Monday 1 November 2010

Does weight loss need to be painful ?

As all know I've been trying to shed a few pounds before my next vacation but it isn't happening without a few problems. First I'm quite pleased that I seem to be losing weight, certain items of clothing are starting to fit.

One health problem I'm prone to is gout, for those who get attacks they'll understand how painful it can be. Its problems with the blood having too much Uric acid whic causes a build up of crystals in your joints which then become inflamed. Since I started this weight loss attempt I've had attacks in one knee, both ankles and on wrist which in turn limits my physical exercise, plus I'm not keen on taking pills but am having to use a lot of anti-inflammetry pills and pain killers.

I'm thinking maybe I've cut back on the food intake too much and have lost weight too quickly. The things that cause gout attacks are :-
Eating certain foods (I have a list I avoid so this isn't the cause)
Eating too much (not in this case)
Dehyrdration (don't think this is the case)
Fasting, too low food intake or not eating regular (got to be the cause)

So how much should I eat ?

This is basically what I've been eating :-
Breakfast - (240cal total)
2*weetabix (130cal)
1/2 pint orange juice (90)
portion blueberries (20)

Lunch - (approx 300cal)
tin of Soup (140 to 220)
2*wholemeal bread (100)
or
Weight watchers meal (hotpots, spag bol, etc) (220 - 300)

Dinner (main meal) - (600 - 800)
Salad twice per week (approx 550 -600)
or
Meat, potatoes & 3 veg 3 times per week (approx 700)
or
Oven Fish & chips with baked beans & bread once per week (est 750)
or
Baccon, sausage, spagettii, tomato, jacket potato once per week (750-800)

I also have coffee without sugar in the afternoon and a sugar free dilute lemon drink in the evening so say another 50cal max, all other drinks are water.

So totaling that up my current normal day intake as been between 1200 and 1400 calories.

Now I'm not pretending to be some sort of angel, for a start Monday I play in the Pool league for the local pub so I have a few beers, I put that down as my treat night and occasionally I succumb at night and grap a little snack although in the main I've stuck to this eating regime for 3 weeks now.

With the gout problem I've made the decision I'm not eating enough so I'm adjusting slightly, for breakfast I'm going to have a extra weetabix (3 total) another 60cal and also gonna eat two pieces of fruit per day when feeling hungry (approx 100-150cal). That should add around 200 cal to my daily intake and eliminate long periods without food.

Hofully this will still result in losing weight (albeit at a slower rate) but without the pain rom gout attacks. The other positive will be the ability to exercise more so that should help aswell.

The bottom line is its a balance to me, I know that.

On another note reckon after my vacation I'll buy a new scale then I can monitor my weight properly and ot just rely on which clothes fit.

6 comments:

TitanThirteen said...

Gee you eat like a sparrow.
Or more to the point, i don't, hence i'm really fat lol

That all sounds really good.
Is there just one good medication you can take for the grout, instead of a few?

Are you on Facebook yet or what?

Sandii said...

Mick w/e is so subjective, what works for some may not for others but i've found the one way i can eat a bit more and lose is to eat protein based meals, avoiding carbs after breakie, so i would have a good size stir fry with no rice or noodles, just veges and chicken or beef... they also say eating 6 smaller meals every few hours is a good way to lose, keeps the body fueled and it doesn't feel like it's goign to starve so burns fat.

people who eat very little, infrequently often keep weight on because their body is protecting them from starvation.

maybe it's time to try something new, shake your body up a bit.

good luck!!!

Sandii said...

sorry Mick that should be w/l not w/e! hee hee hee

Mick & Cathy said...

Cactus,
Well yeh I have been eating like a sparrow these last 3 weeks, but its not my normal intake but I need to get my diet to the right level.
Thats why I'm adding 200cal, reckon that'll be about right to maintain weight loss (at a slower rate) and avoid the painful gout attacks (I hope).

Not on facebook

San,
I've probably been eating too little because I saw this as a short term 5 week sprint to lose weight prior to my holiday. I know its too much been really hungry at times (causing the odd blip to be honest).
On a good note someone asked me lst night if I'd been losing weight, its good when others notice.

Sandii said...

hey Mr, thanks for the b'day wishes!!! xx

it is good when others notice!!!

celtic_girl said...

Hey Mick, sorry your having trouble with the gout. Can understand why you don't like taking drugs as they can help the problem but also can creat new ones. I'm a woose so I continue to take my quality of lifers.