Mine is my diet timing of when I eat and my supplement regimen.......critical to my success. What are yours?
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First I will apologize for the writing style now. Its all just based upon my thoughts from my memories of how this unfolded.…….I have had a lot of requests for this so I am gonna give it to you. My how too on my change.……how I did it. Now for a bit of context. I began as a “fat ass” at 6 foot 2 inch and 350 lbs. Most of you need to hear how bad I was. I was B. A. D. bad. Dying ever so slowly so I could lie to myself. I stood in Orlando in a mall and knew change was a coming to me…….noone around me however did. So understand that this was my game plan and cant be used as a plug and play game plan. As I evolved I adapted my eating and my exercise plan. As a neurosurgeon I knew I was a bright guy but I also realized I was not too bright to get this fat and ruin my health and my life. So I got real and started to listen to people who overcame this health trap and I began to read basic science research and data that was brand new on new scientific discoveries. You already know if you read my story I found out that everything I learned in med school I found to be based upon faulty science. I took a leap of faith and did what the science told me to do. I ate a high fat and protein diet loaded in saturated fat and exceedingly low in carbohydrates. Funny thing happened……in three months. My fat began to melt away! The more I lost the more I adapted to this new diet. I began to take more supplements and do more exercise that was complementary to my new way of eating. So I shunned aerobics for heavy weight lifting and running sprints. I then began to monitor my blood testing for general biochemistry and lipids. I extended that too to all my hormone levels and fixed them. I checked vitamin D levels and HS CRP and my reverse T3 and salivary cortisol levels among others. I fired my primary care doctor three times. I had a tore knee meniscus and I needed surgery but none of the surgeons I saw really were dialed into why I tore this meniscus. No one of them understood why I shunned what I learned in med school and what I found by reading about my injury. I distinctly remember one orthopedic surgeon I saw in consultation. I told him that my plan was to eat a ton of saturated fat and protein, get my knee repaired and never see another doctor the rest of my life. He laughed, and I left him. I went to see a guy who was an old acquaintance. He remarked about my early transformation. Never critiqued me. He listened even though he was an admitted skeptic. He told me regardless of my new way of living I needed surgery on my knee. I knew as a surgeon he was correct. I decided to let him do it because he was non judgmental. I had my surgery in May 2009. I operated on my own patients the very next day. I never filled the Rx I was given for Percocet post op. I, never to this day, even went back to my surgeon for any follow up. Took my own sutures out and have never looked back. I optimized my labs and retooled my supplements and my meds based upon my N-1 and my medical theories. I lost a total of 133 lbs during my surgical recovery. I discovered leptin resistance and how to treat it. I discovered that the timing of when I eat is more important than what I eat . I found out that I can no longer snack ever. I also eat a fairly low carb diet. Most days below fifty grams……most below 25 grams of carbs. I also use IF a lot. I could not when I was LR. It caused me plateaus. Also, if I worked out too hard I raised my own cortisol and it fried my sleep and my weight loss. I found that many things changed about me. The first and most important change was taking back control of my MIND. Every morning at wakefulness I jumped in the hot tub……..thought about three things to make my life better that day. I posted the best thought to my Facebook wall. I got out of the tub and made a monster breakfast with 50-70 grams of protein to start my day. I then did yoga or stretching. I went to work. I usually was able to skip lunch (IF) or eat nothing but rabbit food at lunch. I came home and loaded protein and fat again……and I worked out with HIIT and sprints. Kept doing it consistently no matter how I felt or the results. My family and wife kept commenting on my dedication. I went from a 48 waist to a 32 waist in 11 months. Everyone asked how, what, why ……..and I remained silent…..and responded, “I am not close to done yet. Talk to me when I get there.” I told them later about the speedo bet. I told them about the Thanksgiving dinner speech to my family. I told them about buying new wardrobes when I was fat…….six total all bought on the come………I told them what I told the salespeople when I shopped. I got the pants on, put the jacket on over my bare chest. Saw about 35 people watching the whole scene unfold and the miracle unfolded for Sara as well. I put my shoes on ………threw Sara my AMEX card and left her a tip. Checked out and left all my clothes on the floor……..right there. Sara called to me and asked my if I wanted my clothes I had left……..I told her no…….this new guy thinks a new way on this brand new day. I walked out of there and knew my thoughts 11 months earlier dictated every move I made that day in Nordstrom’s. I hope you go get yourself some of what you know you can have if you want it bad enough. |
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Very simple, no magic involved, I just simply don't keep anything I know I shouldn't be eating in my own house. I still cheat but never at home. Pretty damn hard to eat crap if there's no crap around to eat. |
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My hack's a mental one: I began thinking of industrial, processed, flour-and-HFCS "foods" as being legal and government-subsidized hard drugs. The donuts in the break room every Thursday? Pure crack. The boxes of cereal lining the grocery aisle? "Heart-healthy cocaine!" The cans and bottles and bags of recombined corn, wheat, and rice by-products? "Low-fat heroin!" There's not a single place the metaphor falls apart in my own history: As long as I was "using," I was unhealthy and getting sicker all the time. It makes me infinitely sad for humanity, this slow-motion holocaust we're wreaking on ourselves, but it keeps my own eating squeaky-clean. |
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When I decided to go paleo, I knew it was the right thing to do, I committed 100%, no going back. I don't piss & moan about foods I miss, because I don't miss anything, I don't believe in 'cheat' meals, I just eat as I see fit at the time, I don't get bored with what I eat and make excuses. I chose the red pill and happily left behind the illusion of others controlling my life & health (the government, the medical establishment, etc). The journey that we are all on does not have a destination, we know the way, the path lays before us, but just a few feet infront of us the path is shrouded in fog and we cannot see beyond that, but we continue forward anyway, knowing it is the right thing to do. Paleo is the human experience. |
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Fake Nutella: 2/3 full jar of Coconut Oil 1/4-1/3 c almond butter, just for the nutty flavor 2-3 TBS 100% high quality cocoa powder, make sure you spend the money to get the good stuff 1-2 tsp honey, just enough to sweeten slightly, but you should taste the nut and chocolate before any sweetness. Mix well and store in fridge. When you have emotional cravings, or need an afternoon snack, a spoonful does the trick. I also find it tastes more "naughty" and therefore I need less to satisfy my cravings. |
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First, like Meredith, it was using Dr. Google a lot, more than ever Now, more recently, my trick has been using Dr. Google (and Paleohacks) less. Once you know the main ideas, there is not much new to learn, except from following a few blogs now and then, more for fun. By the way, I took me three years of reading and researching, and I did it with great pleasure. It was sort of a necessary phase. Now I have more time for doing nothing, being outdoors, walking, play, ... |
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I look to the wizardry of Dr. Google and I never stop learning from her. |
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Baby-wearing, nature's answer to burning extra calories and keeping up with chores and errands while keeping your child quiet, happy and alert. Bone broth in the crock pot. Asian market for beef shins/ hooves, chicken feet, inexpensive coconuts, real sugar free fermented fish sauce, and Unhydrogenated palm oil. Kale chips made with bacon fat, sea salt, and cumin |
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I think its pretty handy to be able to control your carb intake and in turn control hunger. For example today I went for a long hike in the afternoon, I had 2 big meals before the hike that were all fat and protein, and was able to go for a very long hike burning all fat and not get hungry. Even 6-7 hours after I ate I still wasn't hungry. Pretty fun. |
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When my husband and I first started eating Paleo/Primal back in Dec. '10 we made sure we had a great outdoor grill! We started buying meat and veggies. We threw steaks, chicken, pork chops, ect. on the grill along with peppers, onions, asparagus, portabello mushrooms, ect. We grilled for lunch and dinner every day and drizzled extra virgin olive oil one everything before eating! We have grown a little from that point, like trying recipes out and getting a little more creative with the food. But absolutely, hands down, I can say that it was a GREAT way to start our new food lifestyle :) |
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Exercise wise, my little "magic" trick is running/jogging at night. The streets where I live aren't very well lit, so it makes me a little anxious and my cortisol must go through the roof! But barking dogs and that feeling like someone could be following you or the car just up ahead might pull over so someone can grab you really helps fire your muscles to breath better, ran faster, move smarter and to be alert. I used to have a personal trainer who thought that running as though you are running from a predator is the best kind of exercise because you were built to do it. We are not, nor have we ever been, at the top of the food chain!! |
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Baked chicken wings saved my life. True story. |
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I like to saw my bacon in half. |
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My curiosity and unwillingness to take no for an answer. |
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Coconut oil in a spray can from Spectrum. Bit on the processed side, yes, but holy hell is that convenient. |
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Tricks? Check out Elana's Pantry website for some awesome recipes. Also, coconut flour and almond flour recipe books. You can make amazing pizza and cheesy bacon biscuits and muffins... All without grains/grain flours!!! Also check out cheesy slave's website. For cheese, I use arrowroot sub which works really well, and I use non-hormone, free range turkey bacon. |
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One more: Beer Can in the Butt method of cooking a whole chicken:
Don't use beer, obviously. I like the following mixes for the can (don't fill to the top as it will just make a mess of your oven or grill):
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Also, dip your pecans in local honey. I do that for breakfast with some blueberries, blackberries, banana and orange. Everything is raw and fast and delicious. If you get bored of avocado, squeeze lemon over it. I can never get sick of that. Herbs and spices keep things interesting. Paleo can become mundane at times so it's always good to add some paleo zing. |
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My magic is a time saving trick. I buy foods at farmer's markets and a local produce stand so I never have to wait in line. Additionally I eat my grass-fed local eggs raw and save cooking time and cleanup time. I eat veggies raw and fruits of course. I sometimes marinate grass-fed beef in vinegar and herbs and spices or wild caught fish in lemon, lime, OJ a blend of them or in vinegar and olive oil. You would be amazed at how much time one can save by eliminating food prep, cooking and cleanup. My wizardry also involves money saving tips. I try to diversify my diet by incorporating herbal teas. The biodiversity I get from teas is invaluable especially considering how cheap they are. At one point I was drinking 6 different types of herbal tea blends per day. Where else can you get that high of a dose of medicine for $25/month? Herbal teas are very Paleo and cheap. My hunter-gathering grounds extend across the globe, from Sri Lanka to Africa, India and China. In a sense I'm getting more (at least a greater geographic range of) biodiversity in my diet than the most stealth hunter gatherers. |
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Before I go to a business meeting where I know there will only be bad food choices, I eat some good protein and good fat to boost my will power and lower my needs. Makes it easy to eat lightly and rightly. |
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