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Natural Cures Blog Carnival Promotes Weight Loss

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Your Weight-A Key to Wellness?

Someone said to me the other day, “You are the type of person that no matter what you eat you stay thin and trim.”  I thought, “if only they knew the truth.”  I am tall and slender, but I work on it, all the time. In fact, I found my way into this local food “movement” through working on our diet to lose weight and obtain optimum health.

Today, I weigh in at 128. Last week, I weighed 125 (for a few days, at least). We have just been away for 5 days, and I find it most difficult to control my weight while traveling. So, now that we are back home, I will be planning meals to avoid carbs and sweets.

I noticed a few things on our trip this week. The free breakfast buffet at our hotel was 2/3 carbs, in the form of muffins, toast, cereal and pastries.  Luckily, we stayed in a suite with a full kitchen and made our own breakfast with farm fresh eggs we had purchased from a family farm, and low sodium bacon purchased at a grocery store. We had packed some of my awesome mini-muffins  that I made at home, which lasted us the whole trip.

The other thing I noticed were the large number of overweight people on scooter chairs (other tourists on holiday). Often, they were accompanied by their family members who were mobile, but had similar weight problems. I was saddened to realize that we are becoming a nation of people who struggle with their weight. And, when you look at the carb heavy all-you-can-eat buffets you can sort of understand why.

The first time I ever heard that carbs cause weight issues was actually from a female comedienne (I wish I knew her name, if anyone does, please let me know and I will give her credit). She was joking about how instead of eating two donuts, she realized she might as well just paste them on her hips. She went on to say that she had found that the best means of weight control was to avoid any food that was “beige” in color-pancakes, bread, waffles, muffins, cereal, etc. At the time, I thought it was hilarious.  But, I also took note.

Keith and I decided to lose weight 5 years ago.  At the time, I weighed 148, he weighed 185. His dad had just died a painful death from heart disease. My mother had lent me the book, South Beach Diet by Dr. Arthur Agatston.  In the book, he explained the concept of good carbs vs. bad carbs and good fats vs. bad fats. It resonated with me, perhaps because of what the comic had said about beige foods being BAAAD.

Last year, we saw an old Andy Griffith Show episode where Aunt Bea was trying to fatten up Barney Fife.  She piled on the potatoes and the biscuits on his plate-the beige foods. I thought when I saw this show, “how can we have forgotten this traditional wisdom?  How can Americans be so misguided in their food choices, today?”  I’m afraid the answer is marketing and advertising have convinced us that these manufactured foods are preferable. So, we eat them and perish.

So, the low glycemic approach advocated by Dr.  Agatston is what ultimately shaved 20 lbs off of me, and 30 lbs off of my husband.

Lose Weight for Optimal Health

We continue to practice the principles taught in that book, even though we now also follow the Weston A. Price dietary guidelines. In fact, we find the principles very consistent with what Weston Price has taught us.

In order to follow the South Beach diet, we stayed away from convenience foods, and cooked from scratch with more fresh ingredients. We ate eggs and turkey bacon instead of cereal. So, when we stumbled upon the Weston A. Price program, we were half way there. South Beach diet had already taught us that sourdough bread was lower on the glycemic index than regular yeasted bread. So, we were excited to find Weston Price recommending sourdough leavening. And, even more excited to know that some bakers ferment their bread for up to 7 days!

And, the idea of moving toward organic foods, and more naturally produced foods was something we started at the beginning of the South Beach diet, even though it was not part of that program. It just seemed like if we were going to get healthy, that just had to be part of our plan.

We are now plugged in to many local farms, and buying pasture raised meats which are leaner and are more nutrient dense. We find that we eat very small portions and are extremely satisfied.  For instance, one porterhouse steak gives us four portions, or dinner for two nights for the two of us.

We now buy pasture raised eggs, too, and have dropped the turkey bacon in favor of forest fed pork. I am now on a no-nightshades diet and discovered that turkey bacon is seasoned with paprika, which is off limits on this anti-arthritis “no nightshades” diet.

When I was hospitalized for major surgery a number of years back, I walked the halls with my IV pole for exercise. My mother had given me a cute teddy bear that I set on the pole and he accompanied me (his name is now IVEE).  The nurses told me that IVEE cheered up the other patients when they saw us pass by. One thing that struck me as I passed by room after room, is that most of the people in the other beds were overweight.

Obesity is a risk factor for many other diseases. If you have a weight problem, tackle it while you can. The younger, the better. It will give you many pain free, disease free years, if you do.

Thanks to our weight loss, my husband got off blood pressure medication, my cholesterol problem vanished, and my knee pain was greatly reduced. Our energy levels increased, our zest for life is now restored.

I would encourage you to find a program that works for you, and stick with it. The Liberation Diet is a new book by Weston A. Price Chapter Leaders, Kevin Brown and Annette Presley. It is an approach that follows the Weston A. Price dietary guidelines that you may like to explore.

Let’s hear from others.  What weight loss program do you endorse? What have been the pitfalls on your road to weight loss? Please share your dieting experiences, recipes as part of this week’s Natural Cures blog carnival.

Kelly the Kitchen Kop is submitting a whole side show of weight loss ideas from her blog.  Thanks so much, Kelly!

Kevin Brown, author of The Liberation Diet submits his TV interview on The Harvest Show, where he discusses the way to lose weight is to eat real food, as close to nature as possible. Great video, Kevin!

YOU”RE NEXT!

For instructions on how to participate in our blog carnival, visit our Natural Cures Tuesday page (also on the menu above). I will post on this page upcoming themes for the carnival.

Natural Cures Blog Carnival Logo–Artwork Credit: Digital Trash

This blog post is part of the Real Food Wednesdays Blog Carnival, see more entries at Kelly the Kitchen Kop blog. It has also been submitted to Works for Me Wednesday.

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Comments

  1. Ok I linked to this post on my blog! We are so fortunate to have author, nutritionist and traditional diet supporter Kevin Brown as our speaker in Montclair tonight at our Weston A. Price Passaic-Montclair Chapter meeting! Thanks for YOUR terrific blog!

    Lisa Sargese’s last blog post..call me Fat Head

  2. Kim,

    This blog is fantastic. Jeff told me about it and I’m very impressed at your articles.

    Check out my rainforest herbs for sale at http://carolyn.amazonherb.net, these herbs have changed my life!

    Best of luck,

    Carolyn

  3. I have to be honest. I can’t recommend any weight loss plan or diet. I’ve tried them all and lost weight on most, only to have it pile back on eventually. I lost 15% of my body weight on South Beach, enough to almost get me out of the obese category, only to have it come roaring back with an additional 10 pounds later on.

    I have given up entirely trying to lose weight. Now that I’m over 50, I know the odds of permanent weight loss are decreasing by the week. Even switching to healthy fats, limiting carbs and banning sugar has not permitted me more than a five pound weight loss in as many months. It is true that I am eating much smaller portions now that I am eating nutrient-dense foods, but the weight remains.

    I just can’t fight this battle any more. It’s been 38 years since I went on my first diet and it’s time for me to stop. I am blessed with low blood pressure, normal blood sugar, a marathoner’s heart rate and what the doctor reluctantly calls a “very positive cholesterol balance.” I’m probably healthier than my 120 pound sister who eats out two meals a day. I’m going to stay focused on my health instead of my weight.

    Local Nourishment’s last blog post..To Screen or Nourish: Summer Skin

  4. Great blog! I posted my recent weight loss with real foods here: http://hiporganicmama.blogspot.com/2009/05/mama-was-right-weight-loss-processed.html

    Annie - Hip Organic Mama’s last blog post..Mama was Right! (weight loss, processed health foods, real foods)

  5. Local Nourishment — That’s probably a good perspective to have for now. It sounds like your health has improved since you switched to eating Real Food. How about your ability to exercise? Even something as simple as walking for a half hour a day can make a HUGE difference in your weight and sense of well being. I know a lady who lost 120 lbs last year without dieting. She just made a commitment to walk for 30 minutes a day, every day, rain, snow, or sun. Many days she found herself walking for even longer, but she stuck with that 30 minute commitment and went from being obese to fitting into a size 6!!

    Kimberly — I put up a post a while back on using coconut oil for weight loss. I was inspired by the book Sally Fallon Morrel and Mary Enig wrote called “Eat Fat Lose Fat.” Since adding coconut oil to my diet, I finally conquered the post 2nd pregnancy weight loss plateau and can now actually claim to be the same weight I was before I got pregnant! Here’s a link to that post:

    http://www.foodrenegade.com/how-to-lose-weight-fast-with-coconut-oil/

    Cheers,
    KristenM
    (AKA FoodRenegade)

    FoodRenegade’s last blog post..What Are Superfoods?

  6. I can totally relate with ‘Local Nourishment’s’ comments! I have been on diets since I was 16 and I wasn’t even fat then, but my dad kept insisting that I was. During a 20-year Army career, I did whatever was necessary to stay under the ‘weight limit’, many things very unhealthy. But then again, my entire lifestyle was unhealthy in my 20s and 30s and the ‘diets’ I tried were brutal.

    Now here I am at 57 and 240 pounds and excess fat that WILL NOT BUDGE! By now I’ve tried nearly every diet known to man with limited results. Is my thyroid shot? Who knows. My adrenals floundering? No clue. I just know as strict and vigilant as I’ve been to these ‘diet’s I should be NORMAL WEIGHT by now and I’m far from it. And everywhere I see or hear someone screaming about obesity being a health risk … yet I can’t seem to do anything about it. Perhaps I abused my body too much during my life and I am now reaping what I have sown.

    Yes I have wanted to give up yet I still keep trying. I am nothing if not persistent. My aim now is HEALTH, but I am hoping if I can get truly healthy, the excess fat will feel free to LET GO. If not, I’ll still be a very healthy fat person. Congrats on your success!

  7. Kimberly Hartke says:

    Marci and Local Nourishment-Thanks for sharing your struggles. I hope that through our readers sharing ideas, there might be something that will be helpful for you.

    I consulted with a chiropractor yesterday, who told me that selenium and iodine are very important minerals for thyroid health. He said the thyroid can help with burning energy if it is functioning optimally. If not, our body stores the energy as fat. This is new info to me, and I thought I would share it with you all for what it is worth.

    Kimberly

  8. Losing weight can be very challenging! Thank you for this blog and the people who have shared their experiences. Coming from a public health background and training as a natural foods chef, I’m very familiar with the risks associated with obesity and the challenge to get people to change their lifestyle to decrease their risk. Weight loss happens for different people in different ways.

    Focusing on health vs. weight is a good approach. It’s the health risk that we want to decrease so one step at a time eat better and try to incorporate exercise into your lifestyle. Do the best you can and enjoy the small changes too! I hope this will encourage anyone out there who’s trying to lose weight, but not seeing any results.

    Giovanna Miller’s last blog post..The Berkeley Experience

  9. Thanks Kimberly! I do appreciate your website very much and the wonderful information you provide. As to iodine, I take Lugol’s every day, about 6-8 drops and have for almost a year. I suspect thyroid malfunction is part of the problem, since my body temp. averages very low, 95-97. Yes, iodine is good stuff and vital to health. If I am doomed to stay fat, at least I will get as healthy as I can be otherwise!

  10. Jeannie says:

    Thanks Kimberly,
    great blog,

    Most of us have struggled with weight loss its not easy to find something that works, i got lucky i found something that works, it changed my life this has reformed my life i have more energy and i feel good about myself, i reached my goal, i released 49 pounds and 12 inches alone on my waist, l’m more energized if anybody is interested to know how i did this get back to me

  11. Hi,
    Great site!!!!! Good health is very important with the high cost of medical coverage. We need to have a healther lifestyle by taking care of our health eating and exercising. I am a cancer survivor and I know. Our health is our greatest asset. Keep up the Good Work!!!!!

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  13. Green tea capsules will aid weight loss, and also the amino acid 5-HTP which can also be used for anxiety.
    .-= michael´s last blog ..The amazing Artichoke =-.

  14. Did you know the average overweight patient spends more time in ICU or in the hospital compared to their thinner counterparts?

    I guess when your body has to work extra hard to sustain your weight, your immune system gets less attention and resources.

  15. thanks for the great tips it is important to eat healthy when losing weight & not to starve yourself

  16. Very informative post. Yes carb cause weight issues and if you want to lose weight you must take low carb food in your diet meals. besides diet meals regular exercise is must to lose weight more quickly.
    San Antonio Weight Loss

  17. Herbal Healing says:

    Hello..

    your weight is one of the key factor to being healthy and i am agree with you thoughts. You described nice things about weight loss..

    Thanks for sharing.. 

  18. Exercise on the Platinum Noblerex K1 burns up a massive amount of calories in a very short period of time–up to 500 calories in 10 minutes.

  19. Polly Huggins says:

    I had been morbidity obese my entire life. Literally at six months of age the fat role under my neck hung down to the middle of my chest and I had about six roles of fat on my arms. Both of my parents and my brother are slim. In 2006 I reached my lowest self esteem level with my highest weight of 340 pounds. I felt as horrible as most people treated me… I tried all diets. I tracked my food and I would go from eating 1000 calories to 4000 calories almost every other day. I swore that if I ate oatmeal for breakfast that I would gain a pound a day NO MATTER what else I did… Finally I met a doctor who believed me. I have metoblic syndrome, a slow metabolism and I am carb sensitive… Now five years later I weigh 168 pounds in the Drs office (home-mornings-no clothes 156 lbs). I had to change how I ate and I follow these rules 99% of the time. #1. Eat high protein within 30 minutes of waking. This means 20 or more grams of protein and less than 5 carbs. # 2. Eat only protein at a 11:00 snack (I like string cheese). # 3. Don’t eat any carbs (except under 5 carbs prior 12:00 noon or after 4 hours of eating breakfast). This throws my body into a fat during mode ALL DAY. Even violating this ONE time a month will put me back into a calorie saving mode. I NEVER violate this rule. #4. Drink lots of water and green tea…. I am constantly drinking and I carry around home filtered water. # 5. Eat a small snack at 4:00 and dinner at 6:00 pm. I stick to this because if I do not, then I will get too hungry and go off the rules… #6 I usually make a “hot chocolate” every evening with protein powder, natural dark coco powder & stevia….This is my absolute favorite drink and it is my treat to myself…. .I pack all my food and water in the mornings to help me stay on course… I write down everything I eat, drink & exercise. #7. Walk 3 miles at least 4 times a week. I have worked up to this amount. #8. I eat between 1000 to 1250 calories a day, not more than 60 carbs, and around 80 to 130 grams of protein. I need more protein than most people to feel healthy. I usually only go off of this at Christmas and for my birthday and then I get sick from eating flour and sugar. Takes me days to feel well again BUT I do it every year… When I lost weight I could only lose about 8 lbs a month. Towards the end it was more like 2 to 3 lbs/month. Now I seem to be losing 5 lbs a year. I am happy just NOT to gain weight. I realize that I am not like the average person, and all my friends, family NOW accept how I eat… because I have stuck with it and THEY have given in to me eating this way (no more just try this or one bite will not hurt you)… I am much happier now and feel 1000% better.

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