Losing Weight

[gsarfin]

This was my reply on another thread in this forum on my weight loss:

I have 3 days left in a 60 day weight loss challenge at work. I believe I'm winning. Losing weight slow but steady is healthier and usually longer lasting. I prefer to look at it as a lifestyle change. I've lost 5" around me belly and about 15 lbs. how am I doing it? I changed my eating habits. I cut out beer, soda, and a lot but not all carbs. I don't eat or drink anything with high fructose corn syrup, and I eat every 2 hours. Nothing big, but it boosts the metabolism. I drink infused water and I juice in place of some meals. 2 weeks ago I started to add yoga, and that has helped my bad back a lot!  
Oh, my meals typically consist of juice or hard boiled egg, sometimes turkey bacon too for breakfast, pasta made from veggies with shrimp or chicken or some lean protein with brown rice and quinoa and some veggies for lunch, then a hard boiled egg or juice or canned seafood like sardines, tuna, salmon, squid, fish steaks... I try to avoid the ones in oil, but from time to time I'll eat them, then dinner is whatever healthy my wife makes, no carbs with dinner unless it's a small portion of healthy complex carbs, then I'll eat a fruit or veggie, or a small portion of leftover dinner. No carbs other than small serving of complex carbs for about 4-5 hours before you go to bed. Yes, if you're hungry you can eat right before bed if it's veggies or protien. You will wake up hungry, drink 2 glasses of water when you wake up before eating breakfast. It's been working slow but steady, I don't count carbs or calories, I just watch portions and eat every 2 hours. 

[gsarfin]

Hammer, I realize you are disabled, but is your upper body able? If it is perhaps brush wheeling around a track can provide cardio? Maybe google modified yoga for people with physical disabilities? I haven't searched, but I'd be surprised if there isn't anything out there. Infused waters are good. They help you feel full, flush your system, and provide healthy vitamins and minerals. One I like:
Thin slices whole cucumber, helps you feel full and helps hydrate you
Thin slices lemon, helps burn fat
Grated ginger (about the size of a finger from the last buckle to the tip), helps boost metabolism
Mint, helps digestion. 
There are many others, and I have tried and really liked them all. Google infused water for weight loss and there are tons out there. 

[gsarfin]

*brisk wheeling. Autocorrect. 

[hammer]

The alcohol, could be one of the factors! I do hit the cognac to help me sleep! That is one of my down falls, without a double shot sometimes more, I can be wide awake dealing with chronic pain in 2 hours, with it I may get 4 before I wake up! I never drink enough that I'm unstable!

As far as upper body strength I use my manual chair as much as I can to get a work out with that. We do have a Universal weight lifting gym, like the ones in the schools, but since my 2ND to the last surgery I haven't used it as I haven't felt good using it. The VA is talking about replacing my old power wheelchair because  of the age of it and I hope they do! Because I do have bad vertebrae in my neck from a motorcycle accident that I do need to be careful of!

The neck problem is fine as long as I'm careful. I've had issues of paralysis, but have been able to get beyond them and full use again without surgery everytime I've had a flare-up with therapy!

I can walk a little, just not far! In fact I was it the VA today and they asked if I could try and keep track of my steps, so I put a pedometer app in my phone. I walk inside the house with a walker, in small stores with walker or canes. I climb in and out of the back of my truck to load my 4 wheeler, I just really need to be careful of falling for the messed up back, or I make it that I will never walk again and the reason I can't go far is between issues with my feet and neuropathy!

So, diet and keeping the system going good is what is best, and l believe you had some good points! I'm a believer in fiber too, as a good way to start my day!l think I also may look into some of your canned fish ideas, as I never thought of them as low carb. Debbie my wife has been finding some great meals, but some snacks would be great!

Thanks for the input!

Bob

[gsarfin]

@Hammer, you're welcome. Forgot to add the infused water goes into a 2qt pitcher and fill with water after adding ingredients. You can refill the pitcher when you're done a few time, or eat the fruit and/or veggies. Fiber is great. Look out on whole wheat and multigrain breads, many and I mean the majority sound healthy but are loaded with high fructose corn syrup. That stuff triggers fat storage, tricks your mind into thinking you're still hungry, and is terrible for diabetics. 

[gsarfin]

@hammer, also, watch out on the alcohol. In moderation it is fine, but if you are going to drink, look for healthier alcohols. I know that sounds weird, but cognac is rather sugary. I still drink whiskey like it's going out of style, which is more sugary than most clear liquors, but has less sugar than cognac. I used to mostly drink beer and whiskey with Coke, now I drink whiskey with water and an occasional shot of Jäger, which is a digestif. Jäger is also very sugary, so I only drink it occasionally. 

[Bman41]

Pick up a Misfit Flash, $20 or less on Amazon and 2 for $30 at Best Buy. Get one for you and Debbie. I have one, a little fluky at times but when it works it works really well.  
You can keep on wrist and then sync to phone, and using MyFitnessPal which syncs with the Misfit, does a very good job at calorie tracking including your exercise.
and it tracks most accurately from the wrist for walking. 

[TigerPaws]

@hammer, also, watch out on the alcohol. In moderation it is fine, but if you are going to drink, look for healthier alcohols. I know that sounds weird, but cognac is rather sugary. I still drink whiskey like it's going out of style, which is more sugary than most clear liquors, but has less sugar than cognac. I used to mostly drink beer and whiskey with Coke, now I drink whiskey with water and an occasional shot of Jäger, which is a digestif. Jäger is also very sugary, so I only drink it occasionally.

Need to be careful of grain based alcohols and red wine as they will inflame Arthritis and Gout, Beer will inflame Gout as well (there is some disagreement regarding Arthritis). Vodka is generally ok but I do not see the point as the object of Vodka is to have no taste. Rum is fine and there are many varieties including 60 plus year old sipping Rum.  

A diet rich in fresh green vegetables and seafood will help with the inflammation and resulting pain. Cutting red meat (and I truly love a good steak) will really help with the Arthritis and Gout.  

[hammer]

As for my drink, it is E & J top shelf, and I checked the sugars and carbs and it's zero! The only thing I put in it is ice!

I too like vodka, but that I can't drink on the rocks! That has to be mixed, so then I may end up adding carbs unless I really do my homework.

[hammer]

You know, I never needed to worry about weight until I had to start using insulin! When I had to add that to my daily routine to control my diabetes my doctor said I would gain 100lbs, but I would get control of my sugars!

Well, I got control of my sugars, but it's been a damn fight with weight ever since!

[Paa_Paw]

My stress test was slightly abnormal so the Cardiologist wants to do an Arteriogram and possibly add another stent (I already have 5) Surgery on the left knee is set for Apr. 8 presuming the Arteriogram goes well.  I am holding the weight fairly constant between 195 and 200.  Sugar is under 120 in the am using only a low dose BID of  Metformin and diet.
Getting old is the pits, but it beats dying young which is the only alternative.   

[hammer]

You're in my thoughts and prayers that all goes well!

When it comes to the knee replacement, be sure that you can use a CPM (continuous passive motion) machine. This machine will move your knee for you and help it heal much faster then without using it! Medicare covered the cost of mine for one month use at home for both knees.


Bob

[TigerPaws]

My stress test was slightly abnormal so the Cardiologist wants to do an Arteriogram and possibly add another stent (I already have 5) Surgery on the left knee is set for Apr. 8 presuming the Arteriogram goes well.  I am holding the weight fairly constant between 195 and 200.  Sugar is under 120 in the am using only a low dose BID of  Metformin and diet.
Getting old is the pits, but it beats dying young which is the only alternative.  

Life is always preferable to the alternative.

[Paa_Paw]

The plan is to go to rehab from the hospital and then go home with a CPM.  The people I have known who had problems avoided Rehab, the CPM or both. 

[hammer]

The plan is to go to rehab from the hospital and then go home with a CPM.  The people I have known who had problems avoided Rehab, the CPM or both.

Exactly! That's what I heard before I had mine replaced, so I used the CPM. I was able to have full movement by my one month check up! My doctor was very pleased.