Weight Loss

[silkishuge]

Hi,

I am gradually losing weight and because I have a kidney and liver problem, I was told to restrict my diet to low fat food. I have to also avoid high gluten food.

My breakfast typically consist of 2 wheatbix and fresh fruit. 3 medium to large bananas, 1 apple, 1 pear and a few other fruits that are in season.

Lunch is typically a sandwich followed by two bananas, 1 apple and a bit of other fruit.

Dinner is a bowl of rice, some meat (usually fish) and vegetables and soup.

Desert is a home made cake. Red bean, gluten free flour, one large free range egg per 400g of gluten free flour. I can't typically take eggs as well but love them to bits.

Weight History
My weight has dropped to 65kg now and I was 66 kg for the last 3 weeks. I was about 110kg 2 years ago and I had to lose weight for health reasons. Now I just want to maintain my weight at around 68kg to 70kg but weight is falling off. I might also add that my height is 175cm.I stepped on the scales last night and just a touch under 65kg which got me a little worried. Might have needed to drink some water to get a better representative weight measurement.

Exercise Routine
I used to swim competitively years ago so upper body is not exactly skinny. Typical distance was 14km 6 days a week. 7km in the morning and 7km in the evening after school. I ballooned into the marshmallow man not long after I stopped swimming. I ate the same but did nothing except study.

AT the moment, the only exercises I do for my core are pull ups 3 times a week, I do 3 sets of about 30 to 35 and 300 crunches. I ride to work 5 days a week which is about 60km a day and approximately 800 to 1000m of ascents in total. On weekends, I do a longer ride, which is half recreational and half training. Typical ride length is about 100km.

Target Weight
I would like to get back to about 68 kg to 70kg. I think I need to find some higher calorie food which is low in fat. Strength training might increase my muscle mass and hence my weight? There is also a limit to how much food I can fit in my tummy......

Thanks for any food tips.

J

[ve safari]

Beer and burgers. Repeat.

[silkishuge]

Beer and burgers. Repeat.

I promised my wife that I would try to out live her and with my liver and kidney issues, that would be certainly in breach of our "marriage contract" I really miss burgers and sometimes beer. haven''t drunk alcohol in over 3 years and no burgers in two, unless they were home made. Even so, I have to take it easy with my cheese.

I felt really sick after a yum cha meal a year ago and was admitted to hospital so never again..... sticking to diet.

J

[silkishuge]

Beer and burgers. Repeat.

I promised my wife that I would try to out live her and with my liver and kidney issues, that would be certainly in breach of our "marriage contract" I really miss burgers and sometimes beer. haven''t drunk alcohol in over 3 years and no burgers in two, unless they were home made. Even so, I have to take it easy with my cheese.

I felt really sick after a yum cha meal a year ago and was admitted to hospital so never again..... sticking to diet.

J

I mistakenly thought that yum cha was oil free since everything we ordered was steamed...... I found out soon after that it was not the case.

[drubie]

Not a nutritionist, but it seems to me your diet is lacking in protein.

I'd go yogurt with that cereal in the morning with your fruit. You should also perhaps reconsider red meat - stir fries, a decent steak every now and again, slow cooked lamb etc. The protein is relatively easy for your body to access in red meat (and fish too, but you have to eat a shedload more fish than meat).

Protein will help you maintain your muscle mass.

[ClownBoy]

I had 3 thoughts but will struggle to make recommendations since I haven't had to deal with the low gluten situation.

1 - Protein. As has already been said, you are very low in protein. I know you said you had to avoid eggs but I bet $10 the issue is with the egg yolks. If so, you can buy frozen egg white and throw it in with 1 egg for some scrambled eggs on toast or something? Get your ptoein much higher mate!

2 - No morning or afternoon tea. I don't know how you last but with all of those sugars at breakfast (and again at lunch - fruit is full of fructose sugars) - you insulin must sky rocket and then crash an hour later. That is when you would normally get hungry and the next meal is so far away.

It is a good idea for you to add 2 more meals in to help keep yourself full.

3 - All the fruit.

Your blood sugar would never be stable.

I would cut the fruit down to a piece or 2 at brekky and replace it with some allowable (and reasonably dense) complex carb source.

[silkishuge]

Not a nutritionist, but it seems to me your diet is lacking in protein.

I'd go yogurt with that cereal in the morning with your fruit. You should also perhaps reconsider red meat - stir fries, a decent steak every now and again, slow cooked lamb etc. The protein is relatively easy for your body to access in red meat (and fish too, but you have to eat a shedload more fish than meat).

Protein will help you maintain your muscle mass.

Thanks drubie, we eat beef on Saturdays but perhaps one more night a week will be good. Sandwich is typically tuna as well, which is again..... fish. Its just that tuna is cheap and easy although probably not the mist healthy. We have chicken or pork once a week but that is not red as well. The problem with red meat for me is I have an allergic reaction to red meat if I eat too much. a typical size steak is too much. A combination of meats, such as red meat and fish might be the solution.

Thanks for the info. I did not know that red meat protein was more easily absorbed by the body.

Cheers,
J

[ClownBoy]

Tuna is an awesome source of protein. Or salmon if you need the fat content as well.

Plus don't be scared of visiting a BB shop and checking out the range of protein shakes available. A protein shake at morning tea with something solid can be a good addition and resolves a couple of things I mentioned in my earlier post.

[silkishuge]

I had 3 thoughts but will struggle to make recommendations since I haven't had to deal with the low gluten situation.

1 - Protein. As has already been said, you are very low in protein. I know you said you had to avoid eggs but I bet $10 the issue is with the egg yolks. If so, you can buy frozen egg white and throw it in with 1 egg for some scrambled eggs on toast or something? Get your ptoein much higher mate!

2 - No morning or afternoon tea. I don't know how you last but with all of those sugars at breakfast (and again at lunch - fruit is full of fructose sugars) - you insulin must sky rocket and then crash an hour later. That is when you would normally get hungry and the next meal is so far away.

It is a good idea for you to add 2 more meals in to help keep yourself full.

3 - All the fruit.

Your blood sugar would never be stable.

I would cut the fruit down to a piece or 2 at brekky and replace it with some allowable (and reasonably dense) complex carb source.

Strange enough, I don't feel hungry between meals. I am typically full after the sandwich and wheat bix but eat the fruit to help swallow the wheatbix since I can't eat dairy as well Yes, I know I am a problem with food. Fruit after a sandwich for lunch is just to satisfy my craving and typically overeat when I have the second banana. (I am addicted to bananas).

I might try eating less during each meal and eat more frequently if that will help protein absorption. I will also give eggs a go. Never thought of separating the yolk from the white. Mrs S can have the yolk and I will have the whites

What would be a good complex carb source. Brown rice? I typically eat brown rice for dinner, but for lunch it just means I have to carry more stuff to work

[silkishuge]

Tuna is an awesome source of protein. Or salmon if you need the fat content as well.

Plus don't be scared of visiting a BB shop and checking out the range of protein shakes available. A protein shake at morning tea with something solid can be a good addition and resolves a couple of things I mentioned in my earlier post.

Thanks Clownboy. I did use protein shakes when I was swimming and have stopped after I did not need it anymore. I recall they did work quite well. I will go for the natural option first before I try protein shakes.

I love tuna. If only it were fresh from the market and not from a tin

J

[ClownBoy]

What would be a good complex carb source. Brown rice? I typically eat brown rice for dinner, but for lunch it just means I have to carry more stuff to work

Definitely brown rice. We were talking about brekky so high in my thoughts were oats but I am not sure about the gluten issue. Sweet potato is another really good source.

Good to hear you don't get hungry between meals. I just haven't heard of someone eating 8-10 fruits a day andn ot being hungry, having an issue with sugar, etc.

There are a number of reasons why sugar from fruit is better for you than normal sugar (stored in the liver for use by the brain - perfect in the morning, etc);but once you get those out of the way sugar is sugar.

[ClownBoy]

Tuna is an awesome source of protein. Or salmon if you need the fat content as well.

Plus don't be scared of visiting a BB shop and checking out the range of protein shakes available. A protein shake at morning tea with something solid can be a good addition and resolves a couple of things I mentioned in my earlier post.

Thanks Clownboy. I did use protein shakes when I was swimming and have stopped after I did not need it anymore. I recall they did work quite well. I will go for the natural option first before I try protein shakes.

I love tuna. If only it were fresh from the market and not from a tin

J

Natural is always best, but 1 WPC shake a day is fine to prop up your intake. A normal someone who takes 2 or more a day (or a Body Builder who takes 3-4 or more per day) is overdoing it and needs to focus more on real food.

For your info - WPC would be best as a supplement to your diet. WPI is faster absorbing and is best for directly after a workout. Casein is good for something to keep you feeling full and full of protein during the night. Most BB shops sell products that are some mixture of these 3. However a great discount shop is Bulk Nutrients (www.bulknutrients.com.au) and they sell them separately (flavoured or unflavoured).

[silkishuge]

Tuna is an awesome source of protein. Or salmon if you need the fat content as well.

Plus don't be scared of visiting a BB shop and checking out the range of protein shakes available. A protein shake at morning tea with something solid can be a good addition and resolves a couple of things I mentioned in my earlier post.

Thanks Clownboy. I did use protein shakes when I was swimming and have stopped after I did not need it anymore. I recall they did work quite well. I will go for the natural option first before I try protein shakes.

I love tuna. If only it were fresh from the market and not from a tin

J

Natural is always best, but 1 WPC shake a day is fine to prop up your intake. A normal someone who takes 2 or more a day (or a Body Builder who takes 3-4 or more per day) is overdoing it and needs to focus more on real food.

For your info - WPC would be best as a supplement to your diet. WPI is faster absorbing and is best for directly after a workout. Casein is good for something to keep you feeling full and full of protein during the night. Most BB shops sell products that are some mixture of these 3. However a great discount shop is Bulk Nutrients (http://www.bulknutrients.com.au) and they sell them separately (flavoured or unflavoured).

Thanks Clownboy. I will do give the natural ago again increasing my normal protein intake and cutting down fruits to make space in the tummy. I will have to work out the price of supplements. I don't compete anymore and if the natural stuff works, even if a little slower, I can live with that.

J

[casual_cyclist]

If you can't have dairy, what about some of the soy alternatives soy milk, soy yoghurt and tofu. I am a vego and eat loads of legumes and rice but even I have found that most tofu is disgusting. I tried a few from the local supermarket 'til I found one I quite like.

On biggest loser the other night they cooked up some quinoa which looked quite nice. Apparently a good source of protein too. http://www.quinoa.net/181.html

If you are still having problems, it is probably worthwhile speaking to a nutritionist.

[silkishuge]

If you can't have dairy, what about some of the soy alternatives soy milk, soy yoghurt and tofu. I am a vego and eat loads of legumes and rice but even I have found that most tofu is disgusting. I tried a few from the local supermarket 'til I found one I quite like.

On biggest loser the other night they cooked up some quinoa which looked quite nice. Apparently a good source of protein too. http://www.quinoa.net/181.html

If you are still having problems, it is probably worthwhile speaking to a nutritionist.

I love Tofu. We have it in our soup every night. Typically I eat about 100g per night. I can't remember the nutritional value given to protein. The silken firm ones are good. Mapo Tofu and Mrs S hsa a few Japanese varieties she cooks up. Typically, she cooks tofu with miso.

I will approach a nutritionist when it becomes more of a health issue. I currently feel great. The weight loss has not affected my cycling speed, but I think it did affect endurance. I must admit I don't ride as much as I used to and its hard to point a finger at either food, training or both.

J

[drubie]

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionso ... tein_alike

Red meat protein is generally more "complete" - but the article from harvard unfortunately concentrates on typical US sources of red meat which are much fattier than australian cuts, hence all the warnings about saturated fats.

It is much less of a problem with lean beef/lamb from Australian sources. The protein shakes are fine in their place but not as regular parts of your diet, and it's possible to get your protein from vegetarian sources but you really have to eat *a lot* to get the same as a typical piece of beef.

Go the stir fry or the slow cooker, you don't necessarily have to be sitting down to a t-bone. Never heard of red meat allergy though, that's a new one!

[silkishuge]

Go the stir fry or the slow cooker, you don't necessarily have to be sitting down to a t-bone. Never heard of red meat allergy though, that's a new one!

Not really an allergy, but it will cause my skin to become redder (and it is already red) and become more inflamed for some reason. I have an auto immune disease.

Kidney and liver problem stemmed from years of immune suppressive drugs identical to those used by organ transplant patients. Not having a good diet did not help as well. KFC was easy, pizza was yummy..... instant noodles was a cheap food replacement. Doctors have taken me of meds now to allow liver to recover. Can't do much for kidney though....... but I can still ride

J

[crxin]

Have you consulted a dietician in regards to this ?

[wombatK]

Go the stir fry or the slow cooker, you don't necessarily have to be sitting down to a t-bone. Never heard of red meat allergy though, that's a new one!

Not really an allergy, but it will cause my skin to become redder (and it is already red) and become more inflamed for some reason. I have an auto immune disease.

Kidney and liver problem stemmed from years of immune suppressive drugs identical to those used by organ transplant patients. Not having a good diet did not help as well. KFC was easy, pizza was yummy..... instant noodles was a cheap food replacement. Doctors have taken me of meds now to allow liver to recover. Can't do much for kidney though....... but I can still ride

J

Quite a few recommendations for protein shakes - but most of them are dairy based (whey powder being the primary source of protein they use). You've suggested you can't have dairy stuff on your wheet-bix, but you did have protein shakes previously when swimming. Did you find one that specifically excluded dairy products ?

Sometimes with allergic reactions there are threshold effects - where bad stuff only happens when you exceed some dose. So a possibility is that you might have found a protein shake that kept things in your safe range. If that was so, ramping it up mightn't work too well.

If you aren't lactose intolerant, a cheaper alternative to protein shakes is to put a few tablespoons of skim milk powder on your breakfast. Many body-builders know that on the basis of grams-of-protein per dollar-spent, the cheapest way to get protein is via skim milk powder. And dietitians often recommend it for elderly or chemo patients who need protein supplementation.

Drubie's advice about lean red meat is on the money. There's other ways like nuts and various legumes for getting protein, but they're percentage protein is much lower and you've got to eat lots more of them. Stuff higher up the food chain is higher in protein.

With your history of allergy symptoms, there are dietitians specialising in food allergies (mainly at the major teaching hospitals) who can test your sensitivities and tailor a dietary plan to fit your limitations. Could be worth seeking one of them out if you decide on looking for more professional advice.

[silkishuge]

Quite a few recommendations for protein shakes - but most of them are dairy based (whey powder being the primary source of protein they use). You've suggested you can't have dairy stuff on your wheet-bix, but you did have protein shakes previously when swimming. Did you find one that specifically excluded dairy products ?

I only developed this problem about 10 years ago and so I did not have to watch my diet when I was swimming. I can't even swim in most pools these days because chlorine burns my skin and causes it to itch more I think the protein drinks I had in the pass was dairy based as well. I just drank and ate what ever mum prepared, who was basically my sports nutritionist back in those days.

Sometimes with allergic reactions there are threshold effects - where bad stuff only happens when you exceed some dose. So a possibility is that you might have found a protein shake that kept things in your safe range. If that was so, ramping it up mightn't work too well.

If you aren't lactose intolerant, a cheaper alternative to protein shakes is to put a few tablespoons of skim milk powder on your breakfast. Many body-builders know that on the basis of grams-of-protein per dollar-spent, the cheapest way to get protein is via skim milk powder. And dietitians often recommend it for elderly or chemo patients who need protein supplementation.

skim milk power might work. Its quick and easy and probably doesn't taste too bad. I am fine with lactose. Not sure what component in milk causes my body to react.

Drubie's advice about lean red meat is on the money. There's other ways like nuts and various legumes for getting protein, but they're percentage protein is much lower and you've got to eat lots more of them. Stuff higher up the food chain is higher in protein.

I will be having red meat tonight. A beef stir fry. Meat is defrosting in the fridge Pity Mrs S is home late today so cooking will be up to me. I also react to nuts so can't have them. Miss my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Taste great with bananas in between and toasted.

With your history of allergy symptoms, there are dietitians specialising in food allergies (mainly at the major teaching hospitals) who can test your sensitivities and tailor a dietary plan to fit your limitations. Could be worth seeking one of them out if you decide on looking for more professional advice.

My sensitivity to food has already been tested. I also can't eat any form of fungus or night shades, which unfortunately includes chilli and my favourite veg eggplants.

Thanks for all the feedback. My new diet will incorporate skim milk powder and one more night of red meat.

J

[Zynster]

Just a few more suggestions into the mix.

Rice Milk - is delicious. I use it on breaky cereal instead of milk. (haven't drunk milk in years). I'm trying to cut down on soy products. There are issues with soy and phyto-estrogens.

Tempe - excellent protein source. Avoids issues with soy due to the fermentation process used in it's production.

Nuts - I like to have a nut mix handy for snacks. Good for protein between meals.

[silkishuge]

I use rice milk for pancakes but never tried it on its own.

Tempe.... that is something new to me. See if I can google it.

Thanks for the input.

J

[Zynster]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh (I spelt it wrong).

[casual_cyclist]

I use rice milk for pancakes but never tried it on its own.

Tempe.... that is something new to me. See if I can google it.

Thanks for the input.

J

I can google it for you: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=tempeh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh (I spelt it wrong).

I had tempeh on a flight to hong kong. It was soooo good. Not sure how they prepared it though.

[silkishuge]

I use rice milk for pancakes but never tried it on its own.

Tempe.... that is something new to me. See if I can google it.

Thanks for the input.

J

I can google it for you: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=tempeh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh (I spelt it wrong).

I had tempeh on a flight to hong kong. It was soooo good. Not sure how they prepared it though.

I just read it and it does sound very very good. I'll tell Mrs S about it when she gets home.

J