How I lost 100 pounds by meeting my needs...all of them

Hi friends! I'm kind of a Dr. Ruth at heart and I'm going to warn you, today's post may make some uncomfortable. But I think most people will feel relief to have it talked about. The topic is the 3-letter word that begins in s and ends in x. It sometimes has -ual health on the end. I'm not trying to be coy. This word when used online, triggers certain filters. However, in it's pure form, used correctly, this thing is as essential to health as food, water, air and sleep. Unfortunately, it doesn't get talked about because although almost everyone does it, no one feels comfortable talking about it. 

Part of how I lost 100 pounds was by recognizing and meeting my needs...all of them. And part of how I went from healthy weight to overweight to obesity was by ignoring my needs. Not just for the "ends in x" word. For rest, nutrition, companionship, down time and positivity. My husband was working 14-21 nights straight. We never saw each other and when we did it was only to worry, stress and fight. I'm embarrassed to admit it but it's true. We were on opposite ends of the clock every day and never slept together ( I mean just sleep, never).

We got used to being lonely. Depression was my one constant. One coping mechanism was food. I lost two stillborn babies and my limit switches taking the antidepressant Paxil. Enter in obesity. But, good news, part of how I lost 100 pounds was by spending time with my husband. Remembering that we could still have fun and doing so. That renewed Joie de vivre helped me find the willpower to lose weight. 

I believe that loneliness and obesity and depression and sometimes, death, go hand and in hand. One causes the next and the next. If you need further proof of how loneliness kills, here are some stories. A friend died with morbid obesity. He was not overweight until adulthood and he was cripplingly lonely.

 Another acquaintance is getting a divorce from a morbidly obese spouse who never wants to do anything. The spouse only wants custodial care and gives no friendship or love. Recently, the friend has  been meeting new people and feeling better. There's been criticism because the divorce isn't final. But I say it was final when the obese spouse checked out of the relationship. I'm glad the friend is finding joy, finally. It may be a life salvation. Said it before and I'll say it again. Love, companionship and the ends-in-x word, are as vital to health as food and water and air. Hopefully the spouse will find a will to live too. 

Thanks for reading past the cringe! Love ya'll

St. Patrick's Day Mean Green Juice Cleanse for March to Weight Loss challenge...Slainte Mhath!

Top o' the mornin, mo ghradhs! And a blessed St. Patrick's Day to ye! Today instead of just wearing the green, why not drink green, I don't mean beer (sad face). Here's a Mean Green Juice Cleanse for our March to Weight loss challenge that will have to feelin fightin Irish fit in no time! 

Many people who have struggled with morbid obesity, have found that a "reboot" of diet, AKA a detox cleanse of eating habits have saved their lives. A juice cleanse is one way to not only lose weight but also to boost immunity, gut bacteria and metabolism. 

As a word of caution, not all doctors recommend a detox cleanse or fast. Dr. Now of "My 600-lb Life" cautions against fasts such as the Mean Green Juice cleanse. The concern is that gastric bypass patients such as those on "My 600-lb Life" have voracious appetites. They would not get full with this type of intermittent fasting and so not keep up with the weight loss program. The Mean Green Juice Cleanse may also not include enough nutrients, electrolytes and protein. 

But it could fit within the "My 600-lb Life" gastric bypass 1200 calorie diet after a certain amount of weight loss. When is obesity better managed and the stomach has shrunk, a juice cleanse can be useful. Part of how I lost 100 pounds, without gastric bypass, after age 50, was with intermittent fasting and a calorie restricting 1200 calorie diet. Now that I'm used to portion control and calorie restricting a detox cleanse would be doable. So, here's the recipe.

Mean Green Juice Cleanse for March to Weight Loss

1 cucumbers

4 celery stalks

2 green apples (cored)

8 kale leaves with stalks

1 lemon (peeled)

1 in piece of ginger

Juice and enjoy. Note: some users of this fast drank nothing but Mean Green Juice for two months. This is due to compromised health from obesity. I suggest trying a juice fast preemptively, before getting overweight and only a few days at a time. 

A friend who uses this juice fast, does it in conjunction with intermittent fasting, eating only between the hours of 2 and 7. I would use it with a calorie restricting 1200 calorie diet which was how I lost 100 pounds. 

Whatever you use to lose weight, or stay healthy, make sure you do it in moderation and safely. It's not worth making yourself sick just to get the scale down to a certain number. Stay tuned for more on how I lost 100 pounds and other March to Weight Loss challenge tips. 

Slainte Mhath! 

Brendan Fraser's humility over "The Whale" best actor Oscar leaves us speechless

Hi friends. A few days ago I blogged about Brendan Fraser in "The Whale" and how he opened eyes and minds to pain of obesity. And last night, Fraser's humble and emotional Best Actor Oscar acceptance speech opened hearts. I'm a longtime fangirl of Brendan Fraser in his cheese puff comedy and adventure films ("Airheads", "Encino Man", "The Mummy"). But I never thought he was capable of serious acting, let alone on the scale of "The Whale." Glad I was wrong. I realized from "The Poison Rose" that Brendan Fraser is actually shockingly capable. 

As a person who has lived through weight gain, obesity and weight loss, "The Whale" was a real grapefruit spoon to the heart. Over 75% of Americans overweight, according to BMI. And yet obesity is largely ignored except on niche shows like "My 600-lb Life" or to make fun of. A fat suit such as Brendan Fraser had to wear for "The Whale" is now available as a Halloween costume. So funny...😒

A lot of those people better start laughing at themselves, though. If 3 of 4 people is overweight, they've seen the joke and it's them. Or we could just stop body-shaming and making fun and start taking obesity seriously. Weight loss isn't just for people who get as big as gastric bypass patients on "My 600-lb Life." Part of how I lost 100 pounds over age 50 without gastric bypass was to get serious about weight loss and my need for it. 

The point of "The Whale" and "My 600-lb Life" isn't just that people with obesity need to lose weight. It's about how and why we get overweight in the first place. Another part of  how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass was to look at experiences, patterns and habits that led to weight gain. 

Thank you for reading. Stay tuned for more on how I lost 100 pounds and more on my March to Weight Loss challenge. Love, mar

Brendan Fraser's weight gain in "The Whale" bravely looks obesity in the face

Hi friends. That morbid obesity is a pandemic is probably no surprise to most of us. But entertainment media has been curiously loathe to show obesity. We marvel over an individual actor's weight gain or weight loss. But as a feature, it's relegated to shows like "My 600-lb Life" and "1000-lb Sisters." But when Brendan Fraser took a 2023 Best Actor Oscar for the movie "The Whale" it brought home the severity of the problem. And I applaud Brendan Fraser both for having the courage to take on a very not-Hollywood heartthrob role and for doing it with such sensitivity. 

Much has been made of Brendan Fraser's weight gain and how he looks "unrecognizable" since his days in "Encino Man", "The Mummy" and "George of the Jungle." Of course Fraser has changed in 30 years. Who hasn't?? We gain weight and wrinkles, lose hair and muscle tone. Shit happens. 

Obviously, to portray obesity like "My 600-lb Life" in "The Whale" Brendan Fraser had to wear a "fat suit." I don't like that term. I also don't like that fat suits are sold in joke shops as Halloween costumes. Morbid obesity is no laughing matter as "The Whale", "My 600-lb Life" and "1000lb Sisters" sadly show us.  

This blog looks at how I lost 100 pounds, after age 50, without gastric bypass. To understand dramatic weight loss, we first  have to understand how we got overweight in the first place. Everyone's backstory is a little different. Mine was due to having two stillborn babies, depression and the antidepressant Paxil and broken limit switches. And just age. 

So we grieve over stories like "My 600-lb Life" and "The Whale." But we also learn. About compassion, empathy and that weight loss and a healthier life are possible. 

#howilost100pounds

How I lost 100 pounds with NOW Sports Nutrition Pea Protein Powder (with recipes to make it edible LOL)

 

Greetings Omifans (how do you like my new nickname? I'm Omi or grandma to 9 grandkids and my oldest daughter suggested Omifans as a nod to that. And also, being a grandma has a lot to do with this post. I tell you a lot about how I lost 100 pounds after age 50, without gastric bypass surgery. And maybe you're thinking, I don't need to know what you DIDN'T do but what you did to lose weight. Point taken. 

There were three keys to how I lost 100 pounds and the first was calorie restricting on a 1200 calorie diet. That's only consuming 1200 calories a day. How did I arrive at that figure? Once I realized that I wasn't just overweight but morbidly obese, I consulted a physician who gave me a neat algorithm: X goal weight (124 lbs) by 10 calories. Et voile. 

Mm-kay, you're probably wondering, but what about those other two keys? Weight loss has got to involve more than just calorie restricting. Doesn't it matter what you eat? No and yes. A 1200 calorie diet of one cheesecake a day, would lose weight if I was used to eating say 3,000 calories a day. Less in less on. Simple. But it wouldn't be healthy weight loss because I wouldn't  be getting vitamins, nutrients, electrolytes, antioxidants and fat burning MUFAS. Plus refined sugar is one-way ticket to obesity and gastric bypass, by sabotaging metabolism, creating stored fat and kicking in heroin-like cravings,  

The second two keys to how I lost 100 pounds were portion control and keto type diet. I'll cover portion control more later (and have in previous blog posts). But again you want to know what I did eat, not what I didn't. So about that keto, say keto type diet because I didn't and don't follow strict keto. I monitor and reduce refined sugar intake, boost vegetables and high fiber fruits and protein and eat MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids). 

And my favorite way beat obesity is to start the day is with a breakfast smoothie using NOW Sports Nutrition Pea Protein powder. You can get a 7lb tub for $47.85 with Amazon Subscribe & Save. Pea protein is the most digestible, best anti-inflammatory, lowest refined sugar protein powder I've found. Weight loss after age 50 means knowing your body really well. And after menopause, soy is out. Whey protein has always been out for weight loss as it creates belly fat and shouldn't be used as part of a calorie restricting 1200 calorie diet. 

Because it's zero refined sugar, NOW Sports Nutrition pea protein powder isn't the tastiest protein powder. I add half a grapefruit (membrane and juice, for high fiber), berries and spinach to my smoothie. That's sweet enough for me. If you need it a little sweeter, add apples or banana. But remember to factor in those calories to your 1200 calorie diet. A NOW Sports Nutrition pea protein powder smoothie provides 24 grams of protein, tons of fiber, vitamins, electrolytes and fat burning MUFA for under 200 calories and boy, Omifans, does it fill you up! 

This post is part of my March to Weight Loss challenge. Stay tuned for more!  

#omifans

How I lost 100 pounds admitting I don't like being overweight and don't feel HAES: before and after weight loss

 Hi friends, I know I promised another installment on how I lost 100 pounds figuring out what's eating me and rethinking comfort food. But as I was choosing before and after photos for the article, I realized that a big source of comfort, beyond was staring me in the face. Marking progress toward overcoming obesity and getting to a healthy weight, is essential for our March to Weight Loss challenge, and also, healing low self esteem, anxiety, depression and shame. 

Here's a collection of before weight loss photos when I was way overweight.

These pictures date to around 2008-2010, when I was spiraling into obesity. 

As uncomfortable as it is, I need to look at these before and after photos, to see my weight loss progress. But also to notice how awkward and unhappy I looked. I was smiling outwardly but inwardly I was miserable. 

What really shocked me was how much I looked like a step family member with morbid obesity whom I wasn't even related to. The resemblance was commented on by people who didn't know we were not related. I'm not going to lie, that made me kind of sick. That family member passed at 64, of morbid obesity. HAES says we're supposed to feel beautiful and healthy at every size but I certainly did not. And she certainly wasn't healthy at every size.
 

Should I dislike how I look overweight? Isn't that just Alanon stinkin thinkin? I don't think so. HAES can promote beautiful obesity all they want but that isn't going to make me feel it. Did I hate myself before weight loss? Well, to be fair, I've always had low self esteem at normal weight in childhood, overweight before puberty, normal weight in teen years, underweight in college and then normal weight even after six pregnancies. Getting overweight and then morbidly obese didn't help. I felt shame but also anger for letting myself get so big. I did NOT feel Healthy at Every Size. 

Part of how I lost 100 pounds, without gastric bypass, was put that anger to work at calorie restricting on a 1200 calorie diet. After weight loss, even though I never hit my goal weight of 124 pounds, I felt so much stronger and happier and more beautiful. I know that goes against PC thinking that says we should like ourselves whatever we weight. I didn't. And I can't lie, pretend I did or fake feelings I don't have. 

So yes, of the before and after photos, I prefer the after weight loss. And marking progress with before and after photos was, and still is, a large motivator to how I lost 100 pounds. 

Thanks for reading my friends! If you want to lose weight, why not join me in this month's March to Weight Loss challenge? 

#howIlost100pounds

How I lost 100 pounds by figuring out what's eating me

 Hello my dear friends! I started this blog on how I lost 100 pounds, without gastric bypass, a few years ago. I write about what I'm dealing with at the time because we all deal with many of the same issues in the challenge of obesity or being overweight. Some plus-sized issues for me are anxiety, low self esteem and concomitant depression. Ring a bell? I'm sure it does because anxiety, depression, low self esteem, weight gain and obesity are all part of what Alanon calls a stinkin thinkin pattern that so many of fall into. 

Part of how I lost 100 pounds was to source anxiety, then to determine what I really needed and finally, to go about getting needs met. In my March to Weight Loss challenge, I'm challenging anyone who wants to lose weight, to do a little Alanon type detective work to figure out what's at eating you and then to rethink what you really need in terms of comfort, including but also beyond food. 

Sometimes what's eating me is something so small, or petty, that I'm embarrassed. Getting a lowered rating at work or finding a new crop of wrinkles. Anxiety made worse by long Covid 19 brain fog. Other times, the worry is bigger: worrying over a loved one, coming to grips with my own aging, constant PTSD ish nightmares, grief, exhaustion, long Covid 19 symptoms. And really even defining one stressor as "petty" and another "important" is part of the stinkin thinkin. It says that I have to justify what concerns me, that I'm petty for certain worries. 

The gastric bypass reality show "My 600-lb Life" demonstrates not only the threat to life of morbid obesity but also, morbid stinkin thinkin. It's more than just the obvious self-pity, entitlement and weaponized incompetence we see on "My 600-lb Life." If you listen past the moaning and griping, you hear fear (anxiety). And morbid depression. And toxic shame. I would hazard a guess that shame is the single biggest issue that leads to starring roles on "My 600-lb Life." Shame accounts for as many gastric bypass surgeries as over-eating. 

So that gets me back to my own triggers. Toxic shame. Stinkin thinkin says worrying over a low rating is petty. But I'm going to rethink that and say it's actually huge if toxic shame, low self esteem and anxiety are problems. In my head, this spells FAILURE and that's haunted me since childhood. But happily, sourcing that toxic shame can help me find peace of mind. My kind adult self can comfort  little me and remind her that even if she make mistakes, even if others say she's a bad girl, even if adults guilt her into thinking she has to fix their problems, doesn't make any of it true. As our parish priest, Fr. Chuck is so good to remind us, I'm a beloved child of my Heavenly Father. And so are you. Full stop. 

In the next installment of "how I lost 100 pounds" we'll take that new enlightenment and consider what, then, we need instead of food, for comfort. Be well, my precious friends. 

#Marchtoweightloss #longcovid

 

Perfect keto calorie restricting snack for March to Weight Loss (drum roll, please?)

 Hey my friends! This blog explores how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass with keto diet, calorie restricting on a 1200 calorie diet. This month, I've issued a March to Weight Loss challenge. And today I'm sharing the perfect keto calorie restricting snack to lose weight, reduce inflammation, relieve pain, curb hunger boost metabolism, burn fat, prevent dehydration and even ward off effects of long covid 19! What is this superfood? Drum roll, please...

GUACAMOLE! Yup, homemade guacamole is the perfect dip, spread, snack, smoothie, you name it, guacamole is it! Here are simple keto diet recipe for this wunderkind snack. 

Avocado: cram packed with high electrolyte potassium goodness, MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids), good saturated fats (for keto fat burning and metabolism boosting) and anti-inflammatory properties avocado is great for weight loss, fat burning, metabolism, lowering blood sugar (ergo inflammation and pain) post Covid 19 recovery (which includes avoiding dehydration) . For guacamole, cut avocado around the long end, remove pit (if only using half, leave pit in to prevent browning and spoilage). Scoop out avocado and place in blender. 

Garlic (minced with juice). Garlic is one of nature's best infection fighters (so good for Covid 19 prevention) plus anti-inflammatory (so perfect for preventing and healing obesity) building gut bacteria, providing antioxidants, reducing blood sugar level (so fighting diabetes) and more! 

Cilantro: This handsome herb has a reputation for helping lose weight and fighting obesity and diabetes by boosting metabolism. Add a handful to blender with avocado.

Onion: Another miracle superfood, onions are bulbs like garlic and have many of the same properties: anti-inflammatory, metabolism boosting, fat burning, infection fighting, lowering blood sugar (diabetes) plus even improving brain functioning. Mince and add to blender with avocado.

Tomatoes: These are one of my favorite potassium rich superfoods for weight loss and just plain yumminess. Lycopene is good for metabolism, circulation, prostate and heart health, blood sugar, boosting electrolytes and astringent fat burning and system cleanse. Being essentially zero calorie, tomatoes are the perfect calorie restricting food for the 1200 calorie diet. 

Lemon or lime juice: high potassium, Vitamin C and fiber, lemons and limes are good for gut bacteria, weight loss and infection fighting. Drinking water with lemon was part of how I lost 100 pounds. 

Pepper and Himalayan pink salt: Pepper for the pain relieving anti-inflammatory win and pink salt for infection fighting, electrolyte win!

Blend together and enjoy in place of sour cream, cheese, mayonnaise or salsa. Try this guacamole on tacos, burritos or nachos. Or  just plain. 

Getting Omicron on top of Long Covid 19: the good, the bad and the ugly

I'm not at my best today. Husband and I are recovering from Omicron infection on top of long Covid 19 and we've learned some things that we don't like. Here's the good, the bad and the ugly of double covid infections. (Disclaimer: we wore masks, practiced social distancing, sanitized, got vaccinated, no Covid deniers here.)

The good about Omicron and long covid: Nothing. 

The bad about Omicron and long covid. Long covid causes inflammation around the heart in many sufferers. Getting a second infection doubles the impact of long covid. It makes breathing problems more difficult and if you already have compromised respiratory issues or autoimmune problems, such as OSA (sleep apnea, arthritis, chronic pain and chronic sinus in my case), really not good. 

If you have SWSD (shift work sleep disorder) as both my husband and I have, him working 12-hour nights and weekends and me trying to keep up with his schedule plus my own day shift, really, really not good. Oh and did I mention PTSD? That's caused problems for me since childhood, in the form of crazy, bad, non-stop dreams. So extra sleep problems on top of sleep apnea and SWSD. 

The ugly about Omicron and long covid. I've wrestled with anxiety, guilt, shame, depression and low self esteem all my life. Being an empath, I've carried a lot of peoples' burdens and not been very good at knowing where I stop and others begin. It's all mine to carry. I was not properly cared for as a kid. Self-care was not taught and consequently, not practiced. I was managing these things but then long covid kicked it all in the ass. Chronic fatigue, pain and exhaustion make something as simple as rolling over in bed or stooping to pick up a grandchild feel like scaling K-2. 

And now, the really ugly: paranoia and fear. I'm afraid to admit this chronic fatigue and pain because I fear scorn and disbelief. You're just making excuses, the voices say. Covid isn't real. It's all in your head. Covid deniers can be a pretty pushy bunch. Sometimes they've managed to gaslight me into thinking I have imagined it. 

Because gaslighting is an old acquaintance. All those experiences from childhood, of being disbelieved, shamed, gaslighted into thinking right was wrong and wrong was right, and I was always wrong, that I was able to get past, now haunt me. Long covid brain fog makes it hard to sort out and address. I end up tilting at windmills. Exhaustion makes me not care. What the hell, let it consume me. 

So what about faith, you may wonder. Yes, I call myself a Christian. I believe and trust in God's care. I think. Sometimes I don't know if I do or if I just think I do. Long hauler brain fog confuses and disorients me. But then I hear the covid deniers mantra "faith over fear." and weirdly that one is what shines a light. Not in its accuracy, but in its crazy-dangerous wrongness. 

Faith over fear in its true sense means that we choose to trust God rather than fear the enemy. Faith over fear in the Covid denier version is a lunatic notion that if you have enough faith, you won't get sick. And that this magical "faith" trumps common sense prevention (masks, vaccines, social distancing) which deniers have gaslighted us into thinking is fear and something to be ashamed of. 

So what is the conclusion? To accept that long haulers must take it one day at a time. I was taught to ignore suffering, harm and pain. Now, old voices tell me that acceptance that I will have some good and bad days, is weakness and attention-seeking self-pity. And I admit, I'm tempted to believe them. To give in to what is really fear. But then, it angers me that thanks to God, I've made so much progress in the war against depression, shame and anxiety. And in this case, anger is a good thing. It energizes me to keep trying, seeking, praying and trusting my higher power. 

What struggle is behind the next little window on the Covid calender? Dunno. I guess we'll burn that bridge when we come to it. (Thank you, husband, for that hilariously empowering mental image!)

Thanks for reading me out. If you're a long hauler pal, I'm rooting for you. All my love, mar

Obesity, Sleep apnea, Covid breathing problems: a deadly trifecta

Hello friends of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass. As my husband and I recuperate from our second round of serious Covid 19, yes we are both vaxxed, I'm considering how much more difficult it would be if I were still struggling with obesity. I've had OSA or obstructive sleep apnea and chronic sinus issues for decades, even when not overweight. So breathing problems have long been an issue. After weight loss and septoplasty, I still struggle to the point that I have terrible dreams all night due to being unable to get to deep delta sleep. I think sinus and sleep apnea factored into me having Long Covid with a second bout with Omicron Covid later. 

People on the shows "My 600-lb Life" and "1000-lb Sisters" usually have breathing trouble and sleep apnea from complications of morbid obesity. I knew a very overweight 8 year-old boy, (entire family had obesity issues which is so often the case as shown on "My 600-lb Life" and "1000-lb Sisters") whose mother gave him NyQuil every night because he was so overweight he'd stop breathing. It's a race between lymphedema, blood clots, heat failure, sepsis and impaired breathing which will kill morbidly obese people first. Then enter in Covid which is notoriously more difficult if you are overweight. Many of us with Long Covid develop swelling around the heart. So it's quite the trifecta, Covid, obesity and sleep apnea. 

But the good news is that weight loss can in fact almost categorically does reverse many of the problems. "My 600-lb Life" and "1000-lb Sisters" show people after gastric bypass improving in many health issues. I have mixed feelings about bariatric surgery. I believe it's a magic feather people have convinced themselves they need when GOFD good old fashioned diet will do a better job.  Bariatric surgery doesn't lose weight. Portion control, intermittent fasting and calorie restricting on a 1200 calorie diet do.They are how I lost 100 pounds. I've issued a March to Weight Loss challenge for anyone who wants to join me. I can't promise it will fix all health problems-- sleep apnea and chronic pain still abide-- but I can guarantee it won't make them any worse and will probably improve them. 

Love, mar 

 

#howilost100pounds

March to Weight Loss Challenge: How I lost 100 pounds with diet food swaps

I began this new year by issuing a No Junk January weight loss challenge. Now as most of us will agree, New Year's resolutions usually end with in January. So next  month, we moved to Fat Free February. Let's keep the diet momentum going with a March to Weight Loss Challenge. Here are 1200 calorie diet food swaps to "spring" into healthier eating. 

Part of how I lost 100 pounds, without gastric bypass, was by calorie restricting on a 1200 calorie diet. I switched to lighter versions of these foods: milk, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, dressings, dips, spreads and butter and low carb or keto bread. I explained why in my Fat Free February challenge posts. As we've learned from the keto diet, lowfat and zero fat foods have other junk in them that is actually worse for weight loss than fat. And some fats, like MUFA--monounsaturated fatty acids-- and PUFA--polyunsaturated fatty acids are actually burn unhealthier saturated fats and transfats. 

Another part of how I lost 100 pounds was with keto and refined sugar food swaps. Calorie restricting on a 1200 calorie diet is a lot easier to manage if you reduce refined sugar intake. You'll feel a lot fuller because you can eat more if you're not having to factor in the calorie load of refined sugar foods. I use blue agave syrup, coconut sugar, erythritol and fresh fruit as alternative sweeteners. I also avoid artificial sweeteners which has the same negative effect on the body as real refined sugar. 

The biggest change I made to end obesity was in portion control. If you watch the show "My 600-lb Life" you see gastric bypass patients before surgery, eating portions that could feed a family. "My 600-lb Life" staff helps people learn portion control by calorie restricting to a more reasonable amount. Many "My  600-lb Life" patients claim they can't get full eating so little. And the farther into obesity you are, the more you need to feel full. But as you lose weight, it gets easier. 

Stay tuned for more diet food swaps and tips to March to Weight Loss! 

#howilost100pounds

Fat burning keto foods for Fat Free February Weight Loss Challenge

Hello friends of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds. I issued a Fat Free February Weight Loss Challenge a month ago and that month is almost up. But wait, there's more! Tomorrow begins my March to Weight Loss challenge and to round out this month, here are fat burning keto foods to cleanse, build brown fat, boost metabolism and bust white adipose tissue ("bad fat.") 

Before I begin, I want to address a question that comes up about how I lost 100 pounds. People with morbid obesity, like I had, will often ask if it's possible to lose weight without gastric bypass. Will calorie restricting (or keto, intermittent fasting or some other type of diet change) alone lose weight? Answer: YES! As shows like "My 600-lb Life" have proved, it's actually gastric bypass alone that won't lose weight. 

Yesterday I blogged that patients with morbid obesity on "My 600-lb Life" are required to lose weight prior to surgery. And to do that, they must follow a calorie restricting 1200 calorie diet which includes eating keto fat burning foods and avoiding sugary, junk carbs. After gastric bypass, "My 600-lb Life" patients must continue the 1200 calorie diet to continue weight loss. 

And lose weight you will with calorie restricting, even if you are calorie restricting for completely different reasons. The Catholic church calls for intermittent fasting during the Lenten season, which we entered earlier in February. For 40 days, we eat more fish and vegetables and less fatty, junky, fried and sugary food. And every year, if we follow practice Lenten fasting correctly, we lose weight. 

So without further ado, here are:

Keto fat burning foods for weight loss: 

avocado

BERRIES (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, pomegranate seeds, cranberries)

olives (yes, these are berries too)

coconut oil 

tomatoes (tomato juice, zero sugar salsa)

lemons

limes

oats and oatmeal (so not necessarily keto, but high fiber so super good for fat burning)

kiwi

grapefruit (tons of fiber)

pears (high fiber)

apples (high fiber)

cantaloupe and watermelon (loads of lycopene so great for men's health, especially)

seeds (chia, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower)

nuts (best are almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts)

spinach, kale

broccoli

cauliflower

spaghetti squash

peas (high in fiber and protein)

cabbage and brussels sprouts

Stay tuned for more March to Weight Loss tips! #howilost100pounds

Does Fat Free February weight loss challenge address morbid obesity?

Hi friends! This blog covers how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass and recently I issued a Fat Free February weight loss challenge. It piggybacked on my No Junk January new year's weight loss and next month is March to Weight Loss. Maybe you're wondering how challenges like this can help lose weight when morbid obesity is a problem. Sure, 50 pounds, but what if I am 200 pounds overweight? That's different, right? I have to get gastric bypass surgery, don't I?

Well, the short answer, no. Weight loss, with calorie restricting as I used on the 1200 calorie diet, was how I lost 100 pounds. And if I needed to lose more weight, I'd have kept going. It will take longer to lose weight the more there is to shed but the process remains the same. That said, starting weight loss sooner rather than later is a good plan. And Dr. Now of "My 600-lb Life" will back me up on that. 

"My 600-lb Life" began with older overweight patients. Recently, the demographic seeking gastric bypass surgery for morbid obesity seems to be getting younger. Alarmingly, many teens and even tweens of "My 600-lb Life" patients can't wait to reach majority to have a gastric bypass! This is systemic, generational obesity at its most terrifying. 

I was deemed overweight as a child and put on a 1000 calorie restricting diet. In 1972, what was considered overweight, for kids, was lower. And did that intense calorie restricting help me lose weight? No that was called adolescence. Adult obesity set in well into my 40s, after losing to stillborn babies and being on the antidepressant Paxil for depression and anxiety. 

But I digress. So how can weight loss challenges like Fat Free February end obesity? By getting the ball rolling. Even if gastric bypass is on the horizon, patients still have to lose weight prior to surgery. Yes, there is a lot of back-and-forth about the effectiveness of calorie restricting on a 1200 calorie diet. But I will say, from experience that how I lost 100 pounds began by realizing that I had to change how I ate. I couldn't keep making excuses and overeating because I was getting more overweight every month. 

If you need to lose weight, won't you join me on this Fat Free February weight loss challenge then stick around for March to Weight Loss! 

Obesity, mobility scooters and "I hurt all the time" T-shirt concerning

Shopping yesterday, I saw a morbidly obese woman on a mobility scooter wearing a concerning shirt. It stated "I'm in pain constantly, every moment of every day." I believe it was a fibromyalgia awareness T-shirt. I've seen this woman countless times, bossing staff around, being rude to other customers and complaining when the mobility scooter wasn't charged. It was pointed out that it had just been used but she expected that "someone" should have somehow known she was coming in and had it ready. Her behavior represents what I call "weaponized obesity." 

So why does her fibromyalgia shirt trouble me? Not that fibromyalgia isn't painful. I was diagnosed years ago with a chronic and intense type with neuralgia. I also hurt all the time. But I know from experience that obesity or just being overweight makes these chronic pain conditions so much worse. And there's such a thing as weaponizing pain or obesity, with rudeness, self-pity and entitlement. Using store mobility scooters, which are designed for elderly or people with disabilities, for example. If you need one, get your own and leave it for people who NEED it. 

Watch one episode of "My 600-lb Life" and you'll see what I mean. Gastric bypass patients will find any excuse and then invent some to avoid weight loss and blame their health problems and chronic pain on every thing but the real problem: morbid obesity. This blog covers how I lost 100 pounds and I know those excuses well. I will say I never expected special treatment, though. 

I'll be the one to say the non PC thing that many others are thinking. Obesity is not a disability in itself because it's manageable with diet, exercise and weight loss. Dr. Now proves it time and again on "My 600-lb Life." And if people are in so much pain that they have to wear T-shirts telling us, then maybe lose weight and see if it helps. But no, then that would take away the excuse to expect special treatment. 

Part of how I lost 100 pounds, without gastric bypass, was to lose weight, the old-fashioned way, with calorie restricting, like Dr. Now uses on "My 600-lb Life." When I did, many conditions improved (pre-diabetes, liver functioning, depression, hypertension).  Chronic pain is still an issue. So am I saying weight loss will fix fibromyalgia, back pain, knee pain, etc? Maybe not completely but, obesity sure isn't going to. 

If you are overweight and want to lose weight, like I did, let me assure you that you can do it! Even if it doesn't clear up every problem, I guarantee it feels a lot better than self-pity. 

Is obesity healthy and beautiful?

I don't know what article I opened but lately my news home feed is flooded with the "I'm overweight and hot" articles. Well, they're not actually articles, but more blog posts (truthfully I don't read them so I don't know the source). Anyway, the poster shares her height, weight and photos of herself , declaring something to the effect that even though she is "overweight" or even "obese" many people find her attractive, guys hit on her, etc. 

I find these posts disturbing, frankly. Because obesity isn't attractive? No. Because women can't be overweight and acceptable? H to the NO! Because this sad "pick me" attention seeking behavior makes them vulnerable (a little--the comments can be quite hurtful)? What bothers me is them trying to prove that overweight can't be beautiful because men think they are attractive.  

This need for validation is concerning, as weight loss blogger. The issue isn't whether women are beautiful despite what the scale says because someone says they are. Beauty goes far beyond looks and I believe everyone is beautiful because we are made in the image of God. The concern with obesity is the multiple health concerns attached. 

HAES, Healthy at any Size, says that all bodies are healthy and that no one should work at weight loss unless they want to. Certainly someone who weighs say, 40 pounds more than what the BMI (body mass index calls for) will have fewer issues than someone who is 100- 200 lbs (or more) overweight. But HAES doesn't care how much you weigh, it's all healthy. 

I'm sorry but no it's not. The nature of weight gain is to snowball. The more I gain, the incrementally more, and faster, I gain weight. And even if I could stay at just 40 pounds overweight, I would still be predisposed to certain health risks: diabetes, hypertension, back and leg problems, heart problems, liver functioning, even Covid poses a greater threat to those outside the recommended weight. 

In shows like "My 600-lb Life" we meet gastric bypass patients who have gained to extremes. But they began at the same place everyone else does and got to that point by ignoring weight gain. And they are riddled with health problems. "My 600-lb Life" gastric bypass surgeon Dr. Now always sees them when they are literally at death's door. 

Will the women in the articles mentioned get as big as "My 600-lb Life"? Probably not. But I'm sure the people on "My 600-lb Life" never imagined it would get that bad either. With movements like HAES encouraging weight gain, there's a greater chance of seeing more of these situations. Because it's common for people who are overweight to ignore weight gain. Many are just as overweight as those on the show, but in denial. I know what I'm talking about. Part of how I lost 100 pounds was to open my eyes to how big I was and do something about it. 

Lenten fasting and weight loss? Amen!

 A blessed Ash Wednesday to all. Whether you're Catholic or not I invite you to join me as we kick off the Lenten season in a Fat-Free February weight loss challenge. Lent is a time in the  Catholic liturgical calendar when we walk with our Savior, through the temptation in the desert on His way to the cross. We practice Christian values of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We are called to follow these all year long but in a special way in the Lenten season. We return our attention to these core habits which I can really admit in my own life, sometimes gets diverted. 

The focus of this blog is on weight loss, specifically how I lost 100 times without gastric bypass. So you may be wondering does it really count for spiritual reasons if I'm trying to lose weight by fasting. This question came up in a q&A on an orthodox Christian site as well. And my answer to that is yes if you are fasting for religious reasons first and weight loss as a happy outcome. Actually, having said that, any practice that gets us focusing less on ourselves, our needs and more usually our wants, has spiritual benefit too. 

And if you are fasting as the church calls for, by eating simpler, low to zero sugar, fish instead of fatty heavy meat, less dairy and no junk, then you will lose weight regardless. So part of my Family at Free February weight loss challenge will include a Catholic Lenten type fast. And I will follow my Lenten fast by being more faithful to calorie restricting in a 1200 calorie diet. I will also do intermittent fasting every Wednesday and Friday, following the (keto) bread and water fast that Our Lady, the Blessed Mother called us to at her Medjugorie apparition. I will talk more about that later. Blessings to you all. Love mar

Fat Free February weight loss challenge asks if calorie restricting really works

 Hello and welcome to this blog on how I lost 100 pounds (without gastric bypass) and you can too! Last month I issued a No Junk January weight loss challenge for the new year and this month, we're keeping the mojo going with Fat Free February. A friend was kind enough to say that these challenges motivated her to lose weight and hopefully they've helped you too! 

Not fat free as in zero fat foods: experience and research shows that those don't always address weight loss goals sufficiently. Fat Free February means that we're working to rid our bodies of excess "white adipose tissue" (or white fat, stored fat). Stored fat encases organs to protect them but if there's too much, restricts healthy functioning. It clogs arteries, slows metabolism, makes us lethargic, depressed etc. 

So in Fat Free February we don't want to get rid of all stored fat. It just makes for good alliteration lol! We do want to increase brown fat (healthy fat) by increasing intake of MUFAS (monounsaturated fatty acids) and PUFAS (polyunsaturated fatty acids) which dissolved saturated fats. I love the names: MUFAS and PUFAS. They sound like junky Saturday morning kids breakfast cereal! 

To lose weight, the keto diet would have us eat lots of fats, including saturated fats. Part of how I lost 100 pounds was to eat a modified keto diet (though I didn't know at the time that's what I was doing). I have my reservations about keto because. So many people I've known to use it, while having initial success with weight loss, were not able to keep it off as the keto diet is pretty difficult to maintain. I'm not even sure it's healthy to eat that way long term. 

What's worked for me is GOCR--good ole calorie restricting--for me, 1200 calorie diet--including limiting  sugar, particularly refined sugar, saturated fats, junk or empty carbs and balancing fiber, protein and fats. Calorie restricting (1200 calorie diet) has gotten a lot of bad PR, particularly from groups like HAES (Healthy at Every Size). HAES maintains that obesity isn't really unhealthy and that body positivity really matters. Even many basic weight loss diets eschew calorie restricting. 

However, I've found that the only way to end obesity is to portion control which is in effect calorie restricting. Exercise as in movement is important too. But alone, it will not lose weight. I went from  normal to overweight to obese by eating more and moving less. Not all by choice, sedentary job, etc. Didn't matter though because those two things shot me to morbid obesity. So the path back has to include calorie restricting in 1200 calorie diet and portion control. 

Stay tuned for more Fat Free February posts and be ready for next month when we'll do a March to Weight Loss challenge! 

(P.S. Don't you love the very serious look 😶on my grandson Emmett's face? 😁)

Does HAES promote obesity and eschew weight loss? 8 Ball says yep

Most everyone my age probably remembers the Magic 8 Ball which you asked random questions and received random answers based on the luck of the roll. A concerning movement,  HAES (Healthy at Every Size) seems to advocate obesity and eschew weight loss. And based on a variety of things, I'd say it's about as reliable as a Magic 8 Ball in determining how healthy one is. 

HAES proclaims to be about healthy living through movement and eating nutritionally. But its prospectus promotes "flexible, individualized eating based on hunger, satiety, nutritional needs, and pleasure, rather than any externally regulated eating plan focused on weight control." And on exercise, it supports "physical activities that allow people of all sizes, abilities, and interests to engage in enjoyable movement, to the degree that they choose" (or don't it seems). 

To me, that reads "ignore the scale, it's all healthy, eat what you want as long as you enjoy it and move or don't if you don't feel like it. And if anyone calls you overweight (including a trained medial professional), blame them for "stigmatizing" and body-shaming." Anyone who's been overweight or is will tell you, that's music to the ears. Finally someone gets it. I'm not fat, obese, call it what you like, I'm misunderstood.  

Not only is it not my fault, I'm not responsible to do anything about it because 200-300 pounds overweight, is just as healthy as normal weight. Why WOULD anyone attempt weight loss after being told they're just as healthy no matter what and how much they eat and how little if any they move?

Okay so I get that body positivity is important but so is truthfulness. You don't have to hate yourself, and of course shouldn't,  to admit you need to lose weight. But can anyone be really body positive when they are lugging around the equivalent of 4 cases of water with every step? NO! It's exhausting and depressing. And on that note, I've found that almost everyone who turns to HAES, has depression, is lethargic, etc. They are not the smiling faces shown on the website. HAES would say that's because they've been body shamed for obesity and once they start loving themselves at any size, depression goes away. Ehh, that's a really big risk to take and very likely not going to to work. When you are very overweight, you are literally weighed down (refer to my water bottle analogy) and depression is a logical outcome. 

In fact, almost everyone I've talked to in my 100-lb weight loss journey feels better after they lose weight. Most of us didn't want to move because extra pounds made us tired and depressed. I suggest ideas feed the shocking rise in obesity, obesity related health issues and gastric bypass surgeries.  I think Dr. Now of "My 600-lb Life" would like a word with HAES. Ask patients on "My 600-lb Life" how happy they aren't being so big.

Maybe you're thinking, oh but really, HAES isn't talking about being THAT overweight and healthy?? But I think they are. If there's no such thing as unhealthy weight, why not 400-600 pounds? As long as we don't mention health risks, they don't exist, right? As long as people are happy overeating and not moving, it's okay (and they are perfectly happy overeating and not moving, watch any episode of "My 600-lb Life"). What they are not happy about is the early death looming. Because you can be as body positive as you want, you can't magic away diabetes, heart failure, blood clots, lymphedema, sepsis and the other buffet of killers associated with obesity. 

 

Body shaming, modesty policing and "inappropriate" dress: what's REALLY behind it?

Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to modesty police. Every day, my home page features a woman saying she's been body shamed for "inappropriate work attire" and asking if her outfit is appropriate. Often, a large number will chime in faulting the clothing as immodest, NSFW or worse, especially when the woman is curvy. When we start down the path of criticizing others, it's a short, slippery slope to shaming. 

What's behind this obsession with body-shaming? Why do we feel entitled to comment and judge another's clothing choice? Well, the superficial answer is, that she did ask. But what prompted her to ask is, that supposedly her style choice was commented on in real life. I say supposedly because I sometimes wonder how often it really happens and how often it's an opportunity to show off. 

Now that sounds like shaming in itself. But it's not. We're a world, obsessed with looks and bodies, AKA, the superficial. We've rewarded people, particularly women, for flaunting themselves. We've told them that looks only matter. We've turned many people, again, particularly women, to pathological, unquenchable attention-seeking. 

Are many of the women who post images of themselves, what social media calls "pick me?" "Pick me" is another term for exhibitionist, someone so desperate for attention that s/he will attempt to one-up others of the same gender, usually in objectifying ways. So the answer is, yes. Often the original poster does come across as "pick me." 

But that doesn't answer why so many people negatively comment or "modesty police" the outfit in question. Some seem to get a thrill out of body shaming. They aren't objective or helpful and are insulting, almost slanderous. And it seems to be to be getting worse thanks to social media. 

We don't know anything about the commenters themselves. They hide behind anonymity and say things in much more exaggerated ways than they would if they would in real life. They feign this brash courageous outspoken, "telling it like it is" when if they were face to face would never say such outlandish things. We also don't know how they personally look or dress or if they might also be questioned on modesty. 

Unfortunately, the loudest are usually the most vulnerable. People in glass houses are often the first to cast stones. The most outspokenly critical, like the Duggar family, usually have the most skeletons. I have made it a stern policy to avoid casting stones. For one thing, I'm not perfect. I know that judging others opens me to judgement. Mostly, because stones hurt. 

So why is shaming such a national pastime? Folks like the Duggar family have a reality TV show based on criticizing others. I suggest the reason stems from hypocrisy, fear and schadenfreude. Hypocrisy tells people like the Duggar family, and social media body-shamers that they are ubermensch, above the rules, and that it's their job to blame and shame others to get them on their definition of righteousness. 

They also fear exposure of their own foibles, immodesty and inappropriate behavior. And schadenfreude is the love of seeing someone made to look foolish, to distract attention from their own foolish behavior. Of which modesty policing is an example. Because the truth is that no one can really define what is and isn't appropriate in the wide world of clothing. And it isn't even about clothing but a need to see someone else feel uncomfortable.  

Reactions to Missy Elliott's weight loss highlight dilemma: to praise or not to

Rapper Missy Elliot showed stunning weight loss recently and the crowd went wild...mostly. A few comments expressed concern about how we praise weight loss as if it makes us somehow better than we were before losing weight.  Reactions to Missy Elliott, pounds lighter, highlight a dilemma most of us experience when we lose weight or notice that someone has lost weight. I call it the "to praise or not" proposition or "what are we praising, exactly?" 

I lost 100 pounds about nine years ago (without gastric bypass) and my weight  loss has been called "jaw-dropping" and "stunning" I've been called "unrecognizable" to my prior self. Anyone who has lost weight can probably attest to similar comments. And while this feels really good, it does set off little voices in your head that don't. Maybe I'm alone in this but it made me wonder, when I was obese, was I really that shockingly overweight? Did I look that bad? Was I unacceptable and now I am?

Don't get me wrong. I felt superb after weight loss. I was proud of  myself. I knew I looked very different before and after I lost 100 pounds. And I wasn't at all offended by these comments. They were meant in the kindest of ways. And I was in denial about how far into obesity I had gone. However, it begs the question, that some Missy Elliott fans have asked. Was I a better person? Was I ugly and now not? I think the answer is obviously, No. 

Although even that has a caveat. I did feel ugly when I was very overweight. I did not hold myself with confidence and was camera awkward. I felt out of control and honestly a little foolish that I'd let myself get so obese. So how much of this low self esteem is historic for me? Quite a lot. I've struggled with a little anorexia type thinking all my life. When I weighed 109 in college I still felt overweight and fat. 

Were people saying that, though? You were ugly and now you're not. Well, sure there will always be the judgy fat-shaming folks, let's face it. When I wrote for Yahoo! before I lost 100 pounds, some commenters would insult me not for the content but for being overweight. Which of course had nothing to with anything and was ignorant. But armchair critics will do that...hide behind their little avatars and mock. 

I don't believe that the people who praised my weight loss were saying anything negative about me when I was overweight. They were recognizing and praising the hard work I'd put into calorie restricting, practicing, portion control etc. Some friends were actually reluctant to say anything because they were afraid I'd take it wrong. But anyone who's ever lost weight by choice, will tell you, praise away!! We need all the affirmation we can get. 

Just make sure to verify if they meant to lose weight. During our first bout of Covid 19, my husband lost 17 pounds in a week. He did NOT want to. Several friends commented that they wished they could lose weight. No you don't, we said. Covid 19 or other illness related weight loss is  not to be envied. Covid 19 is starvation weight loss and really scary. Then there was Mariah Carey's famous cringe-worthy comment about wishing she could lose weight like the "kids in Africa." Ouch. 

So if you do compliment someone one weight loss, do it with tact. Make sure it doesn't come across as "way to go! You look human now!" The key is to make it about them, not you. 

Covid 2.0: A bit more coherent, less ranty discussion

 Hello friends, a few days ago I posted a pretty raw rant about my husband getting Covid 19 again despite being vaxxed and taking every precaution. And I want to set the record straight because I fear I may not have been clear. (You tend not to be when you are scared for someone you love). So first off, yes, I got Covid (Omicron) too, no surprise. I was expecting to. And second, I was not faulting the Covid 19 vaccine for us getting it again. I get how this works: the vaccine doesn't prevent you getting Covid 19. It just helps prevent you dying from it. 

It doesn't prevent others near you getting it because for one thing Omicron is more contagious though typically less dangerous. What prevents the spread is a larger population getting vaccinated AND following protocol of distancing, wearing masks, quarantining, etc. Which was the gist of my rant a few days ago. Covid deniers and pooh-pooh-ers won't do either, mask up or get vaccinated. And that angers more for myself and mostly for others. 

It sounds so pious to prat "faith over fear" until you've had Covid or Omicron variant. When you are coughing yourself raw, so hard that you can't catch a breath, coughing so hard you gag and vomit and wet yourself, you aren't thinking much about faith or fear. You are just trying to keep oxygenated and not choke to death on your own phlegm. And don't get me started on the headaches, body aches, dehydration delirium and (worst of all) long haul Covid brain fog. Which I had not yet recovered from (if I ever will) after Covid round one 20 months ago. 

So far, Omicron seems shorter and in some ways less severe. We didn't get the revolving door fever --102 at night, breaks in the morning, spikes again at night, lather, rinse repeat for 14 solid days. We didn't get dehydrated (with crippling headaches, delirium, orange poop, brown pee) but because we were prepared with Body Armor. We haven't had any appetite so weight loss is a real probability which for me won't be a big deal but for Albert, who lost 17 pounds in a week and doesn't have a lot to spare, is. And really this kind of weight loss is good for no one. 

I'm sorry to be so graphic. Or am I? Sometimes blunt is the only way to wake people up. It's time to stop stop talking in cutesy, meaningless sound bytes, time to quit turning a blind eye, and downplaying Covid's seriousness. Time to quit flinging fairy dust in people's eye's to distract them from the real issues. To quit making up falsehoods (lying), quit faulting the "liberal media" or Joe Biden. It is time to begin taking seriously our own part in the spread of this life-altering and sometimes life-ending disease.

Covid 2, Husband 0

 And we're in quarantine again because husband came down with Covid again. And I wanna know how????God love the man, he sanitizes (and has since Covid Day One) his belt and wallet!! He wore his mask religiously, got vaccinated, donned a crap ton of extra protective equipment at work. WENT to work because they were deemed essential. That's not as cools as it sounds.  Cuz turns out, work was where he got Covid (prior to vaccines) which he shared with me.

He never bitched once about "his rights" to make a fool of himself whining about closed restaurants. He never pissed and moaned about employer mandated vaccines. He always looked out for everyone wearing his mask. He social distanced. Unlike the 8 VACCINE-REFUSING UNMASKED FAMILY MEMBERS at church, laughing and talking and lining up for confession DURING A PANDEMIC!! And other "good Christian" homeschool families who proudly flaunted themselves in stores with no masks. I gave my friend list a good spring cleaning after that.  

Husband didn't endanger himself or others denying Covid or stupidly pratting "faith over fear." Whatever the that means, I don't know and the espousers sure as hell don't. FAITH is trusting God's will be done, not clicking your ruby slippers together and declaring you won't get Covid because you supposedly love God. If you love God, you do as He says and be a good human. Be concerned about others over your mythological "rights." You don't tell everyone else how to live their lives (which is very unscriptural) and then refuse to do the simplest things to hopefully keep others safe. You don't soil yourself over mandated vaccines. With so much exploitation, oppression, marginalization and tyranny from the right wing party alone, fucking pick a real hill to die on. 

In Covid round one, he did his time and a lot of other people's too. For 14 solid days, he fevered, coughed, got dehydrated, was deathly sick and lost 17 pounds in a week. I was sick too. Like could not breathe coughing sick. They tell you to go to ER if you can't breathe. How do you know which cough is going to be the one that stops you? And how can you call if you can't breathe? And then there's the dehydration delirium which makes you so confused you barely know who you are. 

I don't say this in criticism of CDC protocol. Just stating the crux of the problem that when you are in the throes of illness you can't very well access health services. You don't dare to ask anyone for help in case you infect them. 

High Protein Keto Chicken Salad recipe for Fat Free February Weight Loss Challenge

Hiya friends of this blog on how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass! From No my Junk January weight loss challenge we're keeping up the momentum with Fat Free February. No fat free as in zero or lowfat, but targeted fat burning calorie restricting to lose weight and shed stored fat. Here's a zero sugar high protein keto chicken salad recipe to satisfy cravings, fill you up and beat obesity. 

So you know that wonderful "gourmet chicken salad" that so many grocery store delis make? I adore that stuff. And while it's pretty good for filling me up, it's also loaded with a lot of bad fat, sugar and sodium. That's because, like so many potato or pasta salads, it's slop-forward (AKA too much sauce) and healthy ingredient backward. My recipe features protein and veggie forward and very light on the slop. 

High protein chicken salad

Dice chicken breast seasoned with little olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt and cracked black pepper.  Grill or saute and set aside to cool. 

Halve and slice baby cucumbers and purple grapes. Dice cantaloupe. Slice scallions and chop celery, apple, cilantro, yellow and red pepper. Toss chicken and veggies with cashews, almonds, pecans or mixed nuts and celery seed. You can add chopped cole slaw mix (red shred, cabbage and carrots) if desired. This will give you value added rainbow diet fat burning goodness. 

Blend Dijon mustard, wasabi, avocado mayo and lime juice and lightly coat chicken salad mix. Refrigerate and serve on a bed of lettuce. Eat foods like this high protein zero sugar (or no added sugar, anyway) chicken salad is how I lost 100 pounds. Subscribe for more Fat Free February weight loss tips and fat burning recipes.  

Oh and if you don't have all of these fruits or veggies on hand, don't worry about it! Just do your best. My most recent version didn't have any peppers. But it's still delicious! 

#FatFreeFebruary #HowIlost100pounds

Fat Free February: Zero sugar Keto protein power bread for weight loss

Hi guys! After finishing my No Junk January weight loss challenge, let's keep going with Fat Free February! Not fat free as in zero fat; if the keto diet has taught me anything about weight loss, it's that eating "good fat" MUFA, PUFA and even some saturated fats in meat, avocados and coconut oil, burns stored fat (white adipose tissue). The trick is balancing fiber, protein and fats. So, here's a keto diet recipe for zero added sugar (and no sugar substitutes either) keto protein power bread. 

Part of how I lost 100 pounds, without gastric bypass was to satisfy that craving for sweets with revamped diet versions of favorite recipes. And I looove sweet breads. Not intestines, but literally sweet dessert bread, like banana bread. This keto protein bread combines high fiber metabolism boost, with natural fruit sweeteners, date goodness and nut and seed fat blast. 

Keto protein bread for weight loss

Ingredients:

Two cups almond flour

1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

2 tsp baking soda

1 cup crushed mixed nuts (this is by way of being a leftover use up recipe for stale nuts)

2 T chia seeds

chopped Medjool or other dates

6 T milled flaxseed (sub for eggs)

2 ripe mashed bananas

1 c. homemade sugarfree applesauce (basically just stewed milled apples)

1 c. Greek yogurt

dash of vanilla

Mix first seven dry ingredients and blend last 4 moist ingredients separately, then mixed together. Fold in 1 cup berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries or blackberries). Taste batter and if not salty enough, add a little more salt. Turn into two bread pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes or so. I eat this for breakfast. 

Did I mention this zero sugar keto bread is heart healthy, for Valentine's Day? Stay tuned to this blog on how I lost 100 pounds, for more calorie restricting diet recipes. Here's to Fat Free February weight loss! 

Who's up for weight loss and fat burning with Fat Free February?

 Hi guys! Last month I issued a No Junk January weight loss challenge (and was so-so successful lol). Now, if you're like most of the world (raises hand), January New Year's resolutions end about mid month. But just because I fell off the bike occasionally doesn't mean I can't get back on it anytime I want. So how's about we keep up the good work begun in No Junk January with a Fat Free February weight loss challenge? 

So first a disclaimer: not Fat Free February as in cutting out fat (other than transfat). Keto has taught me that calorie restricting with foods rich in MUFA(monounsaturated fatty acids) PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and even some saturated fats (in avocado and coconut oil) actually burns "bad fat." That would be white adipose tissue or stored fat. 

In this Fat Free February weight loss challenge I'm going practice calorie restricting to free myself of excess white adipose tissue (stored fat) and build up BAT (brown adipose tissue) or healthier brown fat. Building brown fat increases metabolism which burns calories which reduces stored fat WHICH ironically is built by eating more fats or fatty acids (MUFAS and PUFAS). It comes full circle. 

Calorie restricting, then, will include keto type eating (I don't do strict keto, just saying, that hasn't worked for me for long term weight loss). I limit added and refined sugar, white foods (rice, potatoes, bread and pasta). My 1200 calorie diet is high fiber, high protein, lots of green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds (specifically seeds like in blueberries, raspberries and blackberries).  

And a Fat Free February is perfect for the cold weather. Being chilly causes the body to burn calories faster and increase metabolism and to stay warm. Stay tuned for more on how I lost 100 pounds!