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This is just RAD!

I've been gluten free for 1 whole week today! So I guess I just get to wait to see what happens one way or the other.



I've thought about this too, and it is one of the big two reasons I want to limit my weight loss to 1% per week, which I've been exceeding lately. But I have a plan to slow that down.



Yes. My hunger feels different. At first I thought it wasn't there, but it just feels different is all. And not as bothersome or uncomfortable. I wonder if this is how "normal" people feel hunger? Maybe. My hunger has always been an all consuming thing and even when I didn't give in right away it sure was what I thought about non-stop until I ate. Whatever is causing this, I like it!

-Norm

Norm, you are an inspiration! I only recently discovered your journal and have enjoyed reading through some of it. Congratulations on all the progress you're making.

Thank you! I hear those words a lot, and have always hoped they were true, but have had my doubts until recently. The number of people I've had an influence on continues to grow, and I'm now beginning to watch their own health transform!
One such friend I haven't mentioned before, either here or on my blog, is a friend in Texas who has lost some weight the "traditional" way but has been stuck at around 220 pounds for a long time. After months and months of hearing about my success he finally started asking questions. Last report I have from him he's down 12 pounds!
Another friend, whom I have mentioned before on my blog and perhaps here too, who is a nurse and thought my whole dietary changes were crazy, as they've gone against everything she's always been taught and believed, finally decided to give it a try after seeing me drop so much weight and improve my health. She's had steady progress! She told me yesterday that her daughter was now doing it, and that after three days called her to tell her the swelling in her hands that had plagued her for a long time was GONE!!

Seeing other people make changes to improve their health as a direct result of them seeing what I've been doing, has been an even bigger inspiration for me than anything I've felt before. It is inspiring me to be bolder in sharing my lifestyle changes with people.

-Norm

That is just wonderful about your friends, especially the nurse and her daughter.

Keep it up!

Fulenn

Yes, I am very encouraged about it! I seem to have more success in this department than others I read about here on the forum. I think it comes down to what we do with the opportunities we're given. Do we attract and interest people, or do we push them away? Ultimately others have to decide for themselves, but we can have great influence in steering them this direction if we choose to.

-Norm

I posted this on my blog today. Thought I'd share it here as well.

One year ago today I was 134 pounds heavier than I am today! Let's look at where I was one year ago, and what my mindset was.

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March 13th, 2011

I had a doctors appointment today. My doctor has a new scale! This one goes up high enough to weigh me, and it reports 476 pounds. I have not weighed myself since October 2010, at another doctors office, when I weighed 486 pounds. I've dropped 10 pounds in 6 months.
I've been thinking a lot about food, health, and weight in these past six months. I've honestly tried eating less. I've been watching a lot of videos with my wife. Videos about how scary and unhealthy our modern food production is. I watched a video in December that really made an impression on me. It was of Dr. Neal Barnard talking about reversing diabetes with a vegan diet. I don't have diabetes, yet, but everything he said in the video made complete sense to me. But I could never live without my meat, dairy, and butter! I would have totally dismissed his entire presentation except he said in one part of the video that if we can't give up all the bad food, at least start adding in more good food. Among the good foods he mentioned were whole grains. This really struck a chord with me, as I have friends who do a lot with whole grains. They buy all sorts of grains in bulk, grind their own flour from wheat, bake their own bread, make their own pasta, etc. So in the past couple of months I have researched and purchased my own grain mill!! Here is a picture of me with my brand new grain mill!!



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This is where I started, one year ago!! I started off unwilling to even consider giving up my meat and dairy, but I was willing to add in whole grains! I started baking my own bread. I started eating oats and barley for breakfast. I continued to eat as much food as ever, but these changes alone caused me to start losing weight!! At first about a pound a week, then more. I'll chronicle all the changes in my diet that occurred along the way in future blog posts. In the picture above, notice my wedding ring. I can no longer wear it on that finger without it falling off.

-Norm

Awesome!!! Youre doing killer. I also agree with your post above the last one. Ive too led a couple people to this way of eating.

Keep up the good work.

Love your blog by the way.

Thank you. I'm finding it an avenue I can steer people to who wouldn't come to a forum like this.

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I've been sleeping more, and dreaming more. Both good things!! I've also not had any serious bloating in the morning. I'm sure the lower CPAP pressures help in that regard, but also wondering if going gluten free has affected that any, as I recall reading that one symptom of gluten intolerance can be excessive bloating.
Speaking of gluten free, Friday will mark 2 weeks gluten free. I've still not noticed any reduction in my overall inflammation level. I haven't noticed any flare ups though, either. Also my hunger sensation is still different, and my stools are changing to a more normal color and not as loose as I'm used to.

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I've been limiting my walking to 4 miles a day, and doing it every day. I've also increased some areas of food intake. I've been eating nuts every day, increased my chocolate allowance, and added corn tortillas into my diet. I'm curious to see how the increased food and decreased exercise will affect my weight loss. My goal is 1% of my body weight every week, and I've been exceeding that over the past month, so trying to slow it down some. With my luck it will have slowed it down more than I want it to!! We'll see in a week!

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I found a new home for my trike! I was given permission to store it at the food bank I volunteer at. This will give me easy access to a wonderful bike path the three days a week I'm down at the food bank. Reducing my walking has really increased my desire to ride the trike more. I rode 7 miles on Monday, and loved it! Riding was easier than the only other time I've been out on it this year, and riding it with all the weight I've lost is SOOOOO MUCH NICER than when I was at my heaviest... I look forward to the day I can trade it in on a two wheel bicycle!! Yeah!! If the weather permits, I'll ride again on Friday.

-Norm

You've come a long way. I am still just using my stationary bike. I gave my bike to my daughter last year because I thought I would never be able to ride it again. I am having some regrets about giving it away now. I am on the right track with my weight loss now also and reading your journal really inspires me to keep moving forward.

Such great news all around, Norm! I love your story of how you started improving your health. Maybe more people would try it if they got the message that it doesn't have to be all or nothing.

Hi Norm:

I have gluten intolerance myself and had inflammation too. After giving up gluten containing foods and going McDougall -- the minor arthritis in my hands and more major in my left shoulder - just went away entirely.

I just watched the Advanced Study Weekend videos and Dr. Klaper was one of the speakers there. He is really in tune with issues of the gut, so to speak, and inflammations, so I am providing you a link to his website below, which summarizes some of what he said in his recent talk.

http://www.vegsource.com/klaper/nutrition.htm

Personally, I haven't done the elimination diet myself yet. It sort of sounds like a Mary's Mini - so I may do one in future - just to kick start myself and get off the plateau I am in just now.

The things he stressed are in point 2 of the above linked article - about leaky gut, as Nicole was explaining above. I am intending to do these. So his recommendation there is:

2. Repair "Leaky" gut (for 30 days):

A) Quercetin 250 mg. 3 times a day.
B) Glutamine 250-500 mg 3 times a day
C) Acidophilus supplement (non-dairy) between meals
(The above supplements are available at natural food stores.)

I was on high dose anti-biotic for years and leaky gut is huge for me and may have a lot to do with my fibro. Why I am intending to do the 3 things above is that I was just in the hospital for an operation and got huge doses of antibiotics there and am back at square one with my issues. So I hope to supplement as Dr. Klapper suggests above for a month.

Even though I haven't gotten to the health food store to pick up these items yet - I am doing a food remedy now that worked so immediately I was stunned. So the above acidophilus is a probiotic, and he is fine with using a full spectrum probiotic too. These don't necessarily have good shelf life - so I use Korean Kimchi or raw sauerkraut instead. Both are fermented foods and exponentially more full of probiotics then any supplement. But they are both an acquired taste too and neither can be a pasteurized, so it takes some looking to find active foods.

I got some Kimchi last night ate 1/2 cup and my tummy is thanking me already!! Also just like you my food cravings have gone away again overnight and I just am not at all hungry today - I am having to remind myself to eat today!

Anyway - it's not like you haven't been doing enough experimenting lately - but these few steps are something to consider doing for a brief period. Personally I figure it worth it to get everything fully back in order

Take care - Michelle

Thank you for your insight, Michelle! I have so much to learn and am thankful for the experience others share with me.

-Norm

What a difference a year and 134 pounds makes....

Wow you are doing so well! You should be very proud. As for the dreaming more, that happens on a low-fat, high carb diet.