WEIGHT LOSS
Here’s a brief take on weight loss, heavily weighted with personal opinions, anecdotal evidence, and rabbit trails.
What I’ve seen so far to be the most effective weight loss strategy is the ketogenic diet. Critics have things to say about it, as does anyone on anything. Pros and cons, cons and pros. One criticism is that keto is difficult to maintain long term and that criticism is valid for most of us. Another criticism is that keto long term is dangerous to your health. This is an ongoing point of discussion among experts, but so far I see very little evidence that it’s unsafe for most people. Whatever the case, the weight loss plan I wish to posit here takes these issues into account.
I do not support diet regimens that do not focus on lifestyle changes. To be healthy and well, one must transition from unhealthy habits to healthy habits and maintain them the majority of the time. This is not easy. We are creatures of denial and good intentions. We are also creatures who, if we want something bad enough, can do it.
Then a couple questions. How much weight do you want to lose? How much should you lose? How much is reasonable? Do you have any other health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or chronic kidney disease? These are factors that will require consideration and further discussion.
Now for the plan. (This is a recommendation only. I am likely not your health care provider and thus all disclaimers are in order. Even though I follow this regimen myself and know many individuals who do, please do not take this as official medical advice.)
Stage 1 – Go full on keto for three to five months. This means keeping carbs down to less than 20 grams per day. Twenty grams, my friends, is not much. It will mean eating meat, eggs, avocados, limited nuts (not peanuts), non-starchy vegetables, and cheese. You will get sick of this. Or you will become very creative and make it work and start to enjoy it. In our culture this is difficult considering that carbohydrates enthusiastically play the part of the hors d’oeuvres[O2] , the main dish, and the dessert. Even the salad is usually bathed in a sugary dressing and topped with crunchy processed garnishes.
Notes on Stage 1:
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Get over the keto flu. Stick with it. This feeling of mild yuckiness usually lasts from three to five days and, as with most everything metabolic, some will battle this feeling and some simply will not.
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You will start losing weight in the first couple weeks. Some lose eight to ten pounds per month, some more, some less, depending on how overweight you are when you start the journey. Let the weight loss drive your motivation. Let the feeling of a clearer mind and cleaner body push you forward.
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If you’re not sure about what foods have carbs (How many carbs do raspberries, almonds, or jelly fish have, for example?) then download a carb counter app. Use it for a few days or weeks and you’ll get a good idea of what foods contain what.
Stage 2 – After five months (we’ll take the longer number), ease off and introduce a few carbs here and there, maybe things you miss, for example, or things you must try at a friend’s dinner or when on vacation. You can go heavier on the nuts and, in my experience, re-introduce sprouted wheat bread in moderation (I say this heavily biased towards sprouted wheat bread).
Notes on Stage 2:
In stage 2 keep a few things in mind. Lifestyle change and sustainable measures are key words to remember. Here’s a few pointers as you introduce a few carbs into your lifestyle:
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Truly avoid processed sugars and carbohydrates if at all possible. These are addictive and you will gain the weight right back. These modern temptations include chips, candies, sugary drinks of all kinds, breads and cereals, pastries, most dressings and sauces, and snacks of all sorts. Sugar sneaks into and hides out in everything so watch out!
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Avoid fast and fried foods. Having said this there are definitely low carb foodie hacks to eating in fast food restaurants. Most burger places offer a bunless burger and you can replace ketchup with A1 steak sauce for less sugar, for one example. Mexican food is considered the epitome of high carb but order a fajita meal and throw the tortillas across the room for someone else to catch and devour. Go super easy on the chips and salsa but have a few because life isn’t the same without such. But, go easy is the key here. And do it once or twice a month instead of a few times a week.
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Save your treats for weekends, vacations, or special occasions as long as your life isn’t one long special vacation occasion. I use my weeks on shift at work for keto and my days at home not so strict – meaning I still try for keto but make adjustments for that excellent sprouted-wheat bread I mentioned, my daughter’s exquisite butter chicken, or the odd baked treat they’ve concocted to trip me up. So far I have managed to maintain my weight this way.
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Practice moderation in all things. Even bacon.
Stage 3 – Make this lifestyle a lifestyle. (Really there’s only the two stages but three makes it sound more complete). So let’s say that stage 3 means switching back to pure keto for a time if you need to. It means monitoring your weight and learning what you can and can’t eat. It means introducing some exercise into your regimen and drinking enough water. It means maintaining healthy relationships and taking time to rest and relax.
Disparate Diets in Families
An excellent question was recently posed. How does one do when a family member follows a lifestyle dietary course that is different from the rest of the family? Let’s explore that a little.
First of all, let me say that relationships should trump dietary concerns. Let tolerance and kindness prevail in all things. At the same time, there is a way that this can work.
Probably the best way to outline this is to use some examples from our own personal mealtime and dietary playbook. Here goes.
My wife and daughter would probably be considered nouveau foodies. They love to cook and try new things, mostly Asian, thanks to my daughter’s Chinese ancestry. Most meals they cook have a meat dish, a vegetable of some kind, and a salad. They already know me and that I will appreciate a large fresh leafy greens salad. They also know I don’t appreciate deep fried stuff too much and will probably avoid it. They still do it occasionally but don’t seem to miss it, at least from my observation.
I almost always find a way to work with the meals they cook. They don’t take offense if I don’t take the rice for the latest Indian or Chinese venture. I rather focus on the meat and the salad. I may try the vegetable depending on how it’s finished. My motto is this: I major in what I consider to be healthy for my goals and minor in those things I consider less healthy.
Remember relationships. If my daughter has fixed something with great passion and care, I will be sure and give it attention. I will try at least some of it and heap on the praise. To reject something like that just for my goals is plain shallow and shortsighted. Sure, I may lose a little weight, keep my insulin spike lower, or maintain a better blood pressure, but it’s not worth any of that at the expense of my daughter.
When my family has dessert, I may try a bite and sigh with pleasure at the rich creamy sugary goodness. But then I will grab some almonds or maybe finish off the raw vegetables while they enjoy said creamy delight. There is always a way to work through a meal if everyone is supportive of each other. My wife respects my food choices and knows why I do it and appreciates it (My goal is to be healthy enough to provide for her into old age). My daughter also respects it although she’s not above teasing or tempting me with a delicate and delicious, but forbidden, morsel. It’s all good.
Now, I feel fortunate and blessed in that the cooks in my household do not major in carbs-only meals. I suppose there may be families out there who do and this may be a more difficult situation to work through. But I think there is always a way. It may mean more variety at a meal and there may be added expense but it is workable. Trying a little bit (That little bit is key here) of everything won’t kill anyone. And usually if someone in the family really does have a health issue there will be understanding, support, and adjustments if necessary.
There, I guess that wasn’t so brief. Thanks for reading.