Beachguy - New Doctor - New Plan

[beachguy]

Originally Posted by Bobby

I bet the new testosterone is helping allot too. Where are you at carbwise?

I think its the starchy carbs that give me energy. But I am trying to get back on induction level so I can drop some more weight. Today I was able to eat on plan and didn't experience any cravings.

Exercise was good. Then I spent the afternoon plastering and sanding, and even worked in the garden a little.

[beachguy]

I just don't understand. Yesterday I had great energy, great workout, good mood, etc. Today I struggled through my workout, had to take a nap about 4 pm, and felt like crap - almost like I was drugged. My blood sugar was 80 which I thought was good, but I had the symptoms of low blood sugar.

Had a baked potato for dinner to get in some starch and I feel a little better.

[beachguy]

I gained about 10 lbs with my 3 week binge - figured it was mostly water weight. But its not - it doesn't want to come off.

Still don't feel right. Got a lot of work done - but didn't enjoy it. Getting really frustrated that all the supplements for almost 4 months don't seem to be helping at all. I still think my body has a problem converting stored fat to glucose. There has got to be something that helps with this problem.

Ate on plan for 3+ days. Will just keep plugging along until I can figure out what the heck is going on.

[Bobby]

Good job stick to plan fro the past three days. Be patient, it'll start coming off again.

[beachguy]

Still on plan. Very unmotivated and tired today. If I still feel like this tomorrow, I will have a high carb meal for dinner and see if I feel better on Sunday. Trial and error!

[beachguy]

Felt better today. Spent the day sanding and painting. Food good. Had hash browns, eggs, and bacon for dinner. Wanted to get some starch in my diet. I think maybe I'll try for starch twice a week and see if that helps with my energy level.

[Bobby]

That sounds like a solid plan. No sence eating starches every day if you can get by on twice a week. And the added energy will help with your workouts.

[beachguy]

I felt good today, so I think adding in starches may be the trick. I will have to experiment to find out how little starch I need to keep energy level up. I'm wondering if my cravings, which in the past ended up in me eating ice cream and potato chips, might not happen if I eat enough starch.

Have to still keep my calories low enough to lose weight while adding some starches in.

Been back on track for about a week. Weight is going down again and I feel pretty good. I have been working about 6 hours a day on the house for the last week. Looking forward to going to the gym tomorrow.

[beachguy]

Three good days in a row. Maybe I'm on to something. Had a really good workout but didn't over do it.

Food on plan.

[Bobby]

Good job Rich! How often are you eating starches?

[beachguy]

Originally Posted by Bobby

Good job Rich! How often are you eating starches?

My plan is twice a week. If I feel cravings coming on, I'm going to have a baked potato and see if that satisfies it.

For some people, the starch causes a rise in blood sugar which leads to hunger. I seem to be just the opposite - starch really satisfies me.

[Bobby]

I think that's a really good idea. A baked potato twice a week is a heck of allot better than eating something that is totally devoid of nutrition

[beachguy]

Four good days in a row. Must be getting close to a record. It almost came to an end when I missed the rung on the ladder.

Food was on plan. Exercise was good. I am lifting much heavier weights this week and it seems easy, especially the leg exercises. I think I have finally figured out an exercise schedule that works for me.

[Bobby]

What kind of exercise plan are you doing Rich?

[beachguy]

Originally Posted by Bobby

What kind of exercise plan are you doing Rich?

I do walking (cut back to 1 mile) and weight (machines). Walk about 1/2 mile as warm-up, then do a weight machine (12-10-8-6-failure), then walk 3 more laps, next machine, walk, etc. That way I keep my heart rate up. Twice a week I do 5/6 machines for upper body and twice a week I do 5/6 machines for lower body and abs. I had been doing 5 days in a row and taking Wednesday off really helps my body recover.

I'd like to do free weights, but I don't trust my back.

[Antonya]

Hey Rich, do you eat whole grains? Like brown rice, quinoa, etc? Have you ever done South Beach? I wonder if that might be a good plan for you.

[beachguy]

Originally Posted by Antonya

Hey Rich, do you eat whole grains? Like brown rice, quinoa, etc? Have you ever done South Beach? I wonder if that might be a good plan for you.

I tried to try South Beach. Too complicated for me! I do have brown rice once in a while. Darn, I went to Walmart yesterday and forgot to get some. I plan on using brown rice and potatoes as my starch - twice a week.

Another good day. Eating on plan. Day off from exercise.
I finished painting the kitchen cabinets. Might have to do a little touch up, but I should be able to get the kitchen put back together today. Stubbed my toe on a big pot last night, so that would be good.

[beachguy]

Man our bodies are strange. Today I go to the gym and feel weak. Everything was hard to do. I felt OK, just weaker than a couple of days ago. Also, my shoulder was hurting, probably from painting. Plush I feel sluggish - kind of slow moving.

So tonight will be wine night. Usually I feel much better the next day after having wine, so wine, the debate, and then whine.

[Bobby]

Originally Posted by beachguy

Man our bodies are strange. Today I go to the gym and feel weak. Everything was hard to do. I felt OK, just weaker than a couple of days ago. Also, my shoulder was hurting, probably from painting. Plush I feel sluggish - kind of slow moving.

So tonight will be wine night. Usually I feel much better the next day after having wine, so wine, the debate, and then whine.

I hear ya on the sluggish thing. I've been feeling that way for the past two days myself. I've had to up my carbs cause I feel like my blood sugar is to low or something. Wine helps huh?

[beachguy]

Originally Posted by Bobby

I hear ya on the sluggish thing. I've been feeling that way for the past two days myself. I've had to up my carbs cause I feel like my blood sugar is to low or something. Wine helps huh?

I think feeling sluggish is a trick to try to get us to pig out. I'm expecting to see the scale move tomorrow. If it does, next time I feel like this I will be positive since I know it means I am losing weight.

[beachguy]

Happy to say the wine worked. So now I have to have wine and potatoes at least twice a week. This diet is starting to get really enjoyable.

Feel great today. Exercise was good again. Lifted heavier weights easily again.

I walk on a padded, 1/19 mile inside track. On good days, I run a few of the curves. Today I was running a curve and decided to run a lap. Made it.

I know - it was only 1/19th of a mile, but 5 laps would be a little over a quarter mile. So I did 1/5th of a quarter mile. I think a good goal is to run 1/4 mile (without stopping) by the end of the year.

Usually, its leg or back pain that stops me, not endurance. But my lower body workouts seem to be paying off. I added a machine for my thighs today, so now I have do 3 machines for legs, 2 for abs, and 1 for lower back.

[Antonya]

Yay, Rich! Keep up the great work!

[beachguy]

Was hungry as heck yesterday. Another trick to get me to pig out? Yes! But I kept on plan. And today I had a 2 lb weight loss.

So now I know that feeling sluggish followed by feeling real hungry is a signal that I am losing weight. Knowing this should make it easier next time that it happens.

I used the push mower to cut the front yard yesterday because I had so much energy. It has been over 2 months since I felt like that. So now, I have had about a week of feeling good. I really think the starches a couple times a week is what is doing it.

My weight is back to where it was a month ago when I had my binge. I guess it wasn't a month wasted as I learned a couple of good lessons.

[Bobby]

You learned some really good lessons Rich! You should be able to make goal now with this plan, keep up the really good work!

[beachguy]

Ate a little too much last 2 days, but nothing terrible. I think the stock market is getting to me.

Exercise was good today. Didn't feel like exercising but strength was good. Was able to run 1 lap again. Thought about 2 - but for now that's all I am going to do is think about it. I am still painting the house so don't want to chance hurting myself.

[Bobby]

Next time try a lap and a half, it's always good to progress slowly on the running thing. Well, in my humble opinion. Heck I don't even run Unless something is going to chase me

[beachguy]

Originally Posted by Bobby

Next time try a lap and a half, it's always good to progress slowly on the running thing. Well, in my humble opinion. Heck I don't even run Unless something is going to chase me

At our size, not that many things that chase us!

[Bobby]

Originally Posted by beachguy

At our size, not that many things that chase us!

Amen brother, AMEN!!

[beachguy]

Weight is not coming off. I regained 2 lbs for no obvious reason. Whenever I get to this weight, this is what happens. It seems like my body thinks this is the right weight for me.

Exercise was good but back started hurting a little, so I skipped back/abdomen exercises and walked an extra mile. Didn't run because I didn't want to jar my back.

I'm thinking about changing my goal weight to 240. That is about 50 lbs more than I should weigh, but there is some logic to this idea. The lowest I have been able to get in the last 8 years is 245. So this is a little below 240 and it would prove to me that I can get below 245.

Since I have been taking the testosterone (new batch), I am finally building (and keeping) muscle mass. My arms and legs are the best they have ever been. But I am still carrying most of my extra weight in my stomach. So another goal is to get my waist down to 44" (it is around 48" now). So I need to change my exercise a little to concentrate less on legs and more on abs and lower back. This is kind of hard because if I push to hard my back starts hurting.

So my new goal is 240 with a 44" waist by the end of this year. That's about 1 1/2 lbs a week 1 1/2" a month off my waist. I will still be overweight, but I should look decent and even more importantly, I should qualify for a large reduction in my insurance rate.

[beachguy]

Found an article that partially supports my "need" for starches.

Wurtman, director of the Program in Women's Health at the MIT Clinical Research Center, and colleagues have found that when you stop eating carbohydrates, your brain stops regulating serotonin, a chemical that elevates mood and suppresses appetite. And only carbohydrate consumption naturally stimulates production of serotonin.

"When serotonin is made and becomes active in your brain, its effect on your appetite is to make you feel full before your stomach is stuffed and stretched," said Wurtman. "Serotonin is crucial not only to control your appetite and stop you from overeating; it's essential to keep your moods regulated."

Adding starches back into my diet has improved my sleep quite dramatically. Now I fall asleep within a 1/2 hour of going to bed. I still don't sleep soundly and I still wake up several times during the night, but it is nice to fall right to sleep rather than laying in bed for a couple of hours trying to fall asleep.

My energy level has really dropped off the last couple of days. And I haven't felt like exercising. Made myself go anyway. Also, brain fog is back - not as bad as before, but still back.

Weight unchanged. Really frustrating but still eating on plan.