Wow! I am happy!

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Re: Wow! I am happy!

Postby stoumi » Tue Dec 27, 2011 4:01 pm

No, against my doctor's suggest I stopped taking the stating within a month because my legs were hurting, which I was told was a "side effect." The second blood test he had scheduled me for was to check my liver to make sure there were no further complications, again due to the statin he prescribed.

I know I probably should have called and scheduled an appointment months earlier, rather than think I know more than my doctor. But continuing to read the side effects of that medication I could not bring myself to continue taking it. I do understand there were other statin type drugs that he could be provided.

So while I feel I didn't completely listen to my doctor I am still a firm believer in what I have achieved in the short term. Now I will need to make an appointment with my doctor explaining what I have done since October and I believe the change was due to my dietary habits and not the prescribed medication since I have been off of it since August. Not sure if there is really any way to say the medication didn't have an effect, but I see now that I don't need the medication and diet (along with exercise) is a much better answer than popping pills.
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Re: Wow! I am happy!

Postby bunsofaluminum » Wed Dec 28, 2011 1:32 pm

steve your story is so encouraging and uplifting! Congrats on the new numbers; don't worry about the dr...if your health is improving without the drugs...hey, you're an adult. No one can force you to take any medication or otherwise, and since your numbers have improved and you feel so fantastic, what can the dr say? They don't prescribe to people who are symptom free, eh?

keep up the good work :) :thumbsup:
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Re: Wow! I am happy!

Postby stoumi » Wed Dec 28, 2011 2:51 pm

Thanks for the encouragement. I have set up an appointment with the doctor to go over the most recent numbers and to explain to him what I will be doing with my diet. I will be interested to hear what he has to say...if anything.
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Re: Wow! I am happy!

Postby Jack19 » Thu Dec 29, 2011 10:28 am

stoumi wrote:Thanks for the encouragement. I have set up an appointment with the doctor to go over the most recent numbers and to explain to him what I will be doing with my diet. I will be interested to hear what he has to say...if anything.

And we'll be interested too - do let us know. Spent a little time on your website just now but link didnt work when I clicked on "about" and "recipes"
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Re: Wow! I am happy!

Postby stoumi » Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:54 am

Yesterday, January 20 represented the end of following the 12 day program found on this site and in the book, The McDougall Program. Leading up to this point I had given myself some 2 months to make the transition to this WOE so I would not have to cut out everything "cold turkey," which I assume would have been more of a challenge.

Starting on October 30, 2011 I told myself I would start the 12 day program in 2012. I was able to get my wife and aunt to join me over the last 12 days, to introduce them to this WOE and to see what I would be able to accomplish by cutting more foods I don't need in my diet (oil, cheese, caffeine and alcohol).

While I didn't see a real need to share each day, here on the forums. I did make a journal, which can be found on my site under McDougalling. The menu was nowhere near as complete as what was offered in the book as I tried to find meals my find could eat and feel full. I had tried a few soups (like potato leek), which were good but she was hungry later in the evening.

Thankfully I aunt had spent 15 years previously in her life as a vegetarian, so introducing her to McDougalling was not all that difficult and she is looking at changing some of what she eats moving forward. My wife loves some of the cooking I did as well, for example potato enchiladas, thus the reason I made that a few times during the 12 days.

The conclusion sums up what I have been introduced to, but by no means ends this "experiment" as I have adopted a plant based, whole food diet. Based on the results I have already experienced I could not see going back to the way I was eating. Thanks to all who provided their information and insight in my now 85 days here on the McDougall Forums.
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Re: Wow! I am happy!

Postby giddyupgin » Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:13 pm

You go Steve!...pay no attention to the comment about getting to skinny.....I did once a few years back when I had a big weight loss...then I slowly let it creep back until I weighed more...now looking back I bet those people said that because they only knew the fat me...not the person I was under all those layers...I grew up skinny and they never knew me during those times..those words they said were an open invitation for me to succumb to my bad eating vices again...stay on track...cut the beers...take a walk and then tomorrow walk father....towards your new healthy life...it's about the health not just the numbers....
Have a great ride as we ride through life...
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Re: Wow! I am happy!

Postby stoumi » Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:45 pm

Very true, thanks for the words giddyupgin. Looking forward to further changes in my body that are visual. It's funny at work it's really nothing but jokes and laughs about what I am doing, especially from the men. Most of them are overweight and are not the best when it comes to controlling what or how much they eat. This based solely on what I can see, not their numbers. The longer my tenure at my job, I didn't want to become "one of them." I still feel this has been the best move I have made since starting Power 90 back in 2003, unfortunately back then I did not have the diet to support the work out. Now it looks as if I have come full circle and should see better results now that my diet is under control. Looking forward to this ride!
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Re: Wow! I am happy!

Postby stoumi » Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:13 am

Great way to start February as I have FINALLY broke 190 pounds (weighed in at 189 this morning)! It's been long time and I was beginning to wondered if this was "healthy" weight or just a plateau. I figured it was just a plateau and since adding exercise in daily combined with some walking while on lunch at work it seems to have helped me break through, "to the other side" so to speak.

Looking at the charts and numbers I keep on my computer using the program Fit Day I am ahead of my weight goal (175 pounds) by about 3 weeks. At this pace I should easily make my weight goal, along with the other health and fitness goals I have set for myself. The next "milestone" will be the end of April when I go get another blood test.
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Re: Wow! I am happy!

Postby stoumi » Thu Mar 29, 2012 4:46 pm

More excellent news today as I picked up a copy of my blood test results, which I had drawn on Monday. This test was actually to measure my Vitamin D level, as I have been on 50,000 IU/weekly for 3 months. Not all that thrilled with being on it, but my previous results showed a level of 25, which my doctor calls "deficient." After all the reading I have done, I will disagree with his assessment (yet again). Today my level reflected 34, so a 9 point improvement in 3 months.

The better news was on the total cholesterol (TC). After dropping 64 points in under 3 months from 216-199, today my TC stands at 175 and I am still closing in on that <150 number. My triglycerides (Trig) still are elevated at 208, down only 2 points from 210. Both of those numbers are still higher than they should be. Initially I thought I could knock it off to the weight loss (30+ pounds), but I am rethinking it could still be the beer I drinking weekly that is keeping this number high. Based on McD book, I am exercising, eating high fiber and while weight loss as tapered off a bit I am still losing weight.

I know it's more important to read the overall TC, which is 150, the LDL (bad) is now 99 down from 120 (which is down from 172) when I started eating this way. The HDL did drop 3 points from 37 to 34, but that could be accounted by the overall drop in the TC number.

Either way I am thrilled with my cholesterol number. I really am glad I made a change to improve my health. The benefits have been wonderful!!!
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Re: Wow! I am happy!

Postby pinkrose » Thu Mar 29, 2012 4:48 pm

Fantastic, Steve!!!

"Adherence and time" enable us to see amazing results! :nod:
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Re: Wow! I am happy!

Postby lmggallagher » Thu Mar 29, 2012 5:43 pm

Fantastic Steve: I know you're happy, but also know you make the rest of us happy too when you share your improved numbers. Keep on going - you're going to get there - and we are cheering for you - Michelle
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