# I quit! Not watching my diet anymore!



## Danaus29

Went to the doctor yesterday after closely watching my diet for 4 months. Gained 2 more pounds! I'm so tired of being hungry. So tired of stomach aches from intermittent fasting. So tired of being groggy and sluggish from not eating enough. So tired of trying to do all my exercises and work-outs every day. Might as well just sit on the couch eating cans of chocolate frosting and drinking coke!


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## Cabin Fever

Give the whole food, plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle a try. My wife started in January and I started Feb. 1. Wife has loss over 50 pounds and I am approaching a loss of 60 pounds. The funny thing is we didn't start this lifestyle to lose weight. We did it to be healthier.

Our doctors have cut our prescription meds by 80% and we expect that at our next visit, they will be cut 100%. We have more energy, are more alert, and feel fine. In this lifestyle, one does not have to count calories or count carbs/protein/fat. You don't have to be hungry, you can pretty much eat as much WFPB food as you want. My wife's doctor is actually having her tutor her patients in this lifestyle. Our son-in-law, the clinical doctor, got us started. He is currently seeking an accreditation in "Lifestyle as Medicene."

If you want to know more, you can start with the PDF below.


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## Terri

Danaus29 said:


> Went to the doctor yesterday after closely watching my diet for 4 months. Gained 2 more pounds! I'm so tired of being hungry. So tired of stomach aches from intermittent fasting. So tired of being groggy and sluggish from not eating enough.


That is how I felt before I was diagnosed with carb intolerance. AFTER I was put on a reduced carb diet and glucophage I felt so very much better.

Back then not all of the docs realized that an elevated triglyceride level meant that a person needed more protein and fewer carbs. So, when my triglyceride level started going up I was put on a low protein diet and told to eat lots of carbs, and that was flat out backwards. Now days I will eat plenty of shrimp, steak, burgers and such and smaller amounts of potatos and toast and such.

I feel so much better now. I just ate 2 carb exchanges worth of cookies and some diet coke, and I am neither hungry nor sleepy. 

Not every diet is well suited for every person: for me a reduced carb diet is perfect while for you a perfect diet would be???????

Tonight I intend to eat chicken and potatos, heavy on the chicken and light on the potatos. This is the diet that works for me.


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## painterswife

You might try different ways of eating for a couple of months at at time. You should not be hungry. Stopping exercising while you work towards a way of eating that works for you might help as well. I mean structured exercising not things like walks.


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## Danaus29

I still haven't figured out that perfect diet. Cannot eat very many carbs, they cause an increase in hot flashes and make me feel sluggish. If I don't get enough protein I get cranky and groggy. I could eat vegetables, fruit and nuts all day and still be starving. Too much animal fat makes me queasy. And this relentless heat does not help! 

I get my blood drawn tomorrow. Before my surgery in December my blood test results were good. Cholesterol a little high but not enough to warrant medication. I definitely do not need to have my blood pressure drop any more. Triglycerides were excellent.

The exercises are ones that are supposed to improve my mobility and strengthen weak areas. Not heavy lifting or extreme body building, just stretches and toning. Stairs are still tough, I hate doing them. No choice though. I cannot afford to have a maid do the laundry.

I do have to admit that even though I have gained weight, I can fit into my jeans better than I did last summer!


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## Terri

It sounds like you would benefit from a diet that is high in the leaner proteins.

The chicken I will eat tonight was sprinkled heavily with spices, but it will be baked and not fried. Baked chicken is not high in fat, and neither are hamburger patties made from 93% protein and 7% fat. That might help you avoid the queasiness. 

Congrats in fitting better into your jeans! Muscle takes up less room than fat: you sound buff!


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## barnbilder

How do you know that you have gained weight? I hope you aren't basing everything on one scale reading at a doctor's office. If your pants fit better, it is likely that you have lost body fat, and that should be your goal. If you want to use weight as a benchmark, do it very carefully. Weigh yourself every morning after going to the bathroom. Track those weights and you should be able to get an overall picture of your weight trend. Your weight will fluctuate wildly. A high carb meal can add a lot of water weight. A high salt meal can cause you to retain a lot of water weight for a while. A high fiber meal can cause a temporary weight spike. Women's menstrual cycles can add a lot of variability to the weight curve. If you excercise heavily, you might pick up some weight for the next couple of days from muscle inflammation, rebuilding, and the like. Two pounds is nothing. I can get a little dehydrated, eat a big meal with more salt, carbs and fiber than normal, re hydrate, tear some muscles with physical activity, and mess up my bowel cycle a little and "gain" 8 pounds . But looking at a daily weight graph I can see it is just a little spike, and the overall picture is playing out in the long run. Scales can lie at times, the mirror doesn't and clothes don't.


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## Alice In TX/MO

Yes!! If I eat popcorn, the scale shows a three pound gain the next morning. It will be gone the day after that.


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## Danaus29

Several readings at the doctors office over the past year. It's up 4 pounds from last year. It's gone up steadily in the past 8 or so years. A net gain of about 50 pounds in the past 20 years. Some of it is muscle weight. But I know there is fat there too. I never used to look 5 months pregnant, except when I was pregnant.

Terri, I've got biceps that make teen-age boys jealous. Not as buff as I would like to be but enough that no one believes I weigh as much as I do. I used to carry 50 pound feed sacks over 100 feet a couple times a week. With work and training I will do it again, just have to retrain those muscles.

And I should be outside getting some work done instead of laying here whining about my weight. But in the back of my mind I hear a rotisserie chicken calling my name.


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## williams1985

Danaus29 said:


> Went to the doctor yesterday after closely watching my diet for 4 months. Gained 2 more pounds! I'm so tired of being hungry. So tired of stomach aches from intermittent fasting. So tired of being groggy and sluggish from not eating enough. So tired of trying to do all my exercises and work-outs every day. Might as well just sit on the couch eating cans of chocolate frosting and drinking coke!


Diets aren't really all that good for you because your body kinda goes into a shock like state that changes the metabolism. People say no carbs or a keto thing works but I love pasta and pizza too much to ever give them up. (And pie! Love pie!) Eating non processed foods made from home without a ton of junk, drinking tons of water, eating smaller meals but eating more of them (like every 2-3 hours for me be side of get hungry again) with short burst exercise. The exercise doesn't have to be much but a short significant increased heart rate or sustained less significant increased heart rate. One thing a doctor said a while ago to me that made a huge difference was switching meals. Kind if like having the dinner/ biggest meal at breakfast, lunch the same and the lightest/ breakfast meal at suppertime.
Don't know if it helps it after all that sacrifice with nothing to show if you'd even care anymore but .
I would say though that after all that sacrifice, it's worth taking the holiday weekend and eating everything you've missed.
Best if luck.


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## barnbilder

Some successful dieters take diet breaks or engage in a practice known as carb cycling to restart their bodies metabolism and regain their sanity during a long cut.


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## emdeengee

When I first really decided to lose weight I knew that dieting was not going to work as I had tried all kinds of diets and they did not work. I decided that I would simply cut down and cut out 1/4 of everything I ate. I admit it took concentration and deliberation and I did have to face temptation (the only thing that stopped me from dumpster diving after the 1/4 piece of donut thet first day was the fact that I was wearing a skirt) but it got so much easier with time. And I really was never hungry or feeling sad and deprived as I was eating as I normally did. Just less and not that much less to start. Eventually I cut down even more and began to change what I chose to eat. 

It takes me about 6 to 8 weeks to develop a new habit. For my usual donut snack I changed to half an apple and half a donut. Then eventually dropped the donut and ate the whole apple. I found that not putting any foods on the "do not touch" list actually made then less desirable. Just changing the portions made the difference. And when you have success at weight loss it makes it easier to continue. I never did try to lose a lot of weight quickly. A pound or half a pound a week was good for me. After all in a year a pound a week is 52 pounds.


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## 4tu

when I want to loose weight I just drink liquor it kills my apatite I fell better and sleep better don't feel bad unless I really hang one on. I do not go out don't drive so I save money. if I want to snack just eat meat, steak and chicken no bread crackers rice or potatoes.


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## barnbilder

emdeengee said:


> When I first really decided to lose weight I knew that dieting was not going to work as I had tried all kinds of diets and they did not work. I decided that I would simply cut down and cut out 1/4 of everything I ate. I admit it took concentration and deliberation and I did have to face temptation (the only thing that stopped me from dumpster diving after the 1/4 piece of donut thet first day was the fact that I was wearing a skirt) but it got so much easier with time. And I really was never hungry or feeling sad and deprived as I was eating as I normally did. Just less and not that much less to start. Eventually I cut down even more and began to change what I chose to eat.
> 
> It takes me about 6 to 8 weeks to develop a new habit. For my usual donut snack I changed to half an apple and half a donut. Then eventually dropped the donut and ate the whole apple. I found that not putting any foods on the "do not touch" list actually made then less desirable. Just changing the portions made the difference. And when you have success at weight loss it makes it easier to continue. I never did try to lose a lot of weight quickly. A pound or half a pound a week was good for me. After all in a year a pound a week is 52 pounds.


What you did was a diet. In fact about the only diet that does work. These diets that are merely lists of good foods and bad foods are not diets. They are fads. People do them because it is a lot easier than what you did, which is an actual diet. A 500 calorie deficit, assuming that you need around 2,000 calories to maintain your weight, would work out to exactly what you did, and should get you a half pound a week weight reduction. That is a very good goal to shoot for, as it can be sustained for a long time. Trying to do too much at once is a good way to end up dumpster diving, eating an entire carton of ice cream as a reward, or other indulgences that cause weight loss plans to fail. Good plan not putting anything on the do not touch list. Do not touch lists are a path to failure for most people. If you can still have it, just not as much of it, it is a lot easier for most people to resist the temptation to eat an entire box of donuts "because it has been so long since I have had a donut". Trying to do too much at once is also a good way to make your metabolism burn less calories than normal, making your hard work in vain.


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## emdeengee

So true about eating. I also found this to be true about exercise. Slow and steady. I always loved sports but not exercise. When I was determined to lose weight I joined a gym for 3 months and went 5 days a week. The trainers were not impressed with my efforts. I thought I did great just by turning up and I did lose as well as tone. Made some friends as well. 

What actually worked best for me was walking. At first just for a specific amount of time but later counting steps. The thinner I got the faster I walked. My 100 lb loss all happened over 2 years with walking everyday. I always did walk my dogs but not the distance they wanted. With the distance and sometimes walking twice a day they thought I was a goddess. The tubby one lost weight as well.


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## mnn2501

Cabin Fever said:


> Give the whole food, plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle a try..


 No meat, eggs, or dairy - you don't actually live longer -- it just seems like it.


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## mnn2501

4tu said:


> when I want to loose weight I just drink liquor it kills my apatite I *fell *better


 hmmm I wonder if that was what he meant?


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## FreeRange

Cabin Fever said:


> Give the whole food, plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle a try. My wife started in January and I started Feb. 1. Wife has loss over 50 pounds and I am approaching a loss of 60 pounds. The funny thing is we didn't start this lifestyle to lose weight. We did it to be healthier.


Why is it that men can lose weight faster and easier?!!! (Rhetorical question.)



Danaus29 said:


> I do have to admit that even though I have gained weight, I can fit into my jeans better than I did last summer!


Muscle weighs more than fat. You may be losing the fat and gaining some muscle.

I have tried all kinds of diets that other people swear by, vegan, Dr. Atkins, Paleo, autoimmune. It was while doing autoimmune, or actually, when I fell off autoimmune, that I figured out why the other diets didn't work. Some foods make me feel bad, particularly gluten and nightshades. Without those, I start feeling pretty good. After tomorrow's test, you might try an elimination diet and see what specifically is causing your problem.


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## 4tu

Well broke my diet grilled chicken, 3 types of sausage jalapeno, beef and venison, beef brisket and pork ribs. mustard tater salad. Desert cheese cake and a triple decker chocolate layer fudge & mousse cake. vegie side pinto beans w/ sour dough bread. Kids had hot dogs. of course ice tea some brought their favorite beer. We had plenty of leftovers for tomorrow for all.

The brisket was cooked 12 hours over night finished off in the smoker over mesquite wood. 

1 package dry Pinto beans, sort out any off color beans, dirt clods or stones, wash rinse 2X and add 4X water to beans, tsp salt, tsp pepper, tsp chili powder, dash of comino / cumin powder watch this spice its strong. Cook over low w/ lid check water level every 30 minutes after 2 hours taste you can add more of each of the spices just be careful of comino / cumin its strong especially if its fresh. at this time you can add a few pieces of bacon. best to add more salt at serving. They should be done in 3 + hours try not to add more water unless it is so low they may scorch as the beans make their own gravy unless you make them too watery. Some people add one or two cloves not crushed garlic, some onion and or bell pepper I don't and everyone likes this recipe because some people are sensitive to those.

Potato salad 10 pounds peeled diced 1/2 squares and once the water starts to boil time 15 minutes then test if fork tender, if done slowly run cold water into pot to cool potatoes and stop heat from over cooking and making mashed potatoes. One trick is to fold ingredients not stir, Add 3/4 to 1 cup mayo, 1/2 large diced white onion, 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish salt & pepper options are 3 or 4 boiled egg sliced if you like mustard add a tablespoon at a time to taste.


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## Cabin Fever

mnn2501 said:


> No meat, eggs, or dairy - you don't actually live longer -- it just seems like it.


Some choose to "Live to eat," other choose to "Eat to live." I prefer to think that I am now in that latter category.


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## Oregon1986

I don't want to come off as preachy but the low carb lifestyle has done wonders for me. My overall health has really improved. I had to tweak it to what works for me. I found I couldn't do the really strict Atkins diet but eating low carb low sugar does work for me. I eat a lot of meats,eggs,some cheese and limitless greens


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## Cabin Fever

Oregon1986 said:


> ... I eat a lot of meats,eggs,some cheese and limitless greens


I did at one time, too. It's what got me into the mess I was in before I started a WFPB lifestyle.


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## Terri

Cabin Fever said:


> I did at one time, too. It's what got me into the mess I was in before I started a WFPB lifestyle.


Yes. We are all a bit different. For me the fewer carbs I eat the better my blood work is. However some people such as yourself have just the opposite results

People need to find what works for them and then GO with it! Since the OP is not happy with the results of the current diet, it would be wise to try something else


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## Cabin Fever

Terri said:


> Yes. We are all a bit different. For me the fewer carbs I eat the better my blood work is. However some people such as yourself have just the opposite results
> 
> People need to find what works for them and then GO with it! Since the OP is not happy with the results of the current diet, it would be wise to try something else


Actually, we don't eat a lot of carbs either. When we do its whole grain/whole food. Examples are Killer Dave's 21 seed and grain bread, whole wheat pasta, whole grain corn tortilla chips, potato (with skin), or brown rice. With that said, we have maybe one or two meals a week that include any one of the above carbs (not all of the items once a week, only one or two of the items once a week). 

I agree, what works for one, may not work (or even be healthy) for another. WFPB works for us.


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## 4tu

Mescal kills the worm and everything else. my alcohol level and blood are level 50/50, If I die and get buried before the alcohol evaporates I'm considered embalmed and if I am cremated it cost less as I am my own fuel source. while I am alive I save money on sanitizer and wipes I just wipe my hand on the frig and it's clean i save money on bar-b-q starter too.


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## emdeengee

Cabin Fever said:


> Give the whole food, plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle a try. My wife started in January and I started Feb. 1. Wife has loss over 50 pounds and I am approaching a loss of 60 pounds. The funny thing is we didn't start this lifestyle to lose weight. We did it to be healthier.
> 
> Our doctors have cut our prescription meds by 80% and we expect that at our next visit, they will be cut 100%. We have more energy, are more alert, and feel fine. In this lifestyle, one does not have to count calories or count carbs/protein/fat. You don't have to be hungry, you can pretty much eat as much WFPB food as you want. My wife's doctor is actually having her tutor her patients in this lifestyle. Our son-in-law, the clinical doctor, got us started. He is currently seeking an accreditation in "Lifestyle as Medicene."
> 
> If you want to know more, you can start with the PDF below.



Thank you for the PDF. The weight loss that you and your wife have achieved is amazing but even more so is the 80% reduction in meds. 

I basically eat this way except for dairy - milk, yogurt, cheese, in small quantities but have not had such a great result with the meds. Maybe time to even get rid of the dairy. I would really like my omnivore husband to move more towards a plant based diet. 

You wrote that you used to eat a lot of meat and eggs. How did you cut these out and break the desire? This seems almost impossible with my husband and as he has no health issues he thinks it is not really necessary but I am worried about the future. Meat twice a day cannot be an optimum diet. Did this increase of plant matter cause digestive problems? He is also bean resistant except for baked brown beans and chili and always sings this childhood ditty when I serve them - Beans, beans the musical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot.


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## Cabin Fever

emdeengee said:


> ....You wrote that you used to eat a lot of meat and eggs. How did you cut these out and break the desire?
> It really wasn't that hard. We wanted to get healthy. Meat, animal fat, and dairy were causing our poor cholesterol results, these products are tied to Type 2 diabetes (everyone thinks its just sugar and starches, they are wrong, and these foods are calorie-rich (per volume). So, we just stopped cold turkey (no pun intended). It's like this. If I was a smoker and the Doc told me I had the start of lung cancer, I would stop smoking immediately, too. Like a smoker that quit, I do long for my former "addiction". But, I fight the urge.
> 
> This seems almost impossible with my husband and as he has no health issues he thinks it is not really necessary but I am worried about the future. Meat twice a day cannot be an optimum diet. Did this increase of plant matter cause digestive problems?
> Actually it helped with the digestive issues I had been experiencing. I had an emergency gall bladder removal several years ago. Ever since then, my digestion and bowel movements (sorry, but you asked) were never quite the same. I am now glad to report that I no longer have such issues.
> 
> He is also bean resistant except for baked brown beans and chili and always sings this childhood ditty when I serve them - Beans, beans the musical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot.


I responded within your quote above using blue letters. There is so much information out there. Just google, "whole food, plant-based".


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## Danaus29

emdeengee said:


> He is also bean resistant except for baked brown beans and chili and always sings this childhood ditty when I serve them - Beans, beans the musical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot.


That's only half the song. "the more you toot, the better you feel. Let's have beans for every meal!"

Any time you have a drastic diet change you will experience a temporary but uncomfortable adaptation period. For some people it's better to make a slower change.

I've heard of people sneaking pureed vegetables and oatmeal into meatloaf in an attempt to get their families to eat better. My mom even added peas to chicken noodles. IMO, a better option is meat flavored casseroles, roasts, stir fries, soups and stews. The meat is a flavoring ingredient. My family really likes beef stew with a pound of lean small cut beef and larger portions of sweet potatoes, celery, carrots, potatoes, onions and garlic. You can substitute turnips for the white potatoes and squash for either sweet potatoes or carrots. Another favorite is a package of breakfast sausage (12 oz IIRC) and 2 pounds of zucchini, a pound of mushrooms, a couple large onions and a red pepper or two for flavor. Fry some lean butterfly chops then serve with California style vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots). Add some shrimp to a mix of Japanese stir-fry vegetables.

We like a bean soup mix that is sold by Meijer (Sam's Club used to have a better one but they don't carry it anymore) but don't use the seasoning packet. Instead use some low or reduced sodium (as long as it doesn't have added sugars or preservatives) chicken (or beef) stock instead of plain water and add some finely diced chicken breast or 90% lean browned ground beef. Add salmon chunks to a micro-green salad. Wilted salads made with kale, spinach and chopped hard boiled eggs are also delicious. The goal is not necessarily to eliminate all meat products (unless your health requires immediate change) but to gradually reduce the amount of meat you consume. If it takes a year, it takes a year.


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## barnbilder

Danaus29 said:


> Any time you have a drastic diet change you will experience a temporary but uncomfortable adaptation period. For some people it's better to make a slower change.


Ding, Ding! We have a winner. What is "the reason everyone has a diet they swear is the only one that works for them" Alex?

This is what led me down the "whole" "natural" "clean" food rat hole that left me nearly spherical in body style. When you start a diet (in these cases no diet at all, just a list of good foods and bad foods, which is never a substitute for a diet) sometimes it is hard to adjust at first. 

You have foods that you are eating, and they really aren't that much different from the foods you have been eating, maybe different sources, labels and prices. Then you realize in some cases you are being duped, and you end up with some weird list of foods on your "menu" (more accurate than using the word diet). You are eating some weird peanut butter that is "natural" and it has more artery clogging fat to make up for the lack of sugar, flavor, sodium, etc. You have to get meat from the farmers market, and gradually you are eating less wax, and various preservatives and pesticides that are generally rigorously tested by scientists for food safety. 

So you gradually wean yourself over on to a limited number foods that don't have "bad" things in them. Your food choices might be so limited as to actually cause a calorie reduction, through expense, the difficulty of obtaining some of them and just the mental fatigue of deciding what to eat. If you get a calorie reduction, you automatically get weight loss, and you might actually start feeling better, for a while. (As you get more comfortable with your food list, you might get better at sourcing, preparing, and substituting and old eating habits might creep back in and bring weight with them.)

Your vindication comes one day, after this extremely gradual change in the food that you eat, when you suddenly eat at a friends house, or eat fast food, or don't have time to stop by the farmers market for salad fixings and grab a TV dinner at the grocery store. You throw a bunch of stuff in your body that it hasn't had in a long time, and you might get bloated, might get a headache, the stuff might taste bad to you, it might do any number of things that would lead you to believe it is poison. Then you know that your "diet" (actually more of a menu) is the right one, and the only one that works for you, because you are a special food unicorn, and your genetic code is so far removed from all other human beings that normally eat the food that just made you horribly ill. So it is a trap, really.

You can replicate the same effect with livestock. Switching feeds abruptly can cause all sorts of problems, death even. This is because an animal has to gradually build up the right amount of the right kind of bacteria to aid in digesting and keeping the digestive tract "clean", tailored to the food sources that are available. They need to adjust to the food to have the right enzyme response. There might be hormonal effects from some of the food, and the body might self adjust some of these things over time. There may even be some toxins present, and some of these might require a build up tolerance, through enzyme response, a shift in micro-biome, or self regulation.

Adverse effects are not evidence of anything concerning an abrupt change in food. Having too much body fat is going to make you unhealthy. Any way that you can reduce body fat is going to be a good thing, but is going to do it based on the laws of thermodynamics, not based on the "goodness" or "badness" of the foods. The more limited you make your food choice list, the longer the list of foods that make you have adverse effects becomes. Also, with a more limited list of foods, you will have a much harder time getting the proper nutrition. Not getting the proper nutrition might actually lead to weight loss, but it is far from a healthy diet.


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## GTX63

4tu said:


> when I want to loose weight I just drink liquor it kills my apatite I fell better and sleep better don't feel bad unless I really hang one on. I do not go out don't drive so I save money. if I want to snack just eat meat, steak and chicken no bread crackers rice or potatoes.


Little fun fact-
During prohibition the only distillery allowed to remain open was the now Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, Kentucky. The reason being was for medicinal purposes. If the Dr felt you were in need of some relief, you were allowed to have a prescription filled for a pint of whiskey every ten days. There were about a million people (men, women and children) in the state during that time, yet 6 million prescriptions were written during the first year of prohibition.


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## emdeengee

I have tried to be open minded about all the information concerning health and weight and have certainly given a lot of it a try. But it is going to be very different for everyone. I always knew very quickly if something was right for me simply by the way I felt. I am fine with dairy and grains, including those with gluten, but meat is a real problem. Yet for many it is just the opposite. If a weight reduction plan is right for you then you will not have digestive problems or feel overly hungry or have lots of cravings.

I watched a very interesting British documentary on aging and how to slow it down. Not aging in order to look good and live forever but the actual aging process that destroys your cells and which brings on all the physical and mental problems of age and the increased exposure and risk for diseases.

Summary: Aging is 25% genetics and 75% lifestyle

We all have a chronological age but also a biological age and the experiment used a British blood test to determine this. They also used identical twins. Shocking - some were 5 to 7 years younger than chronological, others 5 to 10 years older. And lifestyle sure made a difference between identical twins. And how you looked did not tell the story. 

Other than the really bad habits - smoking, alcohol, drugs and risky personal behaviours - the most influential behaviours that age your cells are stress and weight. 

The best diet - vegan. Animal products are the most destructive on your cells. But even going vegetarian (using very limited animal products) can have incredible regenerative effects on your cells. The best exercise - dancing. This is because it requires brain activity, hand/eye coordination, learning routines, following rhythms and engaging with a partner. In the test groups the dancers cells aged 15% less than those who did the standard exercises in just 6 months. The best stress reliever - dogs and cats.
Actually quite enlightening at just how much they affect your physical body - and increase your mental acuity.

The other part of the documentary was about the studies involving Laron syndrome - a type of dwarfism that slows the aging of cells to an incredible degree. Very rare with only about 350 people in the world. Their blood is missing a growth factor which is why they are small in stature but also why their cells are years younger than their chronological age. And why they do not get cancer or diabetes.


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## Txyogagirl

To me a diet is what year some people have a McDonald’s diet lol to many misuse the word diet. So I will say eating plan bc your plan is to loose weigh but I think anyone and everyone should choose something I can do for the rest of your life. If I have to stop and start and change from one to the other I would be cranky too like this week I can have pie and next week you can’t that’s no fun. The best eating plan is to live by only one rule for the rest of your life. If you can’t grow it or kill it don’t eat it. You won’t be reading any labels bc none of you food will have labels to read. Basically don’t eat anything processed. Almost exactly what cabinfever was commenting on in the first reply. That lifestyle is something U can do forever. Sure will u maybe eat peanuts from a package or oatmeal from a canister yes but u get my point don’t go buy anything that has an ingredient list longer than one or 2 ingredients. If u can’t pronounce the word it’s probably bad for u. Also don’t expect to eat 5lb of bacon for dinner bc You can kill a pig bc I promise if your killing it yourself you would be stretching the bacon to make it last longer. This lifestyle often takes the stress out of counting calories fat reading labels you just live and make everything yourself at home.


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## dmm1976

Danaus29 said:


> I still haven't figured out that perfect diet. Cannot eat very many carbs, they cause an increase in hot flashes and make me feel sluggish. If I don't get enough protein I get cranky and groggy. I could eat vegetables, fruit and nuts all day and still be starving. Too much animal fat makes me queasy. And this relentless heat does not help!
> 
> I get my blood drawn tomorrow. Before my surgery in December my blood test results were good. Cholesterol a little high but not enough to warrant medication. I definitely do not need to have my blood pressure drop any more. Triglycerides were excellent.
> 
> The exercises are ones that are supposed to improve my mobility and strengthen weak areas. Not heavy lifting or extreme body building, just stretches and toning. Stairs are still tough, I hate doing them. No choice though. I cannot afford to have a maid do the laundry.
> 
> I do have to admit that even though I have gained weight, I can fit into my jeans better than I did last summer!


The perfect diet is the one you can stick with. So you should do your research and try different things. Keep a food journal and track your mood and energy levels, see if there is a correlation. It takes alot of work and dedication. Because everything to u were taught growing up is wrong wrong wrong.

Food is fuel. Not for gratification. Yes you can probably splurge once In awhile but think about how it will make you feel afterwards. 

I do keto
I'm pretty hardcore. I eat about 10-15 carbs a day. Those only come from green veg, carrots and diary. Sometimes tomato . But I don't track anything. I eat only fat (110g) and.protein ( limited to 3 servings a day about 70g) before dinner. At dinner I eat a big salad with sour cream and cheese and ranch I call it my big fat salad.

Let me tell you, I feel.pretty good all the time now. A couple weeks ago I had half a dinner roll ...the next morning I felt like I had a hangover. So now when I'm tempted I remember that. Not worth it. I'm over 40 and have a 3 year old. I need to be healthy. 

Ask your doctor if it'd be safe for you to try a low carb high fat moderate protein diet. Many benefit from. Limiting carbs in general so I'd start by maybe 50 carbs a day
That allows for some fruit. 

I'd stay away from grains. But that's just me.


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## Oregon1986

dmm1976 said:


> The perfect diet is the one you can stick with. So you should do your research and try different things. Keep a food journal and track your mood and energy levels, see if there is a correlation. It takes alot of work and dedication. Because everything to u were taught growing up is wrong wrong wrong.
> 
> Food is fuel. Not for gratification. Yes you can probably splurge once In awhile but think about how it will make you feel afterwards.
> 
> I do keto
> I'm pretty hardcore. I eat about 10-15 carbs a day. Those only come from green veg, carrots and diary. Sometimes tomato . But I don't track anything. I eat only fat (110g) and.protein ( limited to 3 servings a day about 70g) before dinner. At dinner I eat a big salad with sour cream and cheese and ranch I call it my big fat salad.
> 
> Let me tell you, I feel.pretty good all the time now. A couple weeks ago I had half a dinner roll ...the next morning I felt like I had a hangover. So now when I'm tempted I remember that. Not worth it. I'm over 40 and have a 3 year old. I need to be healthy.
> 
> Ask your doctor if it'd be safe for you to try a low carb high fat moderate protein diet. Many benefit from. Limiting carbs in general so I'd start by maybe 50 carbs a day
> That allows for some fruit.
> 
> I'd stay away from grains. But that's just me.


It's amazing how awful it can make you feel "cheating" on low carb lifestyle


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## dmm1976

Oregon1986 said:


> It's amazing how awful it can make you feel "cheating" on low carb lifestyle


I had cotton mouth, headache, and so tired. And I kept tasting fermented something....sugar? Maybe it was the yeast? Idk it was aweful


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## Oregon1986

dmm1976 said:


> I had cotton mouth, headache, and so tired. And I kept tasting fermented something....sugar? Maybe it was the yeast? Idk it was aweful


I did that recently with a piece of cake,within an hour I was sick and regretting it


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## newfieannie

same as Dmm I'm pretty hard core keto. I ate a cinnamon bun 3 days ago and I'm still feeling the effects. ~Georgia


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## Oregon1986

newfieannie said:


> same as Dmm I'm pretty hard core keto. I ate a cinnamon bun 3 days ago and I'm still feeling the effects. ~Georgia


Sucks when your old favorite foods make you sick


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## barnbilder

If you regularly consume carbs, your bacteria will be adjusted and acclimated, and your enzyme response will be more normal, then they won't make you feel bad. Feeling bad when consuming a food that has not been consumed in a while is not proof that you are on the right track. Could lead to an even more restrictive diet.


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## Cabin Fever

We are whole food, plant-based advocates. We eat lots of carbs.....COMPLEX CARBS...with no negative reactions. We haven't eaten simple carbs for over 7 months. There is a big difference between simple carbs (bleached flour products, white rice, refined sugar, etc) and complex carbs (whole grain products, brown rice, quinoa, whole potatoes, whole fruit, honey, etc.)


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## dmm1976

All I know is once I cut processed carbs. ( Not all carbs I eat 5-7 cups of veg daily. ) I felt a whole lot better.


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## dmm1976

Cabin Fever said:


> We are whole food, plant-based advocates. We eat lots of carbs.....COMPLEX CARBS...with no negative reactions. We haven't eaten simple carbs for over 7 months. There is a big difference between simple carbs (bleached flour products, white rice, refined sugar, etc) and complex carbs (whole grain products, brown rice, quinoa, whole potatoes, whole fruit, honey, etc.)


Yes I agree I don't count the veg I eat against carbs. I eat fruit once in awhile without reaction. 

Only when I eat those processed carbs and sugars have I ever felt bad.


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## Oregon1986

dmm1976 said:


> All I know is once I cut processed carbs. ( Not all carbs I eat 5-7 cups of veg daily. ) I felt a whole lot better.


Same here. I'm not afraid to say that when I started my weight loss journey last fall,i was 299 lbs. I am currently down to 231 and still losing. Low carb has been amazing for me. That is why I get so defensive when certain people on here tell me that my lifestyle is not healthy,because I've never felt better.


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## dmm1976

Oregon1986 said:


> Same here. I'm not afraid to say that when I started my weight loss journey last fall,i was 299 lbs. I am currently down to 231 and still losing. Low carb has been amazing for me. That is why I get so defensive when certain people on here tell me that my lifestyle is not healthy,because I've never felt better.


There are alot more studies put there now for keto
Alot more.doctors are directing there pre diabetic and over weight patients to. 
It's alot of nutritionist and dietician that are still touting the basic American diet...which is carb heavy and imvolves eatigeevery 2-3 hours. 



But it isnt for everyone. 

The key is to find what works for you and you can live with for the rest of your life. 

I also IF. I do have 2 cups of bullet proof coffee I'm the morning and then nothing till lunch. Many health benefits to IF. 

But again. Not for everyone. Everyone will respond different to different things . 

I watch Dr. Eric Berg and Dr. ken Berry on YouTube as well as Keto Connect. 

I was 197 in January. Now 153.


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## Oregon1986

dmm1976 said:


> There are alot more studies put there now for keto
> Alot more.doctors are directing there pre diabetic and over weight patients to.
> It's alot of nutritionist and dietician that are still touting the basic American diet...which is carb heavy and imvolves eatigeevery 2-3 hours.
> 
> 
> 
> But it isnt for everyone.
> 
> The key is to find what works for you and you can live with for the rest of your life.
> 
> I also IF. I do have 2 cups of bullet proof coffee I'm the morning and then nothing till lunch. Many health benefits to IF.
> 
> But again. Not for everyone. Everyone will respond different to different things .
> 
> I watch Dr. Eric Berg and Dr. ken Berry on YouTube as well as Keto Connect.
> 
> I was 197 in January. Now 153.


I love keto connect


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## tiffanysgallery

I'm gluten-free, gluten-wise, due to celiac disease. It's with me all my life, even my makeup has to be gluten-free. It helps to have celiac, because I don't gain weight, although I don't wish it on anyone. But, I have to watch the ingredients in my food, how foods are prepared, otherwise I'll have a bad reaction. 
Only about 1% of the American population has celiac, and 95% of celiacs in the world go undiagnosed. 
I think undiagnosed food allergies and diseases may have an affect on people, their weight, and how food makes them feel, imo. 
http://www.foodrepublic.com/2011/05/18/10-myths-and-facts-about-celiac-disease/


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## newfieannie

I don't have anything like that. all I know is I feel so much better when I watch what I eat so i'll continue doing what I'm doing. I think my sister has that celiac disease. she has to be very careful. ~Georgia


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## HermitJohn

newfieannie said:


> I don't have anything like that. all I know is I feel so much better when I watch what I eat so i'll continue doing what I'm doing. I think my sister has that celiac disease. she has to be very careful. ~Georgia


Disease will keep one on the straight and narrow. I got a reminder the other day that my diabetes is still there and its in charge. 

Its fall and this is one of those good prolific years for wild persmimmons and they are finally sweet, not puckery. Wasnt thinking and been nibbling on them while wandering around outside. Shooting pain in my foot that night, obvious the cause and stopped eating persimmons. Fasting blood sugar highest its been in long while. Took another couple days until pain went away totally. Some fruits I can tolerate much better than others, obviously little tolerance for wild persimmons. Right up there with grapes and bananas and tomatoes. Whereas I can eat pint blueberries in one sitting with no effect.


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## newfieannie

I have never eaten persimmons. I was going to try some but I wont bother. that's funny I don't have any problems that I know of but I can't eat grapes,bananas and tomatoes either. today I had some kiwi and they bothered me. not the first time that has happened. could be acidity I suppose. ~Georgia


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## tiffanysgallery

I'm not familiar with persimmons. 

Banana's are not a problematic food component in celiac disease. But, I can only eat about two small bites. A halved banana is way too much food and would bother my stomach. 

The only food I've not ever had a problem with is oatmeal, well, it's the gluten-free oats by Quakers, and it's usually a staple in my kitchen. 

Absolutely, HJ, "Disease will keep one on the straight and narrow"


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## HermitJohn

Oatmeal tied with rice (yes brown rice) maybe worst grains for me, will zoom my blood sugar fast and furious. Irish potatoes too ... zoom, zoom, zoom. Though I can eat a raw potato if I wanted to, (I dont) as human body cant digest it so no rise in blood sugar. I know cause when I heard that I tried eating one and yep, nothing. This was way back that first summer after diabetes diagnosis when I was trying to figure out exactly what I could eat.

Millet probably best grain, I can eat half cup at a meal with little effect, its just not worth cooking tiny amount like that. Oh and no idea why but I can also tolerate canned hominy about same. I will sometimes add a bit to stir fry just for a change in textures. Dont have to cook canned hominy.


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## dmm1976

My chickens get all my persimmons. I built their fenced in run around the 7 trees we have. In the past this area was just a mess of rotting fruit and the bugs they attracted. I've tried them once or twice and they just aren't for me. Now the chickens can eat thenpersommons and the bugs


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## newfieannie

that's the one thing I can't eat is oats and I grew up on porridge for breakfast. took me awhile before I figured out that. use to bloat me something awful course I don't know what the gluten free would be like.

the only fruit I eat now mostly is Avocado blueberries and raspberries. like HJ I can eat blueberries until they go out of style. good thing I grow my own. strawberries don't bother me but I never did like the taste.


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## Cabin Fever

After six months of our whole food, plant-based eating lifestyle, my wife and I are no longer Type 2 diabetics. Our doctors have taken us off our diabetes meds. Our A1C results are in the "normal" range. We eat oatmeal almost every day


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## HermitJohn

newfieannie said:


> that's the one thing I can't eat is oats and I grew up on porridge for breakfast. took me awhile before I figured out that. use to bloat me something awful course I don't know what the gluten free would be like.
> 
> the only fruit I eat now mostly is Avocado blueberries and raspberries. like HJ I can eat blueberries until they go out of style. good thing I grow my own. strawberries don't bother me but I never did like the taste.


Store bought strawberries are pale imitation of home grown. But where I live, only the June bearers do very well (lot berries all at once) and some years it gets dry enough long enough it will kill the plants. So havent bothered trying for some years now, not after several drought years in a row.

Black currants do ok here once you get them established (not super easy). They are tart, but I like them. I know some people in this area do well with blueberries. I have tried several times, but up here on dry rocky hilltop, not much luck.

Never heard of gluten free oatmeal. But then I think most grains other than wheat and maybe rye have very little gluten. So just advertising gimmick most likely similar to putting NO CHOLESTEROL blurb on plant products. They didnt do anything, plant products dont have cholesterol.


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## HermitJohn

dmm1976 said:


> My chickens get all my persimmons. I built their fenced in run around the 7 trees we have. In the past this area was just a mess of rotting fruit and the bugs they attracted. I've tried them once or twice and they just aren't for me. Now the chickens can eat thenpersommons and the bugs


The raccoons and deer tend to keep any fruit vacuumed up. Dang raccoons will even harvest the few apples I have off the tree, before they are ripe enough for me to pick. Grrr.... I think raccoons up here on hilltop just arent as picky, when any food they consider edible is available, they grab it. Now just like humans, they have favorites, and given choice they will go for those first. But not lot choices here on the hilltop.

Wild persimmons can vary a lot in taste and sweetness. Some are very sweet and ripen early. Some never ripen to where I would even try to eat it. For those not experienced in persimmons, they are very puckery before they are fully ripened. And like most wild fruit, harvest vary widely year to year. Some years like this one, there is bumper crop, other years hardly any or if there are it will be those that never ripen and remain hard and puckery on tree even after it snows.


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## newfieannie

are you still taking meds HJ? and if so do you think you will be weaned off them in the future like CF and WIHH? I do hope so. I wish I had known more when my husband was alive. I would have been able to help him. not likely though because he wouldn't listen when it came to food. ~Georgia


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## HermitJohn

I was on small amount insulin and metformin for about 3 months after initial diagnosis to stabilize me. I got busy and figured out what I needed to do to control it through diet. The doc wanted me on insulin/metformin indefinitely though he was impressed enough with me getting blood sugar under control within month while on small amount insulin that he told me to go ahead and do whatever worked as what I was doing obviously worked. 

Apparently most people arent willing to greatly change diet and expect magic drugs to do all the work. I did my own research and more conflicting info for any disease you never saw. By way insulin is EXPENSIVE, the small amount I was on cost like $400 a month and I was on small dose. Something like 30 units a day if I remember. The needle is so small it hurts worse to get blood sample for glucose meter than it does to inject insulin. Its the bill, not the drill. Though for a type2 on insulin, insulin tends to encourage weight gain and thus you keep needing ever more insulin. Its not a good way to go IMHO. Other than metformin which is generic and on $4 list, most diabetic drugs are $$$ and some tend to make it on market too fast and cause more harm than good.

Found out over the counter chromium polynicotinate more effective for me than metformin. Havent taken any prescription for two, three years, whatever it is. Still take small amount chromium daily. Its all otherwise been controlled through low carb diet. This is how type2 diabetics were told to control it in early 20th century prior to commercially available insulin, by controlling intake of carbohydrates. Now they try to tell you to eat "normal" diet, just severely control amounts and calorie count. Knowing full well they will likely fail just like they do with same diet to lose weight, and be drug dependent rest of their lives. Hey to be fair, some do ok for decades on diabetic drugs. Just not what I wanted to do.

Eating the persimmons was just me being sloppy and not thinking about what I was doing. They are once a year thing at best and this is probably first bumper crop of persimmons for last few years.


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## HermitJohn

Recommended diet in 1917. Wee bit meat heavy IMHO, but low carb works.

https://archive.org/stream/diabeticcookeryr00oppeiala#page/n0/mode/2up


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## newfieannie

my husband was on 30 units twice a day and also metformin and I don't know how many more pills. yes indeed it was costly. he had insurance but still had to pay a certain amt. I dont have any one in my family that are diabetics . not sure if that means anything. regardless I'm being very careful and hoping I can avoid it. ~Georgia


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## alida

HermitJohn said:


> Recommended diet in 1917. Wee bit meat heavy IMHO, but low carb works.
> 
> https://archive.org/stream/diabeticcookeryr00oppeiala#page/n0/mode/2up


The general directions in that 1917 cookbook could have been written today. It was a enjoyable read HJ. I personally find that lowering the simple carbs has made me healthier as has eating lots of greens and other lower carb vegetables.


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## newfieannie

how did you get to read that alida? all I'm seeing is a blank page. most likely something I'm not doing. ~Georgia


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## HermitJohn

It should just load into your browser when you click on it. Can take bit time with slow connection. There is another free copy on Google Play. Maybe more copies floating around, dont know. Its in public domain. I downloaded a pdf copy of it.

Here is partial pic of cover with title and author.


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## HermitJohn

https://openlibrary.org/books/OL7095821M/Diabetic_cookery This copy opens bit faster.

Here is another link: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89042014746;view=1up;seq=1

Here is a pdf link: https://www.forgottenbooks.com/en/download/DiabeticCookery_10529183.pdf

Plenty more if you google.


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## alida

newfieannie said:


> how did you get to read that alida? all I'm seeing is a blank page. most likely something I'm not doing. ~Georgia


I just clicked on the link and it opened right away to a image of the book with pages I could "turn". I see that HJ posted some other options too. Enjoy.


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## HermitJohn

Oh here is unformatted text only version. This would load even on slowest dialup, but not much fun to read this way.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ssd?id=wu.89042014746;seq=1;num=


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