Thursday, June 20, 2013

Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead

I recently watched the 2010 documentary, Fat, sick and Nearly Dead (the entire film is linked below). I have not tried this sort of diet, but it certainly looks intriguing to try for 10 days. I may give it a shot.

I don't have weight or health problems now, but this little film might be of interest to those of you who do.  Back in 2011, a routine  physical revealed I may have had diabetes. Upon further tests, it was determined that I did not, but that I was indeed approaching the pre-diabetic stage. What did I do? I eliminated sugar, as much as possible from my diet. I maintained an attempted sugarless diet for about 3 months. The results? I dropped 30 pounds by simply eliminating sugar (this included pasta, bread, and alcohol... anything with sugar). I did have plenty of meat, but not a lot of carbohydrates. My sugar level went way down (no more threat of diabetes), my cholesterol and blood pressure was perfect. My frequent sinus headaches disappeared.  The doctor who rechecked me after three month diet said something like, "Normally when we tell people to change their diet, they don't, and rather end up taking pills." Talk about a good feeling... when I walked out of that doctor's office I was invigorated.

Keep in mind as well, I did exercise, but nothing outrageous. And, I really didn't need to lose 30 pounds. Half of that would've been enough.  Dieting for 3 months was hard for me, but not nearly as hard as maintaining a healthy life style after the goal is achieved. I have introduced sugar back into my diet, but nearly as much as I had previously.    



11 comments:

Eric said...

Hello James,
Had a similar experience in 2004. Doc said I needed BP and Chol. meds- I said, "let me try diet first." I lost 30 lbs in 3 months via a low carb, low sugar, low food, low fun diet. Missed my Cokes the most! Doc was impressed. I did feel much better and continued to avoid pills for a few more years, sadly the 30lbs slowly crept back on... Then the genetics caught up with me. Doc said I couldn't put it off any longer. It's a family tradition, hi BP and chol. meds. :-(

But I keep trying to drop the weight!
cheers
Eric--


The Blogger Formerly Known As Lvka said...

How WORKS-RIGHTEOUS of you, to think you could EVER become TRULY slim by your OWN human efforts, instead of TRUSTING in GOD ALONE for receiving a thin body ! The ALMIGHTY does NOT need your "HELP" to make you slim ! REPENT now, while there's still time, and cease at once with this sin of PRIDE ! All foods are clean, so stop alerady with this PAPIST and JUDAIZING non-sense !

Ken said...

Sounds like the Atkins Diet Plan or Sugar Busters.

They do work; (they worked for me too, for a while, but I could not keep them up for over 2-3 weeks - got tired of just meat and eggs and a few veggies;

Overall, excellent, but very difficult to keep up for a long period of time.

Meat is expensive to make it one's main thing at every meal; and cooking takes more time than carb. type foods.

Fresh Vegetables - good, healthy, but more expensive and time consuming to clean, chop, prepare, cook. I am not complaining, that is just the reality of eating healthy -

IMO, best = meat, vegetables, and fruit.

But still hard to maintain for busy people.

Fresh Fruit is good also - natural sugars.

I can say that I got totally off cokes and soft-drinks and much less desserts than I used to eat; and much less white bread and pasta.

I still love Baked Potatoes (with butter, sour cream, salt, and course ground pepper - my favorite food) [but I hardly eat it anymore, just every now and then; I used to eat BP a lot!] very much and Iranian method cooked rice (Polo or the Turkish way to say it is Pilav - where we get our English word, pilaf from.) - with butter!

James Swan said...

Doc said I couldn't put it off any longer. It's a family tradition, hi BP and chol. meds. :-(

Hi Eric:

Sorry to hear that. Likewise, I have some things I'm looking to inherit at some point... regardless though,I still work regularly on diet and exercise. I'm probably in better shape now than I was 20 years ago.

James Swan said...

How WORKS-RIGHTEOUS of you, to think you could EVER become TRULY slim by your OWN human efforts, instead of TRUSTING in GOD ALONE for receiving a thin body ! The ALMIGHTY does NOT need your "HELP" to make you slim ! REPENT now, while there's still time, and cease at once with this sin of PRIDE ! All foods are clean, so stop alerady with this PAPIST and JUDAIZING non-sense !

Hmm, on that logic, I might as well sit hear in my room and wait for God to send me money and food. You appear to be very confused as to what "Reformed" means.

James Swan said...

I can say that I got totally off cokes and soft-drinks and much less desserts than I used to eat; and much less white bread and pasta.

I stopped drinking soda about 15 years ago. The reason? It had nothing to do with health. I realized that, despite what the advertisements say, soda does not quench thirst, it makes you more thirty.

Ken said...

Popcorn is another favorite of mine that I have had to cut out.

The Blogger Formerly Known As Lvka said...

You appear to be very confused as to what "Reformed" means.


Am I the one who is confused about what "Reformed" means, or are the Reformed confused about what Paul meant ? :-)

James Swan said...

Am I the one who is confused about what "Reformed" means, or are the Reformed confused about what Paul meant ? :-)

There is a difference in correctly understanding a particular position (like, say, reformed theology in regard to what the position holds about sovereignty and human action), and whether or not the Reformed are "confused about what Paul meant." In regard to the former, you appear to not understand the Reformed position.

James Swan said...

Popcorn is another favorite of mine that I have had to cut out.

I gave up butter on popcorn years ago. Lightly salted is fine.

The Blogger Formerly Known As Lvka said...

Then what exactly is the Reformed position ? And what exactly am I misunderstanding ?