Well, I passed my 126 day 'trial' of the BTD/wholefoods/all-that-and-more diet a number of days ago. Maybe weeks. I lost count due to exams and the general end of year madness. Oops.
I think this little experiment, which became even more experimental (with an emphasis on the 'mental' some might say..) in the last month, was a big success in the two main areas:
- Weightloss
- Arthritis
I started the 18 weeks at 61kg and about 30.3% bodyfat. I pretty much maintained that for the first 12 weeks, wavering between 60.3 and 61.8kg. On November the 30th I started a 6 day elimination diet, after doing some reading and wondering if it might be 'leaky gut syndrome' and lectin sensitivity that was contributing to my 'improving but still there' arthritis. I went through some wild symptoms during the detox but my weight dropped to 59.5kg and the arthritis symptoms further improved.
Since finishing the elimination diet I have maintained a more simple nutrition plan and am generally not eating grains or dairy, you might say it's a paleolithic style of eating which I'm finding surpisingly enjoyable. I'm not lo-carbing though. I'm eating quite a bit of kumara (sweet potato) and fruit along with fish, some meat, olive oil and a few odd foods like wakame (sea vegetables). Oh, and some chocolate. And a little coffee. I'm supplementing with:
N-acetyl D Glucosamine
MSM
Ascorbic Acid
Omega 3 Fish Oil
Glutamine
Pro-D gel (a trial I am on for a friends company - top secret formulation)
All but the last of these are designed to control inflammation and heal any problems in my digestive system - hopefully making me less sensitive to food lectins.
Although I'm not counting calories, my weight has continued to drop and this morning I am at 57.8kg (~127 kg) 28% bf. This is great, but the big, really exciting thing is that my osteo-arthritis has improved out of sight. One thing I missed greatly was the ability to sit cross-legged. Not with crossed legs like a lady, but cross-legged on the floor or the couch like a four year old. It was just too painful, I couldn't even get my right leg anywhere close to rotated. Now I can sit that way again, without any pain. I would say that my arthritis is about 90% healed, which is apparently a medical impossibility (puh). It has not been a quick fix. I've been on a nightshade-free diet for seven months without deviation, but I don't even know if that was the main thing. I've also made a real effort to ditch stress, cut way back on caffeine, reduced and then eliminated grain and legume products (including any grain fed meats and any grain or bean oils), gave up dairy, reduced egg consumption and learned to really adore veges. Since the elimination diet I've also developed what seems to be a really serious reaction to red wine. I've drank it twice and had two migraines, one of which had me wondering if I had a brain tumour! I think I need to either ease back into that one, or just accept that my indulgence is chocolate.
The funny thing is that it sounds like such an extreme regime, but it doesn't feel like it. I felt more restricted when I was counting every calorie and stressing over my aching joints. Also, if I keep myself in line most of the time, meals out don't seem to cause any drama. I'm pretty sure that a healthy body can handle a bit of crap now and then.
Exercise has been and still is, quite random, but I'm doing it. I'm in the habit of doing a few sets of resistance training every half hour or so when I'm working at my PC. Cardio has consisted of speed shopping (woohooo).
Speaking of which:
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I'd like to wish all readers of Life in the Lab a FANTABULOUS xmas, full of great chocolate, awesome gifts and, most importantly, crazy times with family.
It is a little known fact that excellent christmas cake made by your Grandma has ABSOLUTELY NO CALORIES. I know, it's AMAZING, yet TRUE!
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