Thanks for all the great advice! I have struggled with my poundage for a majority of my life. I ruined my knees trying to stay within Military standards that ultimately got me injured and discharged. That was a long time ago, and I have learned a lot. I saw military dieticians and nutritionists. They gave me general advice like "eat smaller portions" or "stay away from ice cream". They showed the food pyramid and what foods from each group I should have.
They advised me on the things I should eat and drink, how much and when. I followed it all to the T.
It did not help at all. In fact, that advice was so bad for me that I gained a lot of weight. I could not lose weight even though I was running 7 miles a day and following thier orders. When I did not run, I gained weight. As long as I ran, I maintained at 180 lbs. I am 6 feet tall, and according to the military, I was over weight.
I spent the next ten years trying every diet I could. Some of them worked, for a little while and then, no matter how hard I hit the gym, ran or how much time I spent being active, I would have to struggle just to maintain. It sucked!
Fast forward from 1995 to 2005, ten years later.
In 2005 I was 398 lbs and very sick. I had gone on a diet that worked for a friend, but nearly killed me. I gained 40lbs in 3 months and had to fire 3 doctors. They all did the same tests, said the same things and accused me of cheating on my diet. By their standards, the diet I was on was perfectly healthy.
Only it was not healthy for me. After a short time on that diet, I was not well, I could feel the blood in my viens. It was moving thick and slow, like sludge at the bottom of a river. I was having chest pains, blurred vision, headaches, nausea, vomitting, severe bloating, bad gas, unstable blood sugar and dizziness. I could barely see or walk.
I called my dad, crying. I pleaded with him to help my Husband with my son when I died. It is funny, now that I look back. His first response is now my first response.
What are you eating?
I have found that if I am not eating properly, the best I can do is maintain. Even being active and hitting the treadmill, the pool or running will do not good if I am not eating properly.
When I say properly, I mean a diet that is individual to who I am.
I will explain in a moment. First, I should finish my story.
So my dad asks me about my diet and I tell him everything I was eating on the Atkins diet. He immediately blamed a few of the foods the diet had me eating 3x a week. Then he sent me some information in the mail.
I found that the diet I was on worked for my friend because she was A blood type and the animal has no affect on her blood protiens. I found out that most of the diet was having a deadly affect on my blood protiens, because I am B blood type. For my blood type, those foods were inhibiting my insulin production and agglutinating my blood severely. Those foods were attcking me on a molecular level. After all, we are what we eat. True story.
Even though my meals were portioned perfeclty, it did not matter because the salads, chicken, veggies and dressings were all killing me. I changed those foods out for ones beneficial to my blood type and immediately felt better. After a week on the diet, I felt 110% better and only healed more over the next year. I lost 60lbs in 5 months and was able to become more active with my son, his school, neighbors, my husband, etc . . .
For the first time in my life, I felt hope for me and people like me.
I did not change my activity levels on purpose. I never went to the gym, or hit a treadmill in my house. All I did was change what I was eating and educate myself on why this happened to me.
On average I lost 2.5- 3.5 pounds a week without trying. Once I had lost 20lbs, I was able to start doing more around the house too. I just ate foods that have been researched and are known to be good for my blood type.
Those foods are not the same for everyone.
http://www.dadamo.com/txt/index.pl?1001
"That which you do not know can kill you!"