Today is a great day! Why? Because I’ve come now within 10 pounds of my 10 year lowest weight. And this time it’s all diet! Last time it was all exercise, more than 100 miles every week on the bike. While I loved the 100 mile weeks, truly! It doesn’t compare to this time. Again, this is sustainable! The other was not, so therein lies the advantage.
I made my 3 bean soup / chili last night. It’s GOOD! Holy cow, even though there’s no cow in it! Black, pinto and red kidney beans along with onions, carrot, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, celery, hot chili powder, salt, pepper, and a smattering of other chili powders and herbs came together to be downright good. Claire approved that for the standard rotation so now I need to go back into the kitchen and write it all down. That makes two great dishes we like in the rotation that are 100 percent WFPB and no oil! Salt is another thing altogether, and to some extent I really don’t care all that much about salt. Why? Our kidneys are made to flush extra sodium and we need some every day to keep functioning. Dr. McDougall has a whole presentation about how it’s not the salt. Detailing cultures around the world that eat gobs and gobs of salt and those that don’t, each having similar lifespans and very few health issues related to salt. It’s more about the overall diet. In reality, because we aren’t eating out we have direct control over our salt intake and as such I’m sure it’s plummeted accordingly. Cheese is a major salt carrier, and that’s all gone! Along with processed meats which carry almost as much. If you’ve ever looked at the salt content of a subway sandwich with cheese, you’ll see it’s outrageous! Somewhere past the two days intake goal from the NIH or WHO, and yet it’s billed as weight loss food?? So, I agree with Dr. McDougall that it’s not the salt and that’s my choice. Your mileage may vary, and that’s great too. Of course, if you have health problems maybe salt isn’t your friend, but I’m no MD and this isn’t health advice.
Today I have an interval run on the calendar, and I need to prep more greens because I didn’t do it last night. I really think the greens are the key to getting the loss numbers I’m seeing. I fill up on greens and then have a small serving of beans or tikka masala or such for lunch and dinner. And some fruit in between to stave off any hunger, keeping my on track. I am loving the fruit intake requirement because I love fruit, always have. And now that my taste has changed, fruit is so sweet it’s like candy. Maybe that was the intent all along? and we dull our senses with processed, concentrated food. That seems plausible, let’s go with that.
Blood Pressure, let’s take a minute and update that. I took it a couple days ago, in the morning when your circadian rhythm says it should be highest, and it was 119 / 81! Perfectly NORMAL! In 21 days I’ve gone from high even to be on meds, to perfectly normal. HOLY CRAP! That one thing alone has me feeling vindicated in making this change. What can be measured can be managed, so I keep tabs on that and my weight, in an attempt to manage both as best I can. I can only hope that once I’m down to target weight my BP comes in about 100 / 70, or close anyway. Why? Because that means my heart is very strong, and my arteries are not clogged at all, or most likely not and it’s all working as nature intended. It also means I have a LONG life ahead of me, and that’s good because there’s so much left to do in this life. But that’s a story for later,..
BobLosesWeight 