I'm Watching What I Eat (2022)

[madebyyouandi]

You are so right about portion sizes! I think some of my success happened because of a health reason

I was so mad that first week of weighing things -- the number of calories vs the size! Bread and rice really blew me away -- your ears would have absolutely blushed as the cursing was creative and loud that first week.

Sorry about your gall bladder. Everything is good now?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Finally picked up the courage to weigh myself again this morning. Hate doing it because i used to be anorexic in my teenage years and the school skirt that fit me when I was 11, still fit me when I was 18!

7½ years ago my back gave up and due to various issues with the NHS (UK) I ended up with a partially paralysed right leg. Much physio was required in Australia too very me using it again... I also established at the same time that I have a spinal birth defect that I knew nothing of until I was 42. Needless to say going from cycling 1,500km a month to not being able to walk 10meters without 2 crutches and a lot of hard work didn't do much for my weight. I was 60kg at the time it failed. I had risen to 72kg by the final surgery on my back. I got my weight back down to 67kg through dieting before my neck failed.

4 years ago my neck gave up in 3 places, 2 disks and 1 vertebrae. I was told without a life saving operation I would be dead by the end of the year. Surgery was more than compmicated than expected and recovery harder as a result. The right leg paralysis and lower back problems plus a 4 month stay in rehab where I couldn't control my diet and they struggled to cater for me resulted in a massive weight gain. I was needles to say pretty depressed. I hadn't expected to be told to write up an advanced care directive at 45 years old.

My weight spiraled out of control and I refused to be weighed again once I reached 87kg.

It's taken a lot of hard work to recover, and I've needed major surgery again since then but I now have my weight down to 62.9kg. I can only claim 24kg lost though I do know I was well over 87kg because I was averaging 2kg a week weight gain and had gone 2 weeks without being weighed before I discharged myself.

6 months ago I was back in the wheelchair crippled by osteoarthritis in both hip, along with the lower back issues, right leg paralysis. Thankfully the surgery to be neck has been 100% successful and other than the scar there is no evidence there was ever a problem.

I've still got a way to go. At 63kg I am still in size 10 trousers and size 14 tops. Last time I was this weight I was in size 6 & size 10 respectively, so I know I'm still carrying too much fat and it's around my middle, not my hips. The aim is to get to 55kg but anything under 60kg I'll be more than happy with.

As for walking, I used to be able to walk 27 miles in a day. Hubby and I walked everywhere. I didn't bat an eyelid over walking 5 miles to work and home again, plus swimming at lunchtime, when I wasn't cycling to work the long way... yeah, that was a decade ago and this last decade has been really hard on me but with the assistance of a new hip, several new joints in my spine and neck, and 2 crutches I can now cover 12km 2 days in a row (I just sleep well the subsequent day! ). My aim is to get that back up to 16km minimum. I'll be 50 at the end of the year and I want to get to Tasmania on holiday and actually be able to get out and explore.

So from +87kg (+192lb) I'm down to 62.9kg (138½lb) over a period of 4 years and returning to the wheelchair plus another major surgery.
The aim is 55kg (121lb). I'm 167cm or 5'5½".

I finally treated myself to some new pjs. I had some credit from a company (birthday points and spending points) that were due to expire and they amounted to $27, so I got the tape measure out and established I was down from an XL top to a Medium sized top and from a Large bottoms to a Small bottoms. Both to and bottom have dropped 2 complete size ranges... they arrived a couple of days ago and I just had to try then on that night. that be honest, I think I could have gotten a size smaller in both, but that can be my next treat when I drop below 60kg... until then I actually have pj bottoms that I don't have to roll the waistband up on and a top that is no longer drafty in all the wrong places, lol!

 

[JAS_OH1]

I was so mad that first week of weighing things -- the number of calories vs the size! Bread and rice really blew me away -- your ears would have absolutely blushed as the cursing was creative and loud that first week.

Sorry about your gall bladder. Everything is good now?

Thank you, yes! I don't miss it at all. I must be one of the lucky ones who didn't need it, because I can still eat fatty foods with no issues.

 

[Morning Glory]

I finally treated myself to some new pjs.

This has reminded me of an old thread where it transpired that the younger members wore clothes in bed and the older ones (like me) never did! And I know you don't have central heating SatNavSaysStraightOn but even if I didn't I'd hate to wear anything in bed. I always hated it when in hospital... so uncomfortable to me.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

This has reminded me of an old thread where it transpired that the younger members wore clothes in bed and the older ones (like me) never did! And I know you don't have central heating SatNavSaysStraightOn but even if I didn't I'd hate to wear anything in bed. I always hated it when in hospital... so uncomfortable to me.

When your bedroom is the same temperature as outside, you'll wear clothes in bed simply because getting up in the night is so darn cold. I never used to wear slippers or socks in the house until I moved to Australia and suddenly had tiled bathroom floors, unheated in winter with air below it at -10°C. It soon changes your perspective! Hubby had to buy pjs to take to hospital with him, let's just say he gets up and gets dressed very quickly first thing in the morning and when caught short in the night...

 

[garlichead]

Thank you, yes! I don't miss it at all. I must be one of the lucky ones who didn't need it, because I can still eat fatty foods with no issues.

I'm now back to a low carb diet , which is high fat basically and have always loved eating this way. My new obsession in nutrition of late is our microbiome, really fascinating stuff and quite the rabbit hole. Cheers

 

[JAS_OH1]

This has reminded me of an old thread where it transpired that the younger members wore clothes in bed and the older ones (like me) never did! And I know you don't have central heating SatNavSaysStraightOn but even if I didn't I'd hate to wear anything in bed. I always hated it when in hospital... so uncomfortable to me.

My hubby likes sleeping nude, I don't. Even in summer I like satin nighties. In winter it's socks and flannel.

 

[JAS_OH1]

I'm now back to a low carb diet , which is high fat basically and have always loved eating this way. My new obsession in nutrition of late is our microbiome, really fascinating stuff and quite the rabbit hole. Cheers

I still love my carbs. Breads and pasta, yum. It's just I was advised that I might not process fats well without a gallbladder and might need to avoid eating fats, even healthy ones. I've had no issues. I was told butter, cream, lamb, etc. are a problem for many people after this surgery, but how awful is that! Just very glad I don't.

 

[garlichead]

I still love my carbs. Breads and pasta, yum. It's just I was advised that I might not process fats well without a gallbladder and might need to avoid eating fats, even healthy ones. I've had no issues. I was told butter, cream, lamb, etc. are a problem for many people after this surgery, but how awful is that! Just very glad I don't.

Can I ask. Was your gallbladder removed because of stones or similar? Also were you prone to eating low fat generally before it was removed?

 

[JAS_OH1]

Can I ask. Was your gallbladder removed because of stones or similar? Also were you prone to eating low fat generally before it was removed?

I had gallstones. It's a genetic thing in my family, all of the women in my family have had their gallbladders removed due to stones. My 3 sisters, all my aunts, my mother, etc. I just got mine much later than everyone else for some reason. I am 60. My mother had hers removed when she was in her 40s, as did all of my sisters. I am not sure when my cousins had their removed. For some reason it never affected any of the men in my family.

No, I've never been a low-fat kind of person, I hate that style of eating and would be miserable. I had a friend in Florida who was always trying to get me to try her fat-free cheese and low-fat or fat-free yogurts, milks, etc. Not for me! This is the reason why I mentioned in my previous post that they told me I might have adverse reactions with eating the same way as I did before the surgery (butter, cream, lamb, etc.), only I did not have any problems. I was a little leery at first, but I ate lamb the day after my surgery with no issues, and I continued to add real cream in my coffee and real butter on my toast, full fat cheeses, etc. with no problem.

 

[garlichead]

I had gallstones. It's a genetic thing in my family, all of the women in my family have had their gallbladders removed due to stones. My 3 sisters, all my aunts, my mother, etc. I just got mine much later than everyone else for some reason. I am 60. My mother had hers removed when she was in her 40s, as did all of my sisters. I am not sure when my cousins had their removed. For some reason it never affected any of the men in my family.

No, I've never been a low-fat kind of person, I hate that style of eating and would be miserable. I had a friend in Florida who was always trying to get me to try her fat-free cheese and low-fat or fat-free yogurts, milks, etc. Not for me!

Ok cool. I asked because stones are generally the result of excessive concentration and storage time in the gallbladder and one main reason is people have in general been told to eat a low fat diet, which is problematic on so many levels but does manifest one way as stones.

Anyway, even with the gallbladder removed you can eat fat, even high fat because people do it on a keto diet with success as well. It's best to spread out your daily intake of fat over a few meals and not get it all in one meal. The reason is the liver is still going to deliver bile to the intestines but it's less than what normally would be delivered from the stores in the gallbladder and why it's better to spread out daily fat intake. Another not so well know tactic is to not drink anything immediately before (30min) a meal and not to drink until 30 minutes after. Water or any liquid will wash out the bile and other digestive enzymes before, during and after digestion. I'm sure you knew this, but just though in case other people may not know. Cheers.

 

[JAS_OH1]

Ok cool. I asked because stones are generally the result of excessive concentration and storage time in the gallbladder and one main reason is people have in general been told to eat a low fat diet, which is problematic on so many levels but does manifest one way as stones.

Anyway, even with the gallbladder removed you can eat fat, even high fat because people do it on a keto diet with success as well. It's best to spread out your daily intake of fat over a few meals and not get it all in one meal. The reason is the liver is still going to deliver bile to the intestines but it's less than what normally would be delivered from the stores in the gallbladder and why it's better to spread out daily fat intake. Another not so well know tactic is to not drink anything immediately before (30min) a meal and not to drink until 30 minutes after. Water or any liquid will wash out the bile and other digestive enzymes before, during and after digestion. I'm sure you knew this, but just though in case other people may not know. Cheers.

I have always eaten just whatever I wanted. I do not miss the 2 a.m. vomiting if I ate too much, which was my only symptom of cholecystitis, and I only vomited if I ate in excess and went to bed too soon after I ate dinner (we eat around 9PM and usually go to bed around midnight). I always felt better immediately afterwards. It didn't matter what the meal was, it could have been a large dinner salad with moderate fat (cheese and salad dressing), but if I ate too much and too close to bedtime it didn't sit well. This only started happening over the past two years. It didn't always happen, only about once a month or less, but the last time (February) it was so severe it took me to the ER. And I haven't vomited since. So vast improvement in the way my system works after the surgery.

The doctor told me that a lot of people who don't change their diets after surgery and continue to eat a lot of fat have the opposite of constipation and have to stay close to home and the loo, so that news was alarming. But I can't even imagine eating a low fat diet, and if you have ever seen photos and descriptions of the food I have cooked or recipes I have posted, you can tell, LOL!

 

[garlichead]

I have always eaten just whatever I wanted. I do not miss the 2 a.m. vomiting if I ate too much, which was my only symptom of cholecystitis, and I only vomited if I ate in excess and went to bed too soon after I ate dinner (we eat around 9PM and usually go to bed around midnight). I always felt better immediately afterwards. It didn't matter what the meal was, it could have been a large dinner salad with moderate fat (cheese and salad dressing), but if I ate too much and too close to bedtime it didn't sit well. This only started happening over the past two years. It didn't always happen, only about once a month or less, but the last time (February) it was so severe it took me to the ER. And I haven't vomited since. So vast improvement in the way my system works after the surgery.

The doctor told me that a lot of people who don't change their diets after surgery and continue to eat a lot of fat have the opposite of constipation and have to stay close to home and the loo, so that news was alarming. But I can't even imagine eating a low fat diet, and if you have ever seen photos and descriptions of the food I have cooked or recipes I have posted, you can tell, LOL!

Interesting. But yeah, when eating lots of fat at once without a gallbladder can result in oily diarrhea which also results in the lack of absorption of the fat soluble vitamins A,D,E and K which are pretty important for a vast amount of cellular functions especially for the immune system and calcium absorption. Yeah, I've seen your recipes and they're definitely not low fat. Cheers again.

 

[JAS_OH1]

Interesting. But yeah, when eating lots of fat at once without a gallbladder can result in oily diarrhea which also results in the lack of absorption of the fat soluble vitamins A,D,E and K which are pretty important for a vast amount of cellular functions especially for the immune system and calcium absorption. Yeah, I've seen your recipes and they're definitely not low fat. Cheers again.

Talking about vomiting is bad enough, I was trying to avoid the "D" word, lol At any rate, I don't have it!

 

[madebyyouandi]

I'm now back to a low carb diet , which is high fat basically and have always loved eating this way. My new obsession in nutrition of late is our microbiome, really fascinating stuff and quite the rabbit hole. Cheers

It is!

There's a lot of research that says the bacteria in our gut send signals to the brain that cause us to crave one food type over another. So if your gut microbiome is attuned to eating simple carbs, you get a feedback loop for junk foods. Maybe it's deflecting responsibility away from the individual, but anecdotally I've had experiences like this. Keeping a healthy microbiome is one of the reasons I like making my own yogurt and kimchi and eat natto and fresh miso regularly.