Week 4 post

Still keeping faith with the transformation of my diet. When out at a Mexican restaurant Saturday (in between scholarship auditions) I was more tempted than usual by the chips, but didn't. That evening, we ended up at an Italian restaurant with friends where my choice was a lovely filet of sole, breaded (I didn't pick it off) in a tasty sauce with crab, shrimp and crayfish -- mmm! No bread, but a little of my wife's Pinot Grigio. Today lunch with a colleague at a sub (sandwich) shop: salad made with sub fixin's (smoked turkey, provolone, bacon) and I did have a little honey mustard dressing, so some sugar there, for sure.

My wife's been making lovely dinners. Tonight: chili (beef, no beans), guacamole, carrot sticks, celery sticks, and half an apple. Last night, smoked pork chops, green beans, cole slaw (not creamy, but made with a fabulous California olive oil flavored with blood orange), and some avacado chunks a few slices of orange.

Most breakfasts have been protein drinks (as before, water, one scoop Designer Whey, one scoop Metabolic Drive, some coconut oil, a scoop of natural full-fat yogurt, and a little cream).

Walking has been slightly more often (probably four days this week) and the associated back/core exercises.

Sleep's been variable, last night not good at all. Went to bed, mind ran around in circles, and got up again. Asleep at 3 or so, up at 6:45.

I've been reading a lot about willpower, concentration, focus, meditation, etc., figuring out my next step in transformation (I'll say more about the reading later). It will probably be beginning a meditation practice, at least one of those times before bed. As I stated earlier, I need a bedtime routine, with meditation (and some space) after any TV, reading, or computer work (like this, at 11:24 PM!). A way to transition. I'll probably begin next week. Again, no hurry. I want these changes to be permanent, not (as before) a short-term effort.

Weight this week:

Bodyfat:

 

Another 3.5 pounds lost, total of 14.5 pounds over 4 weeks.

In some ways that's scary, because I want to remain focused on process and long-term change of habits. I know this can't continue, so in a way need a plateau--that sounds strange, but these losses become motivating. I want motivation to come from within and for the right reasons.

So, keep my mind focused on the changes in eating habits and how good I feel.

And have I said how good I feel? Much better, more energy, more concentration (although if I can get my sleep squared away it will be even better). Hands not stiff, sore, and arthritic feeling in the morning. The walks feel great and I walk at a faster pace. 

Miles to go, but you can only get there one step at at time . . .

Days 2-4

I'm focusing on changing my diet this week and am so far successful--low carb, no cheats (well, it's only four days!).

Tuesday I was dead--no energy at all, occasional dizziness Tuesday and Wednesday when I changed position quickly. Those are both fairly typical for me, particularly if I cut carbs after a period of high carbs, and my carbs had indeed been high over the Christmas break! Since Tuesday, my energy has been much better and I expect it will continue. Again, I'm not shooting for ketosis: I'm still eating my lovely little clementine oranges or an apple at each meal, some nuts, green beans, salad, etc. This is more "Primal" than Atkins "Induction," and that's fine with me. I expect I'll experiment with Intermittent Fasting once I've adapted.

Sleep hasn't yet been a focus for me--good sleep some of the time, terrible on Tuesday night (just a few hours) and then last night to bed around 1:30 AM, up for a couple hours early, then back to sleep until 12:30 PM. That won't continue, if only because classes at the university where I teach begin next Tuesday and I have 8 AM classes two days a week and probably a meeting at 8 at least one other day, so it means I have to be up by 6:15 AM or so every morning. That's the time for me to work on a consistent waking time. The challenge will be getting to bed at a reasonable time (and building a night-time routine).

Exercise has also been sporadic, but OK. Walking most mornings, doing my back exercises Monday and Wednesday (I need to do a minimum of three days a week). I need to walk around campus on a regular basis as well during the day once classes start. I'm not sure when yoga will start, but probably after next week, when I've had time to adjust to my teaching schedule. It also gives me time to adapt to low carb, a little lost weight, and get my back in a bit better condition.

So, I'm happy with the way it's going so far. "Low and slow" is not only for cooking grass-fed beef!

Sleep!!

It's become increasingly clear that good sleep is an important part, not only of health in general, but also of losing weight.

My sleep habits have never been good and as I've gotten older, have gotten worse.

For me, it's rarely normal insomnia (although occasionally I have trouble getting to sleep), but more often going to sleep, then waking up 2-4 hours later and THEN not being able to get back to sleep (or being up for a couple hours before managing it).

I suppose if I were truly productive during those hours it might be worth it, but it rarely is! I'm much more likely to surf the net.

I've always been a late-night person and, even as a kid, tended to be the last of the cousins to sleep when we were together over holidays. And even when I'm in an early morning routine--and going to bed at a more reasonable hour--I can get back to the late night (early morning, really: one or two AM) with just one or two late nights because of travel, a late concert or party, etc. My brain and body clock shift back to their preferred routine very quickly

So one of the things I have to address is better sleep habits. The route to good sleep usually includes the following:

1. get up at the same time every morning, weekends included (so your cycle is always the same)
2. no stimulating activity (TV, computer) late at night
3. have a usual bedtime regime (ablutions, hot bath, meditation, writing down the things that need to be done tomorrow, etc.)
4. keep your bedroom dark and cool
5. use your bedroom only for sleep (and lovemaking!), so you associate it with those things only, not watching TV, reading, etc.
6. exercise, but not in the evening, so you're normally tired
7. cut down on stimulants (caffeine)

When I wake up I often notice it's for one or more of several reasons:

1. my body's overheated (hot, sweaty)
2. I have trouble breathing (I use a C-PAP for sleep apnea -- if you can't breathe through your nose, you can't breathe--and I have allergies that tend to act up regularly)
3. my back is sore
4. I'm a middle-aged male: I have to pee!
   

So, solutions for me are:

1. get up at the same time every day
2. cut out late-night computer/tv and find something that is relaxing (set a limit as to how late I can do those things--10 PM?
3. build a pre-bedtime regime (I'll have to think about that one)
4. as my exercise program gets into gear (Bikram Yoga, back exercises, walking), that should help on the physical front
5. as my back is healthier, it should take away one cause of my waking up (backaches)
6. I also wonder if carbs (especially eaten late) cause the overheating--it'll be interesting to see if low(er) carb and no eating in the evening after dinner makes a difference
7. don't drink fluids after about 7 PM!
8. when I find a doctor in my new town, I'll see if my current allergy regime can be better (right now take claritin once per day and use a steroid nasal mist (nasacort) to keep down swelling--all of which would mean not waking up because I can't breathe through my nose
9. when I DO wake up in the middle of the night, I need a better way to deal with it. Maybe I should do productive work . . . or maybe find something soothing to do

These need to gradually become part of my new transformation . . .