May Weight Loss Challenge: How I lost 100 pounds learning to ride a bike

Hey friends of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds! Since the new year 2023, I've been issuing weight loss challenges and this month's May weight loss challenge, is Bloomin' Reboot. The concept is that to develop healthier lifestyles we need not to bloom where we're planted but to uproot old habits and transplant ourselves in healthier soil. I'm using my own example and those of people with morbid obesity on "My 600-lb Life." 

So today's Bloomin' Reboot weight loss challenge tip is to share how I lost 100 pounds by learning (or remembering how I learned) to ride a bike and do likewise with diet. Alanon uses this image in working toward So when I learned to ride my bike, I initially fell off it, occasionally. It hurt and I was tempted to stay off and toss the thing on the rubbish heap. My Grampa advised that I stick with it and it would get easier. So I did. And so it did. 

In overcoming obesity, following a calorie restricting diet or intermittent fasting, we sometimes "fall off the bike." For whatever reason, I would occasionally cease to follow my calorie restricting 1200 calorie diet. Maybe I was depressed or anxious and mistook junk food for comfort food. Maybe I just got tired of the scrutiny of the 1200 calorie diet. "My 600-lb Life" shows people struggling with those same issue. Over the years since I lost 100 pounds, I have gained some back, lost weight, gained again, etc. 

But the key thing is that once fallen, I don't  have to stay off. I know A) how I lost 100 pounds in the first place and B) that I can go back to calorie restricting on the 1200 calorie diet whenever I want to. To sum it up, I can lose weight whenever I want to. Whether I was as overweight as those on "My 600-lb Life" or not, it's a path I don't want to go down again. And I never have to because I know what to do to prevent it. I'm rooting out old habits and transplanting myself in healthier soil so I can blossom more fully. 

How I lost 100 pounds with #1 weight loss supplement (and also #2,3,4 and 5)

Hey friends of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds. Today's weight loss post is a tip within a tip. I've embedded the essential one within an advertisement because ads are how we make money in the blogosphere.  Helps on mental health (which is the core of weight gain, obesity and weight loss) are unfortunately not as easy for search engines to monetize. But don't worry, both the essence and the wrapping paper are helpful. 

I hear a lot of old-timers say that young people only want things they can buy. "Good old-fashioned" advice to DIY or save money falls on deaf ears (they say). But I'm guessing most of you (young and old) read this blog for the DIY, the self-help and the mental health bits. The free bits that cost nothing. 

Sure, on some level, we'd all like a magic bean we can buy that will lose weight with no calorie restricting or diet change. But we're also smart enough to know that lack of discipline was part of how we got to morbid obesity and for me, doing the hard work was how I lost 100 pounds. 

That's the core of this post, that calorie restricting is the only real path to weight loss. That's the part that can't be sold because it's just common sense and it's something no one, no doctor, personal trainer nor nothing, no diet pill, canned diet program, gastric bypass surgery can do for me. 

But there's still a magic bean that while it won't lose weight alone can really help. So the candy coating, the marketable part is how I lost 100 pounds with this #1 weight loss supplement and also, if you act now, you get numbers 2,3,4 and 5 for free. My weight loss supplements of choice are: 

garcinia cambogia (appetite suppressant)

green tea (metabolism booster)

apple cider vinegar (fat burner, appetite suppressant)

raspberry ketones (appetite suppressant, fat burner) 

cinnamon capsules (sugar blocker, metabolism booster)

There you have it. For those who want to buy stuff, get these weight loss supplements at Amazon, Walmart or your local grocery store. For those who just want the DIY, start calorie restricting. For best results, try both as metabolism boosters and appetite suppressant make calorie restricting a lot easier. 

How I lost 100 pounds by comfort eating

 Hi guys! Today on this blog about how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass (after age 45), I'm looking at yet another paradox (there seem to be a lot of those in weight loss, LOL). Getting overweight is not just about overeating or eating the wrong foods. It's about knowing when to eat and when not to eat. The paradox is that part of how I lost 100 pounds was by comfort eating. I'll explain. 

Stress or comfort eating has a bad reputation in weight loss think. People on "My  600-lb Life" will talk about how they eat when they are sad, the usual definition of comfort eating. And comfort eating traditional "comfort food" (sweets, salty snacks, fatty, fried foods, junk food) is a one-way trip to obesity and a starring role on "My 600-lb Life." But having said that, comfort eating the right things at the right time can help lose weight. 

What got me thinking about this how I'm feeling today. I'm not at my best emotionally. I'm stressed, dealing with some frustrating situations, nervous, anxious and a bit depressed if I'm honest pretty irritable and not much in the mood to encourage anyone, let alone myself. I feel fat and ugly and mean. But being honest is the path up. And I realized that trying to lose weight, I sometimes ignore hunger, which drops my blood sugar, makes me edgier, more anxious and depressed. Lather rinse repeat. 

And here's where "My 600-lb Life" folks have it right. Sometimes, when depressed, we do need to eat. Hungry low blood sugar brains can't function properly. But not what is usually thought of as "comfort food." Sugar amps up heart rate and slows metabolism. Salt inflames and reduces circulation. Fatty, processed foods make me sluggish and tired. And crabby. So the first order of business is to eat something but not junk food. 

Part of how I lost 100 pounds was with real comfort eating of genuine comfort food that is nutritious and satisfying. Food that fuels my brain and boosts my metabolism (energy level). For me, that's high protein, high fiber, whole grain, keto, high MUFA/PUFU, zero HFCS foods like berries, nuts and seeds, keto bread, chicken breast, fish and rainbow vegetable salads. I can feel my blood sugar rising and my mood lifting. 

Surprise diet recipes for weight loss, metabolism boost, mood lifter and pain relief

Hello friends of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass! Today, as part of my Spring into Weight Loss challenge, I'm sharing diet recipes that will not only help lose weight but also boost metabolism, lift mood relieve pain. The secret ingredients may surprise you. 

Number one ingredient in my metabolism booster-mood lifter-pain reliever recipe is...ba-duum-cha...Zammex Bone Broth! I've blogged before about how I lost 100 pounds eating high protein keto foods like bone broth. Bone broth is the schiznit for weight loss clocking in at 20 grams of protein per serving for a mere 85 calories! Plus it has tons of amino acids and potassium electrolytes for immunity and metabolism boost. It also strengthens bones so is great for nutritive pain relief. 

To my Zammex Bone Broth, I add nutritional yeast. I like Bragg's nutritional yeast which is chock full of B vitamins for metabolism and mood lifters. Nutritional yeast adds a salty, cheesy flavor and makes a perfect salt substitute for weight loss. I also add Bragg's Liquid Amino salt substitute. I'm an avid watcher of "My 600-lb Life" and bone broth with nutritional yeast would make an excellent pre and post gastric bypass calorie restricting food. It's surprisingly filling which is one thing "My 600-lb Life" folks say most diet recipes aren't. 

People on "My 600-lb Life" speak of chronic pain. Along with obesity, I've struggled with a lot of chronic pain issues (some not related to being overweight and not helped by weight loss.) I refuse to take any opioid pain relievers and avoid Tylenol and ibuprofen as much as possible. I did try the antidepressant Paxil which caused weight gain and obesity. Part of how I lost 100 pounds was to get off the Paxil. But I still need help with pain management. I use ginger, black pepper, red and white pepper and turmeric. All these forms of pepper have anti-inflammatory properties. 

I add turmeric, black pepper, ginger, ground multicolor pepper (white, pink, red and green) and paprika. Cayenne pepper which would be better for pain relief but I'm too much of a wimp and so opt for "little pepper" or paprika. All these are natural pain relievers and I've found that when pain is managed, it boost metabolism and energy and is a mood lifter. Garlic is for flavor and immunity boosting. 

Enjoy my Super Bone Broth diet recipe! Stay tuned for more on how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass! 

P.S. I use Zammex Bone Broth from Amazon because it's the best deal I've found. Plus with Amazon Subscribe and Save, I get 15% off!  

How I lost 100 pounds eating my favorite foods (truly!)

 Hello dear friends of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass! In keeping with the weight loss challenges I began in January, in April we're doing Spring into Weight Loss and exploring ways to lose weight in healthy ways. Today I'll explain how I lost 100 pounds by eating my favorite foods. Really! 

The HAES (Healthy at Every Size) movement would have us believe that there's no such thing as overweight and that even obesity is healthy if you feel good about yourself. It's true that no amount of weight loss will help if you don't have a positive self-image. But being very overweight or even just a little can lead to low self-esteem, not because society tells me I'm fat but because excess fat is slowing me down. I sometimes wonder how much of HAES is about positivity and how much is about shielding eating habits that have lead to obesity. 

On the show "My 600-lb Life", people with morbid obesity must work to lose weight, before and after gastric bypass. One of the biggest roadblocks is "comfort food" and "comfort eating." "My 600-lb Life" patients will do anything to protect eating habits that got them to "My 600-lb Life." They are convinced, and try to convince Dr. Now that they need their "comfort food" and the tons of extra calories in it. 

So this may seem like an excursion from the point of my post on how I lost 100 pounds eating favorite foods. But that's just what I did: eat comfort foods just made differently with calorie restricting and keto food swaps. I did have to retrain my brain to appreciate subtle rather than intense sweetness or saltiness. Here are my best calorie restricting food swaps.

Refined sugar food swaps: I sub fruit (apples, bananas, berries, grapefruit) for sugar in recipes. I bake with bananas and apples and cut out refined sugar. In BBQ dishes, I use different berries, peaches, apples or pineapple instead of refined sugar. 

I swap Bragg's Nutritional Yeast for salt and cheese in dishes to boost nutrients and protein and cut sodium. I eat keto or light bread and olive oil butter for calorie restricting. I sub cauliflower for wheat, potatoes and rice. I wrap sandwiches in lettuce leaves instead of bread. I sub Greek yogurt for milk and sour cream. I add ground nuts to breads to ramp up protein and fiber. I sub blended cottage cheese for cream, sour cream, cheese and Velveeta in diet recipe versions of macaroni and cheese, Alfredo and cheese soups. I use bone broth for any kind of broth to up protein. 

There are so many ways to make diet recipes of favorite foods and best of all, I like my diet versions better than the originals! 

How I lost 100 pounds by discovering willpower in powerlessness

 Hello friends of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass. Today, as part of my Spring into Weight Loss challenge, I'm exploring how I lost 100 pounds by discovering willpower in powerlessness. A few days ago I wrote about the paradox of how being powerless is actually empowering. I didn't know then how it works and I still don't, but I have some ideas, as it relates to weight loss. 

What do I mean by "powerless"? Does it equate with helpless and if so, isn't that a further contradiction? That we who are struggling with obesity should just lie down and accept it? Well, yes and no. So Alanon teaches in the 12 steps that the first step is recognizing that we are powerless over people, places and things. And Fr. Richard Rohr extends this to say that only when we find our own powerlessness that we are able to grow closer to God. 

When I was very overweight, I had a moment of complete breakdown where I literally beat myself and cursed my obesity and laziness to lose weight. It was not my best moment. But it was necessary to get to the point where I stopped making excuses, blaming everything else and started looking honestly at how fat I'd become.  I know, we're not supposed to say the word fat. But I was. And I had to accept that and that I didn't like it. 

I had to accept that I was powerless to change others at all and myself only with the assistance of my Higher Power whom I call God. Or, actually, I am the assistant. Alanon doesn't call it a Higher Power for nothing. The strength to change (lose weight, quit drinking, or overcome any addiction) lies there and when I can accept that, and rely on it, I can begin to change myself. 

When I can give up thinking I run the show, when I can stop expecting others to change to suit me, when I can start living the Serenity Prayer, 

"God grant me the courage to change the things I can, accept the things I can't and the wisdom to know the difference." 

My Higher Power is able to work thru me and in me to guide me to do what I need to do. This is the only way. Sheer willpower alone won't do it. I had to want to lose weight and embrace calorie restricting on the 1200 calorie diet whole-heartedly. As long as I allow roadblocks (self-pity, denial of responsibility, making excuses, blame shame, etc.) I won't really apply myself to calorie restricting. 

We see this played out on "My 600-lb Life" in which gastric bypass hopefuls work to lose weight. While "My 600-lb Life" patients continue to deny personal responsibility, blame everyone else, blame shame themselves, pity themselves, lie, make excuses, they continue to avoid calorie restricting. So long as they retain an attitude of helplessness and refusal to accept the help given by "My 600-lb Life" support staff, they do not lose weight. Even gastric bypass can't make it happen. 

But miraculously, when they accept help and work to change, they overcome obesity. That's how I lost 100 pounds. I found willpower in powerlessness. I still don't understand completely how it works and that okay. I don't have to. That's my Higher Power's job. I just trust that He does and I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. And that's a lovely Easter blessing! 

#springintoweightloss

Anoexia, Obesity and weight loss: controlling others vs self-control

Greetings friend of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass (note: if you're wondering why I start every post this way, it's because "how I lost 100 pounds" is one of my keywords so I have to get "how I lost 100 pounds" in three time or so to improve SEO. And explaining that just accomplished that so no more trying to fit it in without sounding awkward LOL! 

One of the goals of my blog is to explore the psychology behind obesity, eating disorders (of which overeating is one) and weight loss. In my last post, we explored the paradox of powerless vs. self-control required for calorie restricting. Today we look at the negative impacts of trying to control others vs. self-control. 

Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia and certainly overeating that leads to obesity have an element of controlling others involved. I know I might get flak from people struggling with anorexia or bulimia or obesity, on that. But consider this: self-harm or the threat of it, is a cry for help. However, the help expected is sometimes narrowly defined by the one seeking help. Said more clearly, self-harm can be a way to get others to do what I want not necessarily what I need. And sometimes, the help I think I need harm those I expect to give it. 

I was parented by a person who constantly threatened suicide. As a young child, I recall him telling me that he was going to "end it all." He continually referenced his low self esteem brought on by his "overly critical parents." He was also one of the most arbitrarily critical persons I know. Was this threat of self-harm a cry for help or a way to bully? I was horrified and wanted to help which of course I couldn't And he said there was nothing I could do anyway, yet kept reiterating the suicide threats. So I'm going with cruel bullying. Low self-esteem can be very self-centered and also weaponized to guilt, manipulate and control others. 

Regarding obesity and anorexia, other forms of self-harm, the controlling comes in when overeating, extreme calorie restricting or bingeing is used to manipulate people or causes others harm. "My 600-lb Life" shows very overweight people being waited on and served by others. "My 600-lb Life" Dr. Now always asks "who is feeding you?" Because someone has be the slave of a person who is crippled by obesity. 

Anorexia or bulimia at the other end of the spectrum can be (note I said can be) just as controlling. A person trying to get his way may threaten to purge. She may refuse to eat, to worry parents and get them to lighten up on expectations. Manipulation is obviously not the only issue in an eating disorder. But for anyone dealing with an eating disorder, it's essential to explore what's behind it. 

Getting healthier is about learning that, as Alanon says, we are powerless over people. The only way we find power is to practice self-control vs. manipulative behavior designed to control others.