I usually feel bad about losing, but I'm feeling good about losing weight!
Partially because of the medication I'm on, and partially because I have been more sedentary lately, my weight crept up. I was getting pretty thick and that was impacting my energy and ability to exercise.
I started on The Atkins Diet in early January and have already lost over 23 pounds. I would like to lose another 20 or so to be in the "not overweight" BMI category. That would be a good birthday present to me when I turn 50 this fall.
This weight management plan is easy for me to follow. I can get good food at most any restaurant, and we eat well at home. I am avoiding all starchy foods, including bread, pasta, pizza, as well as sweet items including many fruits and anything made with sugar. Most meals consist of meat and vegetables, two things that I can really dig into. Any diet that encourages me to eat a Cobb Salad is my kind of plan!
I have a great energy level on this plan, and I am not often hungry. This comes from breaking the insulin cycle that most of us are caught in - you eat carbohydrate-heavy food, your insulin level spikes, and then when it comes down, you feel hungry. Eating low carbohydrate meals breaks that cycle, and you stay satisfied longer from your meals.
The basis of Atkins is that your body switches from burning primarily glucose to burning fat through a process called ketosis. It's a natural way to get your body to consume fat.
I'm also back on the treadmill, and should be getting outside soon as the weather improves. It's a lot easier to work out without that extra 20 or so pounds. I am looking forward to getting back down to "runner weight" and see what a lean, 50 year old John can do!
So what does this have to do with my heart health? I'm on a triglyceride medicine and another pill for cholesterol. I am hoping that both my LDL and Tri's will be much better, and I can start to pull back from so much medication.
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