Last weekend, Anita and I celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary with a short trip and a stay in an historic bed-and-breakfast. I did my best to be true to both my wife and my diet. The B & B provided me with eggs, meat, and coffee in the morning. I ignored the platter of chocolate-chip cookies available 24 hours a day. (Anita did not.) We picked restaurants where I could put together tasty low-carb meals. All in all, things went fine, until I weighed myself the morning after our return. … [Read more...]
This week’s nuggets: August 1-5, 2017
This week, the podcast focused on the problem of obesity and what to do about it. Can getting more sleep help you reduce excess body fat? How many hours would you need? What about eating more plant-based food and less animal-based food? Do long-term food consumption statistics for Americans support the idea of eating vegetarian to combat obesity? And just what percentage of U.S. adults are obese? What do the trend lines show? … [Read more...]
My LCHF month in review: November 2015
Yes, that's right -- a whole month in review. As you can see, my weight changed little during November, though I ate what many people would call a low-carb, high-fat diet. At least, on an average day. For me, though, 60 total grams of carbs per day (40 grams net) and 67% of calories from fat seems to constitute a maintenance diet. My daily dietary averages and overall weight change for November contrast sharply with those for April of this year: Granted, I averaged 35 more calories per day … [Read more...]
My LCHF week in review: September 14 – 20
Starting weight = 211.8 lbs. Ending weight = 212.6 lbs. I gained eight-tenths of a pound, which broke my string of weeks with a weight loss. Once again, I did an intermittent fast on Thursday and Saturday (that is, I skipped breakfast, going 16+ hours without eating). However, I also went to a party on Saturday evening. This accounts for the grams alcohol in the table, which came in the form of a couple shots of scotch on the rocks. Not my favorite drink, but in terms of carbs better than a … [Read more...]
My LCHF week in review: August 17 – 23
Starting weight = 214 lbs. (August 10) Ending weight = 216.2 lbs. (August 24) I was at the lake for 10 days. Usually I gain weight at the lake, even when following my low-carb, high-fat diet. I don't know why that is. True to form, I gained 2.2 pounds since my last weigh-in on August 10. Aside from the Lake Factor, I think it's just that I have a serious carb intolerance. I need to get my daily total carbs under 50 grams a day in order to lose weight. It could also be that my body has … [Read more...]
A new plateau? Not if I can help it!
Yesterday I consumed 2,086 calories, with 69% coming from fat. I had 58 grams of carbs, including 20 grams of fiber, and 113 grams of protein. Overnight and this morning, I went 12 hours without eating. Still, I didn't expect much weight loss, maybe a tenth of a pound. Or I'd at least hold even. Instead, I gained two-tenths of a pound. My weight this morning was 218.2, up from an even 218. Admittedly I didn't do much of anything you could call work or exercise yesterday. But a man of my … [Read more...]
Busting the stall
My visit to the scale this morning (Saturday) showed me weighing an even 218 pounds. That's up two-tenths of a pound since Friday morning, but down 2.2 pounds since Monday morning. I have one more day to go in this "Bust the Stall" week. I guess if I hold even until my end of the week weigh-in on Monday, I can claim success, but I'd sure like to lose another pound. Or two. A number beginning with 216 would be great! Yesterday I consumed 1,939 calories, with 75% coming from fat. Along … [Read more...]
A small reversal
I dislike weighing myself every day. It's a bit obsessive, and shows a lack of patience. Also, you're bound to be disappointed often. Even when your long-term trend is downward, your weight will bounce up many days. Why? I don't know why. Most people think it has something to do with shedding or retaining water. All I know from my personal experience is that the "calories in/ calories out" model doesn't explain weight change. Anyway, I'm weighing myself every day this week because I've … [Read more...]
My LCHF week in review: May 31 – June 6
Starting weight = 219.4 lbs. Ending weight = 221.6 lbs. I'm writing this report a day later than usual because we are just returned from the lake -- Higgins Lake in northern Lower Michigan, to be exact. Around here, the common thing to say is that you were "up north" for the weekend. I'm not sure how far north you need to drive to be "up north," but Higgins Lake is far enough. It's only 100 miles south of the Straits of Mackinaw. … [Read more...]
My LCHF week in review: May 17 – May 23
Starting Weight = 219.2 lbs. Ending Weight = 220.4 lbs. I gained back a pound this week. (OK, 1.2 pounds, but if you were a true friend, you'd let me say "a pound" and leave it at that.) How did this happen?! The average daily intake statistics provide an explanation. My percent of calories from fat dropped by about 5% and my percent of calories from carbs increased by the same amount. But how did that happen? Easy -- I let it happen. In fact, I did it deliberately. I was conducting … [Read more...]