I finally broke through my diet low--not by much, maybe a half pound, but I was almost motivated to publish a celebratory post. Over the past 4 mornings, I've been within that half-pound range (right at my old low this morning). Considering over the past 5 weeks I've spent getting no closer than a pound above the old low, it has been a relief to finally see progress, but hopefully things will pick up from here to meet my goal of an additional 10-pound drop by New Year's.
I'm slowly transitioning to a more Paleo style diet--I'm down to my last loaf and two packages of wraps, maybe another two weeks away. I've cut all dairy except maybe the equivalent of a slice of cheese to my daily omelette, and I'm almost done with legumes. I'm not convinced maybe 10% of my caloric intake is responsible for my sluggish progress over the past 2 months, but I'm willing to experiment.
I purchased an inexpensive Chinese digital weight scale a time back, mostly for a higher capacity that hopefully I'll never need again (40-odd pounds ago). The only drawback is that it measures in tenths of kilograms. I've made the necessary conversions in my daily weight spreadsheet.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Diet Update: 11/09/13 Following the Bouncing Ball
In the early 1960's Mitch Miller had a signature show on NBC, directing a men's group of singers and encouraging viewers to sing along, as lyrics appeared on screen and a bouncing ball kept pace with the singers. (I saw a canned holiday show one Christmas season while I attended high school in south Texas.) I find watching the results of my early morning weigh-in to be similar.
Today marks the one-month anniversary of my big 5-pound gap down and I have only come within a pound of that diet low twice since.then; the only positive thing is that the tops of the bounces are declining. I may have prolonged it when I bought a few small tins of heart-healthy nuts when I went to pick up my latest prescriptions; the paleo diet gurus recommend a handful of nuts with meals. I hadn't eaten nuts in a while and wasn't as disciplined. They weren't salted, and some diet gurus advocate "cheat days" to counteract the body slowing metabolism to accommodate dietary reductions. My weight didn't really surge during my nut days but the change to my diet probably didn't help. The last few weekends I've been between bubbles, and this week I'm at a peak.
As I mentioned in my last post, I had a doctor's appointment this week. What is it about weigh-ins at doctor offices? Granted, I'm not weighing in nude, I had a burger for breakfast after my own weigh-in on a digital scale, but 8 pounds? Still, I think even with a consistent scale bias, my weight was down another 16 pounds since my last visit earlier in the summer, and he was pleased with the progress.
Nevertheless, I am unhappy with no net loss over the past month although there were other signs of progress, like having to take in my belt another couple of notches. I'm continuing to phase out grains, although I still have a couple of loaves and packages of flatbreads in the freezer. I'm also trying to phase in more veggies. My latest Internet order focused on low-carb salad dressings and yam (shirataki low-carb, high soluble fiber) noodles. But obviously I need to up the nature and extent of my daily exercise. I wanted to phase it in; I can still remember when I resumed my jogging routine as a graduate student at Texas, I was nauseated and felt a bit dizzy my first day back on schedule, and I weigh more now. I finally feel ready to take it up a notch. I'm setting a new target of dropping 10 pounds by New Year's.
Today marks the one-month anniversary of my big 5-pound gap down and I have only come within a pound of that diet low twice since.then; the only positive thing is that the tops of the bounces are declining. I may have prolonged it when I bought a few small tins of heart-healthy nuts when I went to pick up my latest prescriptions; the paleo diet gurus recommend a handful of nuts with meals. I hadn't eaten nuts in a while and wasn't as disciplined. They weren't salted, and some diet gurus advocate "cheat days" to counteract the body slowing metabolism to accommodate dietary reductions. My weight didn't really surge during my nut days but the change to my diet probably didn't help. The last few weekends I've been between bubbles, and this week I'm at a peak.
As I mentioned in my last post, I had a doctor's appointment this week. What is it about weigh-ins at doctor offices? Granted, I'm not weighing in nude, I had a burger for breakfast after my own weigh-in on a digital scale, but 8 pounds? Still, I think even with a consistent scale bias, my weight was down another 16 pounds since my last visit earlier in the summer, and he was pleased with the progress.
Nevertheless, I am unhappy with no net loss over the past month although there were other signs of progress, like having to take in my belt another couple of notches. I'm continuing to phase out grains, although I still have a couple of loaves and packages of flatbreads in the freezer. I'm also trying to phase in more veggies. My latest Internet order focused on low-carb salad dressings and yam (shirataki low-carb, high soluble fiber) noodles. But obviously I need to up the nature and extent of my daily exercise. I wanted to phase it in; I can still remember when I resumed my jogging routine as a graduate student at Texas, I was nauseated and felt a bit dizzy my first day back on schedule, and I weigh more now. I finally feel ready to take it up a notch. I'm setting a new target of dropping 10 pounds by New Year's.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Diet Update: 11/02/13 Descending Triangle
Not much progress to report; I once again bounced off last weekend's relative low; it's rather odd that over the last few weeks, I've been at bounce points on weekends, but I'm still a couple of pounds higher than last month's gap down low and I've only come to within a pound of the low over the past 3 weeks--but the pattern of lower bubble peaks has the appearance, using my financial analysis analogy, of a descending triangle, which could break through to a new low. Still, I've been frustrated by the slow pace of weight loss over the past 2 months.
I do have a doctor's appointment in the near future. The only thing that bothers me about the inevitable weight check-in is that the scale usually puts my weight about 5 lbs. more than my digital home scale. Of course, I have clothes and shoes on, wallet, keys and maybe ate earlier. Still, my doctor should be pleased with my progress, although I'm still more than 40 pounds off his target. I would like to chop off a third of that by New Year's.
I may resort to a meal replacement regimen (with one regular dinner) for an upcoming week, just to see if my body has become accustomed to my diet over the past few weeks. I also subscribe to Tom Woods' podcasts (Woods is an historian with a libertarian political philosophy). He recently had on Mark Sisson of the Primal Blueprint, which the Woods have followed, and, separately, Robb Wolf of the rival Paleo diet. I haven't fully contrasted the approaches; both approaches seem to emphasize protein (especially lean grass-fed meats and wild-caught oily fish, which are regular parts of my diet--and I rotate in organ meats), primal is more liberal on dairy and fats, and generally grains and legumes are eliminated. The latter are the major differences with my current regimen, but I'm working through (and will not replace) my remaining whole grain tortillas and breads (although I rarely eat more than 30 net carb grams daily in daily servings); I have also included a daily serving of beans lately, but other than a small supply of dried black beans, I'm almost out and will not replace them.
I do have a doctor's appointment in the near future. The only thing that bothers me about the inevitable weight check-in is that the scale usually puts my weight about 5 lbs. more than my digital home scale. Of course, I have clothes and shoes on, wallet, keys and maybe ate earlier. Still, my doctor should be pleased with my progress, although I'm still more than 40 pounds off his target. I would like to chop off a third of that by New Year's.
I may resort to a meal replacement regimen (with one regular dinner) for an upcoming week, just to see if my body has become accustomed to my diet over the past few weeks. I also subscribe to Tom Woods' podcasts (Woods is an historian with a libertarian political philosophy). He recently had on Mark Sisson of the Primal Blueprint, which the Woods have followed, and, separately, Robb Wolf of the rival Paleo diet. I haven't fully contrasted the approaches; both approaches seem to emphasize protein (especially lean grass-fed meats and wild-caught oily fish, which are regular parts of my diet--and I rotate in organ meats), primal is more liberal on dairy and fats, and generally grains and legumes are eliminated. The latter are the major differences with my current regimen, but I'm working through (and will not replace) my remaining whole grain tortillas and breads (although I rarely eat more than 30 net carb grams daily in daily servings); I have also included a daily serving of beans lately, but other than a small supply of dried black beans, I'm almost out and will not replace them.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Diet Update: 10/26/13 Bouncing Down the Staircase
The good news is that with nearly a 2-lb. drop overnight, I'm at my lowest weight in over 2 weeks. The bad news is that I am still nearly 2 pounds over my month/diet low. So unless the current whoosh is sustained past my low, the chance of any new monthly low over the remaining week of the month, never mind another 4-5 lb. drop, seems low at this point.
It has been a frustrating 2 weeks because it seems every time I've had a minor whoosh down, the next 2 or 3 days the weight crept back up. The good news is that (using my financial analyst analogy) my new support line held (roughly my weight just before the 5-lb. gap down) and my bounces are putting in relatively lower lows, so it is possible I could break through my resistance (the major gap down) over the coming week.
No major tweaks in the foods I've been eating; I haven't done a meal replacement in a while, and I'll probably factor in those more over the coming month. More recently I've started out my day with a grass-fed beef or turkey burger followed by fresh berries or kiwi. I'll usually fir in an omelette with some flatbread variation as one of my other meals. I factor in veggies (lots of tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, mushrooms, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, etc.) and occasional servings of legumes (more recently, pinto or black heans) and take a daily multivitamin. I try to hold down grain carbs to less than 250 calories a day, most of those a mixture of whole and/or sprouted grains; I don't think those are related to my long string of bouncing over the past few weeks. But I've been influenced lately by Mark Sisson's discussion of good carbs and will be working more servings of veggies and salads into the diet and eliminating wheat gluten totally from my diet (I didn't realize how common a medication levothyroxine is; my doctor hasn't discussed gluten with me--and given my diagnosed hypothyroid condition I'm sure he's had the blood workup done, but I'm sufficiently concerned about the thyroid-gluten connection to want to take preventive dietary steps.) I also need to be stepping up my anaerobic exercise regimen and getting in more sleep time.
It has been a frustrating 2 weeks because it seems every time I've had a minor whoosh down, the next 2 or 3 days the weight crept back up. The good news is that (using my financial analyst analogy) my new support line held (roughly my weight just before the 5-lb. gap down) and my bounces are putting in relatively lower lows, so it is possible I could break through my resistance (the major gap down) over the coming week.
No major tweaks in the foods I've been eating; I haven't done a meal replacement in a while, and I'll probably factor in those more over the coming month. More recently I've started out my day with a grass-fed beef or turkey burger followed by fresh berries or kiwi. I'll usually fir in an omelette with some flatbread variation as one of my other meals. I factor in veggies (lots of tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, mushrooms, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, etc.) and occasional servings of legumes (more recently, pinto or black heans) and take a daily multivitamin. I try to hold down grain carbs to less than 250 calories a day, most of those a mixture of whole and/or sprouted grains; I don't think those are related to my long string of bouncing over the past few weeks. But I've been influenced lately by Mark Sisson's discussion of good carbs and will be working more servings of veggies and salads into the diet and eliminating wheat gluten totally from my diet (I didn't realize how common a medication levothyroxine is; my doctor hasn't discussed gluten with me--and given my diagnosed hypothyroid condition I'm sure he's had the blood workup done, but I'm sufficiently concerned about the thyroid-gluten connection to want to take preventive dietary steps.) I also need to be stepping up my anaerobic exercise regimen and getting in more sleep time.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Diet Update: 10/19/13 The Comeback Monster Bounce
Well, I edited my last (mid-week) post after the unprecedented 5-plus pound gap down to note that I didn't continue to extend the big whoosh with an additional pound or two as I had hoped, but experienced a hard bounce. To be fair, using my financial analyst analogy, I did predict a bounce to fill the gap.
I didn't realize just how true that was. After my gap down, on each of the next 4 days I went up roughly a pound a day. Then over the next 4-5 days I seemed to oscillate within a pound range up to 5 pounds on the bounce yesterday (a couple of minor zig-zags during that period); it looks as if I've finally broken through the bounce plateau overnight,with a 2-pound drop. Hopefully this is a sustainable drop over the weekend, and I won't go through a series of stair bounces. But my hope of dropping another 4-5 pounds this month is questionable at this point with less than 2 weeks to go. I should know by mid-week. For that loss to be achievable, my whoosh needs to take out the resistance point of the gap down. But it has been demoralizing seeing week-over-week gains over the last few days.
Nothing much different on the dietary front. I did buy a big jar of dill pickles at Sam's Club; one of my pet peeves is how they constantly shift merchandise around. I hadn't found their fresh broccoli bags my last couple of trips; they normally stocked the bags in an open display case, but I discovered them in a closed display case next to salads. I also bought a big carton of plain Greek yogurt. My doctor won't be happy, because yogurt has carbs--but in this case only 9 carb grams a serving (and I'll probably consume it in half-servings). I guess Greek yogurt has become a fad, but I like the texture and flavor. Another interesting newer fad I'm just noticing: coconut milk. On my last trip to Safeway, I bought a couple of cartons of almond/coconut milk. Only 45 calories a serving, 1 net carb, plus MCFA's; back in my earlier low-carb days, I used to purchase virgin coconut oil. I often put almond milk in my coffee.
I didn't realize just how true that was. After my gap down, on each of the next 4 days I went up roughly a pound a day. Then over the next 4-5 days I seemed to oscillate within a pound range up to 5 pounds on the bounce yesterday (a couple of minor zig-zags during that period); it looks as if I've finally broken through the bounce plateau overnight,with a 2-pound drop. Hopefully this is a sustainable drop over the weekend, and I won't go through a series of stair bounces. But my hope of dropping another 4-5 pounds this month is questionable at this point with less than 2 weeks to go. I should know by mid-week. For that loss to be achievable, my whoosh needs to take out the resistance point of the gap down. But it has been demoralizing seeing week-over-week gains over the last few days.
Nothing much different on the dietary front. I did buy a big jar of dill pickles at Sam's Club; one of my pet peeves is how they constantly shift merchandise around. I hadn't found their fresh broccoli bags my last couple of trips; they normally stocked the bags in an open display case, but I discovered them in a closed display case next to salads. I also bought a big carton of plain Greek yogurt. My doctor won't be happy, because yogurt has carbs--but in this case only 9 carb grams a serving (and I'll probably consume it in half-servings). I guess Greek yogurt has become a fad, but I like the texture and flavor. Another interesting newer fad I'm just noticing: coconut milk. On my last trip to Safeway, I bought a couple of cartons of almond/coconut milk. Only 45 calories a serving, 1 net carb, plus MCFA's; back in my earlier low-carb days, I used to purchase virgin coconut oil. I often put almond milk in my coffee.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Diet Update: 10/09/13 The Big Whoosh and Gap Down
My last few posts have been on weekends; I didn't intend to write a new progress report until the weekend, but I decided to do a rare mid-week update because of an unusual development in the current weight loss diet which could be mitigated, say by a rebound bounce. (I've sometimes seen the whoosh continue after a big gap down, but the current pace is clearly unsustainable, and I wanted to jot down my thoughts fresh in the memory of the gap down, which is unprecedented in my memory of past/current diets coming weeks after the start of a diet. Of course, many of us have frequently seen a quick 6-pound loss at the start of a diet, particularly low-carb, which may be primarily a one-time water loss, say, as glycogen stores empty.)
As the familiar reader may realize from recent updates, September was a disappointing month in my diet, largely dominated by two major bounces just above a personally significant interim target weight, with a minimal cumulative weight loss.
Before further discussion, the observant reader may recognize that I've been using nomenclature familiar to technical analysts, e.g., of stock market investments: "resistance", "support", "gap up/down", etc. In a simplified context, stock prices often oscillate within in a price range. "Resistance" refers to a short-term price ceiling, at which point sellers outnumber buyers. "Support" refers to the bottom of the price channel where sellers peter out. A stock may breakout past a price ceiling, say, based on good news not priced into the stock; this is uncharted territory where prices are bid up until a new ceiling is set; similar, a stock may break down, based on bad news (e.g.,the BP oil spill disaster with cleanup costs and huge lawsuits). Of course, the analogy with breakouts and breakdowns doesn't quite hold; obviously radical changes in diet, exercise, or general health can result in breaking through a diet weight channel. The gaps up and down--discontinuities from a short-term weight range--say, for instance, a pound or more up or down from the prior day--are fairly unusual. Typically I'll see a fraction of a pound from day to day. This sets the context for my latest weight discussion; I refer to the weight channel floor as "resistance" and the ceiling as "support", which I interpret as some temporary water gain over weight equilibrium: there's no clear reason why I should be gaining weight given a rigorous diet and exercise regimen. The "support" level is a trend line based on weight bounce peaks. As a rule of thumb I use a 6-pound support range (recall that typical 2-day quick weight loss)
I generally "officially" weigh in after I wake daily. In my last update I was just over my interim target. Since then I finally broke through that multi-week resistance level and dropped a couple of pounds below that target. Yesterday morning it seemed that whoosh had slowed to a fraction of a pound, and I resigned myself to the end of the whoosh and the start of an inevitable bounce.
I have been obsessing over weight, and sometimes I'll do an interim weigh-in, say, after my afternoon exercise session and/or a period after dinner. I'm usually a pound or so above what I'll weigh the next morning. But I've almost never seen the weight come under my morning weigh-in. Yesterday evening not only did I come in below my morning weight, but multiple pounds below. I eagerly awaited this morning's weigh-in.
An unprecedented monster gap down: roughly 5 1/3 pounds. This alone almost makes up for a flat September. Week-over-week, over 10 pounds--of course, that includes near the top of the last bounce. Can I eke out another pound or two out in the whoosh, or is this the new resistance point? I think possibly the former, because I don't recall a dead cat bounce after a major gap down, but I wouldn't be surprised if I got a bounce to "fill the gap", as financial analysts might say (there are a few pounds I didn't crawl past).I do expect a significant bounce at some point, but based on my heuristic, my former target weight is probably in the rear view mirror (let's hope forever).
My next target is to reach my 2004 low, just above my doctor's target, although there's a certain BMI threshold for my height insurance companies use for individual coverage eligibility in the past that serves as an interim target.
Barring unusual developments, my next post will likely be on the recent schedule, i.e., in 10 days or so.
[10/12/13 note: I'm not editing what I wrote above; the reason I thought I might eke out a little more on the whoosh is because I saw the flash of a lower weight on my digital scale. But as I mentioned above, I clearly expect a bounce back to fill the gap. As I write, I'm hours away from my official weigh-in, but I expect a continuation of a hard bounce, so far a couple of pounds higher; which of course is frustrating what one is rigorously controlling his diet and exercising while the skies are drizzling (in fact, I've had to order new athletic shoes this weekend for obvious reasons). My stomach is growling as I write this, so I know I'll be frustrated later today. After going through a series of bounces through September, I'm not surprised by what may be a big bounce of up to maybe 6 pounds--hopefully no monster gaps up. Hopefully the bubble will peak over the weekend and I will report a new low in my next post and drop at least another 4-5 pounds by month end.]
As the familiar reader may realize from recent updates, September was a disappointing month in my diet, largely dominated by two major bounces just above a personally significant interim target weight, with a minimal cumulative weight loss.
Before further discussion, the observant reader may recognize that I've been using nomenclature familiar to technical analysts, e.g., of stock market investments: "resistance", "support", "gap up/down", etc. In a simplified context, stock prices often oscillate within in a price range. "Resistance" refers to a short-term price ceiling, at which point sellers outnumber buyers. "Support" refers to the bottom of the price channel where sellers peter out. A stock may breakout past a price ceiling, say, based on good news not priced into the stock; this is uncharted territory where prices are bid up until a new ceiling is set; similar, a stock may break down, based on bad news (e.g.,the BP oil spill disaster with cleanup costs and huge lawsuits). Of course, the analogy with breakouts and breakdowns doesn't quite hold; obviously radical changes in diet, exercise, or general health can result in breaking through a diet weight channel. The gaps up and down--discontinuities from a short-term weight range--say, for instance, a pound or more up or down from the prior day--are fairly unusual. Typically I'll see a fraction of a pound from day to day. This sets the context for my latest weight discussion; I refer to the weight channel floor as "resistance" and the ceiling as "support", which I interpret as some temporary water gain over weight equilibrium: there's no clear reason why I should be gaining weight given a rigorous diet and exercise regimen. The "support" level is a trend line based on weight bounce peaks. As a rule of thumb I use a 6-pound support range (recall that typical 2-day quick weight loss)
I generally "officially" weigh in after I wake daily. In my last update I was just over my interim target. Since then I finally broke through that multi-week resistance level and dropped a couple of pounds below that target. Yesterday morning it seemed that whoosh had slowed to a fraction of a pound, and I resigned myself to the end of the whoosh and the start of an inevitable bounce.
I have been obsessing over weight, and sometimes I'll do an interim weigh-in, say, after my afternoon exercise session and/or a period after dinner. I'm usually a pound or so above what I'll weigh the next morning. But I've almost never seen the weight come under my morning weigh-in. Yesterday evening not only did I come in below my morning weight, but multiple pounds below. I eagerly awaited this morning's weigh-in.
An unprecedented monster gap down: roughly 5 1/3 pounds. This alone almost makes up for a flat September. Week-over-week, over 10 pounds--of course, that includes near the top of the last bounce. Can I eke out another pound or two out in the whoosh, or is this the new resistance point? I think possibly the former, because I don't recall a dead cat bounce after a major gap down, but I wouldn't be surprised if I got a bounce to "fill the gap", as financial analysts might say (there are a few pounds I didn't crawl past).I do expect a significant bounce at some point, but based on my heuristic, my former target weight is probably in the rear view mirror (let's hope forever).
My next target is to reach my 2004 low, just above my doctor's target, although there's a certain BMI threshold for my height insurance companies use for individual coverage eligibility in the past that serves as an interim target.
Barring unusual developments, my next post will likely be on the recent schedule, i.e., in 10 days or so.
[10/12/13 note: I'm not editing what I wrote above; the reason I thought I might eke out a little more on the whoosh is because I saw the flash of a lower weight on my digital scale. But as I mentioned above, I clearly expect a bounce back to fill the gap. As I write, I'm hours away from my official weigh-in, but I expect a continuation of a hard bounce, so far a couple of pounds higher; which of course is frustrating what one is rigorously controlling his diet and exercising while the skies are drizzling (in fact, I've had to order new athletic shoes this weekend for obvious reasons). My stomach is growling as I write this, so I know I'll be frustrated later today. After going through a series of bounces through September, I'm not surprised by what may be a big bounce of up to maybe 6 pounds--hopefully no monster gaps up. Hopefully the bubble will peak over the weekend and I will report a new low in my next post and drop at least another 4-5 pounds by month end.]
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Diet Update: 10/04/13
The last thing I imagined when I wrote my last update that I would have another monster bounce. The good news is that this morning I finally dropped to a new diet low, an initial weight target (which is still 50 pounds above my doctor's target). How bad was the bounce? Nearly as high a peak as the last bounce's, 6 pounds higher than this morning. September was a disappointing month, all but flat, while I minimally hoped for a good 6 pounds or more on a healthy 1.5-lb. loss clip. It could be that I haven't completed my current whoosh, and I've finally broken resistance, versus bouncing back, and will make up for lost time during October.
On a more positive note, I noticed a favorite pair of slacks I haven't worn in several weeks are now looser and I was able to take my belt in a notch. I remember worrying before the new diet about buying bigger slacks and belts. I had also noticed my workout t-shirts are looser. I have to admit, though, I'm somewhat disappointed that I haven't seen more dramatic visible results after a 36-lb. drop year-to-date. I'm not even the champ in my family circle; one relative noted that she was able to lose 100 lbs. (and counting) after a long-overdue diagnosis of an underactive thyroid. I believe my dosage is higher; I went without a prescription for 2-3 years, which could explain much of my interim weight gain.
Not a lot I've noticed on the nutrition front over the past week, although there was a New York Post piece reporting that the number of obese city resident had gone up nearly a quarter during outgoing Mayor Bloomberg's 12-year tenure. Bloomberg along with the city's health department has promoted a number of public policies, from new bike trails to sugary drink restrictions. As a libertarian, I have reservations about paternalistic government (see my flagship political blog), but if I was going to propose a policy, it would be to provide more of a tax incentive, e.g., for a physician's validation of healthy weight loss or being in a healthy weight range for one's body type, participation in sports activities or health club membership/visits, waiving sales taxes on exercise DVD's or home exercise equipment, etc.
On a more positive note, I noticed a favorite pair of slacks I haven't worn in several weeks are now looser and I was able to take my belt in a notch. I remember worrying before the new diet about buying bigger slacks and belts. I had also noticed my workout t-shirts are looser. I have to admit, though, I'm somewhat disappointed that I haven't seen more dramatic visible results after a 36-lb. drop year-to-date. I'm not even the champ in my family circle; one relative noted that she was able to lose 100 lbs. (and counting) after a long-overdue diagnosis of an underactive thyroid. I believe my dosage is higher; I went without a prescription for 2-3 years, which could explain much of my interim weight gain.
Not a lot I've noticed on the nutrition front over the past week, although there was a New York Post piece reporting that the number of obese city resident had gone up nearly a quarter during outgoing Mayor Bloomberg's 12-year tenure. Bloomberg along with the city's health department has promoted a number of public policies, from new bike trails to sugary drink restrictions. As a libertarian, I have reservations about paternalistic government (see my flagship political blog), but if I was going to propose a policy, it would be to provide more of a tax incentive, e.g., for a physician's validation of healthy weight loss or being in a healthy weight range for one's body type, participation in sports activities or health club membership/visits, waiving sales taxes on exercise DVD's or home exercise equipment, etc.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Diet Update: 9/28/13 Follow the Bouncing Ball
The good news is that I finally broke through resistance to a new diet low; the bad news is it wasn't by the 2-3 pounds I needed to pass my initial target. It seems over the last 3 weeks or so I've been going through a series of weight bounces, which I might analogize as a ball bouncing down a staircase. Earlier this week I suddenly dropped over 2 pounds overnight and then the next 3 days I went back fractionally back up to my prior low and this morning seem to be on the way back down.
Clearly a net drop of only a pound over the past 2 weeks is slower than my prior pace of about 1.5-2 pounds weekly. I may need to rejigger my diet and exercise regimen. For the past few weeks, I've had a half hour or so late afternoon/early evening daily exercise session. I may need to double and/or vary the nature of my routine, e.g., up the anaerobic component. Since my exercise had been inconsistent for months prior to restarting my diet in earnest over the summer, I didn't want to push myself, but now I've built up my endurance and am ready to step it up. On the diet side, I've been starting up my days over the past week with either a salmon or turkey burger on sprouted bread or thin whole grain/wheat. I've been wary of wheat, but on the other side I want to work fiber into the diet (meat contains no fiber). I've slacked off using meal replacements lately and may try to experiment over the coming week with doing them twice daily.
Nothing much new on the dietary front. Sam's Club posted new lower prices on fresh raspberries. I've had good experience in my past few purchases. Usually I have a handful of berries once daily (after eating an entree that has some protein--lately breakfast); they are so fragrant and delicious, and they are good for you:
Clearly a net drop of only a pound over the past 2 weeks is slower than my prior pace of about 1.5-2 pounds weekly. I may need to rejigger my diet and exercise regimen. For the past few weeks, I've had a half hour or so late afternoon/early evening daily exercise session. I may need to double and/or vary the nature of my routine, e.g., up the anaerobic component. Since my exercise had been inconsistent for months prior to restarting my diet in earnest over the summer, I didn't want to push myself, but now I've built up my endurance and am ready to step it up. On the diet side, I've been starting up my days over the past week with either a salmon or turkey burger on sprouted bread or thin whole grain/wheat. I've been wary of wheat, but on the other side I want to work fiber into the diet (meat contains no fiber). I've slacked off using meal replacements lately and may try to experiment over the coming week with doing them twice daily.
Nothing much new on the dietary front. Sam's Club posted new lower prices on fresh raspberries. I've had good experience in my past few purchases. Usually I have a handful of berries once daily (after eating an entree that has some protein--lately breakfast); they are so fragrant and delicious, and they are good for you:
Perhaps the most fascinating new areas of research on raspberries involve management of obesity and type 2 diabetes. In the case of obesity, two compounds in raspberries have received special focus: raspberry ketone (also called rheosmin) and a type of flavonoid called tiliroside. The rheosmin found in raspberries can increase metabolism in our fat cells by increasing enzyme activity, oxygen consumption, and heat production in certain types of fat cells. In preliminary studies, tiliroside has been show to activate a special hormone called adiponectin that is produced by our fat cells. In obese persons with type 2 diabates, adiponectin is not produced in sufficient amounts or, if adequately produced, remains too inactive. This inadequacy of adiponectin in obese persons with type 2 diabetes is a key problem for regulation of their blood sugar and blood fats. By activating adiponectin, the tiliroside in raspberries can help improve insulin balance, blood sugar balance, and blood fat balance in obese persons with type 2 diabetes.I remember seeing a senior lady of color with a multi-pound carton of Butterball-brand turkey burgers; I was puzzled because I hadn't seen them in the frozen burger or poultry sections. (My local Sam's Club has an irritating habit of reorganizing aisles.) I finally stumbled across them this week in one of those end-aisle glass display cases. They also sell bulk trays of fresh turkey burger; I find the prepackaged burger patties more convenient to use in my Foreman grill and price-competitive. On the other hand, I find the fresh chicken breasts are reasonably priced at about $2/pound and am a regular purchaser.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Diet Update: 9/20/13 Dead Cat Bounces and Whooshes
I'm currently going through an experience most dieters have experienced. On Sept. 12, I reached a diet low--within 3 pounds of breaking a psychologically important target barrier. Then through Sept. 17, although my diet and exercise regimen was consistent, I watched my daily weight increase daily for a total of about 4.5 lbs. and over 3 lbs. week-over-week on Sept. 17. Even though I've been through this before, it was demoralizing seeing a gain back of about 3 weeks of diet loss in less than a week--and I was dreading my Sept. 18 weigh-in. Would the bounce continue? How much higher could it go? To my relief, I lost a half-pound and by this morning had whooshed down another 3 pounds, so I'm now down to a plus-pound week over week. I would hope that the whoosh would continue through the weekend and break through the resistance to a new low, but I know that I had 2 minor bounces before reaching my last new low. Hopefully I'll break through that target barrier by my next update.
I went back to Safeway today; some staples: sardines in hot sauce, chicken livers and gizzards, chicken breasts, round steak, grass-fed hamburger, hot salsa/picante sauce, unsweetened almond milk, and cage-free eggs on sale. They only had cinnamon-raisin Ezekiel bread loaves, but I discovered that they had several Flatout flatbread packages in the same frozen section, so I stocked up. I found one package remaining of Arnold's whole wheat sandwich thins at a good price. Another example of opportunistic buying: they had 1 lb. of packaged Alaska salmon burgers on sale for $5, buy-two-and-get-one free: between salmon and sardines, I'm eating several servings of cold-water, oily fish a week. (In the past, they've also carried economical canned mackerel, although I haven't found them recently. Hint for the interested dieter: Amazon carries a wide variety of cases of canned fish--you name it, mackerel, herring, sardines, tuna, salmon, many of which you can find packed in your favorite liquid, e.g., water, olive oil, or my favorites, hot sauce or mustard. With its $25 shopping total free shipping policy, you can get a good price on cases or bundles.) I usually go through the frozen veggies section and bought Green Giant packages of Brussels sprouts, green beans, and broccoli on sale. I also added cans of spicy tomatoes and beans; beans, as is the case for oats, berries, and other foods, are a good source of soluble fiber, a heart-healthy nutrient that, among other things, can help stabilize blood sugar.
Finally, I don't like to discuss politics in this blog (for interested readers, I have a flagship libertarian-conservative blog where I post almost daily). But a few topics I wanted to briefly touch on:
I went back to Safeway today; some staples: sardines in hot sauce, chicken livers and gizzards, chicken breasts, round steak, grass-fed hamburger, hot salsa/picante sauce, unsweetened almond milk, and cage-free eggs on sale. They only had cinnamon-raisin Ezekiel bread loaves, but I discovered that they had several Flatout flatbread packages in the same frozen section, so I stocked up. I found one package remaining of Arnold's whole wheat sandwich thins at a good price. Another example of opportunistic buying: they had 1 lb. of packaged Alaska salmon burgers on sale for $5, buy-two-and-get-one free: between salmon and sardines, I'm eating several servings of cold-water, oily fish a week. (In the past, they've also carried economical canned mackerel, although I haven't found them recently. Hint for the interested dieter: Amazon carries a wide variety of cases of canned fish--you name it, mackerel, herring, sardines, tuna, salmon, many of which you can find packed in your favorite liquid, e.g., water, olive oil, or my favorites, hot sauce or mustard. With its $25 shopping total free shipping policy, you can get a good price on cases or bundles.) I usually go through the frozen veggies section and bought Green Giant packages of Brussels sprouts, green beans, and broccoli on sale. I also added cans of spicy tomatoes and beans; beans, as is the case for oats, berries, and other foods, are a good source of soluble fiber, a heart-healthy nutrient that, among other things, can help stabilize blood sugar.
Finally, I don't like to discuss politics in this blog (for interested readers, I have a flagship libertarian-conservative blog where I post almost daily). But a few topics I wanted to briefly touch on:
- Paul van der Velpen, head of Amsterdam's health service, wants to see sugar with tobacco-comparable warnings and taxed and regulated as an addictive product. (Yes, this comes from a country with a very liberal tolerance of marijuana.) Now as a low-carb dieter who wants to maintain steady blood sugar, I generally shun the "white foods", especially sugar; however, people at a healthy weight and normal metabolism without special health-related dietary concerns (e.g., diabetes), sugar in moderation isn't a problem. As a libertarian, I believe diet experts should persuade people and not rely on force (government). On my two longest successful diets (over 75 pounds each time), I started not because my family, friends or doctor read me the riot act, but on my own initiative. (I will admit my doctor ragged about my weight earlier this year, but I had already started to lose weight before my first visit.) What made me start? Among other things, it's a hassle buying reasonably priced clothes, women are generally not attracted to fat guys (at least the ones without a bulging back pocket), it's a hassle sitting in public transit or on planes, etc.
- Chipolte, the Mexican convenience food chain, is on a non-GMO food kick. Let me be blunt: I am less than convinced that there is a net marginal benefit to organic/non-GMO foods, and for the most part, anti-GMO policies are used as a protectionist strategy to discriminate against, e.g., American food producers. As Dr. Sicherer points out, "There is broad scientific consensus that GM foods on the market pose no greater risk than their normal counterparts, although there are skeptics and critics. Nonetheless, there are no documented ill effects." Every reader is entitled to make his own decision, but if Chipolte thinks selling more expensive food will grow its customer base, the management is not aware of the fundamental laws of economics and making a strategic error. I have no problem with them opening a premium-priced menu line aimed at higher-earning yuppies...
- The "diabetes warrior" blogger Steve Cooksey, represented by one of my favorite libertarian organizations, the Institute for Justice, won a case as a North Carolina dietetics board tried to shut him down, a classic anti-competitive tactic. The district court sustained the licensing board but was overturned on appeal. I am very impressed by some pieces I've seen on the blog; these people take food very seriously. For example, in one case a dieter discussed when he experienced a blood sugar rut, he shifted into a ketogenic (higher-fat, medium protein) diet mode and experienced success.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Diet Update: 9/07/13
I'm not sure that this post will attract many readers, because to date my last update hasn't attracted much notice. I don't watch The Biggest Loser (I have a niece whom is very active and loves the show), but I know the highlight of the episodes is the big reveal of weight loss between episodes. I don't intend my updates to be simply a chronology of weight loss; I'll probably jot down a few miscellaneous shopping tips and notes over the interim.
I did lose another 2 pounds over the past week which basically tops 30 pounds since a first doctor's visit about 7 months back earlier this year. I'm actually a half-pound up over my weekly/annual low about 4 days back. I'm now maintaining a daily spreadsheet; one of the reasons I'm doing this is a matter of discipline: I am less likely to cheat, knowing it may show up on my next weigh-in. Quite often the weight chart is more a downside zigzag: after plateauing for about a week, you weigh yourself and find you've dropped 2-3 pounds. I've even seen this drop continue for 2-3 days. But then you get the demoralizing dead cat bounce in water gain (say, 2 or 3 pounds) as your body resets your equilibrium. That's why many diet gurus advise against weighing yourself daily. But I have 2 math degrees and have done some applied statistical research: I love numbers. Even now, I'm interested in comparing against my last sustained diet a decade ago. I realize now that I'm older, my metabolism has slowed somewhat.
I was shopping in Sam's Club today, mostly for some produce, but my latest thing has been scrambling eggs and some veggies in olive oil (which is high in monounsaturated fats); I just found on a website cooking eggs in olive oil has been a staple in the Mediterranean region for years. Over the past week, I also came across a health email that extolled the virtues of other oils, particularly sunflower and safflower. Sam's Club sells a number of olive oils, which I was scanning when I ran across an oil blend called LifeOil, a blend of the 3 above-cited oils. I do almost no frying (beyond burgers in my Foreman grill), but I'm willing to test the blend.
Another item I unexpectedly came across: a 2-dozen pack of cage-free Amish eggs. Warning: these are pricier than your typical eggs; in part, I want to see if the taste lives up to the hype. (Generally, I'm a skeptic when it comes to organic, non-GMO, and/or other natural foods, i.e., I'm not sure that the purported health benefit is worth the extra costs.) I consider eggs such a nutritional powerhouse, they're in my daily diet and the cage-free bundle is worth a try.
Another tip: Sam's Club sells a big bag mix of fresh broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. (I could do without the carrots; the other two are low-carb staples.) I often purchase low-calorie Walden Farms salad dressings to dip the veggies; right now I'm enjoying their chipotle ranch flavor. Among other Internet vendors, Netrition carries a variety of Walden Farms and other low-carb brands at competitive prices and reasonable shipping charges.
I did lose another 2 pounds over the past week which basically tops 30 pounds since a first doctor's visit about 7 months back earlier this year. I'm actually a half-pound up over my weekly/annual low about 4 days back. I'm now maintaining a daily spreadsheet; one of the reasons I'm doing this is a matter of discipline: I am less likely to cheat, knowing it may show up on my next weigh-in. Quite often the weight chart is more a downside zigzag: after plateauing for about a week, you weigh yourself and find you've dropped 2-3 pounds. I've even seen this drop continue for 2-3 days. But then you get the demoralizing dead cat bounce in water gain (say, 2 or 3 pounds) as your body resets your equilibrium. That's why many diet gurus advise against weighing yourself daily. But I have 2 math degrees and have done some applied statistical research: I love numbers. Even now, I'm interested in comparing against my last sustained diet a decade ago. I realize now that I'm older, my metabolism has slowed somewhat.
I was shopping in Sam's Club today, mostly for some produce, but my latest thing has been scrambling eggs and some veggies in olive oil (which is high in monounsaturated fats); I just found on a website cooking eggs in olive oil has been a staple in the Mediterranean region for years. Over the past week, I also came across a health email that extolled the virtues of other oils, particularly sunflower and safflower. Sam's Club sells a number of olive oils, which I was scanning when I ran across an oil blend called LifeOil, a blend of the 3 above-cited oils. I do almost no frying (beyond burgers in my Foreman grill), but I'm willing to test the blend.
Another item I unexpectedly came across: a 2-dozen pack of cage-free Amish eggs. Warning: these are pricier than your typical eggs; in part, I want to see if the taste lives up to the hype. (Generally, I'm a skeptic when it comes to organic, non-GMO, and/or other natural foods, i.e., I'm not sure that the purported health benefit is worth the extra costs.) I consider eggs such a nutritional powerhouse, they're in my daily diet and the cage-free bundle is worth a try.
Another tip: Sam's Club sells a big bag mix of fresh broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. (I could do without the carrots; the other two are low-carb staples.) I often purchase low-calorie Walden Farms salad dressings to dip the veggies; right now I'm enjoying their chipotle ranch flavor. Among other Internet vendors, Netrition carries a variety of Walden Farms and other low-carb brands at competitive prices and reasonable shipping charges.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Diet Update: End of August 2013
I have become so obsessed with my weight that I've already run down the battery on my weeks-old scale.
It's a little fuzzy on when my renewed diet really started because I had been in the Nutrisystem auto-delivery program when my doctor wanted me to go lower-carb probably earlier summer. I was in a "good carb" program, but when your doctor wants you to cut down to about 50 grams a day, it ruled out Nutrisystem; I still had nearly a month of food that I wasn't going to throw out, so it probably wasn't until early last month that I was back on my own regimen. I had already been been more stringent since an unrelated earlier trip to the doctor roughly six months back (I'm going by 90-day refills of my thyroid medication). I probably lost about 13 pounds by the time he wanted me on the reduced carb regimen and by my scale I've probably lost another 16 since then, roughly a 1.5-2 lb. clip a week that most doctors consider a healthy rate. I have over 50 to go to hit my doctor's target (I need to lose more than that, but it's a good interim target). Clearly I won't reach that by year end at this pace; I'm a little frustrated because 10 years ago I was dropping weight at nearly twice the pace seemingly effortlessly. I think it probably has more to do with slowing metabolism as we age.
I'm not going to criticize Nutrisystem here. In fact, I lost 40 pounds in the early months of a long-term commitment. What happened? Two things: first, I had gone off my thyroid medication because of a lapse between doctor visits; second, discipline. Nutrisystem only covers a portion of the diet; you have to supplement with fresh foods (like fruits, vegetables, breads and beverages). To a certain extent, even though Nutrisystem offers a variety of meal alternatives, it can get tedious, and I found myself adding certain meats, eggs, and other items to my shopping cart. I don't think I ever binged my way to regaining the weight, but I have to conclude a relaxed dietary regimen, reduced metabolism, and inconsistent exercise all contributed to a stealth increase.
I'm now far more disciplined and motivated. One of my favorite meals in my new routine is to take a freshly grilled turkey burger and add it to a bed of low-calorie angel hair Miracle Noodles, mix in some stewed tomatoes and add some splashes of hot sauce.
I occasionally use a meal substitute mix, particularly if I don't wake up hungry. I have used Garden of Life products in the past and noticed they had a newer product out called Raw Protein. I was curious how it was served, customer reviews, etc., so I think I found some information on Amazon's website. It seemed customers whom mixed it with water were unhappy with the taste; one customer said the taste was passable with ice tea (familiar readers know I drink a lot of ice tea, so this intrigued me). I included a canister in my last order with my favorite low-carb Internet vendor, and I decided to use almond milk. It's definitely more of an acquired taste, but not unpleasant; I don't drink it daily, maybe a couple of times a week to vary my breakfast routine.
It's a little fuzzy on when my renewed diet really started because I had been in the Nutrisystem auto-delivery program when my doctor wanted me to go lower-carb probably earlier summer. I was in a "good carb" program, but when your doctor wants you to cut down to about 50 grams a day, it ruled out Nutrisystem; I still had nearly a month of food that I wasn't going to throw out, so it probably wasn't until early last month that I was back on my own regimen. I had already been been more stringent since an unrelated earlier trip to the doctor roughly six months back (I'm going by 90-day refills of my thyroid medication). I probably lost about 13 pounds by the time he wanted me on the reduced carb regimen and by my scale I've probably lost another 16 since then, roughly a 1.5-2 lb. clip a week that most doctors consider a healthy rate. I have over 50 to go to hit my doctor's target (I need to lose more than that, but it's a good interim target). Clearly I won't reach that by year end at this pace; I'm a little frustrated because 10 years ago I was dropping weight at nearly twice the pace seemingly effortlessly. I think it probably has more to do with slowing metabolism as we age.
I'm not going to criticize Nutrisystem here. In fact, I lost 40 pounds in the early months of a long-term commitment. What happened? Two things: first, I had gone off my thyroid medication because of a lapse between doctor visits; second, discipline. Nutrisystem only covers a portion of the diet; you have to supplement with fresh foods (like fruits, vegetables, breads and beverages). To a certain extent, even though Nutrisystem offers a variety of meal alternatives, it can get tedious, and I found myself adding certain meats, eggs, and other items to my shopping cart. I don't think I ever binged my way to regaining the weight, but I have to conclude a relaxed dietary regimen, reduced metabolism, and inconsistent exercise all contributed to a stealth increase.
I'm now far more disciplined and motivated. One of my favorite meals in my new routine is to take a freshly grilled turkey burger and add it to a bed of low-calorie angel hair Miracle Noodles, mix in some stewed tomatoes and add some splashes of hot sauce.
I occasionally use a meal substitute mix, particularly if I don't wake up hungry. I have used Garden of Life products in the past and noticed they had a newer product out called Raw Protein. I was curious how it was served, customer reviews, etc., so I think I found some information on Amazon's website. It seemed customers whom mixed it with water were unhappy with the taste; one customer said the taste was passable with ice tea (familiar readers know I drink a lot of ice tea, so this intrigued me). I included a canister in my last order with my favorite low-carb Internet vendor, and I decided to use almond milk. It's definitely more of an acquired taste, but not unpleasant; I don't drink it daily, maybe a couple of times a week to vary my breakfast routine.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
My Most Recent Grocery Shopping
I mentioned in my political blog I had checked to see if Safeway had resurrected (from bankruptcy) Hostess Brand Twinkies; my last trip the racks had been picked clean. Yesterday I saw a couple of packages still available in a freestanding display. No, I did not buy any; I probably haven't eaten any since I was a kid. As a bachelor and graduate student/professor, I would occasionally buy those little sugar-crusted fruit turnover pies; I preferred the blueberry variety; I am my father's son. (There is an inside family anecdote behind that. In the blog, I've discussed the government's restriction on raw milk. My Dad during his teenage years used to work as time permitted on a relative's farm in Massachusetts. One day his aunt had put out a string of blueberry pies to cool; my Dad and the other guys pilfered a couple of the pies, washing it down from fresh raw milk (with cream haven risen to the top of the bottle). My grand-aunt noticed that pies were missing and rounded up the suspects. The guys, of course, played innocent. She then ordered them to stick out their tongues....)
Some recent purchases in my post-Nutrisystems phase: (SW=Safeway, SC=Sam's Club):
Sam's Club usually has large jars of jalapeno pepper slices, which I add to my omelettes and salads, for just over $3. And I'm actually one of those people whom buy those gallon jugs of hot sauce; I'll often buy picante sauce or salsa from Sam's Club but it's too mild for me; I'll sometimes stock up on hot varieties on sale at Safeway.
As for tortillas or flatbreads, one familiar brand for low-carbers is La Tortilla Factory. Safeway also has carried Flatout flatbreads, which I like. I additionally like Joseph's Middle East Bakery's Lavash breads, which include a blend of whole wheat, oat bran and flax. I have been able to order these products from vendors like Netrition. Food for Life, one of my favorite brands (see below), specializing in sprouted whole grain products, has introduced a tortilla line which intrigues me but I haven't tried yet. My local Sam's Club usually has a mix-or-match two-package bundle for under $5, including a whole-wheat variety.
My preference for a Mexican-style breakfast goes back to my undergraduate days of work/study employment. I've always had a stellar work ethic and was quickly promoted to assistant cook with the dining service contractor. I worked with a Latino cook (Rudy?), and he used to make am amazing version of huevos rancheros: he didn't fry the eggs; he scrambled them, but the (tomato-chili?) sauce was incredible, very flavorful.
The egg is probably my favorite food (roast turkey rates a close second). (I've been known to order eggs for dinner as a business road warrior, especially if I've gone without eggs for 2-3 days. ) I know the conventional dietary/fitness preference is to focus on egg whites, but yolks are spectacularly nutritious.and flavorful: it's what the chicken embryo feeds before breaking out of the shell.
Some recent purchases in my post-Nutrisystems phase: (SW=Safeway, SC=Sam's Club):
- nutrient-enhanced specialty eggs at half-off (SW). These boast of higher levels of Omega 3's, lutein, and Vitamin E. "Different feeds, such as flaxseed (linseed), safflower oil, perilla oils, chia, marine algae, fish, fish oil, and vegetable oil have been added to chicken feeds to increase the omega-3 fatty acid content in the egg yolk."
Sam's Club usually has large jars of jalapeno pepper slices, which I add to my omelettes and salads, for just over $3. And I'm actually one of those people whom buy those gallon jugs of hot sauce; I'll often buy picante sauce or salsa from Sam's Club but it's too mild for me; I'll sometimes stock up on hot varieties on sale at Safeway.
As for tortillas or flatbreads, one familiar brand for low-carbers is La Tortilla Factory. Safeway also has carried Flatout flatbreads, which I like. I additionally like Joseph's Middle East Bakery's Lavash breads, which include a blend of whole wheat, oat bran and flax. I have been able to order these products from vendors like Netrition. Food for Life, one of my favorite brands (see below), specializing in sprouted whole grain products, has introduced a tortilla line which intrigues me but I haven't tried yet. My local Sam's Club usually has a mix-or-match two-package bundle for under $5, including a whole-wheat variety.
My preference for a Mexican-style breakfast goes back to my undergraduate days of work/study employment. I've always had a stellar work ethic and was quickly promoted to assistant cook with the dining service contractor. I worked with a Latino cook (Rudy?), and he used to make am amazing version of huevos rancheros: he didn't fry the eggs; he scrambled them, but the (tomato-chili?) sauce was incredible, very flavorful.
The egg is probably my favorite food (roast turkey rates a close second). (I've been known to order eggs for dinner as a business road warrior, especially if I've gone without eggs for 2-3 days. ) I know the conventional dietary/fitness preference is to focus on egg whites, but yolks are spectacularly nutritious.and flavorful: it's what the chicken embryo feeds before breaking out of the shell.
- Romaine Hearts / Baby Spinach / Most Fresh Veggies (SC). I occasionally find a good price on kale at Safeway, but you can't beat a pound or more of salad for $3-5. As for veggies, I'm partial to packages of brussels sprouts and broccoli. I usually grab a package of mushrooms, a cucumber bundle, and tray of roma tomatoes.
- Sardines (SW). Perfect snack that hits the spot. Occasionally Safeway has these on sale for as low as $1 a tin; I especially like the hot sauce or mustard varieties. I used to order from Blue Galleon directly until they reorganized. I think one can order them from Vitacost and other vendors. Sam's Club has a good price on canned Alaskan salmon, and I have a couple of frozen salmon packages in my freezer. I have also liked Wild Planet brand tuna and other products.
- Grass-Fed Ground Beef $1/lb off (SW). I didn't even know Safeway carried grass-fed meat products until recently. I know a brother-in-law's father raised a few head on his Texas ranch; I remember visiting them when my sister was first married and she cooked a roast from "Blue Eyes". There's definitely a taste difference from conventionally finished beef, but the Omega-3 proportion is more balanced and healthier. I still have some reservations about processed meats (see my earlier post on the Harvard meat study).
- Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Breads (SW). In the past Safeway carried maybe a half dozen to a dozen loaves in its frozen foods section; then it seemed to disappear. I recently went to Food for Life's website, and they weren't listing Safeway as one of the local vendors. Then over the weekend I found a few loaves in a different aisle in the frozen /refrigerated section. (One of my pet peeves is stores constantly reorganizing their sections in idiosyncratic ways.) I bought 3 loaves; it may sound unusual for a lower-carber to talk so much about tortillas and bread when I have maybe one serving a day at most; it's because the good stuff is so hard to find.
- Organ Meats (SW). I'll often find packages of chicken giblets and hearts for under $2 a package. I'll often purchase chicken or beef/calf livers.
- Pork Cuts (SW). I can often find pork shoulders or cuts at around $2/lb.
- Chicken Breasts. Usually I can find a good buy on boneless/skinless chicken breasts at about $2/lb either place; the sizes tend to be larger at Sam's Club.
- Almond Milk (SW). It's excellent as a coffee "creamer" or a base for nutrition mixes. The unsweetened variety is roughly 30 calories a serving. I know Atkins had a thing about soy milk, but I have a thyroid issue and try to avoid soy products. Almonds are a superfood familiar to any low-carber.
- Fresh Berries (SC). For an occasional treat, I like to indulge in a serving of fresh strawberries or blueberries, which have a moderate amount of carbs. In the summer one can buy a couple of pounds of berries at a good price. Off-season, Sam's Club offers good prices on large sacks of these and/or a medley of frozen berries.
- Flavored Green Tea (SW) I also sometimes purchase flavored regular or decaf. Sam's Club often related bundles of 20-bag boxes. I drink a lot of iced tea sweetened with stevia (which I purchase in multi-pound units from vendors like iHerb). I'll often mix 6 tea bags (regular, def, green), one of which is flavored, to make 2 quarts.
- Nutrition Products (SC). I picked up 3 BPA-free nutrition blender bottles with whisk balls for about $20. Sam's Club offers reasonable prices on EAS and other brand whey protein packages.
This is a good summary of recent purchases. I have no financial relationship from any specified vendor, and this post is not ended to be an endorsement of Safeway or Sam's Club; they just happen to be the markets I mostly frequently do personal purchases. The reader may find better prices or alternatives elsewhere, but hopefully this discussion of my experience and products has been useful or at least interesting.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Intelligent Carb Consumption: Some Initial Thoughts
Let me note here, if it's not clearly stated elsewhere, that my essays are not based on original nutrition research but reflect a number of secondary references. My research background can be relevant in evaluating nutrition study design.
I always knew that athletes and bodybuilders took nutrition to a different level. In my political blog I've occasionally mentioned an odd fellow Oracle Apps DBA I met on a gig in the late 1990's at a specialty box manufacturer (e.g., boxes used for CD or DVD collections) in the west Chicago suburbs. I was actually in decent physical shape but I seemed to have a resistance level at about 220 lbs. I knew he was a fairly serious gym rat, but I don't know if he was an amateur bodybuilder. He gave me a couple of EAS powder packets and even offered me $50 to throw out everything in my refrigerator. He didn't go too much into his diet, except he mentioned dipping bread into virgin olive oil. (I didn't take him up on his offer.)
I remember in my battles against the Atkins diet fundamentalists back around 2003-2004, I never really liked what I considered over-simplistic daily carb gram caps which were the same held regardless of activity levels. I knew that diets often resulted in an undesirable loss of muscle, a lot of an initial 6 pound or so weight loss was mostly water and I believe related to a drop in glycogen stores. One can conceptualize glycogen (in liver and muscles) as stores of working quick-energy supply. Starches, like the white foods (potatoes, rice, bread), contain glucose, which in conjunction with insulin feeds muscle glycogen, while the fructose in fruit is metabolized by the fiber. Why is glycogen important? Among other things, lack of an energy store affects our energy levels to exercise and can also result in the loss of muscle (which may be used to replenish glycogen). Insulin is also a fat storage mechanism.
At the current time I'm still doing my background research on the topic, and I'm sure that bodybuilders would find my discussion inadequate. The nature and extent of carb consumption should vary on activity level, but some carbs, say complex carbs like whole grains, may be consumed at an interval long enough to ensure that the carbs are metabolized, available for use during a subsequent workout. Then a second feeding occurs after the workout when the glycogen levels are depleted. So we can think of glycogen levels as sort of a thermostat; we never want to overflow glycogen, with excess carbs metabolized as fat, and we never want our glycogen to deplete to the point we lose muscle. [One source suggest excess carbs are converted into palmitic acid which suppresses our sensitivity to the hunger hormone leptin, i.e., we may overeat because we feel satiated later.]
Glycogen levels are naturally lower in the morning when we wake up, and insulin sensitivity is higher in the morning and after workouts. Insulin sensitivity is critical to efficient delivery of glucose to cells. Growth hormones, which naturally decline with age, are also useful in muscle growth and sugar and fat metabolism. Growth hormone generation can be stimulated through anaerobic (strength-training) exercise and can be inhibited by high levels of insulin. Insulin production is stimulated by the consumption of faster-digested, higher-glycemic foods (like the white foods and fruit juices). The above source suggests post-workout some glycogen can be replenished without insulin.
I always knew that athletes and bodybuilders took nutrition to a different level. In my political blog I've occasionally mentioned an odd fellow Oracle Apps DBA I met on a gig in the late 1990's at a specialty box manufacturer (e.g., boxes used for CD or DVD collections) in the west Chicago suburbs. I was actually in decent physical shape but I seemed to have a resistance level at about 220 lbs. I knew he was a fairly serious gym rat, but I don't know if he was an amateur bodybuilder. He gave me a couple of EAS powder packets and even offered me $50 to throw out everything in my refrigerator. He didn't go too much into his diet, except he mentioned dipping bread into virgin olive oil. (I didn't take him up on his offer.)
I remember in my battles against the Atkins diet fundamentalists back around 2003-2004, I never really liked what I considered over-simplistic daily carb gram caps which were the same held regardless of activity levels. I knew that diets often resulted in an undesirable loss of muscle, a lot of an initial 6 pound or so weight loss was mostly water and I believe related to a drop in glycogen stores. One can conceptualize glycogen (in liver and muscles) as stores of working quick-energy supply. Starches, like the white foods (potatoes, rice, bread), contain glucose, which in conjunction with insulin feeds muscle glycogen, while the fructose in fruit is metabolized by the fiber. Why is glycogen important? Among other things, lack of an energy store affects our energy levels to exercise and can also result in the loss of muscle (which may be used to replenish glycogen). Insulin is also a fat storage mechanism.
At the current time I'm still doing my background research on the topic, and I'm sure that bodybuilders would find my discussion inadequate. The nature and extent of carb consumption should vary on activity level, but some carbs, say complex carbs like whole grains, may be consumed at an interval long enough to ensure that the carbs are metabolized, available for use during a subsequent workout. Then a second feeding occurs after the workout when the glycogen levels are depleted. So we can think of glycogen levels as sort of a thermostat; we never want to overflow glycogen, with excess carbs metabolized as fat, and we never want our glycogen to deplete to the point we lose muscle. [One source suggest excess carbs are converted into palmitic acid which suppresses our sensitivity to the hunger hormone leptin, i.e., we may overeat because we feel satiated later.]
Glycogen levels are naturally lower in the morning when we wake up, and insulin sensitivity is higher in the morning and after workouts. Insulin sensitivity is critical to efficient delivery of glucose to cells. Growth hormones, which naturally decline with age, are also useful in muscle growth and sugar and fat metabolism. Growth hormone generation can be stimulated through anaerobic (strength-training) exercise and can be inhibited by high levels of insulin. Insulin production is stimulated by the consumption of faster-digested, higher-glycemic foods (like the white foods and fruit juices). The above source suggests post-workout some glycogen can be replenished without insulin.
[I think this discussion is somewhat nuanced in the case of people with insulin resistance (metabolic syndrome, predisposition to or diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, etc ) Insulin resistance can be highest in the morning. This has obvious implications for the timing and types of any carb consumption and exercise.]
Here are some practical suggestions:
- Work some strength training into your exercise routine. One heuristic is to consume up to a quarter of your daily carbs in your post-workout. The timing of your exercise routine can also be important; for example, if your insulin sensitivity (vs. resistance) is higher in the morning, you may want to do strength training then.
- Don't eat carbs solo, particularly at the end of the day. In your meal/snack with carbs, include protein.
- Generally choose "good", complex, slower-digesting carbs to smooth out insulin levels. There is one general exception for fitness experts: post-anaerobic workouts, faster-acting carbs, like a plain baked potato, will replenish muscle glycogen faster (when speed is of the essence).
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Back on the Lower-Carb Trail
I think at my highest weight I hit somewhere in the 340-plus lb. range around 2003, which would be heavy if I was a foot taller instead of roughly average height. I wasn't always that heavy. When I was a Navy ensign shortly after earning my first Master's I probably was in the 170-190 lb. range, and within a year of leaving the Navy (I was an instructor which is sedentary work) I got down to the low 160's, probably my lowest since I dieted at OLL, losing 70-odd pounds. During my decade in academia starting as a full-time doctoral student in Houston, I probably hit the 220-lb. or so range, although that is somewhat deceptive because I bulked up weight training and I was regularly jogging. After I left academia (job recession) and resumed my IT professional career in the Chicago area, I probably cycled between 220-270 lbs.; I had joined a Bally's affiliate in the southwest suburbs and was fanatically working out nightly, alternating aerobic and anaerobic training (I was so fanatic my car skidded on black ice blanketed by unplowed snow, causing about $2K in damage and use of my car for a few weeks--but I still got my workout in); I had replaced jogging with cycling and stepper machines. I developed a painful heel spur, and my doctor at the time was clueless. I hypothesized that my workouts had stressed my foot and cut my workouts to every other day; the pain soon went away, no thanks to my doctor.
I started consulting around 1997 and had adopted a road warrior lifestyle. Maintaining a diet-exercise regimen was difficult, although many hotels now seem to offer exercise facilities. A temp gig I took in Santa Clara become an unsought full-time job offer (after 3 months, I was told not to fly back the next week unless I took their job offer, and I didn't have a backup gig lined up in Chicago). This became notable because Bally's at the time didn't have an affiliate in the San Jose area (the nearest one was in the San Francisco area), and I didn't want to buy a second membership. Plus, I quickly became disenchanted with my new job, putting in over 70 hours a week. I eventually moved back to the northwest suburbs of Chicago to service a local government client in the Milwaukee suburbs just before 9/11. It is around that time I discovered, to my shock, that my weight had climbed to the 330-lb. level. I knew I had put on some weight because I had to buy bigger clothes; it wasn't so much my eating patterns had changed but probably a combination of slowing metabolism and irregular exercise. I think Bally's didn't have a conveniently located center where I lived, but a one-way commute of an hour was more the rule than the exception over the next 3 years.
I finally got the message that I had to do something about my weight when, in the midst of a horrible Chicago job market, I went on a job interview, ironically, in the Baltimore area, for a local energy company. Usually IT gigs are business casual, so I hadn't worn my favorite business suit in some time and noticed that it was feeling a bit snug. For whatever reason, I didn't get the job, but I dedicated myself to doing something about my weight.
On a previous gig in 2002 I had met an eccentric DBA whom was commuting from Florida for a local Chicago government project. (I won't go into the specifics of his eccentricity here; he was the most incompetent DBA I've ever met but the project manager was gullible and had chosen him without having me screen him.) In any event, he had told me that he had a weight problem like mine, but the Atkins diet had worked for him. He was over 6 feet tall and not thin, but active enough to scuba dive in Florida as a favorite pastime.
I found it worked like a charm--I was seeming losing about 3 lbs. a week, almost effortlessly, probably losing over 90 lbs. by the time of a family function in 2004. (By that time I had a new government contractor gig just inside the north Beltway and had moved to a Maryland suburb north of the Beltway.) A Bally's club was maybe a 20-minute drive away, and I resumed regular workouts, although my commutes usually chewed up an hour each way; I found myself at the club at 6 AM when it opened or skipping dinner and heading for a night workout before the club closed at 10 PM.
Long story short, I began tapering off my visits to Bally's, and Bally's sold the club a few years back. The new management didn't honor the Bally's membership. I don't think I ever regained all the weight I took off over 2003-2004; but I came close; I was diagnosed with a thyroid deficiency.in 2009. I went a while without seeing my doctor (and prescription refills), which didn't help my weight problem.
I have lost a good 15 pounds since resuming my doctor's visits, and my last regular visit he put me back on a lower-carb regimen (capped, I think, at about 50 g. of carbs daily), and I'm phasing my way back into a regular fitness regimen, starting with regular walks. I had to recently discontinue my Nutrisystem deliveries because of too many carbs despite being in a "good carb" program. I'm also doing more background research into cyclical dieting which bodybuilders use to get into contest shape.
It's a little frustrating I haven't been able to replicate my earlier low-carb diet success; why did I go off in 2004? I had gone off around the time of the family function; the holidays were soon thereafter. When I restarted I seemed to be plateauing--and let's face it: a low-carb regimen is fairly boring. I never went back to the "white foods"--sugar, refined flour, potatoes, rice--but transitioned to more complex carbs, like 100% whole wheat bread, beans, etc. But hopefully this discussion provides a better understanding of the problems fat people go through; dieting can be a vicious circle because the body triggers a metabolism-slowing response to fewer calories; I've not frequented all-you-care-to-eat restaurants, I don't buy sugary desserts of any type, munchies (chips, crackers, etc.) I eat less than most people I know.
I will make periodic updates as circumstances warrant, in addition to other layman notes on nutrition and exercise topics.
I started consulting around 1997 and had adopted a road warrior lifestyle. Maintaining a diet-exercise regimen was difficult, although many hotels now seem to offer exercise facilities. A temp gig I took in Santa Clara become an unsought full-time job offer (after 3 months, I was told not to fly back the next week unless I took their job offer, and I didn't have a backup gig lined up in Chicago). This became notable because Bally's at the time didn't have an affiliate in the San Jose area (the nearest one was in the San Francisco area), and I didn't want to buy a second membership. Plus, I quickly became disenchanted with my new job, putting in over 70 hours a week. I eventually moved back to the northwest suburbs of Chicago to service a local government client in the Milwaukee suburbs just before 9/11. It is around that time I discovered, to my shock, that my weight had climbed to the 330-lb. level. I knew I had put on some weight because I had to buy bigger clothes; it wasn't so much my eating patterns had changed but probably a combination of slowing metabolism and irregular exercise. I think Bally's didn't have a conveniently located center where I lived, but a one-way commute of an hour was more the rule than the exception over the next 3 years.
I finally got the message that I had to do something about my weight when, in the midst of a horrible Chicago job market, I went on a job interview, ironically, in the Baltimore area, for a local energy company. Usually IT gigs are business casual, so I hadn't worn my favorite business suit in some time and noticed that it was feeling a bit snug. For whatever reason, I didn't get the job, but I dedicated myself to doing something about my weight.
On a previous gig in 2002 I had met an eccentric DBA whom was commuting from Florida for a local Chicago government project. (I won't go into the specifics of his eccentricity here; he was the most incompetent DBA I've ever met but the project manager was gullible and had chosen him without having me screen him.) In any event, he had told me that he had a weight problem like mine, but the Atkins diet had worked for him. He was over 6 feet tall and not thin, but active enough to scuba dive in Florida as a favorite pastime.
I found it worked like a charm--I was seeming losing about 3 lbs. a week, almost effortlessly, probably losing over 90 lbs. by the time of a family function in 2004. (By that time I had a new government contractor gig just inside the north Beltway and had moved to a Maryland suburb north of the Beltway.) A Bally's club was maybe a 20-minute drive away, and I resumed regular workouts, although my commutes usually chewed up an hour each way; I found myself at the club at 6 AM when it opened or skipping dinner and heading for a night workout before the club closed at 10 PM.
Long story short, I began tapering off my visits to Bally's, and Bally's sold the club a few years back. The new management didn't honor the Bally's membership. I don't think I ever regained all the weight I took off over 2003-2004; but I came close; I was diagnosed with a thyroid deficiency.in 2009. I went a while without seeing my doctor (and prescription refills), which didn't help my weight problem.
I have lost a good 15 pounds since resuming my doctor's visits, and my last regular visit he put me back on a lower-carb regimen (capped, I think, at about 50 g. of carbs daily), and I'm phasing my way back into a regular fitness regimen, starting with regular walks. I had to recently discontinue my Nutrisystem deliveries because of too many carbs despite being in a "good carb" program. I'm also doing more background research into cyclical dieting which bodybuilders use to get into contest shape.
It's a little frustrating I haven't been able to replicate my earlier low-carb diet success; why did I go off in 2004? I had gone off around the time of the family function; the holidays were soon thereafter. When I restarted I seemed to be plateauing--and let's face it: a low-carb regimen is fairly boring. I never went back to the "white foods"--sugar, refined flour, potatoes, rice--but transitioned to more complex carbs, like 100% whole wheat bread, beans, etc. But hopefully this discussion provides a better understanding of the problems fat people go through; dieting can be a vicious circle because the body triggers a metabolism-slowing response to fewer calories; I've not frequented all-you-care-to-eat restaurants, I don't buy sugary desserts of any type, munchies (chips, crackers, etc.) I eat less than most people I know.
I will make periodic updates as circumstances warrant, in addition to other layman notes on nutrition and exercise topics.
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