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.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
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.
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