After a previous post, a reader posted some questions to help her decide whether to go ahead and have gastric band surgery. I posted my answer as a 'comment' but I know some of you may not read the comments section - so here it is:
I'm pleased that you find the blog useful and helpful. I will try to answer each of your queries - but do remember that (a) this is only based on my experience - the experiences of others may vary, and (b) I'm not a doctor (well, not a medical one anyway!)!.
Loose skin: Yes, I have loose skin and it was one of my greatest fears before I got the band. However, it is much less of a problem than the health problems, humiliation and lack of fitness that go with being obese. I will need to have a tummy tuck and am considering other cosmetic surgery too. However, you are only 22 years old and your skin will be much more elastic than mine (I'm 45 years old). That means it is more likely to 'spring' back into position after you have lost weight. Therefore, you should have a very good chance of not getting excess skin after weight loss. You can do lots of exercise and muscle toning activities,and there are also lotions you can apply to help keep your skin taut. I'm not sure how much these are effectve. The main factors are how overweight you are, your age, and how rapidly you lose weight. You are young, you're not as heavy as I was when I started out, and people don't tend to lose weight too rapidly with the band (compared with a bypass, for example).
Diet: In theory, it shouldn't be necessary to 'diet' with the band. It is not about following a special diet; more about healthy eating, good nutrition and portion control. However, I find that my willpower is so weak that I need to count calories and keep a rigorous food diary to keep me on the straight and narrow most of the time. Most of my meals are healthy and portion-controlled. I also tend to have healthy snacks most of the time. However, I also slip up on a regular basis - yesterday, for example, I managed to fit in two bars of chocolate and a mince pie....!
Multivitamins: I take a daily multivitamin - just a common off-the-shelf variety from Tesco. I use a chewable one. I can swallow small tablets but prefer the chewable ones anyway - they are much like eating a sweet! As a bandit, you should find that after the initial liquids only phase, you can eat a fairly normal diet - albeit with much smaller portions. Therefore, it is not usually necesary to take any other supplements as it is if you have a bypass. I don't use any effervescent tablets but I could if I needed to - I am still a regular drinker of Diet Coke. As long as you pour it into a glass to allow the worst of the gas bubbles to escape, and drink it slowly and carefully, - I've never had any real problem.
Thank you for your kind words. I do hope that your surgery goes well. Do make sure that you get a good aftercare package that includes follow-up appointments, fills and an emergency number just in case you need it. I've never needed to use the emergency number given me - but it's a great comfort knowing that there are people available should anything go wrong. I've just read about a lady who had her op done in Belgium and her surgeon os only over in the UK once a month. She urgently needs a de-fill but has to wait a month for it - I, and some other bandits have advised her to get a de-fill from somewhere else and not wait. So - make sure you get a good aftercare package included with your surgery!!
All the best, Trees x
Showing posts with label Diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diet. Show all posts
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Diet pills?
Just watching Supersize versus Superskinny where they are looking at diet pills. Apparently there are more than 40 different types. In the UK, 50% of women have tried them! Some suppress your appetite while others make you feel full. They have a very wide range of ingredients. The lady in the programme tries some - she finds that one of them takes away her appetite when you try to eat. Another one actually turns your fat into poo! One lady explained how she seemed to spend several weeks on the loo - and how she had to be careful not to fart! There are lots of unlicensed pills available over the Internet. One of these is based on amphetamine - a fairly serious steroid! Madness! The downside of this drug is a fairly serious impact on bowel movements. It also leads to difficulty sleeping - you have to take them with caffeine, then take magnesium to counteract the drug to allow sleep.....
The presenter found that one day she only needed a banana, and the next day, just a cup of tea! Perhaps I should try some? Oh, hang on, they're just getting to the bit about diet pills causing heart attacks..... There is a particular problem with pills that are unlicensed and available over the Internet. Many over the counter pills are safe enough, but when they limit your food intake to one banana in a day, they will severely affect nutritional input and energy levels.
Oh well. I guess I'll have to stick to relying on my band!
The presenter found that one day she only needed a banana, and the next day, just a cup of tea! Perhaps I should try some? Oh, hang on, they're just getting to the bit about diet pills causing heart attacks..... There is a particular problem with pills that are unlicensed and available over the Internet. Many over the counter pills are safe enough, but when they limit your food intake to one banana in a day, they will severely affect nutritional input and energy levels.
Oh well. I guess I'll have to stick to relying on my band!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Time for re-commitment
Two weeks to go till my bandiversary! I'm struggling a bit the last couple of days to 'contain' my eating. I think it's partly because I have less structure to my time at the weekends and so am more tempted to graze and get bored. Also, it's because after my very stressful period at work, I haven't really got back into a regular exercise habit. I'm still working quite long hours which doesn't help, but I am determined to get back to the gym and swimming this week
A year ago I promised myself that for the first time in my life, I would make my health and diet and well-being my top priority in life - ahead of work! With my one year anniversary coming up soon it is timely to re-affirm this as a commitment in my life. At the end of the day, success with the band is largely down to exactly that - to what extent are we prepared to make it No. 1 priority? If it gets top spot then there's every chance of success.
A year ago I promised myself that for the first time in my life, I would make my health and diet and well-being my top priority in life - ahead of work! With my one year anniversary coming up soon it is timely to re-affirm this as a commitment in my life. At the end of the day, success with the band is largely down to exactly that - to what extent are we prepared to make it No. 1 priority? If it gets top spot then there's every chance of success.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Is dieting necessary?
A couple of days ago a reader posted a comment which posed some important questions. In my attempt to answer these I somehow almost deleted the original post and comment and couldn't get it back again - as a comment. However, I did have a copy on my clipboard (phew!). So, since there were some important questions in there anyway I've posted the original comment and my response below. I do hope this was OK by you Amy - thanks so much for your contribution:
Hi Theresa,
I am an avid reader of your blog - has been marked under favorites forever! I have only commented once, though....I love reading about your progress - you are a very approachable writer, if that makes any sense. Anyway, I am wondering if you could be your eloquent self and answer this question....I was banded on June 22 and had my first fill on August 12 - 7ml in a 10 ml band. Before the surgery, I asked my consultant, if he had to use percentages, what percentage of my weight loss struggle would be my own burden, and how much of the struggle would the band take care of? I hope that makes sense to you...he answered he thought the band would do about 75 percent of the work. My question to you is....since you have lost SO much in 9 months, how much of the work did you do, and how much was the band? Your loss has been amazing, and it is early days for me yet, but I am having to overtly and actively "diet" to lose....Your weight seems to have come off very steadily and consistently ...I just had to ask you to try and see your success formula. Again, how much effort was you, and how much the band? Thanks for trying to make sense of the question for me....Amy
Hi Amy,
Thanks for your kind comments and for being such an avid and loyal reader - it's nice to be reminded from time to time that there are actually people out there reading this labour of love! To your question:
My provider, Healthier Weight (Dr David Ashton), liken weight loss with the band to a three-legged stool - remove one of the legs and the stool falls over (ie the band 'fails'). The three 'legs' are (a) the band and the restriction it provides, (b) the calories that go in - what WE put in our mouths, and (c) the calories that go out - through exercise. Using this analogy the band does one third of the work and we have control over the other two thirds. David Ashton told me at my consultation that I would have to do 70% of the work and the band would do the other 30%. These percentages are regularly cited on the UKGastricBand forum.
I think I put in very little of the effort during the first two months post-op because I was swollen and bloated and dealing with healing rather than weight loss. Nevertheless I lost quite a bit of weight during that time. The next five months were the toughest for me because it took a long time to get restriction (many people get it early on but I was not lucky in this respect). I complained a lot that the band wasn't keeping up it's end of the bargain and doing its 30%. I felt I was having to do most of the work by sticking to the band rules, doing lots of exercise and being disciplined. Just as I began to run out of steam I started to get some restriction at last. The last couple of months have been a bit up and down because the band is definitely providing some restriction now, though I am clearly nowhere near as tight as some others, but holidays, celebrations and meals out have disrupted my flow somewhat.
However, through these various ups and downs, I think what has helped me achieve fairly consistent weight loss has been that I decided, right from the beginning, that I was going to change some critical eating habits. These include:
1. Always eat off a side plate and use small cutlery
2. Eat slowly, avoid distractions, chew chew chew!
3. Don't drink for at least one hour after eating
4. Don't put gravy, sauces, mayonnaise etc on anything - keep it all low fat and dry
5. Eat carbs, proteins and veg/fruit in approx equal proportions
6. Practice environmental control - remove from the house anything that isn't nutritious and healthy
7. Aim to walk 10,000 steps per day (don't go anywhere without a pedometer)
8. Keep a food diary - weigh everything, count calories, write it down
Some of this has been a right pain (!), but it's been worth it. It is said that if you do something (whatever it is) for six weeks it will become a habit. It's true. For example, I no longer have to even think about eating slowly it just comes naturally.
I understand that you, indeed I, don't want to diet now we have a band. But I think there is a transitional period between the op and reaching that ideal restriction. If this period is short then lucky you! If it's longer, as it has been for me, then there is a choice - either maintain weight (or even gain) until you get restriction, or use that time to get into good habits and 'do your best'. If like me you continue to lose weight during that time then that's fantastic - but it may mean semi-dieting to some extent.
Gosh I've rambled on (hardly eloquently either!) - I hope that goes some way to answering your question. If it doesn't or you want to ask other questions, PLEASE ask away! I wish you all the best. Just remember this is no quick fix, it's a long haul (I have to keep reminding myself of that), and a key success factor, in my opinion, is getting into good habits early, and putting these good habits into practice most of the time (probably about 80% of the time in my case - I'm no angel!).
Theresa x x
Hi Theresa,
I am an avid reader of your blog - has been marked under favorites forever! I have only commented once, though....I love reading about your progress - you are a very approachable writer, if that makes any sense. Anyway, I am wondering if you could be your eloquent self and answer this question....I was banded on June 22 and had my first fill on August 12 - 7ml in a 10 ml band. Before the surgery, I asked my consultant, if he had to use percentages, what percentage of my weight loss struggle would be my own burden, and how much of the struggle would the band take care of? I hope that makes sense to you...he answered he thought the band would do about 75 percent of the work. My question to you is....since you have lost SO much in 9 months, how much of the work did you do, and how much was the band? Your loss has been amazing, and it is early days for me yet, but I am having to overtly and actively "diet" to lose....Your weight seems to have come off very steadily and consistently ...I just had to ask you to try and see your success formula. Again, how much effort was you, and how much the band? Thanks for trying to make sense of the question for me....Amy
Hi Amy,
Thanks for your kind comments and for being such an avid and loyal reader - it's nice to be reminded from time to time that there are actually people out there reading this labour of love! To your question:
My provider, Healthier Weight (Dr David Ashton), liken weight loss with the band to a three-legged stool - remove one of the legs and the stool falls over (ie the band 'fails'). The three 'legs' are (a) the band and the restriction it provides, (b) the calories that go in - what WE put in our mouths, and (c) the calories that go out - through exercise. Using this analogy the band does one third of the work and we have control over the other two thirds. David Ashton told me at my consultation that I would have to do 70% of the work and the band would do the other 30%. These percentages are regularly cited on the UKGastricBand forum.
I think I put in very little of the effort during the first two months post-op because I was swollen and bloated and dealing with healing rather than weight loss. Nevertheless I lost quite a bit of weight during that time. The next five months were the toughest for me because it took a long time to get restriction (many people get it early on but I was not lucky in this respect). I complained a lot that the band wasn't keeping up it's end of the bargain and doing its 30%. I felt I was having to do most of the work by sticking to the band rules, doing lots of exercise and being disciplined. Just as I began to run out of steam I started to get some restriction at last. The last couple of months have been a bit up and down because the band is definitely providing some restriction now, though I am clearly nowhere near as tight as some others, but holidays, celebrations and meals out have disrupted my flow somewhat.
However, through these various ups and downs, I think what has helped me achieve fairly consistent weight loss has been that I decided, right from the beginning, that I was going to change some critical eating habits. These include:
1. Always eat off a side plate and use small cutlery
2. Eat slowly, avoid distractions, chew chew chew!
3. Don't drink for at least one hour after eating
4. Don't put gravy, sauces, mayonnaise etc on anything - keep it all low fat and dry
5. Eat carbs, proteins and veg/fruit in approx equal proportions
6. Practice environmental control - remove from the house anything that isn't nutritious and healthy
7. Aim to walk 10,000 steps per day (don't go anywhere without a pedometer)
8. Keep a food diary - weigh everything, count calories, write it down
Some of this has been a right pain (!), but it's been worth it. It is said that if you do something (whatever it is) for six weeks it will become a habit. It's true. For example, I no longer have to even think about eating slowly it just comes naturally.
I understand that you, indeed I, don't want to diet now we have a band. But I think there is a transitional period between the op and reaching that ideal restriction. If this period is short then lucky you! If it's longer, as it has been for me, then there is a choice - either maintain weight (or even gain) until you get restriction, or use that time to get into good habits and 'do your best'. If like me you continue to lose weight during that time then that's fantastic - but it may mean semi-dieting to some extent.
Gosh I've rambled on (hardly eloquently either!) - I hope that goes some way to answering your question. If it doesn't or you want to ask other questions, PLEASE ask away! I wish you all the best. Just remember this is no quick fix, it's a long haul (I have to keep reminding myself of that), and a key success factor, in my opinion, is getting into good habits early, and putting these good habits into practice most of the time (probably about 80% of the time in my case - I'm no angel!).
Theresa x x
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The world's best diet
Last night I watched the second and final part of a documentary about 'The World's Best Diet'. It featured five celebrities, each of whom were challenged to try a diet from another country for about six weeks. One went Japanese, including lots of sushi (raw fish) and vegetables. Apparently, only 3% of Japanese are obese, compared with 24% of Brits! They also eat three times more fish than us and eat loads of soy beans. Someone else (Darren Gough - the cricketer) went Italian - and enjoyed a Mediterranean diet rich in vegetables, fruit, oily fish and lean meat. The Los Angeles diet that Carol did was basically a very low arbohydate diet, combined with lots of exercise. Another went for a traditional (e.g. post-war) British diet - with meals typically consisting of meat, potatoes and two veg. The final person, Cheryl, went Indian- and ate various types of curry for six weeks. While she experienced a lot of wind (!) during the first few days - this calmed down after her sttomach had got used to it.So, after sticking to their particular diet for six weeks, did the five celebrities lose any weight? Well yes, actually, some of them quite a bit:
Indian diet - 2 pounds.
British diet- 4 pounds (it might have been more but this guy cheated and ate snacks when he wasn't supposed to!). Most of the weight he lost was mostly down to reducing portion sizes.
Japanese diet - 9 pounds.
Mediterranean diet - 16 pounds (Darren also lost 2 inches off his waist). Darren's cholesterol levels went down by a significant amount - it just goes to show how much difference a few weeks of healthy eating can make. Darren commented that the Italian food he ate was easy to cook and also very tasty.
Los Angeles diet - 19 pounds (Carol lost 6 inches off her waist). However, despite the huge weight loss and loss of volume from her waist, Carol's cholestorol levels went UP! This is a consequence of the increased consumption of protein (especially through meat). Remember, this was the very low carbohydrate diet which is deemed unsustainable in the long term. Carol experienced severe fatigue during her diet and got very moody and irritiable - a fact verified by her family!
So, at the end of the programme, the 'moment of truth' arrived - and they revealed the Mediterranean diet to be the best. Click on the title link for more information about the Mediterranean diet.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Ten things about weight loss: Part 3
Here's the next installment in the ten things you never knew about weight loss.....
4. Don't blame your metabolism
This part of the programme focussed on a lady who is overweight, but who seemed unable to lose weight. She explained that she ate a very healthy diet and has an active lifestyle. Despite watching what she eats and claiming not to eat very much, the lady remains overweight and never loses anything. Her explanation for this is that she has a slow metabolism.
I have discussed metabolism on earlier posts following a presentation that I sat through at the Healthier Weight support group. Basal metabolism is basically the number of calories a person needs to maintain their current weight - assuming a completely sedentary lifestyle. In other words, the number of calories (energy) needed to support the body's vital functions (e.g. breathing, heart-beating, digestion etc). The reality is, that heavier people need more energy to maintain their bodily functions, and therefore, obese people are likely to have a higher metabolic rate than thin people - completely contrary to the oft-claimed myth.
So, back to the lady in the programme. She had her metabolic rate accurately measured in the laboratory and it was found to be absolutely normal for a lady of her age and height! I think she was a little embarrassed and perhaps realised that her long believed claim was actually an excuse for not dealing with her weight probem more seriously. However, knowing that her metabolic rate was normal did not solve the problem - she still had to get to the bottom of why she was not losing weight. Michael asked her to keep a detailed food diary over a nine-day period. In the first four days she had to make a video diary at the end of the day. For the last five days she had to keep a written diary - and write things down at the time that she ate them. She was also asked to drink an isotonic drink each day and provide a urine sample. What she wasn't told was that the medical team were testing her urine on a daily basis and were able to tell exactly how many calories she had consumed!!! Talk about Big Brother! For the record, she should have been consuming about 2000 calories a day to maintain her current weight.
At the end of nine days all of this information was assessed. According to her video diary she was consuming about 1100 calories a day. According to her written diary she was consuming about 1400 calories a day. However, what was rather shocking is that the urine analyses demonstrated that she was actually consuming about 3000 calories a day!!!!
The experiment showed that when she recorded her food intake at the end of the day on the video diary, she 'forgot' 60% of her intake. This reduces to 45% when she writes it down as she eats it. This is good evidence that all of us are likely to genuinely forget things that we have eaten if we leave it until the end of the day to record it. How can we forget so much stuff? Well, Michael suggested that a big part of it is forgetting about sauces, dressings and snacks. It may also be that we delude ourselves that we are eating smaller portions than we actually are. I know I am guilty of this unless I religiously weigh everything. Breakfast cereal in particular, is so easy to under-estimate. I also know that my eyes are bigger than my stomach a lot of the time. For example, if I don't weigh my breakfast cereal I am much more inclined to put a huge portion in my bowl - and eat it. Whereas if I weigh it, I have a much smaller portion and yet still feel full when I have eaten it!!
So, the lesson here, is that if I am going through a period when I am not losing weight, rather than blaming it on spurious arguments about metabolism, get serious about accurately assessing what my intake is and deal with it. There is also a lesson to record intake as I eat - not leave it till the end of the day when I will be relying on my memory. And then the lesson that we probably all know already - unless we accurately count calories, we will almost certainly under-estimate intake.
4. Don't blame your metabolism
This part of the programme focussed on a lady who is overweight, but who seemed unable to lose weight. She explained that she ate a very healthy diet and has an active lifestyle. Despite watching what she eats and claiming not to eat very much, the lady remains overweight and never loses anything. Her explanation for this is that she has a slow metabolism.
I have discussed metabolism on earlier posts following a presentation that I sat through at the Healthier Weight support group. Basal metabolism is basically the number of calories a person needs to maintain their current weight - assuming a completely sedentary lifestyle. In other words, the number of calories (energy) needed to support the body's vital functions (e.g. breathing, heart-beating, digestion etc). The reality is, that heavier people need more energy to maintain their bodily functions, and therefore, obese people are likely to have a higher metabolic rate than thin people - completely contrary to the oft-claimed myth.
So, back to the lady in the programme. She had her metabolic rate accurately measured in the laboratory and it was found to be absolutely normal for a lady of her age and height! I think she was a little embarrassed and perhaps realised that her long believed claim was actually an excuse for not dealing with her weight probem more seriously. However, knowing that her metabolic rate was normal did not solve the problem - she still had to get to the bottom of why she was not losing weight. Michael asked her to keep a detailed food diary over a nine-day period. In the first four days she had to make a video diary at the end of the day. For the last five days she had to keep a written diary - and write things down at the time that she ate them. She was also asked to drink an isotonic drink each day and provide a urine sample. What she wasn't told was that the medical team were testing her urine on a daily basis and were able to tell exactly how many calories she had consumed!!! Talk about Big Brother! For the record, she should have been consuming about 2000 calories a day to maintain her current weight.
At the end of nine days all of this information was assessed. According to her video diary she was consuming about 1100 calories a day. According to her written diary she was consuming about 1400 calories a day. However, what was rather shocking is that the urine analyses demonstrated that she was actually consuming about 3000 calories a day!!!!
The experiment showed that when she recorded her food intake at the end of the day on the video diary, she 'forgot' 60% of her intake. This reduces to 45% when she writes it down as she eats it. This is good evidence that all of us are likely to genuinely forget things that we have eaten if we leave it until the end of the day to record it. How can we forget so much stuff? Well, Michael suggested that a big part of it is forgetting about sauces, dressings and snacks. It may also be that we delude ourselves that we are eating smaller portions than we actually are. I know I am guilty of this unless I religiously weigh everything. Breakfast cereal in particular, is so easy to under-estimate. I also know that my eyes are bigger than my stomach a lot of the time. For example, if I don't weigh my breakfast cereal I am much more inclined to put a huge portion in my bowl - and eat it. Whereas if I weigh it, I have a much smaller portion and yet still feel full when I have eaten it!!
So, the lesson here, is that if I am going through a period when I am not losing weight, rather than blaming it on spurious arguments about metabolism, get serious about accurately assessing what my intake is and deal with it. There is also a lesson to record intake as I eat - not leave it till the end of the day when I will be relying on my memory. And then the lesson that we probably all know already - unless we accurately count calories, we will almost certainly under-estimate intake.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Ten things about weight loss: Part 2
Here are the next couple of gems from the programme (see yesterday's post):
2. Use smaller plates
Michael is about five pounds overweight (lucky man!!). He aims to lose this over the next few months and more importantly, to keep it off. He is looking for a 'diet' that works, or some principles by which he can improve his diet in general. The first tip he discovers is that we should eat off smaller plates. He cites the example of an experiment whereby a group of cinema-goers were each given a tub of popcorn. One group were given a large tub and the other group a small tub. The group that were given the small tub generally did not eat all of the popcorn. The group who were given the large tub also left some of theirs - but of course they had much more to start with - so they ate a great deal more. The moral of this tale is that if more food is available - we will eat it - even if we are not hungry!! A simple solution for meals then, is to use a smaller plate. Michael suggests that if we simply reduce our plate size from 12 inches down to 10 inches, we will typically consume 22% less food.
I wonder how much less food I eat because I switched from 12 inch plates down to 7 inch side plates!! I was so determined to get this rule right, right from the beginning, that even before I started the pre-op diet I went out and bought myself four really nice, quite expensive side pates. I thought I would get plates that were distinctive and 'special' - so I don't feel like I am getting a second class meal - but dining like a king off my 'special' plates!! I don't know how the psychology works, but it does!!
There's a saying about work - that work fills the time and space made available for it. In other words, if we work for twelve hours a day, you can bet we will find enough work to do - just as if we worked eight hours a day. I think it's pretty much the same with food - your stomach generally accommodates whatever it is filled with - regardless of whether it actually needs it. This is one of the bad habits that us bandits have to wean ourselves off. But I do find it hard sometimes, just forcing myself to stop and think about whether I am actually hungry, or whether it's just the old 'head hunger' in action!
3. Count your calories
It sounds fairly obvious but the next lesson is to count calories. The downside of not doing this was shown very clearly in the programme when Michael was asked to guess the calorie content of six different foods. The food items were:
A large bowl of fruit salad
Some chocolate
A medium size pork pie
A chicken dinner with potatoes and cabbage
A muffin
A sandwich (it was not clear what kind of filling was used)
He struggled to guess their respective calorie contents and then discovered that they were, in fact, all exactly the same - at 300 calories!!
There are three important lessons here:
a) Even when we think we know how many calories something contains, we are often wrong. The only sure way to be accurate is to use a reliable calorie counting book and weigh food (or rely on what it says on packaging in the case of prepared foods).
b) The volume of food is no guide to its calorie content. Who would have thought that a decent sized chicken dinner would have the same calories as a measly pork pie?!
c) Apparently healthy foods still contain calories (sometimes a lot) - and if you eat large portions of them (like the large bowl of fruit salad) you will be ratcheting up your daily calorie count - just as if you were 'naughty' and ate a muffin!
Michael suggests that we therefore put a great deal more thought into what we eat. It's relatively easy to exchange high calorie foods for comparable voumes of low calorie foods - thus keeping us feeling full but for many less calories. I know about this because a few years ago I went on a low fat (of my own design). I lost four stones. Obviously, I put it all back on again (!), but in terms of the diet itself it was 'successful'. I say this because I was never hungry. Why? Because I made quite large meals but packed them out with low calorie 'bulking' foods. For instance, I would make myself a veggie stir fry and add loads of chunks of marrow and mushrooms - which are both very low in calories. So I was eating quite large portions which were filling me up, but with only a fraction of the calorie content of a much richer, high fat meal.
Michael suggested some examples of where calories could be 'saved' in a relatively easy way: Having a piece of toast for breakfast instead of a pastry; a chicken dinner without any sauces or dressings; a thin based veggie pizza instead of a thick based pepperoni; and sugar-free versions of drinks instead of sugar-laden drinks (like smoothies).
2. Use smaller plates
Michael is about five pounds overweight (lucky man!!). He aims to lose this over the next few months and more importantly, to keep it off. He is looking for a 'diet' that works, or some principles by which he can improve his diet in general. The first tip he discovers is that we should eat off smaller plates. He cites the example of an experiment whereby a group of cinema-goers were each given a tub of popcorn. One group were given a large tub and the other group a small tub. The group that were given the small tub generally did not eat all of the popcorn. The group who were given the large tub also left some of theirs - but of course they had much more to start with - so they ate a great deal more. The moral of this tale is that if more food is available - we will eat it - even if we are not hungry!! A simple solution for meals then, is to use a smaller plate. Michael suggests that if we simply reduce our plate size from 12 inches down to 10 inches, we will typically consume 22% less food.
I wonder how much less food I eat because I switched from 12 inch plates down to 7 inch side plates!! I was so determined to get this rule right, right from the beginning, that even before I started the pre-op diet I went out and bought myself four really nice, quite expensive side pates. I thought I would get plates that were distinctive and 'special' - so I don't feel like I am getting a second class meal - but dining like a king off my 'special' plates!! I don't know how the psychology works, but it does!!
There's a saying about work - that work fills the time and space made available for it. In other words, if we work for twelve hours a day, you can bet we will find enough work to do - just as if we worked eight hours a day. I think it's pretty much the same with food - your stomach generally accommodates whatever it is filled with - regardless of whether it actually needs it. This is one of the bad habits that us bandits have to wean ourselves off. But I do find it hard sometimes, just forcing myself to stop and think about whether I am actually hungry, or whether it's just the old 'head hunger' in action!
3. Count your calories
It sounds fairly obvious but the next lesson is to count calories. The downside of not doing this was shown very clearly in the programme when Michael was asked to guess the calorie content of six different foods. The food items were:
A large bowl of fruit salad
Some chocolate
A medium size pork pie
A chicken dinner with potatoes and cabbage
A muffin
A sandwich (it was not clear what kind of filling was used)
He struggled to guess their respective calorie contents and then discovered that they were, in fact, all exactly the same - at 300 calories!!
There are three important lessons here:
a) Even when we think we know how many calories something contains, we are often wrong. The only sure way to be accurate is to use a reliable calorie counting book and weigh food (or rely on what it says on packaging in the case of prepared foods).
b) The volume of food is no guide to its calorie content. Who would have thought that a decent sized chicken dinner would have the same calories as a measly pork pie?!
c) Apparently healthy foods still contain calories (sometimes a lot) - and if you eat large portions of them (like the large bowl of fruit salad) you will be ratcheting up your daily calorie count - just as if you were 'naughty' and ate a muffin!
Michael suggests that we therefore put a great deal more thought into what we eat. It's relatively easy to exchange high calorie foods for comparable voumes of low calorie foods - thus keeping us feeling full but for many less calories. I know about this because a few years ago I went on a low fat (of my own design). I lost four stones. Obviously, I put it all back on again (!), but in terms of the diet itself it was 'successful'. I say this because I was never hungry. Why? Because I made quite large meals but packed them out with low calorie 'bulking' foods. For instance, I would make myself a veggie stir fry and add loads of chunks of marrow and mushrooms - which are both very low in calories. So I was eating quite large portions which were filling me up, but with only a fraction of the calorie content of a much richer, high fat meal.
Michael suggested some examples of where calories could be 'saved' in a relatively easy way: Having a piece of toast for breakfast instead of a pastry; a chicken dinner without any sauces or dressings; a thin based veggie pizza instead of a thick based pepperoni; and sugar-free versions of drinks instead of sugar-laden drinks (like smoothies).
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Ten things about weight loss: Part 1
There was a documentary on channel Four last week, I think it was called "Ten things you never knew about weight loss". Over the next few days I will post some comment on those 'ten things' and relate the advice to my own experience.
The programme focusses on Dr Michael, a middle aged GP and TV presenter. The programme begns when Michael finds out that he has a significant amount of visceral fat - much more than he thought. He is actually quite a slim looking man so he is surprised to discover his health is endangered. Visceral fat is internal fat located around the liver and kidneys. This fat does not accumulate in a way that is visual, initially, but can eventually lead to the development of a pot belly. Men tend to develop a higher proportion of visceral fat than women. It is dangerous because it is linked (in fact there is a direct correlation) to the onset of type 2 diabates. Visceral fat also releases a chemical that contributes to both heart disease and cancer. It also affects the ability of the liver to process fat. The good news is, that visceral fat is the first fat to go when you lose weight.
As a result of finding his visceral fat levels are a little on the high side, Michael sets out to discover some truths about weight loss - and to distinguish them from myths. His aim is to apply some of those truths to his own lifestyle and to lose five pounds over the next few months - AND keep it off. He discovers ten key lessons about weight loss:
1.Don't skip meals
An experiment is conducted whereby on day 1, Michael eats a normal breakfast, and on day 2, he skips breakfast. Each day he has an MRI scan to find out how his brain activity is affected by (a) eating breakfast - i.e. where his stomach is full, and (b) skipping breakfast - i.e. where his stomach is empty and he is experiencing hunger. What is discovered is really interesting. The MRI scans show that when he is full (after a normal breakfast), there is very little brain activity when he is shown a plate of low calorie salad-type food, OR when shown a plate of high calorie, sugary, fatty food. However, on the day when he skips breakfast, while his brain activity does not respond to seeing a plate of low calorie food, it shows considerable activity when shown the high calorie food. What this experiment demonstrates is that when we are hungry our brains drive us to eat high calorie food - this powerful urge is nature's way of compensating for a lack of food in the stomach. The lesson here is simply to avoid getting hungy in the first place - and a key solution is to never skip breakfast!
I used to skip breakfast all the time until a few years ago when I heard something along the lines of the above. When I skipped breakfast I used to get really hungry about mid-morning and I simply solved that problem by heading off to the vending machine. I'd have crisps and chocolate at about 10.30pm, and then went for lunch with colleagues at about 12pm!! Nowadays, I always eat breakfast and keep going till lunch without too much trouble. I don't eat a large breakfast though and still think I need to eat more in the morning though - remember the old adage "breakfast like a King, lunch like a Lord and dine like a pauper"? There's probably quite a lot of truth in that!
More tomorrow......
The programme focusses on Dr Michael, a middle aged GP and TV presenter. The programme begns when Michael finds out that he has a significant amount of visceral fat - much more than he thought. He is actually quite a slim looking man so he is surprised to discover his health is endangered. Visceral fat is internal fat located around the liver and kidneys. This fat does not accumulate in a way that is visual, initially, but can eventually lead to the development of a pot belly. Men tend to develop a higher proportion of visceral fat than women. It is dangerous because it is linked (in fact there is a direct correlation) to the onset of type 2 diabates. Visceral fat also releases a chemical that contributes to both heart disease and cancer. It also affects the ability of the liver to process fat. The good news is, that visceral fat is the first fat to go when you lose weight.
As a result of finding his visceral fat levels are a little on the high side, Michael sets out to discover some truths about weight loss - and to distinguish them from myths. His aim is to apply some of those truths to his own lifestyle and to lose five pounds over the next few months - AND keep it off. He discovers ten key lessons about weight loss:
1.Don't skip meals
An experiment is conducted whereby on day 1, Michael eats a normal breakfast, and on day 2, he skips breakfast. Each day he has an MRI scan to find out how his brain activity is affected by (a) eating breakfast - i.e. where his stomach is full, and (b) skipping breakfast - i.e. where his stomach is empty and he is experiencing hunger. What is discovered is really interesting. The MRI scans show that when he is full (after a normal breakfast), there is very little brain activity when he is shown a plate of low calorie salad-type food, OR when shown a plate of high calorie, sugary, fatty food. However, on the day when he skips breakfast, while his brain activity does not respond to seeing a plate of low calorie food, it shows considerable activity when shown the high calorie food. What this experiment demonstrates is that when we are hungry our brains drive us to eat high calorie food - this powerful urge is nature's way of compensating for a lack of food in the stomach. The lesson here is simply to avoid getting hungy in the first place - and a key solution is to never skip breakfast!
I used to skip breakfast all the time until a few years ago when I heard something along the lines of the above. When I skipped breakfast I used to get really hungry about mid-morning and I simply solved that problem by heading off to the vending machine. I'd have crisps and chocolate at about 10.30pm, and then went for lunch with colleagues at about 12pm!! Nowadays, I always eat breakfast and keep going till lunch without too much trouble. I don't eat a large breakfast though and still think I need to eat more in the morning though - remember the old adage "breakfast like a King, lunch like a Lord and dine like a pauper"? There's probably quite a lot of truth in that!
More tomorrow......
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Jane knows....
I told you I would let you know what happened with Jane - well, she now knows. Early afternoon today we went for a coffee to the cafe-bar across the road from where we work and sat in a quiet corner for a general chit-chat. In fact we both got cold drinks because it was a warm day. By the time I had finished my first orange juice with lemonade I still hadn't got the conversation going in the right direction. I wasn't about to give up on this though so I suggested seconds. As our drinks arrived I mulled over the volume of the glass and Jane asked why? "Well, I need to know how much of this I am drinking so I can count my calories", I responded. What a stroke of genius I though to myself, as I realised I had inadvertently got the conversation around to talking about diet, and weight, and.....!!
Well, as expected, Jane did ask about my 'diet'. I said that it wasn't actually a 'diet' as such, but that I was getting some help..... "You haven't got a gastric band, have you?" she blurted out, and "did you hear about that lady who died last week during surgery for a gastric band?". Well no, I hadn't heard, but I explained that most people who die during this sort of surgery are probably people who have other complicating medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes etc - and simply don't survive the anaesthetic. Anyway, after swearing her to secrecy, I confirmed that her intuition had been correct, and that yes, I had a gastric band.
She didn't seem that interested in the details, gory and otherwise, though I was anxious to explain that I had done most of the work up till now, and that only recently has the wretched thing offered me any assistance! However, she was generous in her praise, saying "well done you" repeatedly. A few more things were said about clothes and dress sizes and then we moved off the topic onto other work-related things. [As an aside, why do we call them dress sizes - I haven't worn a dress since I was about ten!].
So that, was that. We finished our drinks and headed back to work. It remains to be seen whether Jane (a) tells anyone else, (b) nags me about what I am or am not eating (I don't think she will actually), (c) ever mentions it again..........
Well, as expected, Jane did ask about my 'diet'. I said that it wasn't actually a 'diet' as such, but that I was getting some help..... "You haven't got a gastric band, have you?" she blurted out, and "did you hear about that lady who died last week during surgery for a gastric band?". Well no, I hadn't heard, but I explained that most people who die during this sort of surgery are probably people who have other complicating medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes etc - and simply don't survive the anaesthetic. Anyway, after swearing her to secrecy, I confirmed that her intuition had been correct, and that yes, I had a gastric band.
She didn't seem that interested in the details, gory and otherwise, though I was anxious to explain that I had done most of the work up till now, and that only recently has the wretched thing offered me any assistance! However, she was generous in her praise, saying "well done you" repeatedly. A few more things were said about clothes and dress sizes and then we moved off the topic onto other work-related things. [As an aside, why do we call them dress sizes - I haven't worn a dress since I was about ten!].
So that, was that. We finished our drinks and headed back to work. It remains to be seen whether Jane (a) tells anyone else, (b) nags me about what I am or am not eating (I don't think she will actually), (c) ever mentions it again..........
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The 5 Day Pouch Test
I came across this web site today http://www.5daypouchtest.com/index.html which describes the 5 Day Pouch Test - a 5-day diet plan to help us bandits get back in touch with our pouches. It's American, so there's quite a bit of emphasis on proteins, but it seems like an interesting way of doing things - and all with good, sound advice and encouragement. The plan is designed for bandits who are struggling to deal with hunger, too much carbohydrate and unsure of restriction. The first two days of the plan focus on liquids only (especially protein drinks). The third day is soft proteins (e.g. scrambled egg), the fourth day is firm proteins and the final day is solid proteins. There are a few rules, like you can eat as often as you like, but not for more than 15 minutes at a time - and of course you cannot drink with meals. The web site is accompanied by a range of recipes for each of the days.
Mmm, interesting. I'm not sure I am ready to try this just yet, but some of the general principles are really helpful, and it's always useful to be reminded of what this whole thing is about.
Mmm, interesting. I'm not sure I am ready to try this just yet, but some of the general principles are really helpful, and it's always useful to be reminded of what this whole thing is about.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Salt cravings
For some time now, I have had a mild craving for salt. I add quite a lot of Lo Sodium Salt to my meals - much more than I used to. I thought it was simply because I am eating less processed foods and less food generally - so assumed I just needed more salt than I was getting. Indeed, this may be the case. However, looking on the Internet it seems that there a whole host of causes for salt cravings, including adrenal and thyroid gland problems, menstruation, stress and lack of calcium (click on the link above)! The only one of the possibilities that I think could apply to me is lack of calcium: "Some studies have shown that people who are deficient in calcium crave salt more frequently than those who are not." I have been taking a calcium supplement each day (well most days - I sometimes forget) because I am conscious of the fact that I don't eat much dairy produce. I just have a little (100ml) soya milk on my cereal in the morning and eat a low fat yoghurt in the evening. Given that a lack of calcium now seems to be a definite possibility, I will have to see if I can boost the calcium content of my food intake.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
First meal out
My other half and I went out for a meal with a large group (16) of friends last night. It was the first time I have eaten anywhere except at home since Christmas, and the first time since being banded that I've eaten in a restaurant. It was fortunate for me that we all opted for a two-course meal deal, otherwise I was going to start panicking about feeling 'obliged' to eat a third course! My other worry was that I had no idea what was going to be on the menu - but as it turned out there was quite a bit of variety.
In the end I decided to play safe with the starter and went for a spicy tomato soup. This, of course, is a 'slider' food so I knew it wouldn't fill me up too much and I could eat it at about the same pace as other people. I opted for baked cod on a bed of minted pea for the main course. Vegetables and baby potatoes came separately on large plates for the whole table. That was a good thing because it meant I could be very sparing about how much veg and potatoes I put on my plate. I selected one small potato, a piece of cauliflower, three mange tout and a spoonful of red cabbage.
The meal was absolutely delicious although it took me ages to eat. Everyone else on the table finished before I was even half way through, and I really was trying to eat as fast as I could! I lipread a discussion between two ladies who were saying that I was taking a long time to finish my meal because the 'loin of cod' had been really large. In fact, it wasn't a particularly large piece of fish at all, but little did they know! Then someone at the other end of the table called the waiter over and asked him to start clearing the plates away, but the waiter pointed over in my direction indicating that someone was still eating! Then the guy next to me began asking questions about the food on my plate and said that I seemed to be a very fastidious eater! I think I partly sparked this because I'd earlier told him that I am very fussy about my tea (I drink it extremely weak, black and sugarless) - but I am definitely not a fussy eater - he mistook slowness for fastidiousness!
I have to confess that I found the slow-eating thing quite embarrassing, particularly since it seemed to spark these three seperate incidents! It meant that towards the end of my meal I really was rushing it down and not enjoying it as much as I might otherwise have done. I guess the lesson to draw from this is that next time, I should just go out for a meal with my husband or a couple of family members who know about the band. Eating out in a big group like this I felt that all eyes were on me as I sat chewing everything to death. Having said that, the food itself was lovely and I really enjoyed it. My only real disappointment of the evening was that I didn't feel really full at the end of it. The meal was not large by any standards but was probably 50% bigger than my normal 7-inch plate size. This suggests that I still don't have enough restriction from my band and will need another fill sometime soon. I am thinking in terms of something like 0.2ml so that I don't get into the indigestion and slime problems I had last time.
I have a few more eating challenges coming up in the next few weeks. In a couple of weeks time I am going away for the weekend with some professional colleagues and will be staying in a hotel. I guess we will be eating together in the evenings so I'll have to go through the 'everyone's looking at me 'cause I'm eating slow' thing again. A few weeks after that I am going away with two male colleagues for a whole week in Scotland and staying at an activity centre. We have stayed there several times before and the food is pretty awful - very fatty and unhealthy, with battered vegetables and burgers frequenting the menu! Fortunately the place has separate cooking facilities available to guests which I may decide to use rather than filling my face with bad stuff.
My immediate challange is to get over the fact that I seem to be constantly hungry at the moment and am really struggling to keep to my 1000 calorie a day limit. It's particularly a problem during the mornings, something which is quite new to me as in the past I have always got hungry in late afternoon and evening. I'll keep you posted.
In the end I decided to play safe with the starter and went for a spicy tomato soup. This, of course, is a 'slider' food so I knew it wouldn't fill me up too much and I could eat it at about the same pace as other people. I opted for baked cod on a bed of minted pea for the main course. Vegetables and baby potatoes came separately on large plates for the whole table. That was a good thing because it meant I could be very sparing about how much veg and potatoes I put on my plate. I selected one small potato, a piece of cauliflower, three mange tout and a spoonful of red cabbage.
The meal was absolutely delicious although it took me ages to eat. Everyone else on the table finished before I was even half way through, and I really was trying to eat as fast as I could! I lipread a discussion between two ladies who were saying that I was taking a long time to finish my meal because the 'loin of cod' had been really large. In fact, it wasn't a particularly large piece of fish at all, but little did they know! Then someone at the other end of the table called the waiter over and asked him to start clearing the plates away, but the waiter pointed over in my direction indicating that someone was still eating! Then the guy next to me began asking questions about the food on my plate and said that I seemed to be a very fastidious eater! I think I partly sparked this because I'd earlier told him that I am very fussy about my tea (I drink it extremely weak, black and sugarless) - but I am definitely not a fussy eater - he mistook slowness for fastidiousness!
I have to confess that I found the slow-eating thing quite embarrassing, particularly since it seemed to spark these three seperate incidents! It meant that towards the end of my meal I really was rushing it down and not enjoying it as much as I might otherwise have done. I guess the lesson to draw from this is that next time, I should just go out for a meal with my husband or a couple of family members who know about the band. Eating out in a big group like this I felt that all eyes were on me as I sat chewing everything to death. Having said that, the food itself was lovely and I really enjoyed it. My only real disappointment of the evening was that I didn't feel really full at the end of it. The meal was not large by any standards but was probably 50% bigger than my normal 7-inch plate size. This suggests that I still don't have enough restriction from my band and will need another fill sometime soon. I am thinking in terms of something like 0.2ml so that I don't get into the indigestion and slime problems I had last time.
I have a few more eating challenges coming up in the next few weeks. In a couple of weeks time I am going away for the weekend with some professional colleagues and will be staying in a hotel. I guess we will be eating together in the evenings so I'll have to go through the 'everyone's looking at me 'cause I'm eating slow' thing again. A few weeks after that I am going away with two male colleagues for a whole week in Scotland and staying at an activity centre. We have stayed there several times before and the food is pretty awful - very fatty and unhealthy, with battered vegetables and burgers frequenting the menu! Fortunately the place has separate cooking facilities available to guests which I may decide to use rather than filling my face with bad stuff.
My immediate challange is to get over the fact that I seem to be constantly hungry at the moment and am really struggling to keep to my 1000 calorie a day limit. It's particularly a problem during the mornings, something which is quite new to me as in the past I have always got hungry in late afternoon and evening. I'll keep you posted.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Hair falling out
Don't panic, I'm not going bald... but I have noticed an increasing amount of hair in the bath after I have taken a shower in the morning. At first, I thought I must just be imagining things, so I decided to just keep an eye on it for a while. But a couple of weeks on, now I am sure. I did a Google search and found quite a lot of stuff about hair loss in relation to dieting and weight loss. However, there was mixed information. In general, the web sites I looked at suggested that the hair loss is a temporary effect of weight loss, and in some cases, relates to a deficiency of certain minerals. Most commonly, lack of vitamin B, B12 and zinc were cited. Other sites said a lack of water was to blame and others said hair loss was common on low fat diets.
Anxious to get some more definite information, I telephoned my dietician when I got home from work today. He said that some hair loss occurs in about 40% of gastric band patients and is only a short term phenomenon. He assured me that I won't go bald (which was a relief)!! He said it commonly occurs about three months or so into the weight loss process - which is about where I am at now. He also said that it can sometimes indicate a slight lack of vitamin B and folic acids. Now, both these are included in the daily multivitamin that I have. However, he said that if I was worried about it I could get a vitamin B supplement as well. I don't think I will bother with an extra supplement, but I will make extra sure that I take my daily vitamins - I do sometimes forget.
While reading about hair loss on the web, I also came across quite a bit of information about other side effects of weight loss - including dry and flaky skin - something I am definitely suffering from. I apply E45 cream all over every morning and have started to use Bio Oil on the stretch marks on my tummy and under my chin (which is starting to get wrinkly - awful!).
So, the only problem I have now is to try and find the 'sucker' thing for the bath so I can get the water flowing down the plug hole a bit better than it has been doing! I do have very thick hair anyway, so losing a bit of it seems to clogging up the outflow in the bath...
Anxious to get some more definite information, I telephoned my dietician when I got home from work today. He said that some hair loss occurs in about 40% of gastric band patients and is only a short term phenomenon. He assured me that I won't go bald (which was a relief)!! He said it commonly occurs about three months or so into the weight loss process - which is about where I am at now. He also said that it can sometimes indicate a slight lack of vitamin B and folic acids. Now, both these are included in the daily multivitamin that I have. However, he said that if I was worried about it I could get a vitamin B supplement as well. I don't think I will bother with an extra supplement, but I will make extra sure that I take my daily vitamins - I do sometimes forget.
While reading about hair loss on the web, I also came across quite a bit of information about other side effects of weight loss - including dry and flaky skin - something I am definitely suffering from. I apply E45 cream all over every morning and have started to use Bio Oil on the stretch marks on my tummy and under my chin (which is starting to get wrinkly - awful!).
So, the only problem I have now is to try and find the 'sucker' thing for the bath so I can get the water flowing down the plug hole a bit better than it has been doing! I do have very thick hair anyway, so losing a bit of it seems to clogging up the outflow in the bath...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
I can make you thin: Part two
So, where were we? I was discussing Paul McKenna's (PM) book, "I Can Make You Thin", and in particular, his four 'rules'. I thought it might be useful to say something about each one, and in particular, how they relate to rules for bandits.
PMs first rule is "When you are hungry, EAT". On the face of it, this seems obvious. However, many of us have been deeply ingrained with diet 'rules' that say: only eat 'x' meals per day, no snacking, if you're hungry have a drink - and that sort of thing. The result is that we have come to associate weight loss with unpleasant hunger. PM argues that hunger isn't actually necessary - we just need to be more tuned in to our 'I'm full' signals. Instead of eating when we think we ought to, we should eat when we actually feel hunger (and, as rule 4 says, then stop when we are full). I watched a TV programme last night, Horizon, that was all about our natural body clock and how it is there to protect us, feed us and give us rest. The programme makers presented the general thesis that our body clock knows better than us - and this is as true of eating as it is of many other bodily functions and activities.
However, what I like about this rule is what it doesn't say. The corollary to eating only when you are hungry, is "don't eat when you are not hungry". This probably sounds very obvious to many people - why would you want to eat if you're not hungry? I suspect most non-fatties just wouldn't get it! But for those of us who are emotional and habitual eaters, refraining from eating when not hungry is easier said than done. Take this example of what I used to do: I'd eat a very light breakfast before setting off for work. By noon I was ravenous. As a result, at lunchtime in the staff canteen, I'd pile far more on my plate than I actually needed. I would frequently return to my office after lunch absolutely stuffed! By about 5 or 6pm in the afternoon, I'd start to feel peckish again and would either raid the chocolate machine or stop off at a petrol station on the way home. Most people in that situation would have bought one bar of chocolate or something to satisfy their hunger, but not me. I used to buy a couple of chocolate bars, a packet of crisps and often a cake or sandwich as well. Of course, after eating the first bar of chocolate I would have easily satisfied my hunger pangs - but having bought all that food I felt some warped obligation to eat it (probably the same warped obligation that still sees me struggling to leave any food on my plate!)! I'd arrive home about 7pm-ish, again, stuffed full. However, it was dinner time, so I'd have to cook, and I'd have to eat, out of habit or duty or to fit in with some sort of normality - I don't know. But even though I was full to bursting, I would still cook and eat my dinner.
This is a perfect example of what PM means by this rule. It's a two-way thing: Don't go hungry following some diet rules - if you are hungry eat something. However, on the other hand, don't eat out of habit or expectation - only eat if you actually are hungry. How does this rule relate to bandit rules? Well, if you have really good restriction, then in theory, at least, it should be possible to eat just three small meals a day without experiencing hunger. However, if you are like me, and still getting band adjustments, I experience hunger on a regular basis. This is because I am trying to stick to the band eating rules while not yet having the benefit of proper restriction.
The PM second rule is "EAT WHAT YOU WANT, not what you think you should". This one is quite simple - PM is totally against diets and doesn't think they work (neither do I, having been on a few). One of the reasons diets fail is because when people are on a diet they tend to eat different things than they would when off it - the diet, therefore, does not prepare you for 'normal', non-diet life. Weight loss is only likely to be maintained if we can lose weight by adopting habits that can be maintained for life. If we think we can go on, for the rest of our lives, existing off 800 calories a day on low fat yoghurts ansd the like, then fine, but most of us cannot! PM has a bit of a 'pop' at healthy food. Personally, I enjoy healthy food, fruit and vegetables, pulses, lentils, and fish (I am after all, a fish-eating vegetarian - so if I didn't like these things I'd be in trouble!). My provider sets out a fairly constrained list of different types of foods that I should be eating. This is for two reasons, one to ensure I get a good nutritional balance, and two, to eat food of the right textures (to avoid 'slider' foods and the like). That said, my provider specifically says that while the band is ineffective with foods such as chocolate and ice cream, they are not saying we should never eat these - only that we should eat them in moderation. In that respect I think there's a lot of commonality between band rules and PMs rules.
The third PM rule is "Eat CONSCIOUSLY and enjoy every mouthful". This totally complies with one of the most important behaviours for bandits to adopt - eating slowly, chewing everything carefully, and not eating while watching TV etc! As well as encouraging us to be more conscious of what and how much we are eating, to learn to enjoy food rather than wolfing it down in a rush, this rule also creates more time for our brains to work out that our stomach's are full!
The final PM rule is "When you think you are full, STOP eating". I've probably covered this in the discussion of rule number one, but basically, it is about being more conscious of when we are full, when we are hungry etc. PM provides a really useful 'Hunger Scale', which goes from physically faint (due to hunger) to nauseous (due to over-eating). This is quite a useful tool to encourage us to think more clearly about exactly how hungry or full we are - something I know I have never really done before now - but I'm starting to be more aware with every day that passes. It actually gives me quite a lot of pleasure getting to the point of feeling just a little hungry - because then when I eat I know I am eating at the right time and for the right reason.
Whoooosh! Sorry if that was a bit rambling but PMs book provoked so many thoughts they all kind of came out of my head in a rush! Hopefully it makes some sense!
PMs first rule is "When you are hungry, EAT". On the face of it, this seems obvious. However, many of us have been deeply ingrained with diet 'rules' that say: only eat 'x' meals per day, no snacking, if you're hungry have a drink - and that sort of thing. The result is that we have come to associate weight loss with unpleasant hunger. PM argues that hunger isn't actually necessary - we just need to be more tuned in to our 'I'm full' signals. Instead of eating when we think we ought to, we should eat when we actually feel hunger (and, as rule 4 says, then stop when we are full). I watched a TV programme last night, Horizon, that was all about our natural body clock and how it is there to protect us, feed us and give us rest. The programme makers presented the general thesis that our body clock knows better than us - and this is as true of eating as it is of many other bodily functions and activities.
However, what I like about this rule is what it doesn't say. The corollary to eating only when you are hungry, is "don't eat when you are not hungry". This probably sounds very obvious to many people - why would you want to eat if you're not hungry? I suspect most non-fatties just wouldn't get it! But for those of us who are emotional and habitual eaters, refraining from eating when not hungry is easier said than done. Take this example of what I used to do: I'd eat a very light breakfast before setting off for work. By noon I was ravenous. As a result, at lunchtime in the staff canteen, I'd pile far more on my plate than I actually needed. I would frequently return to my office after lunch absolutely stuffed! By about 5 or 6pm in the afternoon, I'd start to feel peckish again and would either raid the chocolate machine or stop off at a petrol station on the way home. Most people in that situation would have bought one bar of chocolate or something to satisfy their hunger, but not me. I used to buy a couple of chocolate bars, a packet of crisps and often a cake or sandwich as well. Of course, after eating the first bar of chocolate I would have easily satisfied my hunger pangs - but having bought all that food I felt some warped obligation to eat it (probably the same warped obligation that still sees me struggling to leave any food on my plate!)! I'd arrive home about 7pm-ish, again, stuffed full. However, it was dinner time, so I'd have to cook, and I'd have to eat, out of habit or duty or to fit in with some sort of normality - I don't know. But even though I was full to bursting, I would still cook and eat my dinner.
This is a perfect example of what PM means by this rule. It's a two-way thing: Don't go hungry following some diet rules - if you are hungry eat something. However, on the other hand, don't eat out of habit or expectation - only eat if you actually are hungry. How does this rule relate to bandit rules? Well, if you have really good restriction, then in theory, at least, it should be possible to eat just three small meals a day without experiencing hunger. However, if you are like me, and still getting band adjustments, I experience hunger on a regular basis. This is because I am trying to stick to the band eating rules while not yet having the benefit of proper restriction.
The PM second rule is "EAT WHAT YOU WANT, not what you think you should". This one is quite simple - PM is totally against diets and doesn't think they work (neither do I, having been on a few). One of the reasons diets fail is because when people are on a diet they tend to eat different things than they would when off it - the diet, therefore, does not prepare you for 'normal', non-diet life. Weight loss is only likely to be maintained if we can lose weight by adopting habits that can be maintained for life. If we think we can go on, for the rest of our lives, existing off 800 calories a day on low fat yoghurts ansd the like, then fine, but most of us cannot! PM has a bit of a 'pop' at healthy food. Personally, I enjoy healthy food, fruit and vegetables, pulses, lentils, and fish (I am after all, a fish-eating vegetarian - so if I didn't like these things I'd be in trouble!). My provider sets out a fairly constrained list of different types of foods that I should be eating. This is for two reasons, one to ensure I get a good nutritional balance, and two, to eat food of the right textures (to avoid 'slider' foods and the like). That said, my provider specifically says that while the band is ineffective with foods such as chocolate and ice cream, they are not saying we should never eat these - only that we should eat them in moderation. In that respect I think there's a lot of commonality between band rules and PMs rules.
The third PM rule is "Eat CONSCIOUSLY and enjoy every mouthful". This totally complies with one of the most important behaviours for bandits to adopt - eating slowly, chewing everything carefully, and not eating while watching TV etc! As well as encouraging us to be more conscious of what and how much we are eating, to learn to enjoy food rather than wolfing it down in a rush, this rule also creates more time for our brains to work out that our stomach's are full!
The final PM rule is "When you think you are full, STOP eating". I've probably covered this in the discussion of rule number one, but basically, it is about being more conscious of when we are full, when we are hungry etc. PM provides a really useful 'Hunger Scale', which goes from physically faint (due to hunger) to nauseous (due to over-eating). This is quite a useful tool to encourage us to think more clearly about exactly how hungry or full we are - something I know I have never really done before now - but I'm starting to be more aware with every day that passes. It actually gives me quite a lot of pleasure getting to the point of feeling just a little hungry - because then when I eat I know I am eating at the right time and for the right reason.
Whoooosh! Sorry if that was a bit rambling but PMs book provoked so many thoughts they all kind of came out of my head in a rush! Hopefully it makes some sense!
Monday, February 23, 2009
I can make you thin......
This is the rather catchy title of a book by the well-known hypnotist, Paul McKenna. I haven't yet decided whether I have invested my money wisely, or been 'done', but I bought a copy from WHSmiths while out clothes shopping at the weekend. If what I wanted was a good read, then I've had my moneys-worth already - I've finished it, from cover to cover! I have also listened to the 30-minute CD recording that comes with the book. It's not a thick book and is written in a nice, easy flowing style that comes across as very human, and very 'knowing'. It's as though he knows, understands, what makes fat people tick. He knows all our tricks too, and excuses for not committing to weight loss.... But the good news is, he is totally against diets. In fact he argues "if you continue to diet, you will gain weight and keep it on for life" (p123). McKenna claims to offer The Simplest Weight-Loss System in the World (TM). The book contains a number of 'mind-reprogramming' exercises that largely involve thinking through situations and using our imagination to invoke positive thoughts about ourselves, our bodies, our eating and exercise habits. I don't know whether this actually does re-programme your mind, but it does no harm to spend a little time thinking positive thoughts anyway.The book explores the three different patterns of eating; (i) obsessive dieting, (ii) emotional eating, and (iii) faulty programming (self-blame) and invites the reader to identify with one of these. I am definitely an emotional eater. Simply recognising this and identifying with his description of an emotional eater has already helped me. Awareness is always the first step in self-analysis and improvement.
The best bit about the book, and the bit that is most compatible with those who have a band, is the 'system'. The System involves sticking to four rules - there is even a card in the back of the book to stick in your wallet so you are constantly reminded of the rules. The rules are:
1. When you are hungry, EAT.
2. EAT WHAT YOU WANT, not what you think you should.
3. Eat CONSCIOUSLY and enjoy every mouthful.
4. When you think you are full, STOP eating.
I'll say more about these rules tomorrow because I think they are worth exploring in more depth - and comparing with the 'rules' for bandits. Until then........
Monday, January 26, 2009
Supersize vs Superskinny
A few days ago I watched a programme on TV (Channel 4) called Supersize versus Superskinny. I've heard of it before but never watched it. The programme is based on the premise that if you get a really thin person together with an obese person, they each have lessons to pass onto the other to help with their weight loss or gain. They also get the two unfortunates to swap diets for seven days........! In this episode they had two nurses; Philippa weighed in at about 26 stone and Gillian at just six stone eight pounds! Gillian had a completely hollow area where her stomach should have been. Although the progame focussed on a serious subject, some of it was quite funny - like the look of horror on the Gillian's face when she realised how much food she was going to have to eat for the next week! Then there was Philippa's face when she discovered that for breakfast and lunch she would be 'eating'...... Diet Coke - only!
However, one of the things that struck me was the shock tactics employed to persuade Philippa that she needed to lose weight. They took her to see another even more obese lady, Lisa, who weighed about 35 stones and couldn't even walk. Lisa was about to undergo gastric surgery (described in the programe as "life-threatening weight-loss surgery") and this fact was the 'shock tactic'! The interviewer explained to Philippa that Lisa would never again, in her life, be able to eat large portions; that she would never again, in her life, be able to have a drink with her food......; and the implication was that she was having to take this amazingly drastic action to resolve her weight problem.
I suppose the other thing that struck me was that the programme focussed on a lady (Gillian) who was significantly underweight, but not anorexic, and highlighted the health problems that underweight people can face - the emphasis is usually on obese people. They did a bone density test on Gillian and found that her hips had a bone density equivalent to a 60-year old woman (Gillian is 25). This really shocked her and I think was the catalyst that made her tackle her weight problem more seriously than she had previously.
I must confess that when I first started to investigate the possibility of gastric surgery for myself, I thought of it as being a somewhat drastic solution. However, I very quickly adjusted to the whole idea of surgery and no longer think of it as drastic or even particularly unusual anymore! It just amused me that of all the things the programme could have done to frighten the nurse into dieting (they could have focussed much more on future health scenarios, for instance), they used the apparent 'threat' of gastric surgery!!
To encourage us all, at the end of the programme they showed what had happened to Gillian and Philippa in the two months since filming. Gillian had gained about 1 stone and a few pounds and now sits just inside the 'normal' weight category. Through this, and doing lots of weight-bearing exercise, her bone density has also dramaticaly improved. Philippa also lost three stones in weight and was continuing with her diet.....
However, one of the things that struck me was the shock tactics employed to persuade Philippa that she needed to lose weight. They took her to see another even more obese lady, Lisa, who weighed about 35 stones and couldn't even walk. Lisa was about to undergo gastric surgery (described in the programe as "life-threatening weight-loss surgery") and this fact was the 'shock tactic'! The interviewer explained to Philippa that Lisa would never again, in her life, be able to eat large portions; that she would never again, in her life, be able to have a drink with her food......; and the implication was that she was having to take this amazingly drastic action to resolve her weight problem.
I suppose the other thing that struck me was that the programme focussed on a lady (Gillian) who was significantly underweight, but not anorexic, and highlighted the health problems that underweight people can face - the emphasis is usually on obese people. They did a bone density test on Gillian and found that her hips had a bone density equivalent to a 60-year old woman (Gillian is 25). This really shocked her and I think was the catalyst that made her tackle her weight problem more seriously than she had previously.
I must confess that when I first started to investigate the possibility of gastric surgery for myself, I thought of it as being a somewhat drastic solution. However, I very quickly adjusted to the whole idea of surgery and no longer think of it as drastic or even particularly unusual anymore! It just amused me that of all the things the programme could have done to frighten the nurse into dieting (they could have focussed much more on future health scenarios, for instance), they used the apparent 'threat' of gastric surgery!!
To encourage us all, at the end of the programme they showed what had happened to Gillian and Philippa in the two months since filming. Gillian had gained about 1 stone and a few pounds and now sits just inside the 'normal' weight category. Through this, and doing lots of weight-bearing exercise, her bone density has also dramaticaly improved. Philippa also lost three stones in weight and was continuing with her diet.....
Sunday, November 23, 2008
My ‘Food Story’ - Part 4
….but it was not to be. I started the job that I now still have: In the first two years I worked 65-70 hours a week, not including the two hour daily commute to Manchester. This was a terrible period of time for me and endurable pressure became unbearable stress. I made a decision after that to reduce my working hours and say ‘no’ a little more often. I did this, not so much to help with my weight problem, but to reduce stress, which was rapidly becoming a bigger issue for me, impacting on my mental state, depression, relationships and self-esteem. This was not helped by the fact that in 2003, at the age of 39, and for the first time in my life, I reached 19 and-a-half stone, giving me a BMI of 42. I went on another low fat diet and got down to about 18 stone but then my heavy workload and associated stress got the better of me and I didn’t progress any further downwards.
I have fluctuated down and up again from this point over the past five years but 19 stone 7 lbs remains the heaviest I have ever been. I have reached that weight several times but there has been a determination about me not to exceed the capacity of my bathroom scales (20 stone) that has always stopped me going any further upwards! But I always feared that one day I would, and then there will be no turning back.
I was fortunate in 2004 to be able to take part in an organised 4-week walking trip to Norway and during this time lost over a stone. That was the last time I weighed as little as 17 stone. There was a particular disappointment associated with this, however; several years ago (about 1995, I think), I purchased some new salopettes during one of our annual skiing holidays. I only wore them twice and they never fit me again after that. Instead, I had to wear an awful pair of motorcycle over-trousers which are uncomfortable, make me sweat, are inflexible, look ridiculous and I HATE them!!!! When I got down to 17 stone in 2004 I anticipated the pleasure I would gain from being able to wear the salopettes again, at last, but alas – they still wouldn’t fit! I am hoping (perhaps it is just wishful thinking) that having been banded, I just might be able to wear them for my 2009 ski holiday - watch this space!
I have fluctuated down and up again from this point over the past five years but 19 stone 7 lbs remains the heaviest I have ever been. I have reached that weight several times but there has been a determination about me not to exceed the capacity of my bathroom scales (20 stone) that has always stopped me going any further upwards! But I always feared that one day I would, and then there will be no turning back.
I was fortunate in 2004 to be able to take part in an organised 4-week walking trip to Norway and during this time lost over a stone. That was the last time I weighed as little as 17 stone. There was a particular disappointment associated with this, however; several years ago (about 1995, I think), I purchased some new salopettes during one of our annual skiing holidays. I only wore them twice and they never fit me again after that. Instead, I had to wear an awful pair of motorcycle over-trousers which are uncomfortable, make me sweat, are inflexible, look ridiculous and I HATE them!!!! When I got down to 17 stone in 2004 I anticipated the pleasure I would gain from being able to wear the salopettes again, at last, but alas – they still wouldn’t fit! I am hoping (perhaps it is just wishful thinking) that having been banded, I just might be able to wear them for my 2009 ski holiday - watch this space!
Friday, November 21, 2008
My 'Food Story' - Part 1
It's been a couple of weeks now since I started this Blog and I thought it was about time I provided some background on how I got to the point in life where I needed to become a Bandit. I'll tell the story in chronological order and split it into a few sections for easier reading.I grew up in East London, the second of four children. I am the only one of the four who became obese, and neither of my parents is/was obese. My Dad, even at 77 is, and always has been, a big eater and consumes huge meals, as well as lots of between-meal snacks. However, he has never weighed more than 12 stone! He had a very active job but he's been retired for ages now and still hasn't put on any weight! My Mum, no longer with us, was always on a diet of some sort (just to lose a few pounds usually), but never weighed more than 10 stone and was more typically 9 to 9 and-a-half stone (5ft 6ins).
I was aware of being a little overweight from an early age but this was always put down to 'puppy fat' – apparently I'd 'grow out of it'. I was extremely active as a child, and swam, danced and did gymnastics several evenings a week. I was also very involved in school sports and took up cross country running when I was about 12. Despite that, I always remained a little heavy for my age and height – and I really do mean 'a little heavy' – this is not a euphemism for fat!
I think I weighed about 10 stone when was in my mid teens and this increased to about 12 stone towards the end of my teens. I recall going on a diet for the first time in advance of my 18th birthday – there was a dress I'd worn a few years before that I was desperate to wear at my party. I think around this time I went to Weight Watchers with my Mum – a horrid experience. I was surrounded by lots of very overweight, middle-aged women (funnily enough – that's a good description of me now!) doing lots of oooing and aaaahing as people got themselves weighed in front of everyone! Soooo embarrassing. I also recall being quite sensitive about my weight, even though at this time I was 'only' about 12 stone. My Dad used to make jokes about it and made a sarcastic comment every time he spotted me putting anything in my mouth. I guess this is, in part, what led to me becoming very private about something that was, in fact, so blindingly obvious to everyone.
I can't really work out why me, of all the people in our family, took up eating as a hobby? Certainly there was always a love of food in the family, and food was usually central attraction for family gatherings, birthdays and other celebrations. My Mum used to be paranoid about anybody going hungry so would always prepare far more food than was needed – a habit I developed and still manifest today. I wonder whether Mum's attitude to food is related to her own childhood experiences – she was a war baby and evacuated to a convent during the war where food was scarce. I remember her telling stories of how her and other kids got beaten at the convent for eating too much or taking the biggest slice of cake etc. Maybe she rebelled against this by over-providing later on in life. But how came no-one else in the family over-consumed – only me?
I was aware of being a little overweight from an early age but this was always put down to 'puppy fat' – apparently I'd 'grow out of it'. I was extremely active as a child, and swam, danced and did gymnastics several evenings a week. I was also very involved in school sports and took up cross country running when I was about 12. Despite that, I always remained a little heavy for my age and height – and I really do mean 'a little heavy' – this is not a euphemism for fat!
I think I weighed about 10 stone when was in my mid teens and this increased to about 12 stone towards the end of my teens. I recall going on a diet for the first time in advance of my 18th birthday – there was a dress I'd worn a few years before that I was desperate to wear at my party. I think around this time I went to Weight Watchers with my Mum – a horrid experience. I was surrounded by lots of very overweight, middle-aged women (funnily enough – that's a good description of me now!) doing lots of oooing and aaaahing as people got themselves weighed in front of everyone! Soooo embarrassing. I also recall being quite sensitive about my weight, even though at this time I was 'only' about 12 stone. My Dad used to make jokes about it and made a sarcastic comment every time he spotted me putting anything in my mouth. I guess this is, in part, what led to me becoming very private about something that was, in fact, so blindingly obvious to everyone.
I can't really work out why me, of all the people in our family, took up eating as a hobby? Certainly there was always a love of food in the family, and food was usually central attraction for family gatherings, birthdays and other celebrations. My Mum used to be paranoid about anybody going hungry so would always prepare far more food than was needed – a habit I developed and still manifest today. I wonder whether Mum's attitude to food is related to her own childhood experiences – she was a war baby and evacuated to a convent during the war where food was scarce. I remember her telling stories of how her and other kids got beaten at the convent for eating too much or taking the biggest slice of cake etc. Maybe she rebelled against this by over-providing later on in life. But how came no-one else in the family over-consumed – only me?
Monday, November 10, 2008
Why keep a blog?
I first started thinking about gastric surgery about four years ago, when I turned 40 and began to get seriously worried about my future. I thought that fifteen years or more of carrying the equivalent of several sacks of potatoes around on my shoulders must be wearing out my heart, lungs, knees, hips – you name it – what kind of a future was I going to have? I’d always believed that one day, one day, I would finally manage to lose the weight (and keep it off) ‘under my own steam’, but reaching 40 years of age led me to doubt, for the first time in my life, that that was ever really going to happen. For several years the idea of surgery remained just an idea, nothing more. I even remember seeing a TV documentary where a woman was talking about having had gastric surgery, and I recall thinking “wow, she must be really desperate to do anything like that – that would never happen to me”…….. or so I thought! A few more failed diet attempts later I began to look into it on the Internet, and found loads of really helpful information. In particular, I gained an enormous amount by reading the forums on http://www.ukgastricband.co.uk and the patient diaries on the BOSPA web site (http://www.bospa.org). Now, only days away from the big day, I decided I would keep a blog in the hope that it will bring some answers, information and reassurance to others out there. Whatever you decide – good luck!
I’d be really grateful if people would add comments to the blog so I know whether this is useful or not?
I’d be really grateful if people would add comments to the blog so I know whether this is useful or not?
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