hear how it goes, from a diet perspective but also from a perspective of two foodies.

Oh ok, I was just curious. I think if I end up traveling as much as I might be for my new job it will be something I will look into also

Its funny how it started out as a food conversation for us, then shifted to a healthy food conversation for us and then shifted to a fiscal conversation for us.

 

[piperty]

Actually, it is true, in everyones case. I used to believe the same as you did, but after studying it for a while and looking at the scientific side of a proper diet, I learned the correct way. I too did the Insanity workout, along with some other cardio programs after it was complete. Eating a better diet with foods that your body needs to compliment your workout is definitely a must. That 20 lbs you lost could have been 60 lbs, and probably would have packed on a good bit of muscle as well. I had long been a believer in the "I'll just workout and lose weight" school of though. Instead, this past January, I decided to workout and change my diet to eating healthier options. In the past, what would have been a 15 lb loss, has now turned in to a 72 lb loss, as well as added muscle and a complete change in my physique.

I agree that muscle could've been added, no doubt. But I went from 192-172, and at 6'3", that was probably close to max weight loss. Again, I'm not trying to argue the benefits of a healthy diet, and Subway is a great source for that. I probably misspoke when I said diet and exercise wouldn't work for me. I just meant that what they would do combined isn't worth just exercising and indulging in the foods I love.

 

[Nate]

I'm surprised that so many have said they couldn't do it.

Let me throw in a curve ball to those that said they couldn't for whatever reason: If Subway gave you a "eat free" card for 6 months and you could have nothing but Subway for lunch/dinner but as long as you did you did you were allowed to keep the card and eat free.........would that change your motivation or thought?

 

[TRyan]

Its funny how it started out as a food conversation for us, then shifted to a healthy food conversation for us and then shifted to a fiscal conversation for us.

Yep. It is interesting to analyze it from a fiscal perspective. It seems it could workout well for someone who is eating out quite a bit due to travel.

 

[TRyan]

I'm surprised that so many have said they couldn't do it.

Let me throw in a curve ball to those that said they couldn't for whatever reason: If Subway gave you a "eat free" card for 6 months and you could have nothing but Subway for lunch/dinner but as long as you did you did you were allowed to keep the card and eat free.........would that change your motivation or thought?

There is no doubt I would do it Nate. Eating healthy is pretty expensive and now that I am down about 35 pounds and trying to drop another 30 or so saving money while eating healthy is a no brainer

 

[MoparMan]

I'm surprised that so many have said they couldn't do it.

Let me throw in a curve ball to those that said they couldn't for whatever reason: If Subway gave you a "eat free" card for 6 months and you could have nothing but Subway for lunch/dinner but as long as you did you did you were allowed to keep the card and eat free.........would that change your motivation or thought?

I still don't think I could do it. Maybe if it was just dinner, or just lunch, I could stick it out. But not both.

 

[JREcklund03]

I'm surprised that so many have said they couldn't do it.

Let me throw in a curve ball to those that said they couldn't for whatever reason: If Subway gave you a "eat free" card for 6 months and you could have nothing but Subway for lunch/dinner but as long as you did you did you were allowed to keep the card and eat free.........would that change your motivation or thought?

Money is a motivating factor so 6 months of free food and I would make the argument that just about everyone here would do that. The piece I would throw out though would be healthily. Free subway, even with eating just all sandwiches and no chips/pop/cookies/salads/etc, I think I could do enough double meat and bacon combinations to get me through it. The issue is if you start looking at overall caloric intake the benefit of eating healthy would be completely gone.

 

[War Eagle]

I'm surprised that so many have said they couldn't do it.

Let me throw in a curve ball to those that said they couldn't for whatever reason: If Subway gave you a "eat free" card for 6 months and you could have nothing but Subway for lunch/dinner but as long as you did you did you were allowed to keep the card and eat free.........would that change your motivation or thought?

I was reading some articles on a new "diet" the other day.

It's the "Mac and Cheese Diet."

Basically, what you do, is you take a food you like, such as Mac and Cheese. You then eat nothing but that for meals, snacks, etc. Basically, what "they" say is that you will get so tired of eating only one thing and will reduce your intake, losing weight.

Not sure if I buy it.

 

[TRyan]

I was reading some articles on a new "diet" the other day.

It's the "Mac and Cheese Diet."

Basically, what you do, is you take a food you like, such as Mac and Cheese. You then eat nothing but that for meals, snacks, etc. Basically, what "they" say is that you will get so tired of eating only one thing and will reduce your intake, losing weight.

Not sure if I buy it.

Very interesting. If that was changed to the pizza diet, there is no chance I would lose weight

 

[McRock]

I'm surprised that so many have said they couldn't do it.

Let me throw in a curve ball to those that said they couldn't for whatever reason: If Subway gave you a "eat free" card for 6 months and you could have nothing but Subway for lunch/dinner but as long as you did you did you were allowed to keep the card and eat free.........would that change your motivation or thought?

No, it wouldn't. It would just get old. There are only so many combinations of healthier subs.

~Rock

 

[War Eagle]

Very interesting. If that was changed to the pizza diet, there is no chance I would lose weight

Or Hot Wing diet.

 

[Nate]

I was reading some articles on a new "diet" the other day.

It's the "Mac and Cheese Diet."

Basically, what you do, is you take a food you like, such as Mac and Cheese. You then eat nothing but that for meals, snacks, etc. Basically, what "they" say is that you will get so tired of eating only one thing and will reduce your intake, losing weight.

Not sure if I buy it.

That is interesting and actually kind of buy it in theory. I can totally understand Dean's story about doing it for 3 weeks and then stopping because it got old. I'm just wondering if someone could push themselves beyond that barrier and get over the hump to where it just became a "norm" to the body and mind?

 

[TRyan]

Or Hot Wing diet.

I have been known to take down a hot wing or 20 in a sitting

 

[War Eagle]

I have been known to take down a hot wing or 20 in a sitting

Same here, dude.

 

[TRyan]

Same here, dude.

With ranch.. not sure how many calories that all adds up to, but probably quite a few hahaha

 

[Ole Gray]

I could do it three days out of the week for sure! After that I may need to mix it up with something a bit different.

 

[Nappy]

I had a co-worker who ate nothing but Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches for 2 meals a day for almost a year. Combined with exercise he lost over 100 lbs. I remember thinking how old that would get, but I tried it for about a month and I was surprised by how I just got used to it and it really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

I think I could do Subway everyday - especially if I were traveling a lot. The cheese would be the hardest part to give up.

 

[bmwnola]

No way I could eat it for 6 mos straight. I tend to steer away from deli meat which has tons of sodium. Normally, I would get the oven roasted chicken breast.