clevermanka (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
clevermanka) wrote2010-02-24 04:14 pm
clevermanka) wrote2010-02-24 04:14 pm
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Update on calorie restriction experiment
For anyone interested in my alternate day calorie-restricted eating success:
Last week went well. I set MWF as my low-cal days and stayed below (just barely below) 500 calories each day. My calories those days are coming from animals and vegetables. No grains, no fruit. From my food statistics on FitDay, I decided I needed to up the protein and lower the fat, so I cut out my morning coffee on those days and replaced it with Earl Grey tea, which I can drink with no cream or milk. I went from 154.2 to 150.6.
I was up a pound on Tuesday. From now on, it's only Saturday morning weigh-ins so as not to get depressed and risk mid-week food consolation.
Today I am doing fine on just tea and water. I'm hungry, but not lightheaded or stomach-crampy. I wonder if I can slowly lower my calorie intake on MWF to the point where I can do intermittent fasting instead of low-calorie days. I had disastrous results with intermittent fasting a couple years ago, but I tried it by jumping into the deep end of the pool instead of making a slow change like this. IF (intermittent fasting) is the easiest way for me to manage a calorie-restricted diet, and since calorie-restriction seems to be far and away the leader in proven longevity methods...well.
I considered going wheat-free again, and that is to help with weight loss. But until I go three weeks with no loss, I'm going not going focus on eliminating any particular foods. I won't go out of my way to eat wheat, but if a plate of dumplings throws itself in front of me on a high-calorie day, I'm certainly not going to swerve to avoid it.
One thing I do need to get more serious about is the refined sugar. I'm allow myself little indulgences on all my high-calorie days and that needs to stop. Once a week. I need to limit the refined sugar to once a week.
I also need to start moving again, but that's a different issue, and one I'm not going to address until I feel a little better health-wise. I'm still coughing, and I'm still having sleep issues.
Last week went well. I set MWF as my low-cal days and stayed below (just barely below) 500 calories each day. My calories those days are coming from animals and vegetables. No grains, no fruit. From my food statistics on FitDay, I decided I needed to up the protein and lower the fat, so I cut out my morning coffee on those days and replaced it with Earl Grey tea, which I can drink with no cream or milk. I went from 154.2 to 150.6.
I was up a pound on Tuesday. From now on, it's only Saturday morning weigh-ins so as not to get depressed and risk mid-week food consolation.
Today I am doing fine on just tea and water. I'm hungry, but not lightheaded or stomach-crampy. I wonder if I can slowly lower my calorie intake on MWF to the point where I can do intermittent fasting instead of low-calorie days. I had disastrous results with intermittent fasting a couple years ago, but I tried it by jumping into the deep end of the pool instead of making a slow change like this. IF (intermittent fasting) is the easiest way for me to manage a calorie-restricted diet, and since calorie-restriction seems to be far and away the leader in proven longevity methods...well.
I considered going wheat-free again, and that is to help with weight loss. But until I go three weeks with no loss, I'm going not going focus on eliminating any particular foods. I won't go out of my way to eat wheat, but if a plate of dumplings throws itself in front of me on a high-calorie day, I'm certainly not going to swerve to avoid it.
One thing I do need to get more serious about is the refined sugar. I'm allow myself little indulgences on all my high-calorie days and that needs to stop. Once a week. I need to limit the refined sugar to once a week.
I also need to start moving again, but that's a different issue, and one I'm not going to address until I feel a little better health-wise. I'm still coughing, and I'm still having sleep issues.
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and I burst LOL at the dumpling sentence. My first up day this week? I made chicken paprikash which I don't think I have EVER made for Jet, since he didn't know what dumplings were when I told him nor did he recognize them when I made it. I held myself to a quarter cup but MAN was it good.
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I keep telling my self the first warm day it begins. ( copout) but I m 100% in changing my diet. Lot I have cut out forever.
Coke ( one year)
McDonalds ( amen feel better 5 years now)
The big challenge is when I eat. The big meal is lunch the light meal is dinner. That rich pasta and wine with garlic bread at night has got to go.
Have not thought about refined sugars. It would not hurt me if I did look at that.
500 is a harsh number to live by for a given time
How long on it and how long to go on it?
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This week I cut out all added fats (black tea only in the morning) and am sticking with lean animal proteins (skinless chicken and canned tuna) and steamed vegetables with seasonings (I'm a fan of Penzey's Shallot Pepper and Mural of Flavor blends).
Yesterday, I fasted all day and ate a cup of steamed peas with Shallot Pepper and a skinless chicken breast. Edit: That is confusing. What I meant is I fasted all day and didn't eat until evening (after 7pm).
For the chicken, I bought a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store and used that.
I drink at least 12 oz of herbal tea or water every hour. I'm going to pick up some Simply Lemon to sprinkle in my hot water since I don't like to use that many tea bags in a day. Maybe if I had a way to compost them...but I'm at the office.
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Good for you for cutting McDonald's! I haven't had fast food in...six? seven years? I'm to the point where I would rather not eat than eat fast food.
Did you cut all soda or just Cola? I'm from a part of the world where all soda-pop is called "coke" but I know that's not the norm here. I went soda-free a while back and kept it out of my body for a year. I've started drinking it very occasionaly again, mostly because in the summer I really like ginger ale mixed with booze. =D
This eating style is a lifestyle decision. I should continue this sort of eating the rest of my life. I hope that by doing so, I'll see the longevity benefits of lifetime calorie-restriction (http://www.crsociety.org/).
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Lot of OJ I drink now or just water.
( I have also noticed the last 5 or so years my love for booze has increased )
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Wow, so has mine! I wonder if there's some correlation.
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Been doing these ( microwave but not bad )
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