Feeling Healthy - Diet, Weight Loss, Fasting

[davem1111 2,030]

On 7/24/2023 at 12:30 PM, ebinmaine said:

 

I've gone off of the gabapentin completely as of last Thursday so 4 days now.

 

 

  My doctor tried to give me gabapentin recently for my Sciatica - I refused to take it after reading the side effects. That's some nasty stuff!

[ebinmaine 67,502]

4 hours ago, davem1111 said:

 

  My doctor tried to give me gabapentin recently for my Sciatica - I refused to take it after reading the side effects. That's some nasty stuff!

 

It was... the lesser of several evils. My body pains were at a level that was making work difficult.  

Gazillion tests and NO results.  

One thought was Lyme disease but I've been tested for multiple times over multiple years. Still could have had it. 

 

I was labeled as FM which basically means "I dunno". 

 

I could have had different meds but that would have taken me out of CDL driving. 

 

I've tried several different meds on several different doses now. 

All failed over the long term.  

 

Oh well. 

 

I'm feeling a little better most days so.... 

Let's stick to whatever I've been doing and hope for the best.   

 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,502]

4 hours ago, davem1111 said:

At 5'7" I weigh around 175,

 

I'm 6'+. Hovering in the high 260s. 

When I was about 240, 245 my doc and I had a discussion about the obesity charts. 

I was off the edge of "morbidly obese". The thought really bothered me. 

I could have been thinner... but not much. 

Doc did some physical size tests and measurements then  studied the charts vs my actual. 

 

The charts. The standards. 

The facts. ... don't work.  

 

[ebinmaine 67,502]

263.9

 

Down something like 16 lbs. 

 

 

Still feeling ok with only minor aches most of the time. 

It's been a VERY active week at work. 

A lot of heavy lifting and busy days. 

Excellent. Free workout.  

 

Saturday is a hiking day. Bigger climb than I've attempted in a year or 3. 

It's HIGHLY likely I'll gain some weight early next week during muscle recovery.  

Absolutely normal. 

 

 

[Pullstart 62,884]

Rock on EB!

[Pullstart 62,884]

4 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Down something like 16 lbs. 

 

Hey that’s 100 Big Macs if I recall!  16 lbs doesn’t sound like much.  Put it in a backpack and carry it around all day.  Then tell me it ain’t much!  Keep on winning, brother 

[ebinmaine 67,502]

263.6. 

 

As fully expected I gained about 4 lbs post hike a couple weeks ago. 

I held onto it a little longer than in the past. Usually that would shed off after 3 to 5 days but I took a week and a half. 

 

 

[rmaynard 15,461]

Weight loss seems to have given up on me. Up 3 pounds since June, and all the good eating months are still ahead.

[Pullstart 62,884]

I feel like since July, we’ve been on the road as much as being home.  I’m hovering about 180, up from my low.  I’m still intermittent fasting, and feel like maybe a two day would be beneficial for me.  We have three more trips scheduled for the year, plus Thanksgiving and Christmas festivities.  I’m feelin’ ya Bob!

[rmaynard 15,461]

2 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

 I’m still intermittent fasting, and feel like maybe a two day would be beneficial for me.

My cardiologist advised me to be very careful with diets and fasting. I take Warfarin blood thinner and it's very easy to get my INR number out of range when fasting. Salads and many greens are not good for me as they contain vitamin K. My wife and I still walk everyday, but it seems that each new day brings a new pain. I got up out of my recliner two nights ago after watching a little TV, and my left hip hurt so bad that I could not walk. Never ever had that problem before. Woke up next morning early for a CT scan for another problem, and the pain was still there. This morning the pain is completely gone and it's like I never had a problem. As they say, growing old is not for sissy's.

[Darb1964 1,042]

On 9/8/2023 at 8:12 PM, ebinmaine said:

 

It was... the lesser of several evils. My body pains were at a level that was making work difficult.  

Gazillion tests and NO results.  

One thought was Lyme disease but I've been tested for multiple times over multiple years. Still could have had it. 

 

I was labeled as FM which basically means "I dunno". 

 

I could have had different meds but that would have taken me out of CDL driving. 

 

I've tried several different meds on several different doses now. 

All failed over the long term.  

 

Oh well. 

 

I'm feeling a little better most days so.... 

Let's stick to whatever I've been doing and hope for the best.   

 

 

 

 

On 9/8/2023 at 3:50 PM, davem1111 said:

 

  My doctor tried to give me gabapentin recently for my Sciatica - I refused to take it after reading the side effects. That's some nasty stuff!

 

On 9/8/2023 at 3:50 PM, davem1111 said:

 

  My doctor tried to give me gabapentin recently for my Sciatica - I refused to take it after reading the side effects. That's some nasty stuff!

I was on gabapentin for a while two years ago and it worked for me. Much of my overall body pain has returned but I just live with it. My body is about done from sports, accidents, and two falls from tree stands. I have MS. So that's my chief problem now. I can't do much but just keep plugging. 

[ebinmaine 67,502]

17 minutes ago, Darb1964 said:

just keep plugging. 

THAT'S the part that counts!! 

[ebinmaine 67,502]

1 hour ago, rmaynard said:

My cardiologist advised me to be very careful with diets and fasting. I take Warfarin blood thinner and it's very easy to get my INR number out of range when fasting. Salads and many greens are not good for me as they contain vitamin K. My wife and I still walk everyday, but it seems that each new day brings a new pain. I got up out of my recliner two nights ago after watching a little TV, and my left hip hurt so bad that I could not walk. Never ever had that problem before. Woke up next morning early for a CT scan for another problem, and the pain was still there. This morning the pain is completely gone and it's like I never had a problem. As they say, growing old is not for sissy's.

 

 

 

Might not be a bad idea to have a talking-to with the overall physician. 

Sometimes side effects of meds are worse than the actual effects of the treatment.  

Not saying one way or the other.  Just thought process.  

 

My example would be treating pain with a couple different meds that caused me to slow down lower than slug pace.  

That made it extremely challenging to maintain weight. 

Gaining weight causes pain. WTH ??!!??

 

So I'm done with scripts for now. 

 

I certainly have some days more tiring than others. 

Still able to deal with it though.   

Not like 3 to 5 years ago.  

 

I may never know what was (or is) actually "wrong" with my chassis.  

 

 

[ML3 1,203]

Back in June when I injured my sciatica. The pain was so bad that I was on gabapentin. At that time I really didn't care about side effects. Fortunately, it worked for me without any issues. I'm still having some pain but it's manageable without prescriptions. I don't want to get dependent on anything. Also, most importantly I have my pilots license so the last thing I want to happen is to be unable to fly my plane. My girlfriends family lives out of town but is only an hours flight so day trips are common. Been doing some psychical therapy & stretches which seems to help. Seems like mostly my discomfort is when sleeping & if I sit for a long time. Walking does seem to actually help however I get pain in my legs as I have varicose veins probably from standing constantly 10-12 hrs/day, 5-6 days/wk for the 1st 25+yrs of working. I definitely rock the compression socks with my  shorts on! 😂

[ebinmaine 67,502]

2 hours ago, ML3 said:

therapy & stretches which seems to help

Absolutely agreed. I do minor stretches off n on throughout the day. The more I do the better I move.  

 

2 hours ago, ML3 said:

Seems like mostly my discomfort is when sleeping & if I sit for a long time. Walking does seem to actually help however

 

Same here. 

It's great that my truck driving occupation is local delivery. 

I'm in n out of the cab or forklift or truck bed or cargo box etc etc all day everyday. 

 

There's a line to be drawn between moving and resting though. 

Very rarely can I keep going most of the day without setting for a bit. 

Occasionally I have to sit... a LOT. 

Luckily those days are much less often nowadays.  

 

 

[rmaynard 15,461]

I would love to stop all meds, but with AFib you are destined to live a life with blood thinners to help prevent having a stroke. 

[ML3 1,203]

17 hours ago, rmaynard said:

I would love to stop all meds, but with AFib you are destined to live a life with blood thinners to help prevent having a stroke. 

I think of it as "better living through chemistry" I'm also destined to a life of prescriptions. 

[Pullstart 62,884]

Time to get back on track a bit.  Yesterday, I was up another 4 ish lbs to 184 since my last check in.  It seems we have found more social things to do, which usually equate to having a couple.  Three days with nothing to drink but water or a sip of our (non-alcoholic) homemade grape juice and a glass of milk last night, I’m fully clothed with a couple layers on and 181.  I realize the beer, wine, and/or moonshine in our social gatherings tend to just mean pure carbs but why do they make it so tasty?    

[lynnmor 7,306]

2 hours ago, Pullstart said:

 homemade grape juice and a glass of milk last night

 

I dumped some pounds, some credit goes to reducing the use of fruit juice by watering it down and using less.  I tried unsweetened almond milk and that is awful, the sweetened versions have no benefit over skim milk, so that is what I use.  We just need to remember this: if it tastes good, spit it out. 

[Pullstart 62,884]

11 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

if it tastes good, spit it out. 

[Pullstart 62,884]

I’m happy to report that after all the festivities of Thanksgiving, I’m holding around 175.  It still feels great to feel great!

[Pullstart 62,884]

I’m still watching what and how I consume food.  And drink.  Sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down.  I’ve hovered in the mid-170’s for a year now and is still feels great!  Last night, Mrs. P told me they are doing a weight loss competition at her work, through June.  In celebration of the spirit of competition, we went to the casino buffet for dinner   I’m not in on the pot, but figured I’d eat like I was for a change!  3 plates of food, 2 desert plates, 2 desert bowls.  I’ve got a food baby and it feels terrible!  Honestly, I can’t believe I used to do this to myself on a regular basis at buffets and justified that I worked hard!  It was never a thing to put away 2-3 big plates of food and a few deserts.   
 

So, with a little padding from last night’s splurge, today I am at 183.2. I haven’t done a multi-day fast since I completed my 3 day.  I likely won’t start off with a bang again like I did last year.  I’m still about 20 lbs less than I was before, so that is awesome.  I’ll try to check in every Friday or so. 

[ebinmaine 67,502]

The last few years have definitely been a challenge for me here n there. Friggin body pains and trying to figure out how to handle that. Oye!!

 

 

This year I've gone off all prescribed medications and am focusing on supplements. Knock on wood, it seems better.  

I've started taking UMARY and keep on the glucosamine chondroiton (sp?) Along with magnesium malate and others.  

 

Trina and I both miss hiking in large volumes like we did just a few years ago. 

 

Maybe not necessarily a giant hike every weekend but the act of just getting out in the unknown forests more often.  

 

Other than building a tractor for my father by spring we have NO timed plans this year. 

 

We're looking at doing a hike/ exploring/ bushwhacking/ whatever approximately every other weekend.  

[Pullstart 62,884]

180.2 this morning, following a pretty large pulled pork nachos dinner.  Yum!

[ANTPER 207]

Most drugs have many side effects that vary individually.  Always check on them even if a Doctor recommends. I was giving med once with side effect of possible Stroke! I passed and dealt with it without.