Awhile ago, I asked Kill "how come no one ever asks for our advice when they want to lose weight?" His reply was that no one wants to lose weight the stringent way that we did it and he might be right. His theory is that people want to be their most attractive but, they also want to keep doing what they're doing. Cynical but also true. I do know people who have made eating changes because of illness and they're usually pretty successful but weight loss is a tricky business and people think that they can't lose weight. I personally always thought that I was "big boned".
I'm also pretty sure that we get told things that are "good" for us because certain groups for profit lobby the people that make our food guides. Why else would brands be allowed to change the food serving to be the smallest serving possible so that it seems healthier? I once read an ice cream label that had a tablespoon as a serving size....seriously?
The way that we lost weight is as follows:
 |
| Great considering I shrunk by 2.5 inches April '12 |
- Cut out sugar - on your porridge, in your tea (that was hard) and in your dried fruit. I still occasionally eat a small bowl of something with sugar or honey but I don't really need it so I always ask myself "what's going to be better for Cailey?" When you have cancer it's obvious that you need to be help your body but your health is just as valuable as mine.
- Don't eat foods that are made in a processing plant. I like deli food from Community or Planet Organic but if the whole product came preassembled (like an Oreo) then don't eat it except at Christmas or when you have PMS :).
- Eat fruit and vegetables from scratch. Ideally, just in plain form like an apple instead of apple chips. Pretty obvious but you could eat all the veggies and fruits you want, every day, and be skinny.
- Don't keep your favourite junk food in your house or desk. Every time that I get groceries, I gaze a little too long at the chips because I crave chips and if they were in my house then I'd eat them all. So I don't buy them but I want to Every. Single. Time. You've got to ask "what's good for me long term" and "who's the boss?" Also, you don't love chips, they just send you an addictive message. It may seem more obvious that you don't actually love liquor or more dramatically, methamphetamines.
The Hardest Ones
 |
| Circa 2010 |
- Cut out alcohol. I drink a few sips of beer if we're at the pub but I never order my own. I order tea when I'm out and yes, I feel like like weirdo sometimes however, I feel great in the morning and I'm protecting myself from toxic belly fat and my hard working, micro-tumored liver.
- Stop eating dairy. I saved this one for last because you're going to hate it the most. Dairy is delicious and habit forming so cutting it out is going to be rough. I used to eat cheese every day and drink milk like I owned stock in dairy farms. I also had a cheese freak out one day because I craved it so badly when I quit. I yelled at Kill and then I realized, cheese is addictive, but I'm smarter than cheese. Lastly, dairy is just fat and sugar (lactose) so except for the nutrients it provides like calcium (ever heard of spinach or kale) it doesn't have that much to offer.
 |
| Circa 2009 |
 |
| Circa 2013 |
Doing this Kill lost 40 pounds and I've lost 45 pounds (which I don't think is from cancer or my cancer drugs.) Typically, people now gain weight on chemotherapy because of the creation of anti-nauseant pills and steroids (which are anti-rejection drugs). About 20 pounds of weight gain is average but I didn't gain it. While on intravenous chemo, I maintained my weight because I changed my lifestyle through diet. I work out 2 or 3 times a week but I can't do all that much because I broke my back and I sleep like a cat (which means, all of the time.) A disclaimer, Kill and I also don't eat meat although I'll eat seafood so that had a small effect too. I'll include some delightful before and after pictures for your amusement :). Good luck if you've ever try this plan because once you conquer the cheese you'll never go back to your old size again. I bet you end up looking like Gwyneth Paltrow but even cuter.
4 comments:
It's amazing how your body adjusts when you cut out sugars. First there are the serious cravings and then a few weeks later, when you nibble something you used to like, sugary things taste sickeningly sweet. Your body speaks to you when you stop to listen!
Thanks for the great (always well written) blog.
PS Watch out for products in other countries! For example here in MX, a product that you recognize from home will have a higher sugar/fat content than the same product in Canada. It pays to always read the labels.
MX
Really? I'm intrigued by that MX. Also, my doctor told me not to eat the standardly sold dairy or meat in the US because they use hormones and antibiotics that Canada doesn't allow. I wonder about Mexico?
p.s. you sound like you've already cut out sugar, well done :).
This is interesting, Cail. When I first got sick to my abdomen, I followed this diet religiously. I felt a million times better and I lost some weight but never anymore than what I initially lost in the first month of changing my diet. As I continue to be the size of a small planet, I think that we may have a "natural" body weight. Wow, typing on my phone is strange and won't allow me to go back and edit anything so: my apologies!
Carter, you're petite like a kitten so you'll never be planet-sized. We can not drink together :)!
Post a Comment