Plateau???

This the third time I've done this PSMF and I don't remember ever hitting a plateau. I've been in Large Ketosis for over a month now. My average daily calorie intake has been 850 calories a day. I've been eating an average of 100 grams of protein a day, 22 grams of carbs and 37 grams of fat. Last Wednesday I weighed in at 264.8 today I weighed in at 263.2 :(

Let me see if I can cheer myself up a bit. I weighed 288.4 on 8/19/2009 and today I weigh 263.2 for a total weight loss of 25.2 lbs after 41 days of the Protein Sparing Modified Fast.

25.2 / 41 = .615 lbs a day.

I was told by my doctor that I would average .5 to .8 lbs a day so I guess I still am on track after all!

Hangin' Out

Slept in today :)

Got up and didn't have breakfast until 11 am but it was great!

I made Green Chile.

I took about 16 ounces of Pork Loin and trimmed the fat.

Then I fried the fat in a cast iron skillet until it was super crispy.

Meanwhile I diced the pork loin into cubes. After removing the crispy fat from the skillet I added the diced pork to the skillet and cook covered on very low heat until almost all of the juices evaporated. I smothered the meat in spices before covering. I used granulated garlic, pepper, and a smidgen of cumin. I also added diced onions to the meat just before the liquid evaporated.

When all of the liquid had evaporated, I added a can of diced tomatoes, a can of green chiles and a can of diced jalapenos. This simmered for another 20 minutes.

It was awesome and low-carb!

Hello World WIDE Web

Spread the word. I've lost 23.6 pounds in 35 days.

Considering it took me 11 weeks to lose 21 lbs on Weight Watchers, I think that's pretty good.

Let me remind you all how I'm doing it!
I'm following a Protein Sparing Modified Fast as defined by the Cleveland Clinic.

Based on my IBW I am allowed to eat 13 ounces of lean meat and 4 servings of vegetables a day.

I weighed in at 288.4 on my scale on August 19th, 2009. On Wednesday, September 23rd, after completing a total of 35 days, I weighed in at 264.8

:-)

I feel like a different person already.

I've gone from being morbidly obese to being obese according to the BMI charts I've looked at.

My clothes fit me better and I'm not as self conscious as I once was.

I have to admit though it's beginning to kill me when I see my wife and kids eating ice cream or popcorn.

I've been trying to add some variety to the menu this week by slow cooking meat in a crockpot. I experimented with beef, pork and chicken wrapped in foil and smothered with any kind of herb or spice that is free of high fructose corn syrup!

So far my favorite has been the pork.

Gotta go now. Time for lunch!

Sorry I'm Late

OK, so I have been weighing in on 3 different scales since June 9th, 2009.

My scale 304 lbs @ 6am

Dr's scale 314 lbs @10am

Weight Watchers scale 310 lbs @5pm

---------------------------------------------------------

August 19th, 2009.

My scale 288.4 lbs @ 6am (15.6 lb loss in 11 weeks)

Dr's scale 294 lbs @10am (20 lb loss in 11 weeks)

Weight Watchers scale 293.2 lbs @5pm (16.8 lb loss in 11 weeks)

---------------------------------------------------------

Yesterday

September 15, 2009.

My scale 269.9 lbs @ 6am (18.5 lbs in 4 weeks!)

Dr's scale 278 lbs @10am (16 lbs in 4 weeks!)

Weight Watchers scale 274.6 lbs @5pm (18.6 in 4 weeks!)

---------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------

Total Weight loss from June 9th to September 15th

My scale 269.9 lbs @ 6am (34.1 lbs)

Dr's scale 278 lbs @10am (36 lbs)

Weight Watchers scale 274.6 lbs @5pm (35.4 lbs)

---------------------------------------------------------

So no matter which scale I want to believe I just lost approximately the same amount of weight in 4 weeks that I did the first 11 weeks by switching to the PSMF from Weight Watchers.

I didn't take my measurements when I first started but I plan to do so soon!

Boy, You're Gonna Carry That Weight!

Drumroll, please ...

Weight: 273 lbs as of this morning on my scale!

Not as much of a loss as I had hoped for but I still have 69 days to go on the Protein Sparing Modified Fast.

If I can keep on a pace of .714 lbs a day that could give me an additional 49 lbs weight loss for a total of 64 lbs in 90 days! With a starting weight of 288 - 64 that would bring me to 224 lbs.

Wow! I'm excited now!

That means on November 17, 2009, I could be 25 lbs away from saying goodbye to 200+ lbs forever.

:-)

Lab Work

Right now I'm sitting in the waiting area of the local lab waiting to get my blood drawn. It has to be tested for uric acid, liver enzymes and electrolyte levels. I will see my doctor next week so this will give her a heads up if I'm harming myself with the PSMF.

Tracking Stats

click chart to enlarge =>

One of the reasons I love Fit Day, besides the fact that it's free, is all the cool stats I get to see.

On the Overview tab it allows you to view Avg Calories Eaten by Day, Weight Change, Avg Daily Calorie Balance and even a Nutrition Chart. It's a nice visual reassurance to me that the Protein Sparing Modified Fast is the most effective way to lose weight.

It looks live I've been averaging about 898 calories a day and burning about 3400 calories a day, according to Fit Day anyway.

Looking at the Nutrition Graph, it looks like I've met or exceeded the majority of the RDA. I'm not so sure I could say that if I wasn't on this diet.

Looking at the Weight Change Graph is also very encouraging. Seeing the weight plummeting before my eyes!

I'll print this up to show the doctor before I go to see her on the 15th of this month.

After 14 days

As of this morning I completed 14 days of the Protein Sparing Modified Fast.

Per my scale my starting weight on 8/19/09 was 288.4; this morning 9/2/2009 my weight was 277.6 That's a total weight loss of 10.8 lbs for an average of .77 lbs a day!

Remember, I had lost 21 lbs in 11 weeks prior to starting the PSMF for an average of .27 lbs a day.

I'm not knocking Weight Watchers, in fact I weighed in yesterday 282.8 vs 293.2 14 days prior.

:-D

I have an appointment to see my Dr. in 2 weeks. Hopefully I can lose another 10 lbs before then!

Large Ketosis

I discovered this morning that the Ketostix (ketone test strips) I've been using expired a year ago!

That's ok there were only a couple of them left.

On my lunch hour I went to the pharmacy and bought some more.

By the time I got back to the office I was feeling kind of woozy.

I ate 3.3 ounces of ground turkey with 6 oz of mushrooms for breakfast and a couple of boiled eggs for a snack.

I decided to eat the 3.4 oz chicken breast I brought with me to work. I immediately felt better.

I broke open my new ketone test strips and found out that I was in Large Ketosis!

On another note, I did some research this morning to see how to determine a person's IBW (Ideal Body Weight: THIS IS NOT YOUR GOAL WEIGHT) which is used in calculating the number of ounces of lean protein a person needs on the PSMF.

IBW
Estimated ideal body weight in (kg
Males: IBW = 50 kg + 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet.
Females: IBW = 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg for each inch over 5 feet.

PSMF Ounces of Lean Protein = (IBW * 1.4)/7

Example for a 5'8" Male:
IBW = 50 kg + (2.3 kg * 8") OR 68.4

PSMF Ounces of Lean Protein = (68.4 * 1.4)/7 OR 13.68

I'm not sure what a person under 5 feet tall should do though :D

Status Report

So I've decided that since I began this diet last Wednesday that from now on I will only share my weight with everyone on Wednesdays.

This morning for breakfast I made one serving of mushrooms (6 oz ) and mixed in 2.5 oz of diced sirloin steak.

For my mid day protein I brought a 4.5 oz chicken breast ( which I grilled on my George Foreman Grill ) and one hard boiled egg.

For my 2 servings of vegetables I am going to divide 7 oz of spinach salad.

I love spices so everything usually has garlic, salt, pepper and maybe some basil, thyme and paprika.

I habitually have a large coffee in the morning which is permissible on the PSMF.

I haven't planned out my dinner yet but I will need to consume 5 more oz of lean meat and 1 additional serving of vegetables.

I'm actually feeling too full to even think about it right now.

Have a negative weight day!

Burn Baby Burn: Keytone Inferno

I weighed in at Weight Watchers last night for the final time: 288.4 (last week I was 293.2).

That's a pretty hefty loss by Weight Watcher standards, so they gave me advice on how to slow down my weight loss ;)

This morning my scale gave me 3 readings of 282.6. At least it's being consistent now.

Initially, I was disappointed, but when I went to eat my breakfast (3 oz of pork loin and 3.5 oz of green beans) and struggled to finish it, it reminded me that I am still in ketosis and therefore I am a fat burning machine!

Weighing In

Alright, either I've had a minor set back or my scale is broken at home.

This morning my scale gave me 3 different weights: 284, 282.6, and finally 281.7.

It may be time to change the batteries or get a new scale. That being said I still want to get some kind of a reading for today. I still have a valid Weight Watchers Membership. Last Tuesday, August 18th, I weighed in at 293.2 on their scale. They are probably going to freak out about my massive weight loss in one week but I'm going there tonight to weigh in anyway.

A New Week

Ok. I survived the weekend. Yesterday was tough. Not because I was tempted any more than usual. It's just that I was away from home from 8am to 3pm.

I ate a couple of hard boiled eggs and 3.5 ounces of radishes. I also took with me 1 serving of Jay Robb egg white protein powder which happens to be sweetened with stevia. One serving has 24 grams of protein or the equivalent of 3 oz of top sirloin.

By the time I got home I still had 3 more servings of vegetables and 8 more ounces of lean meat to cook and eat. That might not sound like a lot of food but when I am in ketosis I am actually not hungry once I eat about 3 ounces of meat. I spread out the meals to lessen the load: 3pm, 5pm and 7pm. I had grilled pork loin for all 3 meals with an assortment of fresh vegetables and topped it off with my free jalapenos and onions ;)

By the way, this morning I weighed 281.1 on my scale.
I have now lost a total of 6.3 lbs as of the beginning of my 6th day.

PSMF Progress Week of 8/19/2009

Day 1:

Setup fitday.com for free tracking of food eaten and daily weight.

Ok, so I weighed myself at home on Wednesday 8/19/2009 to get my starting weight according to my scale at home. It's not calibrated with my doctor's scale but I am recording it for my own tracking purposes: 287.4 lbs.

From what I remember, the first few days are the toughest. Once my body goes into moderate ketosis I can lose anywhere from .5 to .8 lbs a day!

Day 2:

Weight: 287.3

Ketosis: Negative

Day 3: 286 lbs

Ketosis: Trace

Day 4: 283.7 lbs

Ketosis: Small

Total for the week: 3.7 lbs!

Average lbs per day: 3.7 / 4 = 0.925 lbs

Not bad :)

Thoughts: Food is fuel. If I use up the fuel I have stored in my body now. I can begin the process of cycling through that fuel on a daily basis and not keep storing up reserves.

PSMF Details

I met a physician in Scottsdale, AZ in 2003 when I weighed 310 lbs.

She gave me general information about the PSMF developed at the Cleveland Clinic.

I wanted to give it a try so she told me to get a physical with my personal physician and to make an appointment to have my blood work done. I'm not a physician so I couldn't tell you the technical name for the type of blood work but I remember it included liver enzymes, cholesterol, and possibly uric acid and electrolytes. It was pretty comprehensive.

Those were the initial steps.

When I went to her office she described the plan in more detail.

Basically, the diet consists of lean meat and vegetables. By limiting the amount of carbohydrates in a person's diet and still consuming an adequate amount of protein, the body will go into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is the process of the body using stored fat for energy instead of using carbohydrates. The reason for eating enough lean meat is to keep the body from looking to its own muscle mass as a source of energy.

She advised me that I personally would need 13 oz of protein a day divided into 4 meals. I needed to consume 4 servings of "non-starchy" vegetables a day as well. That means no potatoes, corn or carrots. I was delighted to find out that jalapenos and onions were considered "free" vegetables. I could add those to any meal without worrying about the quantity.

A typical serving of vegetables is 3.5 oz for a total of 14 oz a day.

There are no added oils allowed and there are very few allowable condiments.

Another thing I liked about it was that I was actually told to over-salt my food because I would be losing a lot of electrolytes. Supplements are also necessary because of this loss of electrolytes, specifically: Centrum, Calcium, Magnesium and PRESCRIPTION Potassium not over-the-counter!

There were a number of associated risks as well. Hair-loss! Diarrhea! Constipation! Dry Skin! I don't remember all of them, probably because I personally didn't experience any of them. Because of these risks I had to have my blood drawn every 2 weeks to check my uric acid levels.

As long as the readings were healthy I could be on the diet for 90 days at a time. After a 30 day break I could go back on it for another 90 days.

After a few false starts because of my schedule and some other health problems, I went from 310 lbs in May 2003 to 204 lbs in April 2004. My goal was 180 lbs but I got complacent when I reached 204. I always regretted not getting to my goal which I claimed would have prevented me from gaining the weight back. After many, many more diets, personal trainers, and years later I now realize that the only way I will lose weight and keep it off is to track the number of calories I consume daily and to make sure it does not exceed the amount of calories that I burn.

DUH!

Protein Sparing Modified Fast

I'm not the first person to blog about his weight loss journey, but 3
days into this new diet, I've decided to take my turn at 15 minutes of
shame.

I'm in my mid 40's. I'm a little shy of 5'9," When I graduated from
high school I weighed 135 lbs. When I weighed in at my doctors office
in June of this year I reached my all time max of 314 lbs. I was
pretty freaking disgusted with myself and I felt awful; physically and
mentally.

I wanted my doctor to allow me to go on a PSMF (Protein Sparing
Modified Fast). She convinced me to try Weight Watchers first. I
joined that day and by August 18th I weighed in at 293 lbs. So that's
pretty good, right? Sure it is. 21 lbs in 11. weeks is considered
nice, 'healthy' weight loss, but how healthy is it to weigh 293 lbs?

I'll be honest, I've been on a PSMF before. Once in 2003 when I
weighed 310 lbs and once in 2007 when I had carelessly gained my way
from 204 lbs back to 288 lbs. On August 18th after celebrating my 21
lb weight loss with my doctor, she agreed to let me do another PSMF.
This time I have resolved to keep it off for life. I'll tell you how
it works in my next post.