I'm sorry, I have been missing in action for a whole month. Much has been going on during this time. And hopefully I will soon get to tell you all about it.
One thing that has been interesting me during the last month is how my definition of myself has been changing.
Some of our definitions we use for ourselves are given to us by others or our society, some at birth. The first question of the new parent..is it a girl/boy? The first definition. Male/female. This is so important that friends and relatives send us cards proclaiming "It's A Girl!" Do they think we hadn't noticed?
Then more definitions arrive, daughter/son, tall/short, clever/what do we put here...well never mind, at least she's pretty. Or maybe she isn't. The labels arrive thick and fast, the fastest runner in the class, the one who can draw, the one who is last in everything. And our definitions of ourself are made up from these labels. They accumulate as life goes on, mother, fat woman, reliable friend....
So who are you? Who am I? And what happens when we choose to change the definition of ourselves? Before that day in March 2012 when I decided to run for 1 minute on the beach, my definition of myself went something like this.
Fat woman, always on a diet, dutiful daughter, wife, mother.
Apart from the fat bit, my definition of myself was framed in my relationship to others. I am a fat woman whose identity is as an adjunct to others. There is no place for who I am...other than fat of course.
Well, I have decided to redefine myself.
I am an athlete.
I was about to justify this statement, so say I have completed 3 races, a 5k road race, a 10k road race and a 10k trail race. I was going to tell you how many hours, or days I train, the distances I run...but this is not necessary. I am an athlete. This statement is enough. It stands alone. This is who I am and I do not have to justify it to anyone!
I am an athlete, who runs a successful home based business. Who is also a daughter, wife and mother. Who has successfully lost weight, that most difficult of challenges, and who will undoubtedly lose more. Who is happy. This is me.
Friday 13 July 2012
Monday 11 June 2012
Thoughts about Ketosis
I was thinking about sugar and ketosis, zero carb, grains and all things connected this morning. It was actually very early this morning. We were woken at 2.30am with a 4.2 earthquake that felt more like a 5. The dog barked and barked, and a text came in from daughter no. 2. They were fine but shaken. I was surprised they texted because the quakes normally come from our direction, so we feel them much more than the girls do. However this morning I discovered the epicenter was right under their house, no wonder they were rattled! And thank goodness it was only a 4.2.
Anyway, after all that I found it hard to get back to sleep, and began to think about sugar, ketosis, grains and weight loss.
I wondered if the great feeling you get in ketosis is, in fact, the ketones, or is it just that in order to be in ketosis you must give up all fruits, starchy vegetables, sugars and grains. Is it the ketosis that makes you feel great, or is it the lack of sugars and grains. Last time I tried coming out of ketosis I ate fruit...I made a loaf that included a lot of stewed apple as well as mashed bananas. By day 4 I felt lousy, but that was a lot of sugar for someone who has not had any for a very long time.
Would you feel as good if you ate lots of nuts, non starchy vegetables and fruits like coconut, tomatoes, peppers etc in addition to your meat, fish and fats?
Who knows? Has anyone tried comparing it?
In my ultra running book they talk about aerobic training (no, not the bright lycra stuff we did back in the 80's) its about running within your aerobic capacity so that you turn into a 'fat burner'. It is, of course, necessary not to eat any sugar if you are going to do this (including fruit, grains potatoes etc) your body will burn sugar if it can. Then later after developing yourself as a fat burning athlete, you do the anaerobic training, and burn up your glycogen supplies thus training yourself to go both faster and further.
If one trains ones body to be a fat burner, by eating fat and protein but minimal sugar (carbs) could you get the same benefits as being in ketosis? This is the question I am going to attempt to answer this week or so.
I know I am a fully adapted fat burner. I know this because of my runs. I can run for 2 hours fasted, no problem and no 'bonking' or hitting the wall either during the run or after. Glycogen stores last for 45-90 minutes depending on the amount of training you have done. As I am out for longer than that and am fine I must be burning fat, from my (ample) stores.
This week then, I shall eat Paleo again. I shall not attempt to remain in ketosis. I shall not eat fruit as it has too much sugar, but I will eat nuts and seeds, as well as above ground veg, plus the usual zero carb fare.
Lets see how it goes.
Anyway, after all that I found it hard to get back to sleep, and began to think about sugar, ketosis, grains and weight loss.
I wondered if the great feeling you get in ketosis is, in fact, the ketones, or is it just that in order to be in ketosis you must give up all fruits, starchy vegetables, sugars and grains. Is it the ketosis that makes you feel great, or is it the lack of sugars and grains. Last time I tried coming out of ketosis I ate fruit...I made a loaf that included a lot of stewed apple as well as mashed bananas. By day 4 I felt lousy, but that was a lot of sugar for someone who has not had any for a very long time.
Would you feel as good if you ate lots of nuts, non starchy vegetables and fruits like coconut, tomatoes, peppers etc in addition to your meat, fish and fats?
Who knows? Has anyone tried comparing it?
In my ultra running book they talk about aerobic training (no, not the bright lycra stuff we did back in the 80's) its about running within your aerobic capacity so that you turn into a 'fat burner'. It is, of course, necessary not to eat any sugar if you are going to do this (including fruit, grains potatoes etc) your body will burn sugar if it can. Then later after developing yourself as a fat burning athlete, you do the anaerobic training, and burn up your glycogen supplies thus training yourself to go both faster and further.
If one trains ones body to be a fat burner, by eating fat and protein but minimal sugar (carbs) could you get the same benefits as being in ketosis? This is the question I am going to attempt to answer this week or so.
I know I am a fully adapted fat burner. I know this because of my runs. I can run for 2 hours fasted, no problem and no 'bonking' or hitting the wall either during the run or after. Glycogen stores last for 45-90 minutes depending on the amount of training you have done. As I am out for longer than that and am fine I must be burning fat, from my (ample) stores.
This week then, I shall eat Paleo again. I shall not attempt to remain in ketosis. I shall not eat fruit as it has too much sugar, but I will eat nuts and seeds, as well as above ground veg, plus the usual zero carb fare.
Lets see how it goes.
Saturday 9 June 2012
Popping in to say Hi
Hello people, just popping in to say I am still here! I will do a proper post soon.
We have had snow this week and 2 snow days from school. One day was just too slippy to run, but the other day I ran on the beach.
I have been spending every spare minute reading a book about endurance athletes and how to train for endurance events. This is a BIG book...and I shall do a review as soon as I have finished it, but I just have to say it is so inspiring. The author is low carb and his athletes win major events! Cool!
Here is the link if you are interested Here and now I am off to read some more!
We have had snow this week and 2 snow days from school. One day was just too slippy to run, but the other day I ran on the beach.
I have been spending every spare minute reading a book about endurance athletes and how to train for endurance events. This is a BIG book...and I shall do a review as soon as I have finished it, but I just have to say it is so inspiring. The author is low carb and his athletes win major events! Cool!
Here is the link if you are interested Here and now I am off to read some more!
Sunday 3 June 2012
10K Race!
I did it! Yesterday, 3rd June was the Christchurch Marathon. There were a number of events, a marathon, a half marathon a 10K and some kids races.
I ran the 10K.
Here is the story.
The night before, it is traditional to have a high carb meal, so I did...my style! We had beef burgers. These were homemade of course and consisted of ground beef, 2 eggs, grated carrot, half a chopped onion, a few peas and a tablespoon of LSA (Linseed, sesame and almond) flour. So Paleo, but not low carb.
The morning of the race I just had 2 cups of tea with cream, I didn't eat breakfast, as I normally run fasted. When we reached the race it was amazing, like a small village with marques, tents, food vendors, running gear shops, PA systems and so on. There were 4 and a half thousand runners, not counting the kids.
I was aiming to get in under 2 hours, a walkers time I know, but I run slower than many people can walk! I had done the 5K in 43 minutes so one should say aim for an hour and a half, but of course with the longer distance I thought aiming for that was unrealistic. I had only run 10k once in training, and had taken over 2 hours, including stopping twice to empty sand out of my shoes!
So I was aiming for around 2 hours. I stationed myself at the back of the pack amongst the walkers. This mean it took me almost 5 minutes to shuffle off towards the start! But as we all had individual timing chips on our shoes that didn't matter.
Eventually we got running and after the adrenaline stopped making me breathless, I settled into my usual slow, can-run-for-ever, pace. I had decided to alternate walking and running, and took my first walk break after about 20 minutes. The idea was to walk for a minute or two and then jog again.
This worked fine, and I began to enjoy myself. At the 5k mark there was a pipe band playing Scotland the Brave and people handing out water and Powerade. I went for the water of course, and trotted on. People were very cheerful and friendly and I chatted to many of them. After an hour people began passing us in the opposite direction, coming in from the half marathon, and us slower people had to be careful to keep out of their way.
The run was really good fun most of the way, but towards the end I began to feel very tired. A body check showed up the bad news my left foot was now flapping, and this had resulted in a pain in my right hip as my right leg tried to compensate. This was not unexpected, and as the pain was hardly acute, I decided to carry on.
For new readers...I had an accident 7 years ago that resulted in a back operation. At one point they thought I would lose most of the use of my left leg, and for a while afterwards I needed to walk with sticks. Things got better slowly and now I only limp if I am tired, but when I do get tired my left foot starts to flap and slap the ground. Running has been very good for strengthening my weak leg.
Back to the story. I was now on a short section of main road and had only to turn up by Raewards (a fruit and veg shop) and then about half a kilometer along the airport road and I was done. However I was very tired and thought I would walk a bit and then run down the finish shoot. However as soon as I slowed walk, a passing runner, a young man running the half marathon, called out encouragement as he passed. So I gritted my teeth and jogged on. As I came around the corner I could see the finish ahead and dug deep. I ran as fast as I could along the final stretch of road. It was weird I felt as if I was putting enormous effort into it, yet I seemed to be going slower and slower!
Finally I crossed the finish, stopped running and promptly had the shakes! An official sat me down and brought water, which I drank, and then brought Powerade, and insisted I had some before I could go. So I drank 2 swallows of the disgusting stuff. I said I felt better, and managed to escape to where hubby was waiting. Then I had boiled eggs dipped in salt and raw nuts. I soon felt much better.
And my time? 1 hour 29 minutes!!
I ran the 10K.
Here is the story.
The night before, it is traditional to have a high carb meal, so I did...my style! We had beef burgers. These were homemade of course and consisted of ground beef, 2 eggs, grated carrot, half a chopped onion, a few peas and a tablespoon of LSA (Linseed, sesame and almond) flour. So Paleo, but not low carb.
The morning of the race I just had 2 cups of tea with cream, I didn't eat breakfast, as I normally run fasted. When we reached the race it was amazing, like a small village with marques, tents, food vendors, running gear shops, PA systems and so on. There were 4 and a half thousand runners, not counting the kids.
I was aiming to get in under 2 hours, a walkers time I know, but I run slower than many people can walk! I had done the 5K in 43 minutes so one should say aim for an hour and a half, but of course with the longer distance I thought aiming for that was unrealistic. I had only run 10k once in training, and had taken over 2 hours, including stopping twice to empty sand out of my shoes!
So I was aiming for around 2 hours. I stationed myself at the back of the pack amongst the walkers. This mean it took me almost 5 minutes to shuffle off towards the start! But as we all had individual timing chips on our shoes that didn't matter.
Eventually we got running and after the adrenaline stopped making me breathless, I settled into my usual slow, can-run-for-ever, pace. I had decided to alternate walking and running, and took my first walk break after about 20 minutes. The idea was to walk for a minute or two and then jog again.
This worked fine, and I began to enjoy myself. At the 5k mark there was a pipe band playing Scotland the Brave and people handing out water and Powerade. I went for the water of course, and trotted on. People were very cheerful and friendly and I chatted to many of them. After an hour people began passing us in the opposite direction, coming in from the half marathon, and us slower people had to be careful to keep out of their way.
The run was really good fun most of the way, but towards the end I began to feel very tired. A body check showed up the bad news my left foot was now flapping, and this had resulted in a pain in my right hip as my right leg tried to compensate. This was not unexpected, and as the pain was hardly acute, I decided to carry on.
For new readers...I had an accident 7 years ago that resulted in a back operation. At one point they thought I would lose most of the use of my left leg, and for a while afterwards I needed to walk with sticks. Things got better slowly and now I only limp if I am tired, but when I do get tired my left foot starts to flap and slap the ground. Running has been very good for strengthening my weak leg.
Back to the story. I was now on a short section of main road and had only to turn up by Raewards (a fruit and veg shop) and then about half a kilometer along the airport road and I was done. However I was very tired and thought I would walk a bit and then run down the finish shoot. However as soon as I slowed walk, a passing runner, a young man running the half marathon, called out encouragement as he passed. So I gritted my teeth and jogged on. As I came around the corner I could see the finish ahead and dug deep. I ran as fast as I could along the final stretch of road. It was weird I felt as if I was putting enormous effort into it, yet I seemed to be going slower and slower!
Finally I crossed the finish, stopped running and promptly had the shakes! An official sat me down and brought water, which I drank, and then brought Powerade, and insisted I had some before I could go. So I drank 2 swallows of the disgusting stuff. I said I felt better, and managed to escape to where hubby was waiting. Then I had boiled eggs dipped in salt and raw nuts. I soon felt much better.
And my time? 1 hour 29 minutes!!
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Back into Ketosis
Ok, It's official. I feel much better when I am in ketosis.
I have just completed a 24 hour fast, and have broken it with some scrambled eggs. Yum!
So lets fill you in on what has happened over the last few days.
As you know, I felt an overwhelming urge for a few vegetables, so I gave in and ate some. Very nice they were too. I also ate a small handful of raw almonds with no ill effects. So on Sunday I made a loaf of 'bread'. It was made of 4 eggs, 1 cup of almond flour, one cup of LSA (linseed, sesame and almond) a bit of butter and cream, a few spices, and 2 stewed apples and one banana. The apples were, of course, stewed without sugar!
The loaf was WONDERFUL! I can post the recipe if you like, but you can take my word for it, it was absolutely delicious! I had 2 slices on Sunday, 1 on Monday and 1 on Tuesday at 11am. I also had a few vegetables with my evening meals. By 2pm on Tuesday I was asleep on the sofa. That has not happened in months. By 6pm I did not feel at all my usual perky self, I spent the evening on the sofa with a book, unable to concentrate on much for long. I also had tummy ache. I decided not to eat any supper, so I had not eaten since 11am.
This morning I broke my fast at 11.30am with scrambled eggs. I am quickly back in ketosis after the fast, and I feel fine again. I did not run today but I walked 5k with the dog.
So what have I learnt?
First of all, just how quickly one can progress from a few vegetables with ones evening meal if one wants, to making a fruit loaf. Carb creep anyone?
Secondly, I can easily tolerate a small amount of sugar and grain free carbs with no problem. But 4 slices of high carb food over 3 days is too much.
Thirdly, I think it is the fruit. There was a lot of fruit in that bread, and I have not had fructose in a very long time.
So, where to from here?
I think I will go basically zero carb again for my day to day living, however I will not be afraid of using a few vegetables as condiments or for variety.
If I go out to eat (I am going, to of all things, a vegetarian restaurant on 8th June!) I will eat gluten free and enjoy myself. I shall fast afterwards and then go back to my zero carb life. I do not think a very occasional foray out of ketosis will harm me, although I might feel sluggish and sleepy.
And I will look out for carb creep. If I am OK after one slice of almond bread it does not mean that 2 slices would be a good idea!
I have just completed a 24 hour fast, and have broken it with some scrambled eggs. Yum!
So lets fill you in on what has happened over the last few days.
As you know, I felt an overwhelming urge for a few vegetables, so I gave in and ate some. Very nice they were too. I also ate a small handful of raw almonds with no ill effects. So on Sunday I made a loaf of 'bread'. It was made of 4 eggs, 1 cup of almond flour, one cup of LSA (linseed, sesame and almond) a bit of butter and cream, a few spices, and 2 stewed apples and one banana. The apples were, of course, stewed without sugar!
The loaf was WONDERFUL! I can post the recipe if you like, but you can take my word for it, it was absolutely delicious! I had 2 slices on Sunday, 1 on Monday and 1 on Tuesday at 11am. I also had a few vegetables with my evening meals. By 2pm on Tuesday I was asleep on the sofa. That has not happened in months. By 6pm I did not feel at all my usual perky self, I spent the evening on the sofa with a book, unable to concentrate on much for long. I also had tummy ache. I decided not to eat any supper, so I had not eaten since 11am.
This morning I broke my fast at 11.30am with scrambled eggs. I am quickly back in ketosis after the fast, and I feel fine again. I did not run today but I walked 5k with the dog.
So what have I learnt?
First of all, just how quickly one can progress from a few vegetables with ones evening meal if one wants, to making a fruit loaf. Carb creep anyone?
Secondly, I can easily tolerate a small amount of sugar and grain free carbs with no problem. But 4 slices of high carb food over 3 days is too much.
Thirdly, I think it is the fruit. There was a lot of fruit in that bread, and I have not had fructose in a very long time.
So, where to from here?
I think I will go basically zero carb again for my day to day living, however I will not be afraid of using a few vegetables as condiments or for variety.
If I go out to eat (I am going, to of all things, a vegetarian restaurant on 8th June!) I will eat gluten free and enjoy myself. I shall fast afterwards and then go back to my zero carb life. I do not think a very occasional foray out of ketosis will harm me, although I might feel sluggish and sleepy.
And I will look out for carb creep. If I am OK after one slice of almond bread it does not mean that 2 slices would be a good idea!
Sunday 27 May 2012
Hiding From My Blog!
I have been hiding from my blog because I am not sure what to write. I understand from my readers that many people who follow me are interested in living zero carb, and right now I am not!
I shall stick to the truth, however, and you can either follow me through the wilderness and confusion of life, or go and find other zero carbers.
So first....if you are looking for people who are currently zero carbing, you need to visit Charles Washington's site. Charles' site This is a mine of information for people who are considering giving zero carb a shot. The forums are great and full of information from people who are living zero carb every day. Their diaries document the ups and downs of this way of life.
If, however, you are interested in what happens when you STOP zero carb as a way of eating you are in the right place!
Again the disclaimer. I am not a nutritionalist, or a doctor, or a nurse, and I have no authority to give anyone dietry advice or information. All I am is a woman who wanted to lose weight, and decided to blog about my adventures. Please take my story as intended. An online diary of what I am doing and how much weight I am losing, and how I feel about it.
OK, on with the story.
I am as surprised as anyone to not be zero carb right now. I had thought I would carry on like this until I had lost a lot more weight. I was also interested in exercise whilst in ketosis, and I was excited about seeing just how far and how fast it was possible to run whilst in ketosis.
So what AM I eating? I am basically Paleo, plus dairy. For newbies to the wonderful, wacky world of diets, this means the hunter gather diet. If you can hunt it or gather it you can have it. It is grain free, and sugar free. It is also processed food free. (No McDonalds in Paleolithic times!). Because of my low carb background, I am not eating fruit either. This is easy as I prefer cabbage to apples any day of the week. Weird I know, but there we are. However, Paleo is not intrinsically low carb, although it can be.
So basically all I have done is added above ground vegetables, plus the odd nut, to my existing zero carb diet. It feels like a huge, radical departure though. I had eaten myself into a corner, and I was almost afraid of eating a bean sprout. Once I had started though, all was fine. I had steak and stir fried vegetables last night, and very nice it was too.
How do I feel in myself?
Fine. I am still alert, I still have energy. I am more interested in meals, and I have a bit of a backlash against meat at the moment. Just now, I have more vegetables than meat on my plate. I don't seem to have put on weight, in fact I am down another pound this morning, but I am also running quite a lot as the 10k race is on Sunday.
I have not cut off zero carb, as in never going back again. If I put the weight back on, I may have to zero carb again to shift the weight, but right now I am enjoying my vegetables.
One problem I have seen in other dieters and in myself in the past, is devotion to a particular diet against all the odds. Sometimes a particular diet does not work for a particular person, or no longer works where it did before. Yet one has put energy and money into this diet. The special foods have been brought, friends have been talked at for hours about the benefits of this particular way of eating and so on, and to turn around and say, "Changed my mind!" is hard. I am trying hard not to fall into this trap. Over night I decided to stop zero carbing. It's fine, all is well. I can go back to it any time I want, or change to a low fat diet, or a high grain one, if I want. It's all OK.
So back to Paleo I come. I'll let you know how it goes.
I shall stick to the truth, however, and you can either follow me through the wilderness and confusion of life, or go and find other zero carbers.
So first....if you are looking for people who are currently zero carbing, you need to visit Charles Washington's site. Charles' site This is a mine of information for people who are considering giving zero carb a shot. The forums are great and full of information from people who are living zero carb every day. Their diaries document the ups and downs of this way of life.
If, however, you are interested in what happens when you STOP zero carb as a way of eating you are in the right place!
Again the disclaimer. I am not a nutritionalist, or a doctor, or a nurse, and I have no authority to give anyone dietry advice or information. All I am is a woman who wanted to lose weight, and decided to blog about my adventures. Please take my story as intended. An online diary of what I am doing and how much weight I am losing, and how I feel about it.
OK, on with the story.
I am as surprised as anyone to not be zero carb right now. I had thought I would carry on like this until I had lost a lot more weight. I was also interested in exercise whilst in ketosis, and I was excited about seeing just how far and how fast it was possible to run whilst in ketosis.
So what AM I eating? I am basically Paleo, plus dairy. For newbies to the wonderful, wacky world of diets, this means the hunter gather diet. If you can hunt it or gather it you can have it. It is grain free, and sugar free. It is also processed food free. (No McDonalds in Paleolithic times!). Because of my low carb background, I am not eating fruit either. This is easy as I prefer cabbage to apples any day of the week. Weird I know, but there we are. However, Paleo is not intrinsically low carb, although it can be.
So basically all I have done is added above ground vegetables, plus the odd nut, to my existing zero carb diet. It feels like a huge, radical departure though. I had eaten myself into a corner, and I was almost afraid of eating a bean sprout. Once I had started though, all was fine. I had steak and stir fried vegetables last night, and very nice it was too.
How do I feel in myself?
Fine. I am still alert, I still have energy. I am more interested in meals, and I have a bit of a backlash against meat at the moment. Just now, I have more vegetables than meat on my plate. I don't seem to have put on weight, in fact I am down another pound this morning, but I am also running quite a lot as the 10k race is on Sunday.
I have not cut off zero carb, as in never going back again. If I put the weight back on, I may have to zero carb again to shift the weight, but right now I am enjoying my vegetables.
One problem I have seen in other dieters and in myself in the past, is devotion to a particular diet against all the odds. Sometimes a particular diet does not work for a particular person, or no longer works where it did before. Yet one has put energy and money into this diet. The special foods have been brought, friends have been talked at for hours about the benefits of this particular way of eating and so on, and to turn around and say, "Changed my mind!" is hard. I am trying hard not to fall into this trap. Over night I decided to stop zero carbing. It's fine, all is well. I can go back to it any time I want, or change to a low fat diet, or a high grain one, if I want. It's all OK.
So back to Paleo I come. I'll let you know how it goes.
Thursday 24 May 2012
No Longer The Poster Girl for Zero Carb!
So, last night I ate some almonds, and some avocado and tuna. I am no longer the poster girl for zero carb.
What happened?
Well a number of things actually, and together they spell the end of zero carb, at least for the moment.
Yesterday was not a good day. Amongst other things my purse was stolen at the post office. They got my credit card, my business debit card, my EFPOS card (NZ cash card) my driving license, my library card...the list goes on. There were other reasons it was a stressful day as well, but that was the pinnacle.
By 6pm, I was home alone and ready to binge on sons chocolate stash! But I didn't. However later when hubby and I got home again at 8pm we had avocado and tuna. Yum!
So how did I get to this point? It wasn't just the stressful day, although that was the straw that broke the poor proverbial camel. Over the last week or so I have been having fantasies about becoming a vegan! I find myself drooling at the thought of cabbage...or leeks! Have you ever considered just how wonderful a leek is? Tall and white and smelling gloriously of mild onions!
I do know that for dieters "listening to what your body wants" is the kiss of death for a diet. I don't know about yours, but my body wants homemade ice-cream, and special handmade dark chocolate from the SHE community at Governors Bay. Yet when one starts craving cabbage, of all things, one begins to wonder...
And I have been wondering over this last week. The trouble is we want two things. We want to be slim and we want to be healthy. We know that being slim is no guarantee of being healthy, but we want both! And we want them both now!
It is rather like the self-improvement problem. Do we want to read the the Secret (The Secret) and other law of attraction books like this one? Then we can show gratitude and attract all the money we want into our lives. Or do we prefer enlightenment and a life of eternal bliss? Of course we do, so we read Eckhart Tolle (here) or Thich Nhat Hanh (here here and here). And then we find we cannot have both. As Jesus pointed out in the sermon on the mount, one cannot serve both God and money.
And does this apply to weight loss? Actually, the quickest way to lose weight, as any anorexic will tell you, is to simply stop eating. Works every time. Not exactly healthy though, is it?
The trouble with regular diets is that somewhere out there, there is an expert who will tell you that their particular diet is the only way to both weight loss and health. And of course, happiness, success, lots of friends and the ability to eat an occasional piece of chocolate without putting on 5kg overnight.
You want to eat low carb? Sure, try Atkins and co. Want lots of fruit and veg? Try vegetarian, vegan or Paleo. Like baked goodies, but don't want gluten? Then try the Wheat belly diet, or the specific carbohydrate diet. Zero carb? Charles Washington's your man. He'll prove zero carb is the way to live forever!
Maybe it is possible to both diet for weight loss and be healthy and maybe it is possible to be rich and enlightened.
But maybe in order to achieve this we need to start at a different point. If the goal of wealth is to be a philanthropist would you start at a different point than if the goal is to be simply wealthy? Well, maybe. You want want your business to be ethical, for a start, and you would consider ethical investments as well. Maybe environmental considerations would come into it, rather than abiding by the minimum required by law. You would certainly want good working conditions for your employees, even if that means spending a little more upfront. So, maybe it would take a little longer to achieve your goals than it otherwise would.
Can we apply this to dieting?
We want both health and weight loss. Are we prepared to take things a little more slowly in order to achieve both? And if we do, then we simply HAVE to enjoy the journey. If it is going to take 3-5 years to lose the weight, then we cannot sick to an unmanageable diet for that time. It has to be flexible.
And obviously we have to pick the right way of eating. Just like, if we want to be philanthropists we have to look after our own employees, if we want to be healthy we have to look after our own bodies. If we want to be healthy what do we eat? And there I am stuck. The only thing the experts actually seem to agree on is that sugar is bad.
So maybe we start right there. Sugar is bad.
I shall look at sugar in more detail in another post.
What happened?
Well a number of things actually, and together they spell the end of zero carb, at least for the moment.
Yesterday was not a good day. Amongst other things my purse was stolen at the post office. They got my credit card, my business debit card, my EFPOS card (NZ cash card) my driving license, my library card...the list goes on. There were other reasons it was a stressful day as well, but that was the pinnacle.
By 6pm, I was home alone and ready to binge on sons chocolate stash! But I didn't. However later when hubby and I got home again at 8pm we had avocado and tuna. Yum!
So how did I get to this point? It wasn't just the stressful day, although that was the straw that broke the poor proverbial camel. Over the last week or so I have been having fantasies about becoming a vegan! I find myself drooling at the thought of cabbage...or leeks! Have you ever considered just how wonderful a leek is? Tall and white and smelling gloriously of mild onions!
I do know that for dieters "listening to what your body wants" is the kiss of death for a diet. I don't know about yours, but my body wants homemade ice-cream, and special handmade dark chocolate from the SHE community at Governors Bay. Yet when one starts craving cabbage, of all things, one begins to wonder...
And I have been wondering over this last week. The trouble is we want two things. We want to be slim and we want to be healthy. We know that being slim is no guarantee of being healthy, but we want both! And we want them both now!
It is rather like the self-improvement problem. Do we want to read the the Secret (The Secret) and other law of attraction books like this one? Then we can show gratitude and attract all the money we want into our lives. Or do we prefer enlightenment and a life of eternal bliss? Of course we do, so we read Eckhart Tolle (here) or Thich Nhat Hanh (here here and here). And then we find we cannot have both. As Jesus pointed out in the sermon on the mount, one cannot serve both God and money.
And does this apply to weight loss? Actually, the quickest way to lose weight, as any anorexic will tell you, is to simply stop eating. Works every time. Not exactly healthy though, is it?
The trouble with regular diets is that somewhere out there, there is an expert who will tell you that their particular diet is the only way to both weight loss and health. And of course, happiness, success, lots of friends and the ability to eat an occasional piece of chocolate without putting on 5kg overnight.
You want to eat low carb? Sure, try Atkins and co. Want lots of fruit and veg? Try vegetarian, vegan or Paleo. Like baked goodies, but don't want gluten? Then try the Wheat belly diet, or the specific carbohydrate diet. Zero carb? Charles Washington's your man. He'll prove zero carb is the way to live forever!
Maybe it is possible to both diet for weight loss and be healthy and maybe it is possible to be rich and enlightened.
But maybe in order to achieve this we need to start at a different point. If the goal of wealth is to be a philanthropist would you start at a different point than if the goal is to be simply wealthy? Well, maybe. You want want your business to be ethical, for a start, and you would consider ethical investments as well. Maybe environmental considerations would come into it, rather than abiding by the minimum required by law. You would certainly want good working conditions for your employees, even if that means spending a little more upfront. So, maybe it would take a little longer to achieve your goals than it otherwise would.
Can we apply this to dieting?
We want both health and weight loss. Are we prepared to take things a little more slowly in order to achieve both? And if we do, then we simply HAVE to enjoy the journey. If it is going to take 3-5 years to lose the weight, then we cannot sick to an unmanageable diet for that time. It has to be flexible.
And obviously we have to pick the right way of eating. Just like, if we want to be philanthropists we have to look after our own employees, if we want to be healthy we have to look after our own bodies. If we want to be healthy what do we eat? And there I am stuck. The only thing the experts actually seem to agree on is that sugar is bad.
So maybe we start right there. Sugar is bad.
I shall look at sugar in more detail in another post.
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Falling off the Zero Carb Wagon
Honesty first! I fell off the zero carb wagon today. This is what happened.
I was very hungry when I woke up, but assumed it would pass. I had a cup of tea and went for a run for about an hour. Shower, another cuppa and on with my day.
Around noon I had to go to the post office, so I hopped on my trusty bike and cycled to the shops, and back again. Daughter 1 who works just down the road turned up at 1pm for lunch. She had brought some Kumera (sweet potato) soup and asked if I wanted some. It smelt fabulous, and I was soooo hungry. I declined and ate some scrambled eggs. I felt a little better for a while, but by 4pm I was ravenous again.
This is very unusual for me, I normally only eat once a day, in the evening, and I don't eat much then. I do get hungry from time to time but not like this.
Son arrived home after a difficult school day and begged for pancakes. He is gluten free so I cooked up some buckwheat pancakes. Hubby decided he would have some too. The smell of the pancakes was wonderful and it took everything I had to calmly go on making them, and not actually eat any.
By supper time I was done for. I ate some of the stir fry veggies I had cooked for hubby.
So I am not zero carb today.
Is this good? Is this bad? Should one follow what ones body wants? Or should I have been stricter and stuck to my guns and not eaten the vegetables?
And of course, where to from here? Back to zero carb tomorrow? Or try eating Paleo for a few days and see what happens? I suppose I can go back to zero carb whenever I want.
So many questions, and no answers.
I can assume that as I am running further and (slightly) faster my body requires more food. Yet we are told again and again, as runners, not to eat the calories back, not to have the sandwich after a run or you won't lose weight. But as Paleo and zero carb people, calories are not supposed to matter, so maybe I should eat if and when I am hungry. Part of the problem is that I have 2 goals, I want to be a runner and I want to lose weight.
I have no idea what I shall eat tomorrow.
I was very hungry when I woke up, but assumed it would pass. I had a cup of tea and went for a run for about an hour. Shower, another cuppa and on with my day.
Around noon I had to go to the post office, so I hopped on my trusty bike and cycled to the shops, and back again. Daughter 1 who works just down the road turned up at 1pm for lunch. She had brought some Kumera (sweet potato) soup and asked if I wanted some. It smelt fabulous, and I was soooo hungry. I declined and ate some scrambled eggs. I felt a little better for a while, but by 4pm I was ravenous again.
This is very unusual for me, I normally only eat once a day, in the evening, and I don't eat much then. I do get hungry from time to time but not like this.
Son arrived home after a difficult school day and begged for pancakes. He is gluten free so I cooked up some buckwheat pancakes. Hubby decided he would have some too. The smell of the pancakes was wonderful and it took everything I had to calmly go on making them, and not actually eat any.
By supper time I was done for. I ate some of the stir fry veggies I had cooked for hubby.
So I am not zero carb today.
Is this good? Is this bad? Should one follow what ones body wants? Or should I have been stricter and stuck to my guns and not eaten the vegetables?
And of course, where to from here? Back to zero carb tomorrow? Or try eating Paleo for a few days and see what happens? I suppose I can go back to zero carb whenever I want.
So many questions, and no answers.
I can assume that as I am running further and (slightly) faster my body requires more food. Yet we are told again and again, as runners, not to eat the calories back, not to have the sandwich after a run or you won't lose weight. But as Paleo and zero carb people, calories are not supposed to matter, so maybe I should eat if and when I am hungry. Part of the problem is that I have 2 goals, I want to be a runner and I want to lose weight.
I have no idea what I shall eat tomorrow.
Monday 21 May 2012
5K Run. My First Race!
I did it! My first race!
So here is the story.
The race was organized by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, and was along Sumner Esplanade. It was a beautiful morning, cold, sunny with no wind. No surf either, which made it hard for the surf competition happening further along the Esplanade.
Son was also running. He is to attend Outward Bound in December, and has to run 3k in 23 minutes, so he thought he would give 5k a go and see how he did. Hubby, who dished his ankle 3 weeks ago, was driver and support. Both girls were also there. Daughter 1 was writing out the certificates and Daughter 2 was handing out drinks, so it was a family occasion.
The races consisted of a 5k race, a 10k race and a kids 2.5 race. It had a mass start, and everyone shot off into the distance! There was me, 2 walkers and another girl left at the back. The other girl soon stopped jogging, which left me and 3 walkers.....
I tried not to get dispirited right at the start, but it is kind of depressing when even the toddlers have left you in the dust. So I put it out of my mind, and looked out to sea, and tried to enjoy myself. Which I did once I had got used to being at the back. I settled down into my usual slow rhythm, and completed the first lap. When I got to the far end of the second lap I decided I would try and speed up a bit, so I did.
By the end of the last lap I was running flat out, in fact I was almost going as fast as the five year olds!
I finished in 43.52. Hardly the worlds fastest time, but a personal best for me. And when I feel bad about my speed, I try to remember I was walking with sticks 7 years ago.
Son finished in 28.47 so he should be fine for his course in December.
Right...the next one is the 10k on June 3rd! Here we come! I want to finish in under 2 hours, but as I have yet to actually run 10k I expect I shall be walking a lot of it, so we shall see.
So here is the story.
The race was organized by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, and was along Sumner Esplanade. It was a beautiful morning, cold, sunny with no wind. No surf either, which made it hard for the surf competition happening further along the Esplanade.
Son was also running. He is to attend Outward Bound in December, and has to run 3k in 23 minutes, so he thought he would give 5k a go and see how he did. Hubby, who dished his ankle 3 weeks ago, was driver and support. Both girls were also there. Daughter 1 was writing out the certificates and Daughter 2 was handing out drinks, so it was a family occasion.
The races consisted of a 5k race, a 10k race and a kids 2.5 race. It had a mass start, and everyone shot off into the distance! There was me, 2 walkers and another girl left at the back. The other girl soon stopped jogging, which left me and 3 walkers.....
I tried not to get dispirited right at the start, but it is kind of depressing when even the toddlers have left you in the dust. So I put it out of my mind, and looked out to sea, and tried to enjoy myself. Which I did once I had got used to being at the back. I settled down into my usual slow rhythm, and completed the first lap. When I got to the far end of the second lap I decided I would try and speed up a bit, so I did.
By the end of the last lap I was running flat out, in fact I was almost going as fast as the five year olds!
I finished in 43.52. Hardly the worlds fastest time, but a personal best for me. And when I feel bad about my speed, I try to remember I was walking with sticks 7 years ago.
Son finished in 28.47 so he should be fine for his course in December.
Right...the next one is the 10k on June 3rd! Here we come! I want to finish in under 2 hours, but as I have yet to actually run 10k I expect I shall be walking a lot of it, so we shall see.
Friday 18 May 2012
Zero carb. Russian Roulette?
It is no secret that I am a zero carb dieter. According to conventional wisdom, this must be just about the unhealthiest way to eat on the planet. All that saturated fat, no 'good fats' at all, no fruit, no vegetables...what about your 5 portions a day? Where are your healthy whole grains? And you eat all that red meat!!!
It feels as though we zero and very low carbbers are playing some kind of Russian Roulette. If we are right, we get to lose weight, reverse our diabetes, get fit, and generally live long and happy lives. If we are wrong, we are on a one way trip to the morgue via cardiology department of the local hospital.
So what do we do?
All the traditional research seems to show that whole grains are good for us, we need lots and lots of fruit and vegetables, we need to drink lots of water, and we need to limit our consumption of saturated fats and red meats. Yet despite following this advice people are getting, well, quite simply, fatter and fatter and more and more sick. Heat disease is on the rise, diabetes has become an epidemic, the list goes on and on.
The 'authorities' put the blame firmly back on us, of course. It is our own fault we are fat; we eat too much fast food, drink too many sodas, and we don't exercise enough. If we got off the sofa and went for a jog every day, all would be well.
We, of course know this not to be true. We eat the low fat, high grain diet and jog 3 miles a day...and we are still fat. Yes, we may be a little more toned, but we are still fat. If you tell a conventional authority this, they tend to think you are lying.
So to my way of thinking the accepted wisdom is wrong. I tried it. It didn't work. Now I am trying something else, and I feel good, and I am losing weight and volume.
And I am playing Russian Roulette with my health.
It feels as though we zero and very low carbbers are playing some kind of Russian Roulette. If we are right, we get to lose weight, reverse our diabetes, get fit, and generally live long and happy lives. If we are wrong, we are on a one way trip to the morgue via cardiology department of the local hospital.
So what do we do?
All the traditional research seems to show that whole grains are good for us, we need lots and lots of fruit and vegetables, we need to drink lots of water, and we need to limit our consumption of saturated fats and red meats. Yet despite following this advice people are getting, well, quite simply, fatter and fatter and more and more sick. Heat disease is on the rise, diabetes has become an epidemic, the list goes on and on.
The 'authorities' put the blame firmly back on us, of course. It is our own fault we are fat; we eat too much fast food, drink too many sodas, and we don't exercise enough. If we got off the sofa and went for a jog every day, all would be well.
We, of course know this not to be true. We eat the low fat, high grain diet and jog 3 miles a day...and we are still fat. Yes, we may be a little more toned, but we are still fat. If you tell a conventional authority this, they tend to think you are lying.
So to my way of thinking the accepted wisdom is wrong. I tried it. It didn't work. Now I am trying something else, and I feel good, and I am losing weight and volume.
And I am playing Russian Roulette with my health.
Tuesday 15 May 2012
Diet and Hunger
Getting hungry whilst dieting.
Yesterday I had a hungry day. I woke up hungry, I was hungry all day, and whilst I didn't go to bed hungry, I certainly wasn't full. So what does one do about hunger when one is dieting?
Its a funny thing, hunger. One little word that covers everything from not really being hungry at all but, like Winnie the Pooh, fancying a little something just because it is morning tea time, right the way through to being so hungry you feel you would cheerfully eat the kids, or at least the puppy, if you don't get something soon.
Then there is starvation. This is not hunger, although the starving certainly feel hungry. I am sure we all know the difference. Please note, in this post I am talking about hunger, not starvation.
I will be 50 years old in a couple of months. I was raised in a small English market town, which had not really embraced the full flow of modern life, not even modern life as it was in the 60's and 70's. In fact the 60's seemed to pass it right by, and only actually arrived in about 1978. I went to a school that included hats in the uniform. When one was outside the school grounds, one had to wear the school hat. It was a girls school. We had a boys section, but they were on an adjoining site. The boys wore caps, and we wore velour hats in winter and straw panamas in summer.
When one was off the school grounds, and wearing ones school hat, one was not allowed to eat. This was a written school rule. Eating whilst walking down the street was shameful. It showed a number of things. It showed that one did not have the self discipline to wait until one got home. It implied one did not have a better place to eat. And of course eating whilst walking was neither tidy or elegant. People could see you chewing in public, and inevitably you dropped crumbs, thus making a personal mess in a public place.
In fact, back then, on the whole, people did not eat in the streets, in their car or when out and about. I remember the annual street fair. It was amazing, the streets and market place were filled with fairground rides, side stalls and toffee apple and candy-floss stands. And we ate candy-floss whilst walking in the streets! It was part of the delight of the thing. A time when you could walk around eating and people just smiled at you.
When out in the car, we might take a picnic, but we actually stopped the car to eat it. I remember turning off the main highways to find a quiet country road where we could picnic beside a stream, or at a farm gate where the verge was wider. Unless it was pouring with rain we would eat outside the car. A waterproof sheet would be laid on the ground, and a blanket would be spread on that. We would put coats and hats on if it was cold. We would use plates, and drink from beakers. Only if it was inclement would we actually eat in the car, and it was considered a far inferior experience.
And what about hunger? I remember being told to wait for the next meal. We had 3 square meals a day, plus maybe an after-school snack...which would of course been served on a plate, taken sitting at the kitchen table and cleared away afterwards. And that was it. We did not eat between meals, it did not occur to us. And whilst we may have got a little hungry, nothing terrible happened to us. We simply relished our next meal all the more.
The contrast between then and now is startling. Thinking back, I have to conclude that at my fattest I only ate one meal a day. I started in at breakfast, and then I would never go more than an hour or so without putting something else in my mouth right through the day. I would have a biscuit with my morning tea, I would buy myself a little something when out shopping, I would nibble on something whilst making the families supper, if I got bored I would make (or buy) myself a nice healthy wholemeal sandwich. And I certainly had no problem in eating wherever I was. In the street, in a park, in the car, at home, standing in front of an open fridge.....
So when and how did it change? When did we move from 3 meals a day, and it being unacceptable to eat in the streets to the all day, anywhere, any time eating pattern of today? And when did we decide it was terrible to be even a little hungry?
Hubby and I were talking about this and we wondered if it was about the same time as mobile phones first came in. Back then we had the whole yuppie, I'm-too-busy-and-too-important-to-stop-for-lunch senarios. Lunch was for wusies and sleep was for wimps. It was important to work all day and all night and be seen to do so. Remember when mobile phones first came in. People would hang them ostentatiously from their belts and shout loudly into them in public places.
"Yes, James, it's me! Sell! yes, now, just sell!"
We all thought they were idiots! But now its is unusual not to see someone tapping or chatting away with a mobile phone. Heck, it is even socially acceptable to break off from a conversation with someone, turn away and leave them standing there like a lemon, whilst we answer a text or a call.
And was it the same with food? That gradually we became desensitized to people in a hurry grabbing a snack on the go? And so we ended up with us all wandering around the streets, chewing and strewing crumbs and litter as we go?
And that, somehow, must have led to this amazing fear of being hungry. One reads it in all the diet literature, and most of all on the forums. "But what if I get hungry?" People ask it again and again. Ermm.... you had breakfast and shortly you will be having lunch, you have a snack planned to eat at some point, to say nothing about dinner. What do you mean "What if I get hungry?" You wait a little, and then you eat your next meal.
So yesterday I was hungry. So what? I truly enjoyed my next meal! A little hunger is not a problem, honest. A big hunger needs a little thought. Is this a one off, are you eating enough, are you eating too many carbs, which make you hungry. Ketosis suppresses hunger, could you try ketosis. Or just go with it for a couple of days. Does it go away again, or are you always hungry? Live with it for a little, and then make adjustments. Don't panic. A little hunger is fine. A regular big hunger may need a tweak or two to the diet.
As an endnote, there is a great diet out there, called the 'No S Diet', or grannies diet. No sweets, no snacks, no seconds. You can find it here . It may be worth a look if you are struggling with eating all the time. And take a look at the forums....see how many people are scared of getting hungry, even though, on the No S Diet you can eat whatever you want 3 times a day. Think about this. When you actually start looking at it, it is quite weird. Yes, we need to be afraid of starvation, it is a survival thing, it's hardwired into our genes, but we don't need to be afraid of a little hunger.
Yesterday I had a hungry day. I woke up hungry, I was hungry all day, and whilst I didn't go to bed hungry, I certainly wasn't full. So what does one do about hunger when one is dieting?
Its a funny thing, hunger. One little word that covers everything from not really being hungry at all but, like Winnie the Pooh, fancying a little something just because it is morning tea time, right the way through to being so hungry you feel you would cheerfully eat the kids, or at least the puppy, if you don't get something soon.
Then there is starvation. This is not hunger, although the starving certainly feel hungry. I am sure we all know the difference. Please note, in this post I am talking about hunger, not starvation.
I will be 50 years old in a couple of months. I was raised in a small English market town, which had not really embraced the full flow of modern life, not even modern life as it was in the 60's and 70's. In fact the 60's seemed to pass it right by, and only actually arrived in about 1978. I went to a school that included hats in the uniform. When one was outside the school grounds, one had to wear the school hat. It was a girls school. We had a boys section, but they were on an adjoining site. The boys wore caps, and we wore velour hats in winter and straw panamas in summer.
When one was off the school grounds, and wearing ones school hat, one was not allowed to eat. This was a written school rule. Eating whilst walking down the street was shameful. It showed a number of things. It showed that one did not have the self discipline to wait until one got home. It implied one did not have a better place to eat. And of course eating whilst walking was neither tidy or elegant. People could see you chewing in public, and inevitably you dropped crumbs, thus making a personal mess in a public place.
In fact, back then, on the whole, people did not eat in the streets, in their car or when out and about. I remember the annual street fair. It was amazing, the streets and market place were filled with fairground rides, side stalls and toffee apple and candy-floss stands. And we ate candy-floss whilst walking in the streets! It was part of the delight of the thing. A time when you could walk around eating and people just smiled at you.
When out in the car, we might take a picnic, but we actually stopped the car to eat it. I remember turning off the main highways to find a quiet country road where we could picnic beside a stream, or at a farm gate where the verge was wider. Unless it was pouring with rain we would eat outside the car. A waterproof sheet would be laid on the ground, and a blanket would be spread on that. We would put coats and hats on if it was cold. We would use plates, and drink from beakers. Only if it was inclement would we actually eat in the car, and it was considered a far inferior experience.
And what about hunger? I remember being told to wait for the next meal. We had 3 square meals a day, plus maybe an after-school snack...which would of course been served on a plate, taken sitting at the kitchen table and cleared away afterwards. And that was it. We did not eat between meals, it did not occur to us. And whilst we may have got a little hungry, nothing terrible happened to us. We simply relished our next meal all the more.
The contrast between then and now is startling. Thinking back, I have to conclude that at my fattest I only ate one meal a day. I started in at breakfast, and then I would never go more than an hour or so without putting something else in my mouth right through the day. I would have a biscuit with my morning tea, I would buy myself a little something when out shopping, I would nibble on something whilst making the families supper, if I got bored I would make (or buy) myself a nice healthy wholemeal sandwich. And I certainly had no problem in eating wherever I was. In the street, in a park, in the car, at home, standing in front of an open fridge.....
So when and how did it change? When did we move from 3 meals a day, and it being unacceptable to eat in the streets to the all day, anywhere, any time eating pattern of today? And when did we decide it was terrible to be even a little hungry?
Hubby and I were talking about this and we wondered if it was about the same time as mobile phones first came in. Back then we had the whole yuppie, I'm-too-busy-and-too-important-to-stop-for-lunch senarios. Lunch was for wusies and sleep was for wimps. It was important to work all day and all night and be seen to do so. Remember when mobile phones first came in. People would hang them ostentatiously from their belts and shout loudly into them in public places.
"Yes, James, it's me! Sell! yes, now, just sell!"
We all thought they were idiots! But now its is unusual not to see someone tapping or chatting away with a mobile phone. Heck, it is even socially acceptable to break off from a conversation with someone, turn away and leave them standing there like a lemon, whilst we answer a text or a call.
And was it the same with food? That gradually we became desensitized to people in a hurry grabbing a snack on the go? And so we ended up with us all wandering around the streets, chewing and strewing crumbs and litter as we go?
And that, somehow, must have led to this amazing fear of being hungry. One reads it in all the diet literature, and most of all on the forums. "But what if I get hungry?" People ask it again and again. Ermm.... you had breakfast and shortly you will be having lunch, you have a snack planned to eat at some point, to say nothing about dinner. What do you mean "What if I get hungry?" You wait a little, and then you eat your next meal.
So yesterday I was hungry. So what? I truly enjoyed my next meal! A little hunger is not a problem, honest. A big hunger needs a little thought. Is this a one off, are you eating enough, are you eating too many carbs, which make you hungry. Ketosis suppresses hunger, could you try ketosis. Or just go with it for a couple of days. Does it go away again, or are you always hungry? Live with it for a little, and then make adjustments. Don't panic. A little hunger is fine. A regular big hunger may need a tweak or two to the diet.
As an endnote, there is a great diet out there, called the 'No S Diet', or grannies diet. No sweets, no snacks, no seconds. You can find it here . It may be worth a look if you are struggling with eating all the time. And take a look at the forums....see how many people are scared of getting hungry, even though, on the No S Diet you can eat whatever you want 3 times a day. Think about this. When you actually start looking at it, it is quite weird. Yes, we need to be afraid of starvation, it is a survival thing, it's hardwired into our genes, but we don't need to be afraid of a little hunger.
Saturday 12 May 2012
Zero Carb, Ketosis and Scurvy. Oh My!
"So, tell me, what do you actually eat?"
"But, if you don't eat fruit and vegetables, won't you get scurvy?"
"Don't you miss fruit/bread/doughnuts?
"Can you actually run and not eat any carbs?"
These are just a few of the questions I get asked so I thought I might try and answer them.
What do I actually eat?
I eat anything from the animal kingdom. I know this is not politically correct, but I don't actually eat much. In fact I eat so little I reckon I have a smaller footprint them many other 'normal' people. I normally only eat once a day, and not much then.
So I eat any meat. From mince to steak, to roasts. Pork, lamb, beef, venison, whatever. I also eat fish, and could eat shellfish, but sadly it makes me very ill. I have butter, cream, eggs. I could eat cheese, but I dislike it.
I don't eat sausages, or cured meat, except a bit of bacon very occasionally.
Basically if it comes form an animal I eat it. If it doesn't I don't. The exceptions are salt, pepper and a few herbs and spices for variety. I eat maybe 6-8oz of meat a day. In addition I have a number of cups of Earl Grey tea with heavy cream.
I don't appear to have scurvy, but believe me, at the first signs (bleeding gums I believe) I shall be running for the vitamin C tablets as quickly as I can, as well as changing my diet to prevent it happening agin. At the moment, however, I am fit and healthy.
I am not a slave to this way of eating. It suits me now, and it is an interesting experiment. But if it stopped suiting me, I would stop. I am not daft! I have a lot of energy, and mental alertness, and I like feeling this way. I sleep well at night, I have no reflux or heartburn and I have enough energy to run. I also have a very small appetite. Apparently being in ketosis suppresses the appetite. This is a good thing as I have a family...who all eat grains and sugar and I have those things in my cupboards and at my dinner table. It would be very hard to diet if I was still craving these things.
Do I miss sugar, grains, fruit or vegetables? And the related question, don't you get bored with your diet?
To be honest, yes I did at the begining. I really craved bread, or sweet things. Passing up chocolate was very hard, particularly when I was given some organic handmade dark chocolate at Christmas....
As time passed though the cravings became less and less, and now I don't really crave anything at all.
I do get bored however, and I tell myself that I can stop at any time. I could become a vegan tomorrow if I so wish. It is entirely up to me. So I say, just for today, I shall stick with the diet, and leave tomorrow to itself. This works for me.
Other zero carbers say that as time passes they cease to see food as entertainment and merely as fuel and so they don't worry about the boredom bit. I am not sure I find this reasuring. I like family gatherings, friendly get-to-gethers, and the like and the resulting sharing of food. But my main goal is to no longer look like the back end of a bus. So I shall deal with this first, and then, maybe, I can relax a little on special occasions.
Can you run and not eat any carbs?
Amazingly, yes. At least for the moment. This morning I did my longest run to date....11k. I took a very long time, I must be the worlds slowest runner...but I did it. People run marathons in not much longer than I did 11k, but I still ran for just over 2 hours with no problems.
I had a cup of tea with heavy cream before I set out, and at the domain at the half way point there is a drinking fountain, so I had a couple of mouthfuls of water. I did not take a drinking bottle. I did not appear to run out of fuel, and I certainly did not need any of those gels and special drinks. Maybe I would go faster if I had them, who knows? Maybe we need to look into this in the future, but for now it is fine.
Again, I am not a slave to this way of life. As I do longer and longer runs I may need carbs. In which case I shall have them!
So there we are, I live in ketosis, I run, and I eat zero carb. All seems well so far. I am getting fitter by the day, my mind is bright and alert...no brain fog....I sleep well at night, and whilst I don't actually like getting out of bed in the morning, it is not much of a struggle.
And yes, after 3 months of running, I am again losing weight! I plateaued with weight loss whilst I lost inches and gained muscle, but I am losing slowly and steadily again now.
Are you zero carb? Do you run? How is it going for you?
"But, if you don't eat fruit and vegetables, won't you get scurvy?"
"Don't you miss fruit/bread/doughnuts?
"Can you actually run and not eat any carbs?"
These are just a few of the questions I get asked so I thought I might try and answer them.
What do I actually eat?
I eat anything from the animal kingdom. I know this is not politically correct, but I don't actually eat much. In fact I eat so little I reckon I have a smaller footprint them many other 'normal' people. I normally only eat once a day, and not much then.
So I eat any meat. From mince to steak, to roasts. Pork, lamb, beef, venison, whatever. I also eat fish, and could eat shellfish, but sadly it makes me very ill. I have butter, cream, eggs. I could eat cheese, but I dislike it.
I don't eat sausages, or cured meat, except a bit of bacon very occasionally.
Basically if it comes form an animal I eat it. If it doesn't I don't. The exceptions are salt, pepper and a few herbs and spices for variety. I eat maybe 6-8oz of meat a day. In addition I have a number of cups of Earl Grey tea with heavy cream.
I don't appear to have scurvy, but believe me, at the first signs (bleeding gums I believe) I shall be running for the vitamin C tablets as quickly as I can, as well as changing my diet to prevent it happening agin. At the moment, however, I am fit and healthy.
I am not a slave to this way of eating. It suits me now, and it is an interesting experiment. But if it stopped suiting me, I would stop. I am not daft! I have a lot of energy, and mental alertness, and I like feeling this way. I sleep well at night, I have no reflux or heartburn and I have enough energy to run. I also have a very small appetite. Apparently being in ketosis suppresses the appetite. This is a good thing as I have a family...who all eat grains and sugar and I have those things in my cupboards and at my dinner table. It would be very hard to diet if I was still craving these things.
Do I miss sugar, grains, fruit or vegetables? And the related question, don't you get bored with your diet?
To be honest, yes I did at the begining. I really craved bread, or sweet things. Passing up chocolate was very hard, particularly when I was given some organic handmade dark chocolate at Christmas....
As time passed though the cravings became less and less, and now I don't really crave anything at all.
I do get bored however, and I tell myself that I can stop at any time. I could become a vegan tomorrow if I so wish. It is entirely up to me. So I say, just for today, I shall stick with the diet, and leave tomorrow to itself. This works for me.
Other zero carbers say that as time passes they cease to see food as entertainment and merely as fuel and so they don't worry about the boredom bit. I am not sure I find this reasuring. I like family gatherings, friendly get-to-gethers, and the like and the resulting sharing of food. But my main goal is to no longer look like the back end of a bus. So I shall deal with this first, and then, maybe, I can relax a little on special occasions.
Can you run and not eat any carbs?
Amazingly, yes. At least for the moment. This morning I did my longest run to date....11k. I took a very long time, I must be the worlds slowest runner...but I did it. People run marathons in not much longer than I did 11k, but I still ran for just over 2 hours with no problems.
I had a cup of tea with heavy cream before I set out, and at the domain at the half way point there is a drinking fountain, so I had a couple of mouthfuls of water. I did not take a drinking bottle. I did not appear to run out of fuel, and I certainly did not need any of those gels and special drinks. Maybe I would go faster if I had them, who knows? Maybe we need to look into this in the future, but for now it is fine.
Again, I am not a slave to this way of life. As I do longer and longer runs I may need carbs. In which case I shall have them!
So there we are, I live in ketosis, I run, and I eat zero carb. All seems well so far. I am getting fitter by the day, my mind is bright and alert...no brain fog....I sleep well at night, and whilst I don't actually like getting out of bed in the morning, it is not much of a struggle.
And yes, after 3 months of running, I am again losing weight! I plateaued with weight loss whilst I lost inches and gained muscle, but I am losing slowly and steadily again now.
Are you zero carb? Do you run? How is it going for you?
Tuesday 8 May 2012
The Cost of Running
I was reading a book today about a woman who ran a marathon. Its called 'Short Fat Chick to Marathon.' Here or Here I thought it might be inspirational.
It had its moments, although it is not the most exciting book I have ever read, but what really got my attention was the bit about how much it costs to run a marathon. In fact how much it costs to take up running, period.
Well I don't know about you, but I thought part of the idea of taking up running against, say, golf, or motor-bike racing, was that it is cheap. You just need a pair of shoes and out of the door you go.
Apparently not.
Your personal trainer takes a big chunk of your money, of course, particularly if you want him or her to accompany you to specific races. Then there is the chiropractic pre-running assessment, to check you are in good shape mechanically to run, and the weekly check-ups to ensure you are not injuring your self. A check-up with the doctor is important too, and in many countries this is an added expense as well.
Talking of injuries, a weekly massage is another good idea to keep those muscles in tip top condition. And the cost of the specialist if, sadly, all this preventative work fails and you do actually get an injury.
Clothes will set you back about $200 a set, and you will need at least 3 sets, of course, plus another $200 or so for the jacket, and don't forget the reflective vest for those early mornings.
And the shoes, oh yes the shoes. It is important to get good shoe advice and a decent pair will set you back about $300, and you will go through a least 2 pairs whilst training for a marathon.
Food is important too, so you had better see (and pay for) a nutritionalist, and then there are the whey powders, and the gels and the special drinks to buy.
A watch is important and a good running watch with lap counters etc will cost at least $300.
Travel to various races adds up, and the hotel when you get there. You will need to run a couple of 10ks and at least one half marathon on your way to your marathon goal.
And on top of all this are the race fees, and having made this huge effort you are also going to want the race memorabilia, the t-shirt, the jacket, the mug, the key-ring and the cute little running teddy for your niece.
All told a marathon is, apparently, going to set you back anything between 2 and 5 grand.
Humm....
I don't know about you, but so far it has not cost me that much. Lets see.
I had a T shirt and a pair of shorts, and I also had a sports bra I had not worn for years as I was too big for it. The girls had shrunk a little by the time I started running and it fits fine now.
The personal trainer is the hubby. He says things like "Are you running today?" and when I get back he makes me a lovely cup of tea. If I ask him nicely he'll even massage my legs, so that is another expense avoided.
So what have I spent?
$15 to the second hand shop for a jacket.
$18 race fees for the 5K race on May 20th.
$35 race fees for the 10K on 3rd June.
AND......on Sunday I brought a new pair of shoes. They are called Brooks Pure Connect, and I love them. I have not had any pain in my feet since I got them. They are minimal running shoes, yet they have enough whatever so my feet don't get bruised.
They cost $230. Ouch! My feet might not hurt but my wallet does!
Grand total so far: NZ$289
I shall keep a record and we will see what its costs me by the time I run the 2013 Christchurch marathon.
It had its moments, although it is not the most exciting book I have ever read, but what really got my attention was the bit about how much it costs to run a marathon. In fact how much it costs to take up running, period.
Well I don't know about you, but I thought part of the idea of taking up running against, say, golf, or motor-bike racing, was that it is cheap. You just need a pair of shoes and out of the door you go.
Apparently not.
Your personal trainer takes a big chunk of your money, of course, particularly if you want him or her to accompany you to specific races. Then there is the chiropractic pre-running assessment, to check you are in good shape mechanically to run, and the weekly check-ups to ensure you are not injuring your self. A check-up with the doctor is important too, and in many countries this is an added expense as well.
Talking of injuries, a weekly massage is another good idea to keep those muscles in tip top condition. And the cost of the specialist if, sadly, all this preventative work fails and you do actually get an injury.
Clothes will set you back about $200 a set, and you will need at least 3 sets, of course, plus another $200 or so for the jacket, and don't forget the reflective vest for those early mornings.
And the shoes, oh yes the shoes. It is important to get good shoe advice and a decent pair will set you back about $300, and you will go through a least 2 pairs whilst training for a marathon.
Food is important too, so you had better see (and pay for) a nutritionalist, and then there are the whey powders, and the gels and the special drinks to buy.
A watch is important and a good running watch with lap counters etc will cost at least $300.
Travel to various races adds up, and the hotel when you get there. You will need to run a couple of 10ks and at least one half marathon on your way to your marathon goal.
And on top of all this are the race fees, and having made this huge effort you are also going to want the race memorabilia, the t-shirt, the jacket, the mug, the key-ring and the cute little running teddy for your niece.
All told a marathon is, apparently, going to set you back anything between 2 and 5 grand.
Humm....
I don't know about you, but so far it has not cost me that much. Lets see.
I had a T shirt and a pair of shorts, and I also had a sports bra I had not worn for years as I was too big for it. The girls had shrunk a little by the time I started running and it fits fine now.
The personal trainer is the hubby. He says things like "Are you running today?" and when I get back he makes me a lovely cup of tea. If I ask him nicely he'll even massage my legs, so that is another expense avoided.
So what have I spent?
$15 to the second hand shop for a jacket.
$18 race fees for the 5K race on May 20th.
$35 race fees for the 10K on 3rd June.
AND......on Sunday I brought a new pair of shoes. They are called Brooks Pure Connect, and I love them. I have not had any pain in my feet since I got them. They are minimal running shoes, yet they have enough whatever so my feet don't get bruised.
They cost $230. Ouch! My feet might not hurt but my wallet does!
Grand total so far: NZ$289
I shall keep a record and we will see what its costs me by the time I run the 2013 Christchurch marathon.
Sunday 6 May 2012
Overeating, Sugar, Salt, Fat and Hyper-taste
So following on from the previous post, we know that the conventional dietary advice does not work for some of us, and judging by the bodies out and about, not for many of us.
There is the debate of the naturally lean but we will save that for another day.
I have been reading a book called "The End of Overeating" by David Kessler. Amazon.com Book Depository UK. This is a fascinating book, that exposes how the food industry manipulate food in order to make it hyper-palatable. They do this by manipulating the sugar, fat and salt content in order to make our taste buds want more and more and more of it. To the point we are actually eating ourself to death.
One point neither David Kessler or anyone he talks to seems to notice is that all this fat, sugar and salt is invariably carried on one grain or another, normally wheat. To us low carb people that is a huge point missed. The assumption throughout the book seems to be that the carrier is largely irrelevant.
Other than this the book is excellent, and as well as explaining how the food we eat has changed and how this affects us on a day to day basis, it ends with some practical tips about how to combat the problem.
The simplest way I have found to address overeating however, is mindfulness.
It is very easy to overeat whilst sitting in front of the computer or the television, and even when out with friends. That bread just slips down without being noticed whilst you wait for your main course to be cooked. And my biggest problem was standing in front of the open fridge door, just having a little taste....
Mindful eating is just that. You eat mindully. You set the table, prepare the food with love and care, and then sit down to eat it. You notice how it smells, how it looks on the plate. The texture as you cut it with your knife, the taste as it enters your mouth. You chew slowly savouring the taste, and you do not collect another forkful until you have finished with the food already in your mouth.
You only have to do this once, to realise just how mindlessly we often eat! It also takes a long time to eat anything! I tend to practice mindful eating once or twice a week to remind me how to eat slowly and to savour my food. I have also made a rule that all food must be consumed whilst sitting at a table. This cut out mindless snacks in an instant! It is hard to not notice that piece of chocolate slip down if you have to fetch a plate and sit at the table to eat it!
Do we eat too much? Or just too much of the wrong food? I honestly don't know, but for me, mindful eating has helped enormously. 'The End of Overeating' is a fascinating read and I wholly recommend it, but it is not terribly relevant to low carb people. All that sugar and all those grains are out of our diet anyway. However it might provide fascinating insight into how we got fat in the first place.
There is the debate of the naturally lean but we will save that for another day.
I have been reading a book called "The End of Overeating" by David Kessler. Amazon.com Book Depository UK. This is a fascinating book, that exposes how the food industry manipulate food in order to make it hyper-palatable. They do this by manipulating the sugar, fat and salt content in order to make our taste buds want more and more and more of it. To the point we are actually eating ourself to death.
One point neither David Kessler or anyone he talks to seems to notice is that all this fat, sugar and salt is invariably carried on one grain or another, normally wheat. To us low carb people that is a huge point missed. The assumption throughout the book seems to be that the carrier is largely irrelevant.
Other than this the book is excellent, and as well as explaining how the food we eat has changed and how this affects us on a day to day basis, it ends with some practical tips about how to combat the problem.
The simplest way I have found to address overeating however, is mindfulness.
It is very easy to overeat whilst sitting in front of the computer or the television, and even when out with friends. That bread just slips down without being noticed whilst you wait for your main course to be cooked. And my biggest problem was standing in front of the open fridge door, just having a little taste....
Mindful eating is just that. You eat mindully. You set the table, prepare the food with love and care, and then sit down to eat it. You notice how it smells, how it looks on the plate. The texture as you cut it with your knife, the taste as it enters your mouth. You chew slowly savouring the taste, and you do not collect another forkful until you have finished with the food already in your mouth.
You only have to do this once, to realise just how mindlessly we often eat! It also takes a long time to eat anything! I tend to practice mindful eating once or twice a week to remind me how to eat slowly and to savour my food. I have also made a rule that all food must be consumed whilst sitting at a table. This cut out mindless snacks in an instant! It is hard to not notice that piece of chocolate slip down if you have to fetch a plate and sit at the table to eat it!
Do we eat too much? Or just too much of the wrong food? I honestly don't know, but for me, mindful eating has helped enormously. 'The End of Overeating' is a fascinating read and I wholly recommend it, but it is not terribly relevant to low carb people. All that sugar and all those grains are out of our diet anyway. However it might provide fascinating insight into how we got fat in the first place.
Wednesday 2 May 2012
New Readers Start Here.
Hello to all my new readers. Its good to see you. I don't know who you are, so if you would like to pop in and say 'Hi' I would love it.
For new readers, my story is outlined over a number of posts made in early April.
The first post is here
If you then click on 'newer post' at the bottom of the page you can follow my story through earthquakes and weight loss and starting running, until we reach today.
Thank you for looking at my blog.
For new readers, my story is outlined over a number of posts made in early April.
The first post is here
If you then click on 'newer post' at the bottom of the page you can follow my story through earthquakes and weight loss and starting running, until we reach today.
Thank you for looking at my blog.
Tuesday 1 May 2012
Eating and Overeating. Weight Loss, Weight Gain and Diet.
Eating and overeating. Weight loss, weight gain and diet.
The conventional wisdom is that we are fat because we eat too much and exercise too little. Too much food in, and not enough energy out.
OK, so, if this is true, why? Why do we eat too much, when only a generation or so a go we didn't? Have people, over the last 30 years or so, suddenly become lazy sloth's who cannot control what they put in their mouths, or is something else going on? And does becoming fat, in itself, change the ability to lose weight?
Phew, what a lot of questions!
Old photographs are really interesting things. Unlike paintings and drawings they often show what is really there. I say 'often' because even with old photographs they can be manipulated, but this is more common nowadays.
It is interesting to note that many early photos show quite obese women...as long as they are poor, yet richer women are almost invariably thin. Poor men and poor children are, likewise, thin.
The conventional wisdom is that we are fat because we eat too much and exercise too little. Too much food in, and not enough energy out.
OK, so, if this is true, why? Why do we eat too much, when only a generation or so a go we didn't? Have people, over the last 30 years or so, suddenly become lazy sloth's who cannot control what they put in their mouths, or is something else going on? And does becoming fat, in itself, change the ability to lose weight?
Phew, what a lot of questions!
Old photographs are really interesting things. Unlike paintings and drawings they often show what is really there. I say 'often' because even with old photographs they can be manipulated, but this is more common nowadays.
It is interesting to note that many early photos show quite obese women...as long as they are poor, yet richer women are almost invariably thin. Poor men and poor children are, likewise, thin.
These are fisher women from Scotland.
And these are more wealthy women golfers. I actually have no idea of their wealth but the fact they have the leisure and the resources to play golf makes me assume they have a greater disposable income than our fisher women.
Now let us make a few more assumptions. Fisher women would have worked very hard indeed. Historical records show this. And whilst our golfers obviously play golf, we can assume they do not work as hard..or burn as many calories... as fisher women.
Maybe our fisherwomen simply overeat. After all we know we get hungry after exercise. But what food would they have access to? Well, fish of course! But then fish is a cash crop to them. If they could sell their fish we can assume they would. They may only eat any fish they fail to sell. And with that fish, what else would they eat? Honestly I don't know, but I know women, and mothers. I know that if there was not enough food to go around, a mother would feed her children before herself. She would also give better food to the children. So let us say she had some potatoes, some bread or oat cakes and some fish, and maybe an egg or two. I think a mother would give the fish and eggs to her children, and probably her husband who has to go fish in the deep seas. She would say, "I'm fine, I'll just have some bread"
Now I know I have made a lot of assumptions here. But often in early photographs poor women are fat and poor men and children are painfully thin. Rich people are usually pleasantly slim, but not skinny. And yes, this is a generalization.
So we can assume our fisher women, who are undeniably fat, have not been laying on the sofa eating chips. In fact they are probably working harder than most people today and eating less. And they are fat.
So what is all this about? Maybe something else is going on that doesn't just end up with fat people are just fat because they are lazy and they eat too much.
Now let us have a look at now-a days. In our current society obesity is a disease of the poor, but not exclusively of the poor. However the poor are over represented in the statistics. Just try googling 'the economics of obesity' if you would like proof of this. Also more women are obese than men (according the NHS statistics from the UK) but this gap is closing fast. So making an assumption again. Something makes women get fat more easily, or did, than men. But this is changing over recent years.
And I think we can safely assume that not many people actually want to look or live like this.
I think we can assume that these women would give a lot to be of normal weight and size. After all we know fat people get a raw deal in all walks of life, from getting and keeping jobs, to finding clothes to everyday humiliations of chairs and busses and toilet cubicles to the insults hurled at them by young men in noisy cars.
Now-a-days it is almost impossible not to know the message of healthy eating, so we can also assume our two women enjoying the sunshine above, know that they should not eat fats, and if they do they should only eat polyunsaturated ones. They should eat wholemeal grains and lots of them so they feel full and do not get hungry. If they do get hungry they should fill up with lots of fruit. They should eat almost no meat and if they could just have an occasional bit of fish or chicken breast then that would be best of all. Maybe processed carbohydrates are not too good for you, but don't worry, just have a small amount of cake made with raw sugar and wholemeal grain. After all its almost fat free, and it is the fat that makes you fat. And of course with healthy eating comes healthy exercise. These women should take up jogging.
It's not worked has it?
We stopped eating the fat, we ate the brown rice and the pasta and the wholemeal bread. We ate wholemeal bread for breakfast. No butter of course, just some low fat spread that said it was 50% less fat (less fat than what?). Or we had the muesli, with the rolled oats and the nuts and seeds and tiny bits of dates...and raw sugar of course. Lunch would be a salad with a no fat dressing ('all the taste none of the calories') and we would have this with a wholemeal roll with more low fat spread. Supper would be a grilled chicken breast with more salad and pasta. And as we had been so good all day maybe a desert of some strawberry fat free yogurt.
Or maybe we were desperate, and so we paid a lot of money to buy their 'meal replacements', the drinks and the bars. They were endorsed by doctors and we were desperate. This time, please, please, this time make it work.
We did it didn't we? We did what they said. We followed their rules. And it didn't work.
We got hungrier and hungrier and fatter and fatter. And they said it was us. We were lying, cheating. If we had followed the rules we would be thin by now.
But it wasn't us. We weren't lying and cheating and sneaking chocolate bars on the side. At least not then. the chocolate bars come later when we realise it will never work. When we did all they said and we were still fat, fatter even, so why should we bother? Why not just eat the chocolate and be blowed with it.
And the real tragedy of this is that it warped our minds. Food, once a source of celebration and family togetherness was now a source of worry and guilt. I'm fat so people must not see me eat. So we eat at night, or in the bathroom, or when we are all alone. And we become overeaters.
This post has to end. But I want to go further with this. I want to talk about what they did to our food, that made matters so much worse. That not only made us overeaters, but made sure we would remain so.
But just out of curiosity....did you, like me...put ON weight on the low fat diet? Did you get fatter with every diet you did? Let me know, and I will be back soon to chat about what they did to our food, and why.
Sunday 29 April 2012
Running and Runner's knee. Shoes, Sand, and Stretches.
Running and Runner's knee. Shoes, sand, and stretches.
Hello, sorry about the lack of posts over the last few days. Real life sort of caught up with me!
Runner's knee!
Oh boy, I have a pain in my left knee and it would seem to be runner's knee. This, apparently, happens if you run in:
a) the wrong shoes
b) any shoes at all
c) barefoot
d) on roads
f) on soft sandy surfaces
g) fast
h) slow
i) too long distances
j) up/down too many hills
k) direct trauma to the knee
l) flat feet
m) weak thigh muscles
n) tight hamstrings
I bet I could find more causes if I looked hard enough! I suspect in my case it is not helped by the fact that one leg is weaker than the other.
So...what to do?
Having just entered the 10k race at the Christchurch Marathon (3rd June) I don't really want to stop running. On the internet some people seem to manage to run through it and it gets better, and some don't and have to stop. Looking at the list, some things I can do something about and some I can't.
The plan.
I have reduced my distances for this week.
I will only run alternate days, and I will only run for half an hour. I will set out for 15 minutes, then turn around and come home.
I will ice and use ibuprofen to reduce swelling after running
I will run on the flat (no sand dunes)
I will work on strengthening my thigh muscles and stretching my hamstrings. The hamstrings on my game leg are much tighter than the other.
I will review the effects in a week.
Other than running, the diet is going OK, but I am often eating twice a day at the moment, with the running. I have moved the five hours of the 'fast 5' to 2pm to 7pm. This means if I am hungry I can eat early afternoon.
The next post will be all about eating and overeating. Causes and solutions. Watch this space!
Hello, sorry about the lack of posts over the last few days. Real life sort of caught up with me!
Runner's knee!
Oh boy, I have a pain in my left knee and it would seem to be runner's knee. This, apparently, happens if you run in:
a) the wrong shoes
b) any shoes at all
c) barefoot
d) on roads
f) on soft sandy surfaces
g) fast
h) slow
i) too long distances
j) up/down too many hills
k) direct trauma to the knee
l) flat feet
m) weak thigh muscles
n) tight hamstrings
I bet I could find more causes if I looked hard enough! I suspect in my case it is not helped by the fact that one leg is weaker than the other.
So...what to do?
Having just entered the 10k race at the Christchurch Marathon (3rd June) I don't really want to stop running. On the internet some people seem to manage to run through it and it gets better, and some don't and have to stop. Looking at the list, some things I can do something about and some I can't.
The plan.
I have reduced my distances for this week.
I will only run alternate days, and I will only run for half an hour. I will set out for 15 minutes, then turn around and come home.
I will ice and use ibuprofen to reduce swelling after running
I will run on the flat (no sand dunes)
I will work on strengthening my thigh muscles and stretching my hamstrings. The hamstrings on my game leg are much tighter than the other.
I will review the effects in a week.
Other than running, the diet is going OK, but I am often eating twice a day at the moment, with the running. I have moved the five hours of the 'fast 5' to 2pm to 7pm. This means if I am hungry I can eat early afternoon.
The next post will be all about eating and overeating. Causes and solutions. Watch this space!
Tuesday 24 April 2012
Weight Loss, or Inches Lost?
More about weight loss...or inches lost. Gravity, mass and weight.
Last time I blogged I noted that I was not losing weight. A trawl around the net proved I was not alone. It seems running does not make you lose weight. In fact it stalls your weight loss.
But on closer inspection it seems things are not all they might at first appear.
Here is what I have learned, noticed, or inferred.
First of all, I have been measuring myself at various times since this journey began. Sadly I do not have my measurements from when I started, back in September 2010, but I do have some from a week or so after I started zero carbing in early November 2011
Here they are:
Waist: 41"
Hips: 46"
Thigh: 26 1/2"
Upper arm:15 1/2"
I did not measure my boobs for some reason, although I started measuring them later.
I measured again on 12th March 2012, 5 months later and exactly one week after I had started running. My weight was 85kg, about the same as now, although I have seen 84kg on the scales.
Waist: 36 1/2"
Hips: 44"
Thigh: 25"
Arm: 13 3/4"
Boobs: 41 1/2"
And here are today's measurements, about 8 weeks after the previous set. My weight is still 85kg aprox.
Waist: 35"
Hips: 42"
Thigh: 23 1/2"
Arm: 13 3/4"
Boobs: 40"
So although I have not lost weight, I have lost almost as much in inches over 8 weeks as I did in the previous 5 months.
So why is this? And what do I think about this?
The first thing for me is the realisation I do not actually care what weigh! Weight, of course, is merely the force of gravity upon a mass...in this case my mass! I would weigh less on the moon. I am more interested in my mass, the amount of matter contained within me. In real terms, can I fit my mass into those jeans?!
And my mass is continuing to decrease, even though my weight remains static. And this has to be good.
It also brings up another physics question. How has this happened? We can compress a mass into a smaller space, anyone who has stuffed a sleeping bag into a stuff sack knows this, or think of compressed air tanks. Those tiny tanks can hold enough air for a diver to remain underwater for several hours.
However, nobody has compressed me! And compression often means a change in matter. In the sleeping bag example, part of the mass...the air in this case...has been expelled. In the compressed air example, the compressed air has actually changed state from gas to liquid. Thankfully I have not been compressed into a liquid...it would make it hard to type my blog amongst other things. But something must have changed for my weight to remain constant whilst my mass has decreased. I am still living in the same house, at sea level, so we will rule out moving to a planet with a greater gravity than earth and assume the change is within me.
I tried to steal a photo from a website to illustrate what seems to be happening, but it won't let me so I shall post the link instead here. What you see is a photo comparing fat and muscle density. Basically for the same weight the fat has more mass. The muscle takes up less room in your body.
If I have been converting blobby yellow fat into nice sleek muscle tissue I will take up less room in the world. I will be smaller, but I may weigh the same on the bathroom scales.
And here is the bottom line: yes my mass will fit into those jeans!
And I assume that in due course, I will also start losing weight as well, but whilst I am building muscle this may not happen. I am getting fitter, and smaller however, so all is good.
And now I am off for a run!
Last time I blogged I noted that I was not losing weight. A trawl around the net proved I was not alone. It seems running does not make you lose weight. In fact it stalls your weight loss.
But on closer inspection it seems things are not all they might at first appear.
Here is what I have learned, noticed, or inferred.
First of all, I have been measuring myself at various times since this journey began. Sadly I do not have my measurements from when I started, back in September 2010, but I do have some from a week or so after I started zero carbing in early November 2011
Here they are:
Waist: 41"
Hips: 46"
Thigh: 26 1/2"
Upper arm:15 1/2"
I did not measure my boobs for some reason, although I started measuring them later.
I measured again on 12th March 2012, 5 months later and exactly one week after I had started running. My weight was 85kg, about the same as now, although I have seen 84kg on the scales.
Waist: 36 1/2"
Hips: 44"
Thigh: 25"
Arm: 13 3/4"
Boobs: 41 1/2"
And here are today's measurements, about 8 weeks after the previous set. My weight is still 85kg aprox.
Waist: 35"
Hips: 42"
Thigh: 23 1/2"
Arm: 13 3/4"
Boobs: 40"
So although I have not lost weight, I have lost almost as much in inches over 8 weeks as I did in the previous 5 months.
So why is this? And what do I think about this?
The first thing for me is the realisation I do not actually care what weigh! Weight, of course, is merely the force of gravity upon a mass...in this case my mass! I would weigh less on the moon. I am more interested in my mass, the amount of matter contained within me. In real terms, can I fit my mass into those jeans?!
And my mass is continuing to decrease, even though my weight remains static. And this has to be good.
It also brings up another physics question. How has this happened? We can compress a mass into a smaller space, anyone who has stuffed a sleeping bag into a stuff sack knows this, or think of compressed air tanks. Those tiny tanks can hold enough air for a diver to remain underwater for several hours.
However, nobody has compressed me! And compression often means a change in matter. In the sleeping bag example, part of the mass...the air in this case...has been expelled. In the compressed air example, the compressed air has actually changed state from gas to liquid. Thankfully I have not been compressed into a liquid...it would make it hard to type my blog amongst other things. But something must have changed for my weight to remain constant whilst my mass has decreased. I am still living in the same house, at sea level, so we will rule out moving to a planet with a greater gravity than earth and assume the change is within me.
I tried to steal a photo from a website to illustrate what seems to be happening, but it won't let me so I shall post the link instead here. What you see is a photo comparing fat and muscle density. Basically for the same weight the fat has more mass. The muscle takes up less room in your body.
If I have been converting blobby yellow fat into nice sleek muscle tissue I will take up less room in the world. I will be smaller, but I may weigh the same on the bathroom scales.
And here is the bottom line: yes my mass will fit into those jeans!
And I assume that in due course, I will also start losing weight as well, but whilst I am building muscle this may not happen. I am getting fitter, and smaller however, so all is good.
And now I am off for a run!
Sunday 22 April 2012
Running and Weight Loss
Weight loss....or not!
I am running regularly, and I am very strict with my diet. One would think I was losing weight hand over fist...but I am not. So this post will try and explore why....and what I intend doing about it.
The internet is full of advice...most of it contradictory!
Yes! You can lose weight by running, get your shoes on!
No! Chronic cardio makes you gain fat and ruins your joints!
So what is a woman to do?
I have been over and over articles on the internet, and come to no sane conclusion at all. One common problem is eating back the calories you expend running (for calorie counters) or eating carbs more freely (for low carb people). I am not doing this, in fact I am stricter than ever about my diet. This of course leads to another possibility, the 'starvation mode' theory. However I find it had to believe we actually managed to hang around on the planet if our bodies cannot manage to go more than an hour or two without food. So I am not too sure about this one.
Then there is the difference between a young man with 20 pounds to lose, and a 50 year old woman obese and with metabolic syndrome. I get fed up reading about someone who made a minor change or two to their diet, took up jogging or badminton or whatever, and lost 15 pounds and feels so much better. And it only took 3 months!
Us metabolic syndrome types have it very different indeed. And there is very little on the internet about how we may react differently to running than those without metabolic syndrome.
So having got exactly nowhere, I decided to start from another point.
What do I want to do?
Run. I love running, I want to run longer and further. I enjoy it.
So I shall continue to run. Regardless of those who say it makes you fatter.
And I cannot run and only eat one small meal a day, so I shall add in another meal. Yesterday, after a hard run (for me) I was dizzy and faint and nauseous. And it was only 10 am and I don't eat until 6pm! This obviously is not going to work, so I shall try eating another small meal mid morning, after my run. At the moment I am still zero carb, so I shall continue that, just eat slightly more.
I shall report back!
I am running regularly, and I am very strict with my diet. One would think I was losing weight hand over fist...but I am not. So this post will try and explore why....and what I intend doing about it.
The internet is full of advice...most of it contradictory!
Yes! You can lose weight by running, get your shoes on!
No! Chronic cardio makes you gain fat and ruins your joints!
So what is a woman to do?
I have been over and over articles on the internet, and come to no sane conclusion at all. One common problem is eating back the calories you expend running (for calorie counters) or eating carbs more freely (for low carb people). I am not doing this, in fact I am stricter than ever about my diet. This of course leads to another possibility, the 'starvation mode' theory. However I find it had to believe we actually managed to hang around on the planet if our bodies cannot manage to go more than an hour or two without food. So I am not too sure about this one.
Then there is the difference between a young man with 20 pounds to lose, and a 50 year old woman obese and with metabolic syndrome. I get fed up reading about someone who made a minor change or two to their diet, took up jogging or badminton or whatever, and lost 15 pounds and feels so much better. And it only took 3 months!
Us metabolic syndrome types have it very different indeed. And there is very little on the internet about how we may react differently to running than those without metabolic syndrome.
So having got exactly nowhere, I decided to start from another point.
What do I want to do?
Run. I love running, I want to run longer and further. I enjoy it.
So I shall continue to run. Regardless of those who say it makes you fatter.
And I cannot run and only eat one small meal a day, so I shall add in another meal. Yesterday, after a hard run (for me) I was dizzy and faint and nauseous. And it was only 10 am and I don't eat until 6pm! This obviously is not going to work, so I shall try eating another small meal mid morning, after my run. At the moment I am still zero carb, so I shall continue that, just eat slightly more.
I shall report back!
Friday 20 April 2012
My Big Run
Hello, I'm back again!
Now I know you are out there, reading this blog!, I can see I have had visitors, quite a lot of them, but I don't know who you are. And I don't know if you want to talk about weight loss, or running or both...or even about earthquakes.
So I shall write about running today.
I have told you about my run/walk programme before, and technically I am on week 7 of that (run7 mins, walk 1 min, repeat 30 mins or so). However when I was away on holiday I decided to do some hill work. I live by the sea, and have nothing bigger to run over than a sand dune. So I thought I would trot uphill for 7 mins, then trot back down again, and repeat.
But I sort of changed my mind.
I ran right to the top of the hill!
Now I know you are out there, reading this blog!, I can see I have had visitors, quite a lot of them, but I don't know who you are. And I don't know if you want to talk about weight loss, or running or both...or even about earthquakes.
So I shall write about running today.
I have told you about my run/walk programme before, and technically I am on week 7 of that (run7 mins, walk 1 min, repeat 30 mins or so). However when I was away on holiday I decided to do some hill work. I live by the sea, and have nothing bigger to run over than a sand dune. So I thought I would trot uphill for 7 mins, then trot back down again, and repeat.
But I sort of changed my mind.
I ran right to the top of the hill!
I started at the village below, Le Bons Bay, on the Banks Peninsula, South Island, NZ, as you can see, it is right at sea level!
I trotted uphill as far as I could. When I thought I was going to be sick, I stopped and walked until the nausea passed and then I jogged on again. The photo above is taken from the first time I stopped to walk. Taking pictures is an excuse to stop completely!
This is another time I stopped to walk...even higher! The village is now out of sight around the corner of the hill.
About this time I thought I could do no more. I so wanted to reach the top, but every time I thought I had got there....another top appeared, even higher up! I decided to go to the next top, and if that wasn't really the top, I would go back down.
The top!
I made it. This is the signpost at the top of the hill to prove I got there.
The view down the Lavericks from the top of the hill. I didn't run down to Lavericks as I would have to climb out again and I was not sure I would be able to do that, so I turned and came back down again.
Coming down was almost as hard as climbing up, but in a different way. By the time I got to the bottom my left knee was complaining, but thankfully it stopped when I reached flat ground. The next day I was very, very, very stiff though!
So I went for a walk on the beach!
I am very proud of myself. I never could have even walked up there a year ago. And now I ran it...not all the way, I walked some bits....but even so I am so proud! I ran a short jog at an easy pace the day before we came home to loosen the stiffness. Even though I am very slow, I ran for 30 minutes without the walk. I think the hill climb has done me some good.
Let me know what you would like to talk about. Running? Weight loss? Earthquakes? Anything else?
Cheers! And have fun today!
Saturday 14 April 2012
A Zero Carb Running Blogger
My story is up to date, I am a runner, and will do my first 5k race on 20th May. I am a committed paleo eater, who often eats zero carb. And I am successfully losing weight.
And I am enjoying blogging.
Next week I am going away. We are renting a cottage on the Banks Peninsula, where we do not have to worry about tsunamis washing us away at night, and were the rock is older, and solid, and even if there is an earthquake there will be no liquifaction. The house is wooden with a light tin roof. We will be able to relax.
So there will be no updates until 20th April. I hope you have enjoyed reading my story, and will call back in a weeks time to catch up on the blog.
And I am enjoying blogging.
Next week I am going away. We are renting a cottage on the Banks Peninsula, where we do not have to worry about tsunamis washing us away at night, and were the rock is older, and solid, and even if there is an earthquake there will be no liquifaction. The house is wooden with a light tin roof. We will be able to relax.
So there will be no updates until 20th April. I hope you have enjoyed reading my story, and will call back in a weeks time to catch up on the blog.
The Genesis of Running.
The genesis of running....well my running, anyway!
For a few weeks, I didn't care a great deal about dieting. But after a bit the acid reflux got to me and I went back on the paleo diet.
As my mind began to clear again, I started to think about running. I wanted to be able to run. I wanted to be fit. This was a matter of safety for me. My mind felt that if I could run to school, it wouldn't matter if the bridges were down. I could ford the river (or swim if it was high tide) and run to school, to the other side of the city, or wherever. This seems a bit overdramatic when I read it now, in cold blood. But this has been a difficult year or so, and maybe I AM rather overdramatic at the moment!
I talked to daughter 1, who is a runner, and to daughter 2 who is not, but fancied giving it a try. Then I made an appointment with my doctor. I have not been to the doctor for years, and as I am almost 50 and had a back operation 7 years ago, I thought I had better ask if there was any reason I shouldn't run.
It was my back that was worrying me. An accident 7 years ago had resulted in a spinal operation, that left me walking with sticks. After 6 months I dispensed with the sticks but retained a limp. My left foot was floppy, I could not lift it up towards my shins, or walk on my heels. I tried boots and braces, but found going barefoot was the best. I wore warm socks inside in winter and went barefoot as often as I could. The foot/leg got gradually better, but I always limped when I was tired, or wore stiff shoes. Heels were a no-no.
Fast forward 7 years, and you would never know anything had happened to me...unless I was very tired, or wore clumpy shoes. Thick soles were hopeless, and I sought out shoes with thin, light, flexible soles.
My doctor couldn't see any reason why I shouldn't try running, as long as I stopped if it hurt my back. So I gave it a go the very next day. I have a pair of trainers with super dooper running soles. I put them on and set out for a jog.
It was hopeless. My left foot was slapping down on the ground with very little control and my limp came back. So much for that bright idea.
The next day daughter 2 came for a visit. She asked how the running was going. She had been inspired by a book called 'Born to Run' (link and review in due course) where running barefoot, or in minimal shoes, was expounded. I already knew I could run barefoot...I chased the puppy on the beach barefoot daily...but I had no idea people actually RAN barefoot, nor had I heard of minimal shoes.
Daughter 2 and I found a start running plan at Active Canterbury, link , and I went out for Day 1 on Monday 5th March. I was totally barefoot, and ran on the beach. That night I came home and entered a 5k race to be held on 20th May!
I have been running ever since (all 6 weeks!) and I have discovered I love it. I now have some minimal running shoes, and can run without flapping or limping. I have taken it very slowly, and so far have not been injured. I never run more than 2 days in a row, and never rest more than 2 days in a row. This allows for a lot of flexibility, but I usually got out for 2 days, and then just take the 1 day off.
And this week I started back on the zero carb again.
Phew, up to date at last! That is my story. Now I will carry on blogging about things that interest me.
Oh yes, and the statistics for those who want them.
Female, 49 years old. 5'7"
Start weight, between 105 and 110kg. (The highest I ever saw on a scale was 108, but I know I was heavier than that)
Weight today 85kg
Goal 70kg.
For a few weeks, I didn't care a great deal about dieting. But after a bit the acid reflux got to me and I went back on the paleo diet.
As my mind began to clear again, I started to think about running. I wanted to be able to run. I wanted to be fit. This was a matter of safety for me. My mind felt that if I could run to school, it wouldn't matter if the bridges were down. I could ford the river (or swim if it was high tide) and run to school, to the other side of the city, or wherever. This seems a bit overdramatic when I read it now, in cold blood. But this has been a difficult year or so, and maybe I AM rather overdramatic at the moment!
I talked to daughter 1, who is a runner, and to daughter 2 who is not, but fancied giving it a try. Then I made an appointment with my doctor. I have not been to the doctor for years, and as I am almost 50 and had a back operation 7 years ago, I thought I had better ask if there was any reason I shouldn't run.
It was my back that was worrying me. An accident 7 years ago had resulted in a spinal operation, that left me walking with sticks. After 6 months I dispensed with the sticks but retained a limp. My left foot was floppy, I could not lift it up towards my shins, or walk on my heels. I tried boots and braces, but found going barefoot was the best. I wore warm socks inside in winter and went barefoot as often as I could. The foot/leg got gradually better, but I always limped when I was tired, or wore stiff shoes. Heels were a no-no.
Fast forward 7 years, and you would never know anything had happened to me...unless I was very tired, or wore clumpy shoes. Thick soles were hopeless, and I sought out shoes with thin, light, flexible soles.
My doctor couldn't see any reason why I shouldn't try running, as long as I stopped if it hurt my back. So I gave it a go the very next day. I have a pair of trainers with super dooper running soles. I put them on and set out for a jog.
It was hopeless. My left foot was slapping down on the ground with very little control and my limp came back. So much for that bright idea.
The next day daughter 2 came for a visit. She asked how the running was going. She had been inspired by a book called 'Born to Run' (link and review in due course) where running barefoot, or in minimal shoes, was expounded. I already knew I could run barefoot...I chased the puppy on the beach barefoot daily...but I had no idea people actually RAN barefoot, nor had I heard of minimal shoes.
Daughter 2 and I found a start running plan at Active Canterbury, link , and I went out for Day 1 on Monday 5th March. I was totally barefoot, and ran on the beach. That night I came home and entered a 5k race to be held on 20th May!
I have been running ever since (all 6 weeks!) and I have discovered I love it. I now have some minimal running shoes, and can run without flapping or limping. I have taken it very slowly, and so far have not been injured. I never run more than 2 days in a row, and never rest more than 2 days in a row. This allows for a lot of flexibility, but I usually got out for 2 days, and then just take the 1 day off.
And this week I started back on the zero carb again.
Phew, up to date at last! That is my story. Now I will carry on blogging about things that interest me.
Oh yes, and the statistics for those who want them.
Female, 49 years old. 5'7"
Start weight, between 105 and 110kg. (The highest I ever saw on a scale was 108, but I know I was heavier than that)
Weight today 85kg
Goal 70kg.
Zero carb no more....
UK 2012
Almost up to date at last. The story is nearly completed. I am very excited to see I have some readers! Hello! And thank you so much for stopping by to read my blog. I would love it if you could leave a message to say hi.
And to new people, who have not been here before, my story starts with the first post of the blog. You can find it at the bottom of the menu on the left, or you can just go to the bottom of the page, where it says 'older posts' and work your way back to the very first post.
So I flew off to the UK again. The diet went to pot. It started on the plane. As my first stop was Australia, I couldn't take any food with me. By the time I got to Bangkok I was famished, however there was nowhere to buy food there as we went through straight to a waiting area and then back onto the plane. The next time the food came around I said yes. The tray was the usual mixture of horrors, but there was a bread roll. And butter. I ate it. Then I ate the meal. But not the desert. I also ate the next meal. Then I reached Dubai. Our plane was late and there was a rush to get through the airport to the next plane. Dubai to the UK. I had been looking forward to this leg, as I had used my points to upgrade to business. I had never been in business before, and it was great! When the food came round, a white tablecloth was laid on my table, and I was given a menu. I chose the steak.
I also ate the warm crusty rolls, and the 2 lovely chocolates. After all I had blown the diet anyway, so I might as well enjoy myself.....
And anyway I could always eat properly when I got there, long haul was an exception, wasn't it?
And I was on holiday.
And I had been doing so well I deserved a break.
Oh yes, all those well worn excuses, one bread roll and there they are, back again!
When I got there it was obvious Dad was not well, and a hospital visit soon after I arrived confirmed this. There was no more they could do. We had a great time, though. I was there 2 and a half weeks, and Dad and I had some great chats. We even got out for a drive one day. There were a number of things to sort out, which we did, but we also managed to have a good time together.
The food was funny. Dad could only eat tiny amounts, and he needed variety. He could only eat a thing twice before it turned to ashes in his mouth. And he needed to eat every hour. So everyday I set out shopping to find nourishing different things. I would come back with a scotch egg, a slice of ham, some strong cheese, and some crackers. Dad would eat a sliver of egg, and a cracker and ham. An hour later he would have another cracker and a sliver of cheese. That would be it for the crackers. An hour later and another sliver of egg and cheese, and that would be scotch egg and cheese off the menu. Guess what mother and I had for lunch? You've got it, scotch egg, cheese and crackers.
The next day would be the same. This time I might make a casserole, dad would manage a spoonful twice and then he would be unable to tolerate it any longer. This led to some hilarious meals as the rest of the family used up what was left over. It also meant any trip out turned in to a hunter gather expedition for novel tastes.
I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it! After a zero carb diet, all these different foods were wonderful. And of course I was eating bread. Lovely bread, white crusty bread, dark sough-dough bread, nutty wholemeal bread. I had bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
By the time came to leave, I was eating sugar as well. Chocolate, fudge, yogurt coated banana chips....
The flight home was great. Business (on points) to Dubai. Dubai to Bangkok in economy, and amazingly, from Bankok all the way home...an upgrade! Let us just say...I enjoyed the food, particularly the sticky date loaf.....
6 days later, my father died.
Sod the food.
Almost up to date at last. The story is nearly completed. I am very excited to see I have some readers! Hello! And thank you so much for stopping by to read my blog. I would love it if you could leave a message to say hi.
And to new people, who have not been here before, my story starts with the first post of the blog. You can find it at the bottom of the menu on the left, or you can just go to the bottom of the page, where it says 'older posts' and work your way back to the very first post.
So I flew off to the UK again. The diet went to pot. It started on the plane. As my first stop was Australia, I couldn't take any food with me. By the time I got to Bangkok I was famished, however there was nowhere to buy food there as we went through straight to a waiting area and then back onto the plane. The next time the food came around I said yes. The tray was the usual mixture of horrors, but there was a bread roll. And butter. I ate it. Then I ate the meal. But not the desert. I also ate the next meal. Then I reached Dubai. Our plane was late and there was a rush to get through the airport to the next plane. Dubai to the UK. I had been looking forward to this leg, as I had used my points to upgrade to business. I had never been in business before, and it was great! When the food came round, a white tablecloth was laid on my table, and I was given a menu. I chose the steak.
I also ate the warm crusty rolls, and the 2 lovely chocolates. After all I had blown the diet anyway, so I might as well enjoy myself.....
And anyway I could always eat properly when I got there, long haul was an exception, wasn't it?
And I was on holiday.
And I had been doing so well I deserved a break.
Oh yes, all those well worn excuses, one bread roll and there they are, back again!
When I got there it was obvious Dad was not well, and a hospital visit soon after I arrived confirmed this. There was no more they could do. We had a great time, though. I was there 2 and a half weeks, and Dad and I had some great chats. We even got out for a drive one day. There were a number of things to sort out, which we did, but we also managed to have a good time together.
The food was funny. Dad could only eat tiny amounts, and he needed variety. He could only eat a thing twice before it turned to ashes in his mouth. And he needed to eat every hour. So everyday I set out shopping to find nourishing different things. I would come back with a scotch egg, a slice of ham, some strong cheese, and some crackers. Dad would eat a sliver of egg, and a cracker and ham. An hour later he would have another cracker and a sliver of cheese. That would be it for the crackers. An hour later and another sliver of egg and cheese, and that would be scotch egg and cheese off the menu. Guess what mother and I had for lunch? You've got it, scotch egg, cheese and crackers.
The next day would be the same. This time I might make a casserole, dad would manage a spoonful twice and then he would be unable to tolerate it any longer. This led to some hilarious meals as the rest of the family used up what was left over. It also meant any trip out turned in to a hunter gather expedition for novel tastes.
I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it! After a zero carb diet, all these different foods were wonderful. And of course I was eating bread. Lovely bread, white crusty bread, dark sough-dough bread, nutty wholemeal bread. I had bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
By the time came to leave, I was eating sugar as well. Chocolate, fudge, yogurt coated banana chips....
The flight home was great. Business (on points) to Dubai. Dubai to Bangkok in economy, and amazingly, from Bankok all the way home...an upgrade! Let us just say...I enjoyed the food, particularly the sticky date loaf.....
6 days later, my father died.
Sod the food.
Zero Carb. What do you actually eat?
A little break in the story here.
What does one actually eat when one is zero carb?
The best resource for this is Charles Washington's site. Charles's site.
He also has a forum, but one needs to be committed to the zero carb way for a month or so before joining. Charles and his friends have suffered at the hands of people who think zero carb is wrong and wish to change their minds. Their forum is their safe place. You can read but you can't join.
So what did I eat?
Anything from the animal kingdom, and Earl Grey tea. That was it.
So....I ate all meat, beef, pork, lamb etc etc, all parts of the animal available. All fish (shellfish are allowed too but I don't eat them as they do not like me at all!). Butter, eggs, heavy cream. Plus a few herbs and spices for local flavour and colour. I drank water and tea.
Some zero carbers try going even stricter, with no ill effects. There are people living on beef and water, or just pemmican and doing just fine. Others seem to not do so well. Some seem better on a wide range of zero carb foods, and some don't like it at all.
I found all the benefits of low carb, but more so.
Clearer head.
Weight loss.
Greater energy.
Renewed interest in life.
Build up of muscles, despite the still present fat.
Greatly reduced cravings for carbs.
Simple cooking and meal planning.
Reduced appetite.
And I just looked somehow...better!
I did, however, begin to get a little bored with it. I suspect that the longer one stays on the diet the less that becomes a problem. Food ceases to be an entertainment, or a solace and becomes, simply, fuel.
Back to the story next post.
What does one actually eat when one is zero carb?
The best resource for this is Charles Washington's site. Charles's site.
He also has a forum, but one needs to be committed to the zero carb way for a month or so before joining. Charles and his friends have suffered at the hands of people who think zero carb is wrong and wish to change their minds. Their forum is their safe place. You can read but you can't join.
So what did I eat?
Anything from the animal kingdom, and Earl Grey tea. That was it.
So....I ate all meat, beef, pork, lamb etc etc, all parts of the animal available. All fish (shellfish are allowed too but I don't eat them as they do not like me at all!). Butter, eggs, heavy cream. Plus a few herbs and spices for local flavour and colour. I drank water and tea.
Some zero carbers try going even stricter, with no ill effects. There are people living on beef and water, or just pemmican and doing just fine. Others seem to not do so well. Some seem better on a wide range of zero carb foods, and some don't like it at all.
I found all the benefits of low carb, but more so.
Clearer head.
Weight loss.
Greater energy.
Renewed interest in life.
Build up of muscles, despite the still present fat.
Greatly reduced cravings for carbs.
Simple cooking and meal planning.
Reduced appetite.
And I just looked somehow...better!
I did, however, begin to get a little bored with it. I suspect that the longer one stays on the diet the less that becomes a problem. Food ceases to be an entertainment, or a solace and becomes, simply, fuel.
Back to the story next post.
Friday 13 April 2012
Zero Carb...and Another Earthquake!
The re-think.
So what to do now? I went back to the internet of course, and searched low carb, and found Charles Washington.
Charles runs a forum for zero carbers.
Zero carbers? But what about your vegis? Is life healthy with no fruit and veg? Won't I just drop dead of scurvy?
So More research. I discovered A chap called Stefansson who got marooned amongst the Inuit, and lived happily and healthily on an all meat diet. This link goes to the first of 4 articles written by him. http://www.biblelife.org/stefansson1.htm The other 3 are linked at the bottom of the first. They are great, it reads like boys own adventure meets Dr Atkins
So now I knew one could eat a zero carb diet and live. Then another link took me to the Bear, who reckoned he had lived for over 40 years eating a zero carb diet. Here is a link to Rob's blog that explains all about The Bear. http://zerocarbpath.blogspot.co.nz/ The rest of the blog is interesting reading too but I don't know if he updates anymore.
So, off to try zero carb!
Well, it went very well, I found it hard for the first few days and then settled in happily. By now it was late October, and the quakes had settled down again.
Unfortunately my Dad had taken a turn for the worse, and I booked a flight to the UK in January 2012. I found my appetite dropped the longer I zero carbed, and I felt very well on it. I also lost weight, quite a lot of weight at first, and then the weight loss leveled off, but I continued to lose inches. Either that or my clothes were growing in the wardrobe overnight. I had heaps of energy, and my brain worked better than it had done for years.
The 23rd of December, 2 days before Christmas. My son was setting off to meet a friend, and then they were going to bus to the west side of the city, where the cinemas still worked. He left for the bus stop in the next street, and 5 minutes later it happened again. Another huge quake. I was out of the house and running before the shaking had even stopped. I was barefoot and running down the road into the next street. I was out of breath before I reached the corner. I was desperate to get to my son though, and prayed he had not yet caught the bus. So I jogged a bit, then walked, then jogged.
My son was in the middle of the street, with people from the houses around, and the women from the hairdressers, who know him and us well. We went home.
Back at home son phoned his friend and found out the cinema had been evacuated and was closed. I went into the bedroom to wrap Christmas presents. Hubby was outside, gardening, (remember Christmas is in summer down here).
Then another, bigger, quake hit. It sounded like it was roaring up from right underneath our house. I found out later I was not far wrong. It was less than 1 km from us. I was standing by a bookshelf and the books were coming down on me so I jumped onto the bed. I saw our car jump right off the ground!
We were fine, although shaken, and after about 5 minutes texts came through from the girls. They were both fine, thankfully.
Of course we had no power or water again....
This time was not so bad. The water began trickling through that night, and was running, although at low pressure by Christmas Eve. We went to bed with no power that night, and had the best Christmas pressie in the morning...power! The workmen must have been at it all night...on Christmas Eve! Thank you! Christmas Day was warm and sunny, and like most of the rest of Christchurch we spent the day in the garden, as the aftershocks rolled through yet again. Zero carb BBQ in the garden. Yum!
This latest round of quakes brought a new realisation, however. I was not fit. Running into the next street felt like I had run a marathon. I knew I needed to be fitter. I needed to be able to run. I needed to be able to run to school if necessary, I needed to be able to run across the city if need be.
But it was Christmas day, and in less than a week I would be flying to the UK. I put the thought on hold until I got back.
I was zero carb right up until the day I flew to the UK.
So what to do now? I went back to the internet of course, and searched low carb, and found Charles Washington.
Charles runs a forum for zero carbers.
Zero carbers? But what about your vegis? Is life healthy with no fruit and veg? Won't I just drop dead of scurvy?
So More research. I discovered A chap called Stefansson who got marooned amongst the Inuit, and lived happily and healthily on an all meat diet. This link goes to the first of 4 articles written by him. http://www.biblelife.org/stefansson1.htm The other 3 are linked at the bottom of the first. They are great, it reads like boys own adventure meets Dr Atkins
So now I knew one could eat a zero carb diet and live. Then another link took me to the Bear, who reckoned he had lived for over 40 years eating a zero carb diet. Here is a link to Rob's blog that explains all about The Bear. http://zerocarbpath.blogspot.co.nz/ The rest of the blog is interesting reading too but I don't know if he updates anymore.
So, off to try zero carb!
Well, it went very well, I found it hard for the first few days and then settled in happily. By now it was late October, and the quakes had settled down again.
Unfortunately my Dad had taken a turn for the worse, and I booked a flight to the UK in January 2012. I found my appetite dropped the longer I zero carbed, and I felt very well on it. I also lost weight, quite a lot of weight at first, and then the weight loss leveled off, but I continued to lose inches. Either that or my clothes were growing in the wardrobe overnight. I had heaps of energy, and my brain worked better than it had done for years.
The 23rd of December, 2 days before Christmas. My son was setting off to meet a friend, and then they were going to bus to the west side of the city, where the cinemas still worked. He left for the bus stop in the next street, and 5 minutes later it happened again. Another huge quake. I was out of the house and running before the shaking had even stopped. I was barefoot and running down the road into the next street. I was out of breath before I reached the corner. I was desperate to get to my son though, and prayed he had not yet caught the bus. So I jogged a bit, then walked, then jogged.
My son was in the middle of the street, with people from the houses around, and the women from the hairdressers, who know him and us well. We went home.
Back at home son phoned his friend and found out the cinema had been evacuated and was closed. I went into the bedroom to wrap Christmas presents. Hubby was outside, gardening, (remember Christmas is in summer down here).
Then another, bigger, quake hit. It sounded like it was roaring up from right underneath our house. I found out later I was not far wrong. It was less than 1 km from us. I was standing by a bookshelf and the books were coming down on me so I jumped onto the bed. I saw our car jump right off the ground!
We were fine, although shaken, and after about 5 minutes texts came through from the girls. They were both fine, thankfully.
Of course we had no power or water again....
This time was not so bad. The water began trickling through that night, and was running, although at low pressure by Christmas Eve. We went to bed with no power that night, and had the best Christmas pressie in the morning...power! The workmen must have been at it all night...on Christmas Eve! Thank you! Christmas Day was warm and sunny, and like most of the rest of Christchurch we spent the day in the garden, as the aftershocks rolled through yet again. Zero carb BBQ in the garden. Yum!
This latest round of quakes brought a new realisation, however. I was not fit. Running into the next street felt like I had run a marathon. I knew I needed to be fitter. I needed to be able to run. I needed to be able to run to school if necessary, I needed to be able to run across the city if need be.
But it was Christmas day, and in less than a week I would be flying to the UK. I put the thought on hold until I got back.
I was zero carb right up until the day I flew to the UK.
Wednesday 11 April 2012
Problems with Paleo
June to September 2011
So there we were again! No sewage, no water, no power.
Things got back to normal, our normal that is, much more quickly this time. The schools and shops reopened.
My diet settled down. I was enjoying the paleo diet, and I ate well.
Very well.
Rather too well!
For breakfast I would have bacon and eggs and mushrooms.
Lunch would be some of last nights supper reheated.
Supper would be a (very) large plate of meat and vegis. I would have roast pork with crackling, with homemade, unsweetened apple sauce, and 3 or 4 different vegis.
Or a huge steak and lashings of salad.
Or a fish chowder made from salmon, white fish, butter and lashings of cream.
My evening snack would be a large bowl of berries smothered in heavy cream. Yum!
And throughout the day I would drink Earl Grey tea with heavy cream, and snack on paleo sausages, or cold lamb ribs if I felt like a little something.
It was not that surprising I didn't miss chocolate and cakes! I stopped losing weight, and even put a little back on. I went to paleo hacks and said things like...I'm following a paleo diet but I am not losing any weight. I found other websites and read them, trying to see what I was doing wrong. (Oh, there are none so blind....)
Although I wasn't losing any weight, I did feel very good. I had no heartburn or acid reflux, I had energy, and enjoyed walking daily on the beach with the puppy. My brain fog had almost vanished, and generally I just felt good.
I had those discussions with hubby, you know the ones, the ones that go..."perhaps I'm just meant to be this weight" or "maybe I broke something in my metabolism, and this is just the way things are" and so on. I decided to not worry about the weight, eat the paleo food and try and get a bit fitter. So I walked further and further, enjoyed my food, and got on with my life.
In September I cracked. The conversations had moved from "perhaps this is just the way things are" to "why does my life have to be like this? Other people don't live like this!"
I brought a great book called "Nourishing Traditions" (again, I will review later) that said grains were Ok if they were prepared correctly. I tried to make sourdough bread...and failed...so I brought a french stick and ate it with lashings of butter and ham. So I brought another one, and another one, and....
By the end of September I was eating anything and everything. It was great! However my weight was slowly and steadily creeping back up. I dealt with this immediately...by stopping weighing myself. Ha! thats got that problem licked! Then the heartburn and reflux started up again, the brain fog came back and and I just felt generally bleagh.
Time for a re-think!
So there we were again! No sewage, no water, no power.
Things got back to normal, our normal that is, much more quickly this time. The schools and shops reopened.
My diet settled down. I was enjoying the paleo diet, and I ate well.
Very well.
Rather too well!
For breakfast I would have bacon and eggs and mushrooms.
Lunch would be some of last nights supper reheated.
Supper would be a (very) large plate of meat and vegis. I would have roast pork with crackling, with homemade, unsweetened apple sauce, and 3 or 4 different vegis.
Or a huge steak and lashings of salad.
Or a fish chowder made from salmon, white fish, butter and lashings of cream.
My evening snack would be a large bowl of berries smothered in heavy cream. Yum!
And throughout the day I would drink Earl Grey tea with heavy cream, and snack on paleo sausages, or cold lamb ribs if I felt like a little something.
It was not that surprising I didn't miss chocolate and cakes! I stopped losing weight, and even put a little back on. I went to paleo hacks and said things like...I'm following a paleo diet but I am not losing any weight. I found other websites and read them, trying to see what I was doing wrong. (Oh, there are none so blind....)
Although I wasn't losing any weight, I did feel very good. I had no heartburn or acid reflux, I had energy, and enjoyed walking daily on the beach with the puppy. My brain fog had almost vanished, and generally I just felt good.
I had those discussions with hubby, you know the ones, the ones that go..."perhaps I'm just meant to be this weight" or "maybe I broke something in my metabolism, and this is just the way things are" and so on. I decided to not worry about the weight, eat the paleo food and try and get a bit fitter. So I walked further and further, enjoyed my food, and got on with my life.
In September I cracked. The conversations had moved from "perhaps this is just the way things are" to "why does my life have to be like this? Other people don't live like this!"
I brought a great book called "Nourishing Traditions" (again, I will review later) that said grains were Ok if they were prepared correctly. I tried to make sourdough bread...and failed...so I brought a french stick and ate it with lashings of butter and ham. So I brought another one, and another one, and....
By the end of September I was eating anything and everything. It was great! However my weight was slowly and steadily creeping back up. I dealt with this immediately...by stopping weighing myself. Ha! thats got that problem licked! Then the heartburn and reflux started up again, the brain fog came back and and I just felt generally bleagh.
Time for a re-think!
Earthquakes, reading and a puppy!
February-June 2011
So...things had changed in Christchurch forever. We, as a city were realising that nothing would ever be the same again. Over on the east side, my side of the city, we struggled without water, showers, toilets with no shops, with broken roads, and the dreadful, awful, grey dust blanketing everything.
But slowly we regained some degree of normality....even if our concept of normal had changed. Schools went back, albeit with portaloos and drinking water trucked in daily. Many schools shared sites with other schools, one school attending in the morning, the other in the afternoon. Shops opened, even if parts of them were fenced off. Gradually we began to feel better.
Then the devastating Japanese earthquake and tsunami happened. I hadn't cried for Christchurch, I was too numb with shock, but I wept and wept for Japan. The tears I had bottled up, that I had been too scared to let fall in case I never stopped, finally arrived.
My diet this during time was varied. I tried to be low carb in general, but I didn't always make it. When I did things went well, but I kept relapsing. Bread was my worst enemy. I found it hard to say no to bread. One good thing happened re the diet...the day before the quake I had checked "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes out of the library. As all the libraries were shut, I got to keep it until May. This was great as it gave me time to read it even though my reading was not going well.
Reading! I have always read, my life has been defined by books. I cannot remember ever not being able to read. I was born and raised in a second-hand and antiquarian bookshop. A public library was only yards away from the house during much of my childhood. Books have always been very important to me. I read when I eat, when I am in the bathroom, when I am cooking. I have even been known to prop books up against the outside of the shower walls to read when showering!
After the quake, for the first time in my life I was unable to read. I couldn't read anything. I became addicted to my radio. It ran on both solar power and wind-up, and I carried it everywhere with me. I tried to read magazines, but I couldn't. I collected the newspaper, the Press, which despite losing its Cathedral Square headquarters and several of its people in the quake kept going. I still have them, I have yet to read them.
Gradually things improved, after about 3 weeks I found I could read again. I started in with children's books, The Abbey Girls, The Chalet School, Tamora Pierce, Diana Wynne Jones, and Noel Streatfield. Gradually I made it up the age range. I read books written for Edwardian teenagers, mostly by Mrs George De Horne Vaiziey. Then I moved onto D.E. Stevenson and other light adult novels. Gradually I worked my way up, and finally, some weeks later, I managed to read Good Calories, Bad Calories.
Well this was a revelation! I shall do a proper book review later, but this totally changed my mindset. I recommitted to the low carb way of eating. And I started to lose some of the weight I had put on over the emergency. I went on to read "Trick and Treat" by Barry Groves, and I lost a little more weight. By now, I could see a difference, but other people hadn't noticed. My trousers were not quite as tight, and I felt I had lost weight off my face too.
We got the water back and, although we still had to boil what came through the tap, we could at least have showers. No flushing toilets though. We mainly used the long drop, although the council gave us a portapotty, and there was a portaloo in our street.
We got a puppy, a labradoodle pup, we call Ruff, after the Jane Hissey storybook. He was so easily toilet trained! As we were still using the long drop at the top of the garden, anytime anyone needed to go, they took the puppy with them. He was grabbed at all hours of the day and night and taken up the garden. He got the idea right away, and was clean and dry inside within a week!
Weeks turned into months, and things gradually came together. I was losing weight, slowly, but I was losing it. Things were gradually getting better in Christchurch and life was looking up. On Saturday 11th June 2011 we got the best news we had had in months. We could flush our toilets! We were so excited, we could go to the toilet in the house!
On the Sunday afternoon we filled in the long drop. It was actually long drop number 4. We made rather a ceremony of it, and then we went inside and flushed the loo!
On Monday 13th June 2011 we had another 6.3 earthquake. We lost power, water, and yes....we lost the sewage too.......
So...things had changed in Christchurch forever. We, as a city were realising that nothing would ever be the same again. Over on the east side, my side of the city, we struggled without water, showers, toilets with no shops, with broken roads, and the dreadful, awful, grey dust blanketing everything.
But slowly we regained some degree of normality....even if our concept of normal had changed. Schools went back, albeit with portaloos and drinking water trucked in daily. Many schools shared sites with other schools, one school attending in the morning, the other in the afternoon. Shops opened, even if parts of them were fenced off. Gradually we began to feel better.
Then the devastating Japanese earthquake and tsunami happened. I hadn't cried for Christchurch, I was too numb with shock, but I wept and wept for Japan. The tears I had bottled up, that I had been too scared to let fall in case I never stopped, finally arrived.
My diet this during time was varied. I tried to be low carb in general, but I didn't always make it. When I did things went well, but I kept relapsing. Bread was my worst enemy. I found it hard to say no to bread. One good thing happened re the diet...the day before the quake I had checked "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes out of the library. As all the libraries were shut, I got to keep it until May. This was great as it gave me time to read it even though my reading was not going well.
Reading! I have always read, my life has been defined by books. I cannot remember ever not being able to read. I was born and raised in a second-hand and antiquarian bookshop. A public library was only yards away from the house during much of my childhood. Books have always been very important to me. I read when I eat, when I am in the bathroom, when I am cooking. I have even been known to prop books up against the outside of the shower walls to read when showering!
After the quake, for the first time in my life I was unable to read. I couldn't read anything. I became addicted to my radio. It ran on both solar power and wind-up, and I carried it everywhere with me. I tried to read magazines, but I couldn't. I collected the newspaper, the Press, which despite losing its Cathedral Square headquarters and several of its people in the quake kept going. I still have them, I have yet to read them.
Gradually things improved, after about 3 weeks I found I could read again. I started in with children's books, The Abbey Girls, The Chalet School, Tamora Pierce, Diana Wynne Jones, and Noel Streatfield. Gradually I made it up the age range. I read books written for Edwardian teenagers, mostly by Mrs George De Horne Vaiziey. Then I moved onto D.E. Stevenson and other light adult novels. Gradually I worked my way up, and finally, some weeks later, I managed to read Good Calories, Bad Calories.
Well this was a revelation! I shall do a proper book review later, but this totally changed my mindset. I recommitted to the low carb way of eating. And I started to lose some of the weight I had put on over the emergency. I went on to read "Trick and Treat" by Barry Groves, and I lost a little more weight. By now, I could see a difference, but other people hadn't noticed. My trousers were not quite as tight, and I felt I had lost weight off my face too.
We got the water back and, although we still had to boil what came through the tap, we could at least have showers. No flushing toilets though. We mainly used the long drop, although the council gave us a portapotty, and there was a portaloo in our street.
We got a puppy, a labradoodle pup, we call Ruff, after the Jane Hissey storybook. He was so easily toilet trained! As we were still using the long drop at the top of the garden, anytime anyone needed to go, they took the puppy with them. He was grabbed at all hours of the day and night and taken up the garden. He got the idea right away, and was clean and dry inside within a week!
Weeks turned into months, and things gradually came together. I was losing weight, slowly, but I was losing it. Things were gradually getting better in Christchurch and life was looking up. On Saturday 11th June 2011 we got the best news we had had in months. We could flush our toilets! We were so excited, we could go to the toilet in the house!
On the Sunday afternoon we filled in the long drop. It was actually long drop number 4. We made rather a ceremony of it, and then we went inside and flushed the loo!
On Monday 13th June 2011 we had another 6.3 earthquake. We lost power, water, and yes....we lost the sewage too.......
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