And This I discovered via self-experimentation, anyway... :) A revisit of my DNA Test for "optimal diet" for my genetic type...and how you can use tracking to figure out what's best for you!

Those of you who have read me since the early days of this second weight loss blog of mine--the first one being Once Upon a Diet, where I spent time learning and trying to get my act together--will remember the Inherent Health DNA test that I took to help me with my journey.

It gave me some dire, but interesting info. Yes, I am genetically a high fat absorber and a fat hoarder. I have to exercise harder than the average person to burn fat. I am simply disposed to pack it on and keep it on. I gots some o' dem dere fatz geenz.

They then suggested I trim fat and use a diet similar to the low-fat model the government and many dietitians suggest. 65% carbs, 15% fat.

I had done that type of diet multiple times in the past with registered dietitians and using magazine low-fat diet menus, and really, never could do well on them.

I decided to go back to worked on my journey. Reducing carbs. I went to a dietitian who decided with my medical issues, reducing starches would be best to one serving a day, no more. I thrived, lost better than ever. I noticed in my SparkPeople tracking that I did best--weight loss wise--when my ratio was in the ranges where carbs were no more than 40% and fat was no more than 40%. Just observing the feedback on Sparkpeople. I mentioned that on this blog, how "Zone" type ratios seemed to be happy-making for my weight loss. If I kept my carbs to 80 to 100, I lost better and appetite was really low. My main temptation to not keeping that low is I adore fruit. :-)

I experimented with upping my starches again, for other health reasons, and this was not beneficial to the weight loss, I can tell you. Cravings came back hard.

I'm  back to working this week that plan of no more than 1 starch serving a day, and using fruit and veggies for my carbs. I am not dong LOW carb by the standards of Atkins type low-carbers, as my carbs can easily reach 150. Ideally, I'd like to keep them more in the 80 to 120 range. Ideally.

The reason I originally lowered my carbs in this journey in 2010 was due to my insulin resistance/prediabetes/Metabolic Syndrome. It seemed the best way to approach that condition from what I'd read.

I remember going to Inherent Health's FB wall and leaving a message that while they may advise me to do Fat Trimming type High Carb dieting, my weight loss went better with Carb Reducer type levels. So, sorry, I had to do it my way. But I'm glad to be armed with the reality of my DNA strikes against me.

So, all that preface to say that today, in the mail. I got  a letter from Inherent Health. And it states that while the DNA doesn't change--and no, I won't go into epigenetics, heh--their recommendations based on an expanded study they undertook that reveals"newly discovered correlations"  that show the optimal diet for my genetic type is not what they originally recommended. I should not trim fat.

They now recommend I follow the CARB REDUCER diet.
:-/

My reaction after reading the letter?

"No sh*t, Sherlock."

Well, I'm glad their expanded study and correlations back up what I learned on my own. They do emphasize it's for LONG TERM success at weight loss. Well, shoot. Ain't that what we're all after? Not short term, not razzle-dazzle lose a lot in 2 weeks. I want to lose it LONG TERM.

Now, to just apply it. Get back to that "Zoneish" whole foods way of eating --the 33-33-33 or 40-30-30--that worked well in 2010 and 2011 when I hit that sweet spot.

You can track your food for a few weeks/months and figure this out without any genetic tests. What works best with your body. Look at the feedback on SparkPeople...see which weeks fat just melted off. You may do better with more carbs or more fat or more protein or this ratio or that ratio. You can investigate it with diligent tracking.

BONUS: With detailed tracking, you'll also find where you fall short in your meal plans, as I learned from the SP nutrition tracker that I often fell short of zinc, copper, magnesium, potassium, iron, and folic acid, partly cause I was doing low calories and part because I can't eat a host of foods (allergies and sensitivities). I knew I had to supplement. And felt way better. :D

I will add that I had tried South Beach and Atkins first phases in the past, and felt like crap. (Lost loads of fluid weight the first weeks, which is always a boost, but felt like crap on very few carbs, hence my not doing low carb now, meaning induction type, 60 grams or fewer.)

I paid for a test. And I'm glad. But I also did the tracking, observation, measuring, pondering. I guess I did my own self-study. :D

I've been having about 120 carbs daily this week. And Tanita-San just put me back in the decade I had dipped into but not stayed in:  179.8

It's nice to have affirmaton. But hey, I knew what I knew..it's always application and consistency that are the keys to making the "I know" work.

All of you who have many dieting experiences behind you have a store of self-knowledge. If you don't remember or never tracked, try it. Learn. Apply.

This is a VERY stressful time in our household (again), so applying is a challenge, but is necessary. Life always has stressful times. We need to deal with those without a host of excuses. I don't want to make excuses. I want to....be in control. :D

Reducing carbs makes it a little easier for ME.

Happy Friday.

Be well...

Day 71 of Phase 5: Another drop. What are your weight loss obstacles (and a catalog of mine)? Are you overcoming them?...and I can have the a/c on higher now (not as heat intolerant) and 90% of my shoes don't fit! PLUS: Dang, the organic blackberries are a-rocking my world!

Whoa? Really? I guess IF and working out on an empty stomach did help fat loss.

Tanita-san: 208.4

That's -1.8 lbs since Sunday's weigh-in.

I'll have to continue that experiment. :D See if this is atypical or if I can expect a solid drop on days when workout after an IF. If I see a pattern of stronger drops with it, it will be my exercise eating system of choice.

I was lightheaded a bit this AM, so I checked my B.P. after getting up: 105/66. Pulse: 55

Wow, no wonder I was getting lightheaded. Good thing I get my labs done today and see the doc soon. May be time to ditch Ramipril altogether. I'm on a tiny dose (she halved my lowdose in Jan when I was passing out from low BP). I may not need it anymore. Fingers crossed.

For those out there with medical/metabolic impediments to weight loss: keep reading, keep learning, keep trying, see professionals (but be aware that sometimes the science takes a while to catch up to the "world is flat" sort of phenomenon in nutrition). It's worth investing in books, dietitians, cognitive therapists, whatever it takes to heal your issue. Sometimes, healing your issue may be as simple as AVOIDING SUGAR AND REFINED/PROCESSED FOODS ALTOGTHER .

Every body/DNA has particulars, but "modern" foods don't seem to benefit a whole lotta us. Figure out what gives you energy, a good mood, and doesn't pack on pounds, and eat that way. I suspect if you go to MORE fruits and veggies and ditch the stuff in boxes and aluminum cans in supermarket aisles, your body is gonna respond.


I have multiple metabolic strikes against me. I kid you not. I am a mess. (Less of a mess at 209 than 299, tho.) I have hurdles that many of you probably do not. Behold the catalog of my obstacle course:


I have a super low metabolism and am post-menopausal (which don't help none, I can tell you), I have several chronic health disorders, I have Metabolic Syndrome, including insulin resistance/prediabetes that made my skin turn charcoal grey-to-nearly-midnight-black in spots it was so bad, and that's not completely resolved YET with 90 lbs loss. I have hypothyroidism. I also take 2 medications that increase appetite.  And I had a DNA test that confirmed I am one of those with markers for obesity AND low metabolism and a higher than normal propensity to absorb fat and not wanna release it without high effort. I was a former binge-eater. I'd eat enough for three men at a pop until I was in horrible bully-busting pain from being overstuffed. I tied food to comfort. And suffering from depression (since age 9), I would hit food when an active depressed cycle showed up.

The impediments to exercise have been: a set of bad knees, mostly the left, which has a torn ACL since 1989, a bad right ankle from a childhood fracture that makes some footwork in Pilates really difficult, an right knee that has succumbed to decades of obesity and makes awful crunchy noises. Asthma (bad, since infancy). Bursitis, L shoulder. And just being BIG. Anyone who exercises when morbidly obese deserves a pat on the back, cause moving AT ALL at that size is a herculean effort, much less moving with effort with weights or walking briskly. Plantar fasciitis that hasn't been as bad as 13 years ago, but can flare up if I do too much on my feet. Much improved with weight loss and mostly wearing sneakers or flats or very well padded shoes. No stilettos for moi.



So, you think you got it bad? (And you may have it worse than me, but that should clear it up that I have to fight for every ounce off.)


If I can lose, chances are you can. If I could stop binge-ing (10+ months with no binge so far), you can. If I could cut down to 1800, then 1700, then 1400, then 1200, you can. If you need to.


If I, a dedicated exercise-hater and couch potato (and I still love being on the couch reading or watching J-dramas and anime) can exercise regularly, you can.

Believe you can. I couldn't do it until I began to step out in faith and worked on learning why I binged/overate and committed to exercising (when I did NOT NOT NOT want to move).

So, what are your weight loss impediments? I know many of us have these individual obstacles, emo and physio. What makes it hard for you?

Okay, I gotta shower and do my curls for the lab work and then do some Whole Food-ing.

BACK..........

Well, had a hard time finding shoes to wear out. I've been pretty much living in sneaks, so it's been a while since I put regular dress shoes on.

Most of my shoes, I just discovered, don't fit. I must have lost more off my feet. I had to put a shoe insert and cotton in my red flats that I bought in February....they were flopping off my feet. My sandals just slip off or my foot slides off to the side. I don't buy cheapo shoes .Most are $100 , some a bit more, some less. And now..I can't wear them? Egads.

Oh, well. I will live in sneakers until goal weight if I gotta. :D

Oh, and I had to start wearing one of my fave rings on my index finger. I had moved it from ring to middle finger late last year. Now even middle finger...too loose. I guess it'll be a thumb ring soon. Wedding band (the "fat" one I got when I ballooned to 240+, not the original) is on middle finger. :)

Really nice day, warm. High 80s. I didn't use the car's a/c. I've noticed since dropping the last 20 that I'm not as heat intolerant. I can keep the air at 76 or 77 instead of 70 and 71, which was my norm through 2010. That's nice. :)

Oh, and to the commenter who asked about the book recommending fasting workouts, see THE NEW EVOLUTION DIET by De Vany. :D

I'm off to break my fast now that my bloodwork/urine have been taken. I went to Whole Foods, got some goodies. Had a craving for Swiss chard, so got some (it looked purdy). Got cooked turkey breast and chicken skewers from the deli, as well as some hard-boiled eggs , so I don't have to think about supper for hubby or have to go through the annoyance of cooking/peeling eggs for snack/salads. I got some fruits and veggies (I hit the Farmer's Market yesterday, so I was pretty well stocked). Some cheeses. From the meat area, I got pork chops and chicken cutlets.  Some Fage. I didn't get nuts, cause I like the walnuts from Fresh Market better.

My breakfast-lunch combo will include some breakfast stuff I like (boiled egg, fruit--mango, strawberries, raspberries,, blackberries, nearly all organic--not the mango, it's local, we have a tree, so it's half-organic, since we use a "non-toxic/green" pesticide/lawn care service) and some lunch stuff (organic mesclun, shredded carrots and beets, cucumber, red peppers, an organic locally made garlic-dill-EVOO-apple-cider-vinegar-sea-salt dressing, skewer-grilled chicken with vegetarian green curry sauce (which I can have as it's not got fish sauce). And Mrs Dash table blend for my eggs instead of salt. :D  I also sipped on some unsweetened coconut milk (only 50 calories, and it was pleasantly milk-like, and since I stopped buying milk and only use unsweetened Almond Breeze lately in its place, I looked at this as a possible second milk replacement. I like it.)

Ooh, I'm making myself hungry. Which is fine. Haven't eaten since dinner last night. I can be hungry. :)

Do something health-promoting today, okay?

UPDATE: BUY THE BLACKBERRIES. Normally, I skip them, cause they're often not sweet and it's not worth the expense. This batch of organic blackberries today were terrific. I only bought 'em cause I saw a lady just load up with like 4 pints of them, so I asked, "Um, are they sweet right now?" She said, "Oh, they're lovely." I trusted her. And I wanna go back and get a bunch more. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who needs cake?

Just Changed Settigns on my SparkPeople Nutrition Tracker to Reflect Genetic Test Suggestions

So, I took a while to figure out the calories per macronutrient and the grams to reflect between 1400 and 1600 cals for the 65/15/20 recommended breakdown.

I'm really nervous. That's A LOT OF CARBS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been eating way, way fewer carbs and way, way more protein and fat.

It's making me jittery.

But part of me is excited and curious to see how this affect 1. appetite 2. sense of well-being and 3. weight loss rate.

I've calcuated ranges of grams/calories for fats, protein and carbs. It looks tough. A big change from how I've been eating since around May/June.

Ranges:
carbs-- 227 grams/910 calories to 260 grams/1040 cals daily
protein--52 grams/210 calories to 60 grams/240 calories
(that seems such a piddling amount!)
fats--31 grams/280 to 35 grams/320

Man. Man. Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan.

I figure I'll be bumping along trying to figure out how to fit stuff in to make the day balance out. Having it on my nutrition tracker will at least let me see how the day is working out meal by meal, snack by snack, and give me a pie chart to see the breakdown once the day is done, and then I can analyze to see how to tweak.

I'll give it a month, maybe more. If it works out well in terms of appetite/rate of loss and my labwork comes out good, fine. I'll consider it a successful experiment. If it makes my appetite rage and my glucose in the labs changes for the worse, then, back to the higher-protein, lower carb. Cause...man, that sure is a ton of carbs.

Oh, I found an article that discusses the particular genetic variances. It's not happy reading for me, given how I turned out on the tests, but it is illuminating for those who are curious. And yes, science-speak: Genotyping and the diets to lose weight

One lady did comment over on the Facebook for Inherent Health that her hubby, also a Fat Trimmer, lost a lot of weight and got to goal weight in a relatively short time (months, not years). Like 50 lbs in 3 months using the recommendations.

I have a lot of my protein stuff around, and fortunately most are low-fat, too, so I don't have to ditch them. Just figure out how to incorporate. 

Here is a blog post by someone else who is a Fat Trimmer/High Met.

Onward to the experiment....

The Results of my DNA testing for optimal diet/exercise as per my genes

Okay, here it is. Finally.

Actually, it took a couple weeks and that's what they said.

First, if you don't know what I'm talking about, I used one of those little brushes to swab cells from the sides of my mouth (like you see in CSI on tv) and sent them in. I paid for two tests done by the company that was referred to in the plethora of television show segments and news reports back in spring talking about the type of diet basedo n DNA: one for a marker that shows a predisposition for heart attack based on inflammation, the other for what would be the type of diet and exercise level most suited for my genotype. There are some categories  people fall in:

1. Fat Trimmer
2. Carb Reducer
3. Balancer

There are also differing optimal exercise levels based on genes. For some, moderate exercise is optimal. Others require high intensity exercise.

I thought I'd be a Carb Reducer or Balancer. I was wrong. I tested out as a Fat Trimmer. Here is the "interpretation" of the results:


Individuals with this genetic pattern absorb more dietary fat into the body and have a slower metabolism. They have a greater tendency for weight gain. Clinical studies have shown these individuals have an easier time reaching a healthy body weight by decreasing total dietary fat. They may have greater success  losing weight by following a reduced fat, reduced calorie diet. In addition, they benefit from replacing saturated fats with monosaturated fats within a reduced calorie diet. Clinical studies have also shown these same dietary modifications improve the body's ability to metabolize sugars and fats.


I hoped I was a moderate exerciser, but I'm a "High Met" (Higher Intensity):


High Met: Individuals with this genetic pattern are less able to break down body fat for energy in response to exercise than those with the alternative genetic pattern. They tend to lose less weight and body fat than expected with moderate exercise. These individuals require more exercise to activate the breakdown of body fat for energy and weight loss. They must also maintain a consistent exercise program to keep the weight off.



Their recommendations for me are:

1. Diet--Reduced-Fat
65% carbs, 20% fat, 15% protein

2. Exercise --High Metabolic Equivalents
High intensity activity of 6 mets or more at least 3x per week.
Total weekly MET score of 13 or greater.

My intermediate level Pilates that I do 2x a week with a trainer falls in the 5-6 MET range, with some bursts of up to 8, but probably averaging closer to 5-6. So, I've been doing 10 to 12 METs. Not enough.

I can't jog or run or do treadmill or elliptical (bad knees/ankle). So, my options for higher MET would be recumbent bike (at a particular level, of course) or rowing (OMG!). I've tried rowing. That is not for me.

I've been doing higher fat/lower carb/higher protein. I'm gonna start to play with the diet. I want to decrease fats, not overly decrease protein, and start to slowly raise carbs (ideally, good carbs, right?) I don't want to face hunger pangs again (which I do tend to get with carbs). But I like the idea of having more fruit (which I have restricted some). I don't know if 65% carb is really ideal--appetite-wise. But I"m willing to give it a go. I just have to figure out how to make the meals fit.

If anyone has a recommendation of a diet that fits this profile, do let me know.

You can google up METs (lots of charts out there) to see where your activity falls.


Hope this was interesting for y'all.

Face the Truth Friday: 54 pounds down, waiting for those DNA results, still wheezy, still motivated, but more cravings this week...and begging the Young and the Fat to face their truths ASAP!

245.0

That's 54 pounds down from my highest (without clothes, at home) back in 2004. My highest at my primary care doc's office was 303, with shoes, clothes, some water intake. So, I think my scale at home was pretty accurate.

I weighed 267 on the first day of January of this year, so 22 lbs lost so far this year. My best year's lost since, well, years. 

The truth I'm facing: It finally feels like it's my time to do this weight loss thing. I know, all dieters have done this over and over and over, especially if you've been overweight since your twenties and are now looking at AARP age just ahead. But I've never felt calmer and less fumbling and uneasy eating less. I've never felt less binge-prone.

That's not to say it's easy. When craving hit--and they have this week--it's a battle. The battle is shorter than in times past. I am succeeding more in saying no to myself than in times past. But it's still a hard thing. I am a bit worried about the bounty of Thanksgiving dinner, but I just say to myself, I'll cope. I'll manage. I'll get it done. And it doesn't feel like some big fat lie. I feel as if it's possible. :)

What cravings? Chocolate. Last night I wanted it bad, and no, I didn't want high protein chocolate shakes or puddings. I wanted chocolate. So, I had a few sugar-free chocolate covered almonds (don't affect blood sugar to set up more cravings, and I saw more than one comment from those in ketosis--which I'm not--who ate these and stayed in ketosis). It was hard to stop at half a serving (and as you may guess, a serving of anything with nuts is miniscule), but I did. Earlier in the week I was having crazy pizza cravings. I got the stuff to make it at home, but the craving passed (for now).  I also get frequent cravings for salty chips and salsa. Sometmes, I can cure that with a high protein salty snack. Sometimes, I just have to wait it out. 

And I keep noticing that on my SparkPeople Nutrition tracker, I show greater losses on the morning after days when I eat high-fat, lower carb, normal protein. I don't know if that's a function of water loss from the lower carb (and I notice this even if my salt intake is higher and calorie level is unchanged from the norm on this challenge) or that my body handles that combination better due to Metabolic Syndrome (I have a book by an endocrinologist I got in the 90's when I was diagnosed with Syndrome X, now called Metabolic Syndrome, that recommends a higher fat diet). 

I am still waiting for the results of my DNA test for optimal 'diet type' for my body. Another week or two, I guess. I am eager to see how it jives with what I'm seeing (ie, I do better on lower carb, higher fat, middling to higher protein).

I will say to those younger fatties out there: Get it done. Read the books. Drink the water. Follow the blogs. See a cognitive therapist. Join a group. Write a journal. Start a blog. Sign up with a trainer. Do whatever it takes to get it off while you are young and your flesh is elastic and you can develop good eating habits for life. Do it NOW. If you procrastinate like I have, you will regret it. I promise you: YOU WILL REGRET IT.

Your metabolism when you're young, your energy, your joint health...all that helps. If you let yourself stay fat you will damage a lot of stuff and that damage will not go away: skin will not return to snugness, knees will not regenerate, arteries may or may not unclog, liver may or may not heal.

Do it now. Face that truth today. However you must do it, do it aggressively before you hit middle age or old age. It only gets HARDER with age and entrenched habits.  Save your own life.