So, okay, low carb and IBS make me sick, while I lose weight. I feel better on a high fiber veggie diet but I don't lose weight. According to the medical powers that be I am "severely" overweight. Even moving into obese (though I've finally lost enough weight to only be on the line of that one).
So, what's a girl to do? Research. Yet more research. Joy. I thought I graduated school a long time ago but between choosing homeschooling curricula and trying to make my family healthier I do MORE research!
I sure hope I find a solution soon because there is no way I can homeschool from the bathroom.....
Hi Daisy.
ReplyDeleteHere are a few "gems" collected from my 70 years:
1. I have never considered any diet that eliminates major food groups to be healthy!
2. Any "diet" that cannot be maintained for the rest of your life is not worth the time. When you stop "dieting" you will regain the weight.
3. Two words (well, three): "portion control" & "exercise". It is the long way home and it is difficult but it is the only long-term solution that I know of.
Wishing you the best. You are a very beautiful girl - with or without the extra pounds. Also, some recent research has shown that not all "over weight" people are unhealthy. Maybe your body has found the optimum weight for your health??
Thanks for the advice and encouragement! I do want to make a couple of things clear though. I am not, nor have a ever been concerned with the way I look, but I AM concerned with the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and cancer in my family. My goal in this journey is to, first and foremost, learn how to nourish myself and my family properly.
DeleteI have always been a proponent of whole, real foods like those I grew up eating. For the most part, if we didn't grow it or kill it (or know the person who did) we didn't eat it. However, I have come to believe that one approach does not work for every body. Bodies are different. The mantra of 'portion control and exercise' is a wonderful thing. It works fantastically for my husband. In my life, I'm afraid it's a fairy tale. I have spent quite a lot of time trying to 'do it the right way' and nothing happened. So I turned to my doctor who gave me (bad) advice. I never have agreed with eliminating entire food groups, but when that seems the only option left to you....
I am not sure if I believe that each person has the ideal balance of nutrients optimal for their own metabolism (possibly) or if I have just damaged mine from years of abuse (also possible), but I do NOT believe that 40 pounds above the highest ideal weight for my height, on my small frame, is the optimum weight for me. Something is wrong, and I'm on a mission to find out what it is, be it my diet (and by that word I mean my way of eating not a fad) or my body.
Hi Daisy
ReplyDeleteI love your blog. I just wanted to share with you my experience in case it might help in some way. I struggled with my weight for the past 20 years. At some point after 30 my metabolism definitely slowed down, probably self induced because I skipped a lot of meals. I've tried almost every diet and fad that came along including exercising like a maniac. Lost weight always gained it back even if slowly. After I got injured 15 years ago I couldn't exercise like I used to because of pain, so its been a real struggle. I always hated hearing people say exercise because I couldn't do what they could. I finally decided last year to have weight loss surgery, I too because of fears about my health -- I was on blood pressure and cholesterol medicine.
In no way am I suggesting surgery because that is a personal decidion. But I want to tell you what I have learned since then because I see a bariatric doctor (specializes in treatment of obesity) and nutritionist and it has totally changed my opinion of dieting and weight loss. These are the things they have us do (all have to be done together).
(1) High Protein (80 - 90 g/day) --- First of all they put you on a very high protein diet, so
(2) Water ---- you have to drink a whole lot of water with it.
(3) Portion Control --- I always thought I knew what portion control was but I didn't. My dinner plate is a saucer and I only fill the inside (middle of it). Granted I had a gastric sleeve (2/3 of my stomach removed and the hunger center in my stomach that sends hormones to my brain removed), so that helps with portion control.
Also very important point you have to eat the protein first. You have a pyloric valve at the end of your stomach that opens to let food move on. Once it gets protein in there it closes so you fill up faster.
(4) Eat in between meals -- a high protein snack like an ounce of cheese, handful of nuts, an egg, protein bar, peanut butter, refried beans with little cheese, protein shake, etc
For the people who don't do surgery they put them on high protein diet and they also take a fiber supplement 30 mins before each meal with a full glass of water.
I haven't been able to lose weight before this at all. I ate lean cuisines (the lowest calories lowest fat ones ONLY for a month straight lost 2 pounds, did it for another whole month lost no more pounds). Anyway, I just wanted you to know my doctor is amazing and has done all the research and this really works and I get to eat things I haven't eaten in years like nuts, cheese, eggs, milk etc. because I always stayed away from it because of the fat content.
(5) Of course, exercise which I can't do much of but you seem to do great with that.
I hope this helps.....................Ms. Janice
Wow! What a wild ride you've had! I'm so glad you were able to find a solution to have a healthy life. Bariatric surgery is a great, life saving option for many people!
ReplyDeleteI don't feel I'd be a good candidate for numerous reasons two being that I am not on ANY medications at this time so my weight is not threatening my health, quality of life or my life! And the way of eating following bariatric surgery is similar to what I've already tried. While I did lose weight on a high protein diet, my digestive system NEEDS copious amounts of soluble fiber to function. Protein is extremely difficult for me to digest, and fiber that does not come from food also tends to throw me for a loop.
My hypothesis on this is that my gut (digestive tract) is compromised in some way - damaged - and that I need to heal it in order to progress any further. I have been checking into ways to do that and I hope within the next few months I will have made some progress and be healed enough to eat more good protein and fat and digest it properly.
Until then, I will continue to workout like a beast and be the healthiest me I can be. ;) Thank you for sharing your journey with me!