David Steele - going against everything I've ever learned....

[David Steele]

Starting weight - 16 Stone
Low fat diet weight loss - 2 Stone in 2 months
Starting low-carb diet weight - 14 Stone (196 lb)
Objective - to be under 12 Stone by end of June. But NOT hungry, tired or injured.

Well, I've been up and down. But lately, more up than down!

I've been on a big exercise kick since after Christmas, and I've managed to lose about a stone and a half in about two months. But I've come to realise - I'm physically tired and run down.

So.... Last week I bought "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes on Audiobook from Audible.co.uk And...

Bingo. There really is a better way!

At least I hope so.

It feels a bit odd cooking with lard. Adding cream to my coffee, and fruit! That's just not fair! I'm not really missing bread and cakes, but eat more fruit than a gorilla. (Yeah, I know - I've never seen a thin gorilla, but it feels WRONG right now!)

I have loads of questions - mainly about how much exercise I can still do. I really don't want to cut it right out, so I'll be contributing a lot to these threads.

Now that I'm not exercising to lose weight, it looks like I'll be doing it for fun. Is anyone else in the same situation?

David

West Yorkshire
England

[Tril]

Welcome to low carbing and our forum, David! Keep writing... you make me laugh.

[David Steele]

Getting the fear

It was never going to be an easy start. As I begin day four of my new low carb life, I hop on the scales and - Eeek! Five pounds added.

Hey - those were MY five pounds! I worked blooming hard to get rid of them. Not fair!

So my doubt and worry kicks in - "This is wrong. It's not working! I'm undoing all the good work I've put in! I should have stuck to the exercise and low fat regime!"

etc etc... Have you noticed how the mind never gets tired of being negative?

Anyway. Time to inject a little sanity. This is me talking to myself - "Right then, David. It's not a bad thing. It's just an adjustment. The reasons you've put on a bit of weight are-

1 - Youre fat burning mechanism isn't quite up to speed yet. Give it time
2 - (And this is the big one) Your body is recovering after being starved.

Item 2 is proably the most important. Sure, I lost weight, but when I look back at how tired I was, and just how much weight I lost (2 stone in 2 months) That was ALWAYS going to come back on when I stopped treating myself like a prisoner in a dungeon.

So, I'm sticking with it. But the fear nearly got to me...

[Shingi]

Glad you recognised "the fear" for what it is and you are trudging on.... your body will soon adjust and the scales will catch up too! Keep loving the steak in lard and creamy coffee, lol

[Tril]

Weight loss happens between the ears. Our inner dialogue determines our success. No more stinkin' thinkin'!!!

[David Steele]

So, all of a sudden I've got HOODLES of energy, and I'm feeling as if I've discovered the secret of eternal youth. Which is absolutely fine, until I suddenly realise a van full of workmen are watching me Chair-Dance at the traffic lights on my way to work. But hey - it was a good tune!

I've still not seen an enormous shift in weight. Three pounds off, but that still puts me two pounds up. I'm refusing to worry about that though, and sticking with it.

I've had a bad case of Airport Flu for the first half of the week. (Aiport Flu is just like normal flu - except it's terminal) So I haven't felt like doing any exercise. I'm not too worried about that anyway, since I now know that exercise is not linked to sustainable weight loss.

But I still want to find out if I've lost stamina. So... TOMORROW, I'm going for a little jog, and I'll see how I get on.

Question - Have I got more energy because I'm eating a high fat / low carb diet, or because I haven't worn myself out at the gym this week?

Hmmmmm.... One to ponder.

[David Steele]

Exercise is bad for you. (Well, it is for me)

After a week off, which on Saturday was marked by the brilliant "Dropping below 14 stone" moment, I decided to go out for a little jog to celebrate.

All well and dandy. But I've got this messed up calf that never seems to get any better. Over the last twice I've been out it's not been too bad because I spent ages warming up, and set off really gradually. But this time was different. This time I had The Lad with me.

Top tip for middle aged runners - never take teens with you, because "slowing down a bit" simply isn't in their nature. Before I'd even got out of breath I could tell the old calf was feeling tight. At just after a mile I felt the snap, and by that time The Lad was a distant point on the horizon.

Pants, pants, pants, pants!

Ah well. That's me stuck with yoga or rowing for a couple of weeks until I can try again.

But hey - exercise. Who needs it? I mean really?

[David Steele]

Weekly roundup

...And here we are again, Ladies and Gentlemen I'm pleased to announce that this week I've lost: (drum roll please) Absolutely nothing!

I risked a workout on Saturday - gosh my fitness level has dropped! But whether this is down to diet or (more likely) the fact that I've had 3 weeks off, can only be proved by a gradual improvement as I get back into it.

So, this plateau of stuck weight... I know I should expect this from time to time. I'm telling myself that this is STILL the result of my body finding its level after so much previous weight loss (2 stone since Christmas remember?) and that as soon as my system's recovered from the starvation I'll begin to lose weight again. At least I've not put any ON. Could my new found liking for "Longley Farm Extra Rich Jersey Double Cream" be to blame? My understanding is that fat won't make me fat- only carbs will, but am I taking the Mickey?

And now - more delicate news! I suggest those of you with weak stomachs look away now!

Seriously - What HAS happened to my daily poo? I'm enjoying loads of green veg - at least a double helping of spinach/cabbage/salad per day and I've gone from daily to almost weekly. The oddest thing is - I'm not even FEELING like I should go. It's as if the very idea has just become irrelevant. No wonder I'm not shifting the pounds. Should I be worried? I'm going to save a fortune on Andrex.

Okay. Gross alert over. You can go back to your dinner now.

[Tril]

LOL... you ARE funny!

With less junk you make less waste. The reason I buy my dogs top quality dog food... less waste. Meat and veggies just don't leave much left over, if you know what I mean. So unless you're constipated (you KNOW when you are... kinda like you KNOW when you're in labor even if you've never been in it before) you're okay.

Regarding the cream... how much are you eating every day? There IS a limit on cream. Same for cheese. There's even a suggested limit on meat.

I'm with you on the exercise... you don't need to do it to lose weight. In fact, I don't believe it's necessary for weight loss. But it IS necessary for health, flexibility, strength, muscle tone, balance and emotional well being. I read something once that stuck in my head, it went like this:

"I eat right to look good in my clothes. I exercise to look good naked." Kinda puts it all in perspective. LOL

Take a peek at your food intake... maybe there's a reason there that you're not losing right now. Post your intake for a day or two if you want... one of us might be able to spot something that needs tweaking. Just be sure to include amounts/measurements. Listing food with no amounts isn't much help.

Tril

[FlorayG]

I know what you mean David. I've fixed it with a dessertspoon of whole flax seeds every morning and evening - gulp 'em down in water and then drink another glass. In my case I think it's lack of fruit, I used to eat apples and pears every day and I can't wait until I can get at least one a day back into my diet. Berries just don't quite 'do it' if you get my drift.

[Tril]

Floray... you'll get more health benefits from the flax if you grind it first! The seeds just pass through whole. Your body can't digest them... but grind 'em up and your body can reap not only the fiber benefit but also the health benefits.

[FlorayG]

Yes I know and I use it ground as well. The whole seeds are for that specific purpose! (or should I say 'pooporse')

[David Steele]

Food Diary 1 0f 7

Dear Diary. Today I tried to cut down on my intake, even though my head is telling me it's the wrong thing to do and I should be concentrating only on cutting back on carbs. I think over the years I've trained myself you become so unaware of my body that I don't recognise it when I don't actually need to eat. SO... Now I'm listening to the voices...


Breakfast (05:50) About 15g cheddar, 3 strips of Parma ham. (Maybe about 10g) Black coffee

During the morning - a couple of strips of Parma Ham. (Black Forest Parma Ham from Lidl. Cheap and fatty but spanking gorgeous! 0.1gcarb per 100g) For those of you in the USA, Lidl is a kind of bargain shop that gets unfamiliar brands from across Europe. It started out as a place that people laughed at, but now we live in a third world country even the Queen does her daily shop there. Black coffee

Lunch (12:00) The rest of the parma ham (Making about 40g total) with 2 scrambled eggs (No butter or milk.) A dozen raspberries. More black coffee. Water.

Driving home (18:00) Water, then Half a dozen raspberries

Evening meal - Hurried, as I'm getting changed for Gym Class 10g Brie, 10g Cheddar, a handful of watercress (The big stuff that tastes of pepper, rather than the little stuff you grow in eggs to look like green hair) six (about 10g total) slices of mixed salami (0.1g carb per 100g 1 desert spoon of Olive Oil, 1 desert spoon of Walnut oil. Water

Gym - "Core and More" class... >Ouch!< for 90 minutes

Supper (21:00) - Freshly roasted chicken leg. Not the skin though. Yuck. A handful of raw spinach leaves. And for desert.... Another handful of raw spinach leaves.

Second Supper (oops! 22:00) 10g Cheddar. 2 Hazelnuts. Whisky glass with slimline tonic.

NB - No cream or butter. No large amounts of meat. And I haven't been hungry all day. Naturally because I've worked out my body's craving food to rebuild muscle and re-stock lost fat. So I'll forgive myself the second supper.

[David Steele]

Food Diary 2 of 7.

Hello again Diary. Today was a good day. The sun was out. Nobody got cross. AND I hit a bit of a milestone. I haven't smoked since Glastonbury (June/July) and today I was standing with somebody who lit up a cigarette, and I didn't wish I could have one. Result! For the first time in about 24 years I think I'mfinally free of that particular millstone.

Anyway. Breakfast: 06:20 Running late today, so snacked in the car. 20g Cheddar. 6 small slices of German salami. (about 20g again)

Snack - 10:00 half a dozen raspberries Black Coffee

Lunch - 12:00 (Really hungry and feeling a tiny bit wobbly.) A third of a roast chicken. Eaten off the bone. 14 Raspberries. (Yes I counted them. That's why I have no friends)

Drive Home - 17:30 half a dozen raspberries. Finally, they've gone!

Dinner - 19:00 300g Line caught skinless/boneless cod loin, pan fried in a little lard and butter with corriander, a dozen almonds and about 70g steamed Curly Kale. Slight dash of fresh lemon juice. Glass of Slimline tonic. Sans Gin.

Supper- Most likely a 20g cheddar lump and a dozen hazelnuts. Black tea.

fishnom91_o.jpg

[David Steele]

Dear Diary

Friday was just mad. If day could be certified, Friday would currently be in a padded cell singing "I'm a little goblin" with a pair of pencils up its nose.

Breakfast 1 Dessert Spoon of Olive Oil, 10g Cheddar, 12 thin slices of German salami. 2 Zero Carb sweeties. Teaspoon of bran.

Mid day snack 10g Cheddar, 6 thin slices of salami. A handful of raw spinach leaves.

Lunch Leftovers from yesterday's fish and almond thing. (about 100g) A much biigger handful of raw spinach leaves. 2 zero carb sweeties. Teaspoon of bran.

Driving snack - Off down south to visit family. 5 hour journey. 10g Walnuts, 20g Cheddar, 1 can Diet Red Bull (0 carbs) 2 Zero carb sweeties

Supper (about 23:30) 2 small Smoked Mackerel Fillets with their skin off. (About 70g at a guess). A baked potato. (JUST KIDDING!)

I've stopped noting black tea/coffee and water. Does it matter much if I don't put it down?

Today I received my "Low Carb Shop" sweeties and bran! I also got a copy of "The X Factor Diet" by Leslie Kenton! I really shouldn't be so excited about such things....