Day 16, Post 163

 Goal Weight: 188 pounds  

Today's Weight:        199.8 lbs
Yesterday's Weight:    201.2 lbs
Net Loss/Gain:         - 1.4 lbs

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Do not focus on weight. Do not focus on weight.  Do not focus on weight... 

Focus on:  Sleep

I got up early today. Very early. At about 2:30am. I got up to urinate, but then, could not fall back asleep. I had gone to bed early (for me), and fallen asleep before taking my nighttime medicine and supplements. So I took them then, about 3 hours later than usual.


And paid the price for that activity. 


The amount of water I drink during waking hours, my morning dose of diuretic that comes with my HBP medicine, plus, probably my advancing age, makes nocturnal bathroom trips normal. Usually, if I wake up like that, I do my business and easily fall asleep. But if I do anything at all that stirs my consciousness/awareness/alertness the slightest bit, I'm up.


Last night was an unusual case, but, unfortunately, I am usually somewhat sleep-deprived. I tend to stay up late for enjoyable activities. In the evenings during the week, my energy level goes from low (late afternoon, post-work) to high, and stays that way until I relax. If that happens to be after 11pm, typical on any night I go out to play, I will usually turn on the tv - and as often as not, my energy starts to dissipate and then... falls off a cliff into sleep. I'm one of those guys who falls asleep anywhere, any time when he gets tired enough - music or tv blaring, reading, etc. I wake up and its still on, or the book's on my chest...


So, not insomnia (that was a problem years ago, not now), just quite a bit of sleep deprivation. They say that one of the many biological effects of sleep deprivation is stress and an associated high cortisol level. Cortisol is a hormone that has some pretty insidious effects when it stays in the blood too long (which it does when the body is stressed from lack of sleep): The one we're concerned with today, is a certain rather acute insulin-like property associated with high and/or extended levels of cortisol secretion: It causes fat storage. Not just any fat storage: Belly-fat storage. 


Which is why I have never read anything I regarded as seriously discussing weight loss that didn't specifically prescribe a good night's sleep.


Meditation is also recommended, as a de-stresser. I meditate - irregularly, these days, but still do it. Meditation is good for a lot of things. Other than as something that can de-stress you, thus enabling weight loss (or greater weight loss), I don't think it has any direct benefit. You can't meditate your way thin, I think. But what do I know? I certainly know lots of chubby people who meditate, so it obviously isn't enough on its own.

Meditation is good for lots of reasons, and in lots of ways, but it is not an antidote for sleep-deprivation.


So I've lost my 45 pounds despite chronic sleep deprivation. I think I would have had even better success - not that I'm complaining - if I were getting a regular 7-8 hours a night, instead of my average 5-6, and sometimes less (like today).

But I won't sacrifice the activities that I regard as essential to my happiness and peace of mind; nor can I neglect the job that supports those activities, so the compromise will have to remain: Lose a little sleep, lose a little less weight, don't worry, be happy.

    

Food Log

Breakfast

My breakfast shake. Here's the formula: 6 oz almond milk, 1/2C yogurt, 1C blueberries, 2C Kale, 1t inulin, 3T chia seeds, 1/2t stevia/erythitol blend. Note: I left out the eggs this morning.

    Carb count: 18 g. Net

Early Lunch

Organic smoked turkey on Spring Mix greens with herbes de provence vinaigrette and home-made mayonnaise.

    Carb count: 1 g. Net

Late Lunch
2 oz mixed nuts: 1 oz raw almonds, 3 brazil nuts and the rest walnuts.
    Carb count: 5 g. Net
 
Dinner 

Chili (grass-fed organic ground beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato paste, spices) with broccoli and grated parmesan cheese.  Eaten but not shown: cottage cheese and guacamole (not together, silly).

    Carb Count:  25 g. Net

 

Day total carbs:  

    ~55 g. Net carbs. 
Net carbs = total carbs - fiber 

The approximation "~" includes an amount added for calculation error and unknown (therefore, uncounted) carbs.

Liquid Intake
    Coffee:  24 oz,   Water: 104+ oz. 

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