Hamster's Treadmill

[Hamster]

Hi Everyone

Thank you all for your support - it is very much appreciated. If I'm making a strong start it is only because I have a long string of failures behind me stretching back over several decades. I have had numerous lessons in what doesn't work - the trick of course is to find something that does work.

Many years ago I read about and tried to follow the teachings of Nathan Pritikin as I believe that his diet makes a lot of sense. However, at the time whole heaps of things (life basically) just got in the way and my weight went out to 128.5 Kgs. At that point I had only one point of disagreement with my doctors - I believed that I would have a serious adverse health event within the next 10 years and they believed that it would be within 5 years. That was 2 years ago.

I have been tested for food sensitivities and have been found to be highly sensitive to dairy and wheat with a lesser sensitivity to white fish and soy. With dairy I either don't eat it at all or eat it to excess - moderation just doesn't seem possible. So my choice is between eating masses of dairy and possibly dying with the next few years or eliminating dairy. It's not a particularly hard choice at an intellectual level just damned hard to implement.

My latest attempt to eliminate dairy started around 2 months ago when I started cutting down. About 3 weeks ago I was surfing the 'net looking for diet and weight loss information and stumbled upon a video of Dr McDougall giving a talk on dairy foods. I continued to surf but kept coming back here for the simple reason that the recommended diet was basically Pritikin but with the modifications that I needed to follow. Also, the community here seemed friendly and supportive.

If I've made a strong start it is because of a need to get it right plus the knowledge gained from numerous failures.

[Hamster]

Well let me bring my journal up to date. Yesterday was a lovely warm day and considering that it’s still winter it was seriously magnificent.

In the morning I cut a bush back for a neighbour that is invading our shared driveway. I didn’t finish the job but made a good start and will cut it back some more next weekend. Later in the morning I went for a walk along the beach with Mrs Hamster to a coffee shop around 4 kms from home. It was such a lovely day that people were swimming and the girls were wearing their bikinis – Hamster really likes seeing pretty girls in bikinis (just got to ensure that Mrs Hamster is looking the other way). In total I would have walked around 9 ½ kms yesterday.

The diet was also ok. I’ve been dairy free now for several weeks and not suffering any serious cravings. So far the diet has been easy to follow, not entirely McDougall but close. Once I’m happy comfortable with being dairy free I work at eliminating something else possibly either eggs or meat. Eliminating wheat (because I’m sensitive to wheat protein) will be difficult because wheat is in heaps of things, but I have cut-back my consumption of wheat.

Monday is weigh-in day for me. I’ve lost 1 kg for the week, this gives me a total weight loss of 76.1 pounds and I’m feeling pleased with that as loosing 75 pounds was one of my major targets. The thing that has left me a little annoyed is that my BMI is 30.0 and I was so hoping to have a BMI below 30.0 which would make me overweight and not obese. Oh well next week I’ll be overweight.

One thing I will have to do soon is to go through my wardrobe and sort out the clothes that no longer fit. Getting rid of my fat clothes will be a good way of telling myself that I’m not going to need them anymore.

I’m going to take some photos of my walks and post them here just in case anybody is interested.

[ncyg46]

would love to see them!

[f1jim]

Bring 'em on!
f1jim

[Hamster]

Back at work for a whole week what a real downer.

I did my normal lunch-time 4km walk; the temperature today was around 33 degrees Celsius so it was a very warm walk, almost like summer. Tonight in the gym I rowed for 1 1/2 km, walked up random hills for 1 ½ kms and then 2 kms on the flat. One thing that I’ve recently discovered is that Hamster has really weak arms so I’ve included the rowing to try to remedy that. Walking is my main exercise and something that I’ve learnt to enjoy, but it wasn’t always that way. Mrs Hamster is a great walker, her example and company has been a huge motivator for me.

The diet is still going ok, I still succeeding at keeping the dreaded dairy foods at bay. Almost weakened in the afternoon and added milk to my tea but Hamster was strong and resisted the urge.

Good luck to everybody here – I am confident that we will all achieve our goals. The trick is to not give-up.

[Hamster]

Today was pretty much the same as yesterday. Went for my normal lunchtime walk – it was a lovely day, very warm and sunny. I’ll have some photos to share soon. I’ve bought a cable off eBay so I can download them off my phone. The cable was cheap, but it’s from Hong Kong so will take a few days to get delivered.

My gym session was a shorter than yesterday as I think that I overdid it a little. I rowed for 1 ¾ kms, all up I’ve travelled 5 ¾ kms under my own steam for the day which is ok.

I had some blood taken a few days ago for testing. The results will be interesting particularly the one to detect prostate trouble. Also a 24 hour kidney function test. I haven’t given the sample for that yet but it will be good to know what the kidneys are doing particularly because I have some protein leakage. A lower protein intake and reduced blood pressure should help prevent further deterioration and may even produce a reversal. One can only hope.

I’m drinking my first ever mug of rooibos tea. I don’t think that it will become a favourite but it is perfectly acceptable and far better than green tea. At the very least it will be a means of reducing my caffeine intake.

The diet is still going ok – yesterday I was totally vegan but the day before I had some tuna. I’m happy to continue to include fish in my diet at least until when I’m totally comfortable with not eating any dairy, I guess that the day will come when I cease to recognize dairy as food, but I’m not there yet.

Once thing I’ve started doing is to cook Quinoa in the normal way but with some added finely chopped spring onion and a cube of vegetable stock. When it’s cooled I pack it in some mini-muffin tins with paper liners and then freeze it. When frozen take it out of the muffin tins and store it in a plastic container. Whenever I want some it’s just a matter of zapping it in the microwave for a few minutes.

[Letha.]

Once thing I’ve started doing is to cook Quinoa in the normal way but with some added finely chopped spring onion and a cube of vegetable stock. When it’s cooled I pack it in some mini-muffin tins with paper liners and then freeze it. When frozen take it out of the muffin tins and store it in a plastic container. Whenever I want some it’s just a matter of zapping it in the microwave for a few minutes.

What a great tip. Thanks for sharing.
Letha

[Hamster]

Hi Guys,

The diet is going well but my weight seems to be stuck on 94 kg. Oh well, I’m certain that I’m expending more calories than I’m consuming so weight loss has to follow. And of course daily weightings don’t mean much, but it would be nice to see the numbers getting smaller.

My gym session last night was good, I did 1 ¾ kms on the rowing machine followed by 1 ½ kms walking up random hills followed by 2 kms on the flat. That plus my lunchtime walk means that I’ve covered over 9 kms so all is good on the exercise front.

I’m try to follow some simple ‘rules’ which I’ve summarized below:

1. Eat whenever hungry;
2. Eat to the point of feeling satisfied but not beyond;
3. Choose the best food possible;
4. Enjoy every single mouthful;
5. Leave some food uneaten;
6. Exercise everyday; and
7. Enjoy being alive

I don’t claim to always follow my own ‘rules’ but I try, the most important is ‘rule’ number 7 - enjoy life. The simplest of things can contain true wonder.

[LauraA]

Hi Hamster - I'm really enjoying your journal, and I love the quinoa tip - did you make that up? I'm going to try it. Also, I can't wait to see your pictures. My son is married to an Australian, and they live in Sydney. I went there last spring to visit them - my first trip to Australia - it is so beautiful, and filled with such nice people! I loved it ! Take care, LauraA

[Hamster]

Hi LauraA

Thank you for your kind comments. There are so many wonderful people here and also loads to well researched dietary information. It is really refreshing to read things that are factual rather than spin to further commercial gain for a particular group. The support that is freely offered is also appreciated. My weight loss journey is drawing to an end, but my real battle will be with maintaining that weight and not slowly creeping back up.

I’m glad that you’re enjoying my journal – I have to admit that I’m really writing it for myself. I figure that at some point I’ll fall off the wagon and start eating SAD but I’ll then have the journal to look back at and then realize have good I felt when I was following the diet and hopefully climb back onto the wagon.

When you visited Australia where did you go? There are heaps of places that are really good, but the distances can be a real pain.

Hope everything is going well for you.


Hamster

[Ege Bamyasi]

I'm just thinking out loud here, but could it be that your increased exercise is causing you to gain muscle at roughly the same pace you're burning off fat? There have been several times in the past where I've begun a program of fairly vigorous bike riding or walking after really letting myself go, and what would happen is that for the first several weeks I'd drop almost no weight, but my waistline would just implode! Like 2 or 3 full pants sizes' worth of implode. But, after a bit of that, my weight would start to drop regularly along with my measurements. Maybe this is what is happening with you?

Whatever the case may be, it sounds like you're doing a great job for now. I hope between your journal and our support, you will be able to maintain your goal weight and healthy eating habits. I always look forward to reading your journal, and I have to admit I'd sell my soul to come spend some time in the Down Under someday.

[Hamster]

Dear gentle reader,

What has happened today? I did my normal lunchtime walk and a brief evening session in the gym – only 2 kms on the rowing machine. Thursday nights is when we do our weekly shopping hence the short gym session. I’ve noticed that the weekly food cost is down – much of processed food that we used to buy is really expensive and eliminating dairy has by itself made a sizeable hole in what we normally spend.

The other thing that I’ve just noticed is how much junk there is in the supermarket aisles, the length of shelving devoted to confectionary is huge and the dairy section is just as big. The McDougall diet should perhaps be promoted on the basis of cost savings rather than health benefits and of course to husbands who hate grocery shopping.

I’ve discovered an interesting booklet that I’d like to share it’s called “LETTER ON CORPULENCE”, written by William Banting in 1869.
http://www.lowcarb.ca/corpulence/corpulence_full.html

Doesn’t the word “corpulent” sound a whole lot better than “obese” His suggestions regarding alcohol consumption are certainly attractive, however not in keeping with modern thinking – DAMN!

Hamster is feeling pretty pleased with himself. One of the secretaries was leaving today and there was an afternoon tea put on for her. Hamster wasn’t invited but there was a heap of leftover (SAD) food in the kitchen for whoever wanted it. Hamster was strong and resisted the temptation – actually it was surprisingly easy to resist. I just looked it over, figuring what contained loads of fat, what contained the dreaded dairy and what just didn’t look good. When those were eliminated there was nothing left that I wanted so I walked away.

Oh good news, I weighed myself this morning 93.5 kg go figure, I’ve been stuck on 94.0 kg all week and now, overnight a drop of 500 grams. It really doesn’t worry me particularly as I only record my weekly weights, but it is nice to see a reduction. Oh, one more thing, at a weight of 93.5 kg it means that I am no longer obese – I’m overweight – WOOOOOHOOOOOO. Just in case you missed that – Hamster is OVERWEIGHT, my BMI is now 29.8. Ok being overweight isn’t healthy but hey it’s a whole lot better than being severely obese with a BMI of 41.

On the subject of muscle gain that Ege Bamyasi raised. I have no idea whether I have gained muscle or not. Certainly I can walk further and faster than I could. Whether that is due to additional muscle or not having to lug 35 kg (77 pounds) around all the time or through improved heart and circulatory function I have no idea.

I hope that everyone here is keeping well and continuing to strive for better health. It’s a long road that’s littered with lots of pot-holes but in the end it’s worth the effort. In reality it’s the journey and not the goal that’s important. So enjoy life and seek wonder in even the simplest of things.

[LauraA]

Hi Hamster - my trip to Australia was mainly just to the Sydney area, because I was visiting my son and his wife, and they both had work in Sydney. We did get to go out to Mittagong to visit her parents, and there we saw kangaroos in the bush! Amazing! We also go to go on the Illawarra Fly Tree Top Walk. That was really beautiful. Next time that I go to visit, I really hope to see other places. It was all so beautiful!
I'm glad that your McDougalling is going so well. Take care, LauraA

[sksamboots]

Congrats on not being obese! Your doing absolutely amazing and look at you resisting the lunch room dreaded thing...Your very good Mr Hamster

[Hamster]

http://s817.photobucket.com/albums/zz97 ... bbf503.pbw


The photos that I promised earlier are still in my phone - still waiting for the cable from Hong Kong. What I've attached here is a few that show the building of a teardrop camper that I built a few years ago plus photos of a trip we made with it from Brisbane to Adelaide.

If you don't already know you will readily see that much of Australia is very arid.