Day 29, Post 177

 Goal Weight: 188 pounds  

Today's Weight:        201.8 lbs
Yesterday's Weight:    199.2 lbs

Net Loss/Gain:         + 2.4 lbs

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

Today I had an 'emergency' doctor's appointment to discuss the reduction in gastrointestinal motility that began towards the end of my experiment with the Slow-Carb Diet. Problems with GI motility are usually called IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, although IBS can take other forms. GI motility is about the contractions which move your food through the intestines, particularly the last sections of the lower (large) intestines. This is my problem: It has slowed down for me. The result is that too much moisture (water) is removed from the stools, creating a very painful (and less frequent) bowel movement.

I had a rather long conversation with the doctor - not my usual doctor (but she said my doctor was her doctor). She had in her career been a licensed nutritionist, and was very interested in my weght loss. She felt that my diet was excellent, (it worked!) and her Number One suggestion was to exercise, especially exercise my core. Abdominal crunches, and/or yoga or Pilates. 

Since the last two would require a group/class setting, which means some kind of membership somewhere, I reject them out of hand. I hate ab exercises, always have, but that is all that's left. I will be learning to use a kettlebell for exercise, but that is whole body strengthening, only incidentally core strengthening. 

The doctor also suggested doing aerobics, but I think aerobics, per se, are inefficienet and perhaps detrimental, and I can't do them outside 6 months of the year, or inside, ever. I am more inclined to do High Intensity Intervals, but again, 6 months of the year, I have no place to do them.

As I said, she approved of my diet; her only suggestions were to eat more fruit and cut some of the protein out. (Very much counter to the diet plan I am following). She handed me a list of guidelines from the government.  I think the government recommendations are a bad joke and based on junk science if based on anything other than commercial interests at all. It is obvious - to me, at least - that the government recommendations for a healthy diet run counter to any reasonable expectation of weight control and good health. 

Finally, on to the subject of my visit,  my painfully poor motility, she explained that weight loss was not-so-infrequently accompanied by this problem - there is a 'shrinking' of the body, and also a 'shrinking' of the intestines. She emphasized that she felt exercise was necessary help the gut keep up with the task of motility. Her ideas about taking senna (which has been the only thing so far that gives me any real relief) are that it is better to take the tea, and you don't want to become reliant (addicted?) to anything that affects your motility one way or the other.


There you have it. My weight and blood pressure were all good. There were no other labs, so there's nothing else to report. I have to think about how I'm going to incorporate a small apple into the daily plan. Maybe go down to one conventional serving of protein per meal. But probably, I will pretty much ignore everything the doctor said about diet, and start some kind of exercise program. And buy some senna tea.

Food Log

Breakfast

Protein shake: Whey protein (24g), 1C almond milk, 1/2T macadamia nut oil, 1/2C blueberries, 2-1/2C kale, 3T chia seeds, 1/2t stevia-erythritol blend.

    Carb count: 14 g. Net

Lunch

1/4-lb Grass-fed Roast Beef on Spinach and Field Mix with a (whole, medium) sliced tomato and balsamic vinaigrette.

      Carb count: 5 g. Net

Snack
1-1/2 oz of cashew-almond butter on celery ribs.  
     Carb count: 9 g. Net

Dinner 

Appetizer (not shown): Pepperoni and cheddar cheese. Dinner: "Bangers and Mash": Organic chicken sausage with spinach and feta, mashed cauliflower  (made with coconut oil, chia seeds and yogurt).

    Carb Count:  3 g. Net

Day total carbs:  

    ~33 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:  18 oz,   Water: 128+ oz.

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