I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread in “Personal Stories” since I have such a loooong way to go. My intention is to keep myself motivated and check on my attitude…

Goal: 110 pounds

My March 29th weight was 278. (Aargh!!!)
Bust 55″ Waist 54.5″ Neck 16.25″ Calf 18.75″

My current weight is 264/65/66
Bust 52″ Waist 52″ Neck 15.5″ Calf 18″

Total Pounds Lost: 13-ish 🙂

Doing the math to figure out how my current ADF plan compares with a straight 1200 cal/day diet so I can stop debating with myself about this. Here’s the math:

BMR of my current weight is 1755. If I take in 1600 cals/day for 15 days (Zero calorie fasting on alternate days), that’s 24,000 calories. If I burn 1755 per day for 30 days just staying alive, that’s 52,650. 52,650 – 24,000 = a 28,650 calorie deficit. Divided by 3,500 per pound, that’s 8.18 pounds I might expect to lose each month. Or, 11.194 if I use TDEE. These numbers might change if I add cream to my coffee on fast days, etc.

If I were to go on a traditional 1200 cal/day diet, I would take in 36,000 calories for 30 days, for a deficit (52,650-36,000) of 16,650. 16,650 divided by 3500 = 4.757 pounds per month. So the argument for this WOE is that I can eat 400 more calories on my eating days and still lose 8-11 pounds per month (on paper anyway) vs. 5 pounds per month on a traditional diet. On a traditional diet, I would get to eat every day, but it is possible that my energy output would slow to 1200 to match my consistent calories in. According to Dr. Fung, it is harder for my body to settle into a rut with the feast/fast method. He also believes that metabolism increases when fasting, in addition to various health benefits. We’ll see as time goes on.

The Obstacle is the Way

Reading a great book by Ryan Holiday, “The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph.” It has changed my thinking about obstacles and difficulties. In the book he makes the case that often the obstacles we face individually (and collectively) contain within them the map to our success. We get stronger, smarter, savvier and build the skills that we need to overcome the obstacle and propel us toward our goals. Obstacles are gifts in disguise and hold within their own solution. They test our resolve, commitment, love and creativity. They even let us know if we have the right dream by confirming how much we actually care about it.

At the gym for example, we envision a body that is sleek and strong. The obstacle to our minds and our muscles is the weight we have to lift. In lifting it, we become steadily stronger and actually look forward to the next higher weight, i.e.,the next “obstacle.”

In the past when I tried to lose weight, I viewed the obstacles as unwelcome. I fought against them and tried to avoid dealing with the them, but I never actually overcame them. I tried to fake my way around them (diet pills) or make bargains with crazy diets that would invariably backfire.

What I now believe is that the obstacle is the way. The obstacle has its own wisdom. As I struggle to overcome the obstacles presented by a change in diet, I must work to find an eating plan that is both effective, healthy and sustainable. That involves tremendous introspection, attention, thought, study, experimentation and connection with others who have walked a similar path. I now realize that surmounting the obstacle builds precisely the skills that will ensure my longterm success.

Thanks @abop! Very wise words. Lol, paraphrasing Winston Churchill who supposedly said that Americans always get it right in the end, we just try everything else first. 🙂 I think the reason I’m learning so quickly is that I’ve tried pretty much every other method under the sun. I think there’s a very strong possibility that I was at the end of my rope. I was feeling so terrible, there was really no alternative except die of food-related illness and complications or change. So there’s a certain amount of urgency to my discovery process.

I’m very impressed with this new group of doctors and scientists like Tim Noakes, Jason Fung, Valter Longo, Krista Varady, Michael Mosley and others. It says a lot when someone is willing to buck the status quo and put their professional reputation on the line in order to tell the truth. I wish that Robert Atkins was still alive to see some of his theories about diet and vita-nutrition being proven correct. They may not have every aspect nailed down yet, but I believe they are putting together important pieces of the puzzle. I do think Tim Noakes is correct that there is a lot of money behind keeping the masses eating as they are, getting sick and needing medication. I imagine that some of these companies spend a fortune funding research intended to obfuscate and confuse people.

Reading Jason Fung’s book made a huge impression when he said that if you try to simply calorie-restrict you may lose weight initially, but you will be fighting a highly precise and regulated body system and you will eventually lose the battle. He made me realize how elegant and determined hormones are, and how dumb I have been not realizing that I must work with my body. It isn’t just some awkward and not very smart system that I can wrestle into doing my will. I need to approach nature more humbly and politely because I cannot be successful unless I start to respect and revere my body and its inherent wisdom and magnificence.

I am shocked at how easy this WOE has been now that I’m working with my body. Learning what havoc sugar creates in my physiology has ushered in a huge change in my eating. 257 today is 21 pounds gone so far. A long way to go to my goal, but for the first time I have no doubt I’ll get there. 🙂

So far so good.

Today’s weight: 244.4.

I’ve lost 33.6 pounds since March 29. I probably would be down more, but I took a couple of months hiatus. Weirdly, my target measurements have not changed much since April. 1 inch off the waist, 1 inch off the bust and 1/2 inch off the neck and about 1/4 inch off the calf. I must be losing somewhere though because I’m down another jeans size and my clothes fit better in general. My body has a mind of it’s own, so I’m not going to worry about it. Just stay the course. I got a B12/lipotropic shot last Thursday. I have no idea if it will do anything as the reports vary wildly, but in the past week my weight seems to be sliding ever downward, losing about a pound a day. I really need to drink way more water. My skin looks better and I know its good for me. It’s funny though that when I fast, I have to force myself to drink because my inclination is not to drink. I wonder why that is. In general, this WOE is getting easier and easier. I’m extra motivated to have good numbers for a full blood workup October 11.