A little adjustment

So, I was surfing the net the other day and came across the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine site. It made some interesting reading about the power of a low fat, plant based diet and the effect it can have on weight management and in helping to reverse type 2 diabetes, often known as adult onset diabetes. I'm not a doctor or researcher so I can't tell you if the claims are well supported or not but it seems to match other things I've read.

To cut to the chase I am going to try some of the suggestions there, like staying away from all animal products (which I was already doing), fruits such as pineapple and watermelon, olives and avocado and all forms of wheat.  I'm going to miss watermelon and wheat but it's not a big leap from where I've been so I think it should be easy.

Tonight we went to a sushi restaurant. I managed to find on plan things to eat but it was a bit limited.

I tried naproxen today instead of ibuprofen. It seems to be okay although it took a long time to take effect but it is holding a lot longer. I'm not pain free by any means but it seems to be at a manageable level.

I'm a couple days away from seven weeks into this study of one.

Activity:

Some walking.

Progress - 21 pounds down  6 weeks and five days since the start.

Six weeks

I'm feeling okay today, my pain level is manageable if not comfortable. I'm continuing on with a plant based eating pattern but in all honesty the only benefit I can claim is easy weight loss.

I'm down 19 pounds in six weeks, just a little more than three pounds a week. That's pretty impressive from weight loss perspective. I've been eating my fill three times a day and haven't had any hunger pains at all.

I'm heavy on the starches most meal and could probably use a few more greens for longer term health I think. It's not that I don't eat greens but I normally have them just at dinner time and the occasional lunch.


Activity:

Not much today, a little stretching, a little bit of isometrics, some walking.

Progress - 19 pounds down  6 weeks since the start.

Carry on

I'm now five and a half weeks along since I changed my diet. I've not been able to add in a lot of activity, but I am inching forward a bit from being a complete slug.

I do a little isometrics and desk based exercises each day and walk when I have a good enough day to manage the pain of an excursion. Today isn't looking like one of those days just yet but I am feeling better than I was this morning so perhaps I'll surprise myself.

My weight has held steady all week, bouncing only by fractions of a pound on a daily basis. I'm not sure if I have reached some sort of equilibrium with my caloric intake. I haven't made any effort to deal with how much I eat, only what it is I consume. I try to make the bulk of my diet, filling but low calorie foods. I will look at reducing quantity if I plateau for any two week period.


Activity:

Not much today, a little stretching, a little bit of isometrics

Progress - 17 pounds down  5 weeks and 4 days since the start.

Sunday - 5 weeks tomorrow

I was out and about for four hours or so doing shopping and walking around yesterday. That's a big step up and I wasn't any more sore today than usual. I'm going to start some careful and slow resistance training tomorrow. I also ordered a DVD on Yoga for Arthritis. I hope doing that a few times a week will combat the loss of mobility I've been experiencing. 

Eating whole foods that are plant based is, so far, working well for me from a weight loss point of view.

Here's what today looked like, everything is vegetable based and no oil was used.

Breakfast was oatmeal with blueberries.

Lunch was two ciabatta buns with banana on as well as a cherry, banana, mixed salad greens, cocoa and water smoothie. 

Dinner was a big burrito with beans, brown rice, tomato, lettuce, corn, salsa and grilled vegetables. I did have fruit as well, a mix of watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, pineapple and honeydew melon in a small bowl.

Activity:

Not much today, just some gardening. 

Progress - 17 pounds down  4 weeks and 6 days since the start.

Friday night

My arthritis, while not great, is lighter today. I'm moving more easily and my wrists are only mildly painful.

Eating whole foods that are plant based is, so far, working well for me from a weight loss point of view.

Here's what today looked like, everything is vegetable based and no oil was used.

Breakfast was oatmeal with blueberries.

Lunch was a massive mound of fettuccine al fredo (with a cauliflower based sauce )

Dinner was potatoes, gravy and baked beans. I didn't have any fruit with dinner as I was too full.

Activity:

Not much today, on and off desk exercises and isometrics. My muscles are pretty wasted away after a few months of very little activity due to the pain. I will continue to do what I can and try to work my way back to regular resistance training.

Progress - 14 pounds down  4 weeks and 4 days since the start.

Four weeks and two days on...

My arthritis remains at a very painful level. Once I get up and moving a bit the pain reduces somewhat but it sure would be nice to have a pain free day.

I continue to eat plant based  whole foods. The one thing that's certain from it is my weight continues to drop.

Here's what today looked like, everything is vegetable based and no oil was used.

Breakfast was oatmeal with blueberries.

Lunch was fettuccine al fredo (with a cauliflower based sauce )

Dinner was potatoes, gravy, dressing, peas and pickled beets followed by assorted fruit for dessert ( from a Costco fruit tray).


Activity:

Not much still. I walk the dog occasionally and try to do some desk based exercises. I believe I will bring my mini-trampoline upstairs along with some hand weights to see if that might work out for some activity.

Progress - 13 pounds down  4 weeks and 2 days since the start.

Three weeks on...

It's three weeks since I started this blog. I've had a lot of pain to cope with and not much in the way of relief. The only bright spot so far is that I've lost a little weight.

I'm eating three meals a day and not snacking. My meals are largely plant based but it hasn't lead to any kind of change in my skin lesions or in the amount of joint pain.

Due to the large amount of joint pain I'm not very active. I do try to do some "desk exercises" when I'm at the computer all day and perhaps that will help in time. I'm having trouble standing up from sitting, I'll see if I can figure out some sort of assisted squat to strengthen my muscles. The inactivity can't be doing them any favors.


Activity:

Not much on any day. On my best days I walk my dog about a kilometer and do some isometric exercises and minor stuff at my desk.

Progress - 8 pounds down  3 weeks since the start.