sorry, I wrote a novel.
Over the years I have tried everything.
Starting from the beginning:
Age 11-21 Low Fat vegetarian, vegan for the last two years. But, definitely not clean by any means, lots of processed soy, slim fasts, and canned food. I drank a lot of diet soda. It caused me terrible problems with my reproductive system, I developed hypoglycemia, interstitial cystitis, and insulin resistance. In spite of very active lifestyle, I became extremely obese.
At age 19 I was put on the pill for the hormonal issues and endometriosis.
At 21 I developed beef cravings. I added meat back into my diet. I went away to school and in spite of counting calories, I continued to gain weight. I did discover Bilberry. It cured my interstitial cystitis. I also discovered using yam (not sweet potato.) to treat hypoglycemia, it was recommended by a Chinese doctor. I also gave up all Diet sodas, because it turned out that it was the aspartame giving me headaches, the acids making my bones brittle, and the caffeine also making the bones brittle. All of that was very bad.
Age 22: I transferred home with a terrible case of pneumonia. It almost killed me. I was not sleeping well, or taking care of myself. I used to skip sleep for 3 days because I didn't understand that sleep was just as important to brain function as studying. I'm sure my adrenals were shot.
Age 26: I really didn't know what to do about the dieting. I topped out at 258 on graduation day from university. I broke my foot in so many pieces that they couldn't count the pieces. My appetite dwindled to absolutely nothing. The only two things I could stomach were Sprite and Little Debbie' snack cakes, just 1 or 2 per day. Of course, I lost a lot of weight. I was also required to drink milk to help with the bone repair.
In the fall of that year, I went to work at Walt Disney World. I was up to eating one or two diet frozen meals, a splenda based ice cream bars, and still drinking Sprite. That fall I lost 48 pounds without restricting calories intentionally. I was very active because the day job required approximately 25 miles of walking.
Age 27: I came home to CA after I finished my WDW internship, and my diet was pretty much the same. But, without the activity level, I did put on some weight at that time. I continued to eat diet foods. Anything labeled diet was what I ate. I moved to LA to work in the film industry. I lived with a room mate that had a baby, and I did a lot of baby sitting. That involved a lot of walking, the little one loved to go out in her stroller. I lost some weight.
Age 29: I came home to northern CA, after discovering that I really preferred it up here. I put on weight. I really didn't know why. I went to the Dr. and discovered I was insulin resistant. So, I had to change my job because the extreme hours were killing me, literally. I used to work 20 hour days, 6 days/week in extreme conditions. I gave that up so that I could live.
In the fall, I had jury duty. I was forced to be in a room with free donuts all day. I was active everyday. But, I discovered that I just couldn't resist donuts once I had had one. Its like alcohol to an alcoholic. I put close to 40 pounds in one month.
It was at that point that I decided that I wasn't going to take it anymore. I bought a bathroom scale. I created a list of foods that seemed to produce weight loss. And, I didn't look back. I was listening to a podcast called 'The Reasonable Diet' in February. Sandra Ahten's idea that you didn't have to be perfect and that you just had to be pointing in the right direction, was the key for me. She also said, 'Just don't do what causes you to gain, and you will make progress.' At that time, I really wanted to be attractive. I wanted to find someone to love. I was very embarrassed by my body. The PCO causes terrible androgenizing. I had been mistaken for a man! It was awful.
In that first year, I was counting calories, working out in the AM before breakfast, and weighing in everyday. I journaled. I lost 48 pounds.
Then I hit a plateau. I discovered calorie/carb cycling and Cathe! Over that next year I lost another 30 pounds.
Anywhoo, my gynecologist advised me to go on a low carb diet for the PCO cause which is insulin resistance. It did help with the insulin issues. But, I put on weight on induction phase of Atkins! Gah!!! And I developed kidney stone with a kidney infection in 2009. I don't think that the diet was to blame, I was eating all foods that had a high urea content, and high protein diet. I have learned now that I must be careful with myself.
Ok, so the antibiotic saved my life but it did put 6 pounds on my frame, and it did give me a terrible case of IBS which ate my villi (the little hairs in your intestine.) I was actively ill for a year where I couldn't eat anything, I couldn't digest anything. The dr. said that it would take 2 years. And, well it did. I did not lose any weight eating very little. If anything. it probably damaged my thyroid and metabolism terribly. I went gluten free at that time. In the spring of 2010 I discovered Ganeden's probiotics, kefir, triphala, and marshmallow root. I was able to heal my villi.
In the fall of 2010, I went on a very clean diet designed to rehabilitate my body and metabolism. I ate 4 meals per day, 400 calories each, perfect balance of vegetables, fruits, and protein and fat. I did not lose or gain a pound. I was running and doing Cathe workouts. I did not eat any ice cream or cookies.
In the spring of 2011, I went back to my calorie cycles, thinking that I would lose weight. I didn't. Again, I didn't lose or gain a pound over 6 months. I was still counting calories and doing all my workouts.
In the summer of 2011 I met a diet guru who recommended more carbs. Lets just say this has back fired. I also went back on gluten at that time. I added pineapple, a food that I love, but I am now suspicious that I gained from it. I put on about 13 pounds.
2012: Sigh, so here I am. I have at least 44 to 64 pounds to lose. I am in the fight to win it, I am eating cleaner. I am on a different diet that I found on 180 degree health, Matt Stone's blog (no, not the artist, the blogger.) called RBTI. I don't worry about Brix. I don't worry about my PH. But, I am finding some success with the meal timing. I think of my diet as a work in progress.
Now this is how I eat:
No soy: impairs thyroid function
No corn: always makes me plump!
No trans fats: bad for your cholesterol.
No canola oil: Omega 6 based oils make me gain.
The only nut I really eat is walnuts, they are full of omega 3 fatty acids.
I only eat organic dairy. The lipid profile is different.
I eat lots of vegetables, fruits, healthy fats including organic coconut oil,
I time my meals with a carby breakfast (small) before my cardio, then a big meal with vegetables/protein. Dinner is a lower fat, low carb meal of vegetables.
I was able to lose 3 pounds in January (this month.) following this diet. I do still have some organic ice cream, occasionally a cookie. I've been playing with adding a lot more vegetables because of family members presenting with sclerosis issues (MS). I watched that video with Dr. Terry Wahl, its a Ted Talk. She recommended a diet more rich in plant food.
I know that my body has been put through the ringer, so I'm very interested in taking good care of myself. I like the paleo style diet, but I do eat steel cut oats. I'm not GF, but if I'm eating whole foods, that often happens by default.
I don't know that any of that helped, I guess what I'm saying is that low fat is no good, too much protein didn't work, lots of omega 3s do help, lots of healthy vegetables are good, I do plenty of cardio, yoga (revs up the metabolism.), and I prefer cardio/weight circuits rather than a split like 4DS. My biggest recommendation is that you watch how foods effect your own body. Keep a journal with weight, food, and stress level in it. You can see how the food effects your body. Then, its a much easier choice to make when you know what will happen. Don't be afraid to try an elimination diet to see if you have a food sensitivity. Those can stall weight loss.
