Apple1

Good for you @Newme17. I know I always feel better when I get my daily run in. I haven't been able to run for the past two days since I was camping with the kids. For me doing it like you are always works best. I just tell myself every morning, you know you are going to feel better if you get up early and run. It has become a habit now. Pretty soon you will be in the habit of hitting the gym after work every day, or 4 times a week, whatever your schedule is.

I use a tiny amount of Splenda in my coffee and that is it. I prefer my tea unsweetened. I don't see a problem using it.

I'm headed out for a weekend camping trip with the Pathfinders. The best thing is my grandson Isaiah is in the group this year so I get to spend extra time with him. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

I think it also depends on the size of those in your social circles and family. If many of them are over weight they will perceive you as becoming too skinny when you get closer to your goal weight. This has been my experience with some of my acquaintances that are now heavier then me. On the other hand my dh has been nothing but supportive and is very happy with my weight loss and tells me all the time that I should lose until I am happy with myself.

9/22/17 166.5 Same as last week. I have been bouncing from 166.2 and 166.5 all week.

The thing I worry about is how many WLS patients are on low carb high protein diets, and are eating tiny amounts of fruits and vegetables, not to mention whole grains. Supplements can only provide the elements. but not the fiber and antioxidants of the whole plant. What consequences will this have for their long term health?

Our hubby's are so much a like...lol..

Were you eating a lot of dairy, eggs, and cheese? Were you also still using vegetable oils for cooking? I am curious because many vegetarians still eat these things and miss out on the low fat benefits of a WFPB diet.

I get all my books on Amazon for Audible so I can listen to them on my 1 hour commute to and from work. This is the most efficient way for me to get through books.

I don't know if this is true unless you had a DS. Here is a link where Dr. Garth Davis discusses protein. Why can't you do a shake for breakfast? I am still drinking my Chike Mocha high protein coffee shake with unsweetened almond milk every morning. It is delicious and nutritious lol... I get 20g of protein in the shake and then I don't worry about the rest of the day. I easily get 47-55g a day. Really the 47g recommended for women is padded to cover 98% of the population.

I am very happy for you @Berry78. I would encourage you to try to have a couple days a week where you do not consume any meat or fish at all. You can get all the protein you need from whole grains, beans, and vegetables. I say this because if you want to receive the maximum benefit of eating WFPB the least amount of meat or fish you can consume and still be happy would be best. You can buy non-dairy vegan creamers for your coffee!! They are very good. I use the Trader Joe's brand. My dh is eating one meal of salmon and one meal of either turkey or chicken per week. He has lost 5 lbs in the past 2 weeks and he told me tonight he feels very well with increased energy. The only issue he has had is a little insomnia on a couple of occasions. This might not be at all related to the diet change, but I thought it was worth mentioning. One thing that has happened is the guys in his shop (he is a diesel mechanic for the National Guard) have been giving him grief about eating a vegan diet..,men can be so childish sometimes...lol...

I couldn't tell. lol I have some tops in my closet that fit me, but because of my boobs, my stomach shows when I wear them. I know they fit me before I gained weight so I guess my chest has gotten bigger over the years.

That would be the best way to eat meat, save hunting and eating wild game. For me personally I don't have a problem supplementing B12 if my blood work shows I am lacking. I would really like to get my intake of fat down lower because heart disease is prevalent in my family. My mom passed from a stroke and my father a massive heart attack. I don't have to follow their paths. My ideal diet would eliminate oil and cheese. I can get plenty of good fats from plants. I need to learn to cook without my olive oil. I am working on it.

I agree. This would be the best standard for which to judge a diet in a perfect world. If our stomachs were normal sized we would only need to supplement B12 if we strictly followed the WFPB and eliminated all animal products from our diets. If you were opposed to taking supplements, you could choose to eat a tiny amount of meat which is what many of the longest lived cultures did, save the vegan Adventists. The health benefits are only one reason to eliminate meat from your diet. The way in which the animals are raised and treated are another, along with other ethical arguments against eating them. This is a very personal judgement. If I were to continue to eat meat I would seek out a local farm from which to purchase it where I could be sure the animals were raised and slaughtered humanely. However, the environmental reasons to stop eating animal products are something we as a society can not afford to ignore. I won't go into all of it here because it would take a whole book, but anyone that is interested can seek out the many books and documentaries available on this subject. Once you start investigating the food industry you begin to realize how much you really took for granted.

I know this isn't a recipe, but it is a delicious organic snack that I found which is healthy and vegan.

That sounds like such a great day!! I need to get my roots colored soon. I love the Jacket!!! It looks like it fits pretty well from the photo

This is a very important point. We need to look at the lifestyles of these people as a whole. They were active, had important family ties, traditions and community. I know it would be hard to live a completely stress free life, but we need better ways of dealing with it. Exercise and or physical labor serves us well in keeping us fit in both mind and body!

My next book to listen to will be The Starch Solution by John A. McDougall. After that I will probably listen to The Cheese Trap by Dr. Neal D. Barnard. I am really enjoying listening to books on my commute. I have a long list that I would eventually like to get to.

I totally agree with the OP. Sometimes it is very hard to give advice because people either don't share any details at all or what you can see in their profile is outdated and wrong.

My highest weight was 255 in August 2016. That put me at a BMI of 38.8, and I qualified for WLS with co-morbities of type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. I decided to put myself on a low carb diet and see if I could lose the weight and get my diabetes under control myself. I lost 47 pounds between Aug 2016 and May 15th the day of my surgery. I ended up deciding to go ahead and have surgery because I wanted to cure my diabetes and help ensure I could reach my goal weight. I had to go to Mexico because my BMI was under the 35 cut off and self pay in the US was just too expensive. It was worth it for me. My advice is if you are hoping to use your insurance double check with them on their policies. I would not lose below 35 BMI if it is the requirement, unless you want to pay for the surgery.

We will definitely have to swap chili recipes.

I am glad you were given some meds that are helping you to feel better. Being sick is no fun.

How about by just eating whole unprocessed foods for 80-90% of your diet? That would be a good place to start.

This is such truth. I spent so much time worrying about my Macro percentages I had started choosing foods based on this alone. Homestly I think if we just eat a varied diet of whole unprocessed food mostly plants we will hit most if not all of our needed nutrients. If you are going to include a small amount of meat make sure it is grass fed pastured and both humanly and sustainably raised. I will still take some supplements because with a small stomach they will likely still be needed in some quantity. I will let my blood work determine that.

I have just finished Michael Pollans book The Omnivore's Dilemma. It was a very good look at the different food industries in this country. It wasn't very scientific, but more about his journey to see where his food was coming from. He visited a food lot in Kanas where beef cattle are fed a steady diet of corn and rendered animal parts while standing knee deep in their own waste. It was more of a philosophical journey he was taking and his trying to decide if he could morally continue to eat meat. I enjoyed the book and it opened my eyes to the many ways that the SAD has turned into a diet of mostly corn products. Those who still eat a lot of processed foods and supermarket meats are basically eating a bunch of processed corn. It is no wonder this country has such high rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.