How I lost 25 KGs and kept it Off

After the Cancer

A few years back after my bout with cancer, I was being looked after by my dearly beloved.

She insisted that I should change my GP. She was most unhappy that my previous GP, whom I had had as a family Doctor, for many years, as she was content to leave my "mini me" (the large lump under my left arm) untreated. She (the GP) would always ask if the lump bothered me and she would "wobble" it. Her comment was if it felt loose (hence the wobbling") it is fine. We know how that finally ended up, with me in the operating room having the "benign" lump removed. But of course it turned out not to be benign but cancerous, which is the subject of another Hub.

In any event I digress, dearly beloved some months later suggested that I should have a check up with her family GP in whom she had absolute faith). For my part, I was not so keen on a visit to the GP (hers or mine for that matter). I was not to keen to find out how I was doing particularly in view of the fact that I had opted not to have any further treatment for the cancer.

Ay any rate of much dickering, demurring and simply being stubborn, the appointment was made.

A Bit About Fat Boy.

Now by way of background, I should point out that I was a fairly large person. I wore an XXL shirt, had a waist of about 44 and at six foot one (185cm) I weighed in at around 120kg (about 260 lb).

As I said, a little on the large side, thick neck, moon face, and a couple of chins! When I was actively playing rugby and running road races, I still weighed in at around 115kg (260lb), not so much of the double chins though. So I was still a fairly robust specimen. I looked a lot like Randy from "my name is Earl" or Hoss from "little house on the prairie".

At any rate, I went for the checkup. The good news was that there were no cancer markers present, I had marginally high blood pressure, too much sugar and too much cholesterol and surprise, surprise I was overweight! But I guess I did not need a GP to tell me that. My new Doc Willlem then told me that I had a choice. He could put me on medication or he could see what effect diet would have. He then set up an appointment with a dietician.

The Dietician

I have never been to a dietician I my life. At any rate I then went to my duly appointed meeting with the dietician. To my surprise, she was pretty but slightly "chubby". She saw the look on my face and laughed at me saying "I can see your skepticism, but you should have seem me before I became a dietician, that is the reason I studied this field!". At any rate she weighed, measured and ordered some more blood tests and told me to come back in a couple of days. She also asked about my diet making notes. I went back a few days later and she gave me a diet sheet.

The Rules

Then she gave me "the rules"

• I must eat breakfast (oats) no cereals
• No caffeine (tea or coffee)
• No Beer (ouch!!!!)
• No fizzy drinks with sugar (water and diet colas were ok but limited to 1 glass a day)
• I was to drink rooibos tea (a herb tea) when thirsty
• As far as alcohol was concerned - Whiskey or nothing
• I must eat at least 3 portions of fruit a day
• I must eat ar least 3 portions of Vegetables a day
• No bread (pumpernickel or brown rye bread if you must)
• No potatoes - sweet potato instead
• No carrots
• No beetroot
• Durum wheat pasta only
• Basmati rice or unpolished ice only.
• No cooking in oils, fats or butter
• No thickening of sauces
• No fries (chips)
• Olive oil to be put on food after co0cking
• Olive Oil and Balsamic vinegar only as a dressing, (lemon optional)
• Skim or fat free milk only 1 cup maximum a day
• Skim or fat free yoghurt 1 cup pr day.
• Meal plans to be breakfast, midmorning snack, lunch, afternoon snack , dinner.

She went on to tell me that as I cut out caffeine I would get headaches.

I then said I suppose I can't eat red meat! She said on the contrary I must eat red meat (visible fat to be excluded) but no larger size an thickness of my palm (around 200gms).

White meat or fish was to be the size of my hand (around 300gms).

She also gave me a recommended diet sheet embodying the above rules.

The first two weeks would be a detox period and attempt to get my metabolism working properly so no alcohol at all and no fizzy drinks at all

Exercise

I went back to her at regular intervals and steadily lost about 1-2 Kgs per week.

She also then suggested that I exercise by walking on a regular basis.

I had stopped exercising and running a number of years previously after cracking a bone in my foot and being diagnosed with osteoarthritis. So I was not so keen on the daily "walkies" idea. I persevered but did not enjoy walking so I ended up running again. I have since added a daily visit to the gym to my activities.

Progress

I continued seeing her weekly for about 2 months and she then decided to see me monthly.

Once I was down to 93Kg. she said I no longer needed her.

Interestingly enough most of the changes to my diet were to foods that I did not eat (fruit & Veg) or like (chicken) but after about three weeks your palate changes and the foods you used to like no longer appeal (fatty stews and fries). However after a couple of months I said to Sarita (my dietician) that I was not on a diet but had to change my lifestyle. She said to me "now you really have got it!'

Finally

I gradually added coffee (fresh, not instant or decaff), dry white wine and the occasional beer (as a reward after exercise only). By the way Sarita is totally against decaff coffee as she says the chemical process of preparing the decaff is worst than the ingestion of caffeine, which she says is beneficial in moderation. I even eat fries or white bread occasionally. If I pick up weight (after Xmas or other events that involve food) I simply reign in and go back to the strict rules. I don't think this necessarily works for everyone but it works for me. Today I weigh 93kg and describe myself as athletic or even trim. I wear a large shirt, size 36 waist, no double chins. The cost was quite high as I had to change my entire wardrobe so that I did not look as though I was wearing my big brothers clothes! When I eat out at a restaurant I apply all the rules and it works.

I dedicate this hub to my dearly beloved (for forcing me to go to a new GP and Sarita Barnitz., a talented dietician.