Heading Toward Hip Surgery

I emerged from my doctor visit on Dec. 19 with a surgery date to replace my left hip and a weight that I needed to achieve.  I was pretty disappointed when I left as I was planning to be at the goal weight (47 lb. loss) by Jan 3 with a hoped-for surgery date in mid-January.  As it turned out the doctor was going to be doing medical mission work most of the month (good on him) and he added 10 pounds to the weight loss goal.  Me at my worst last winter in Tombstone, AZ

I was deflated and actually gained back a couple of pounds over the holidays but I’m now fully committed to holding the surgery date.  To get there, I’m losing about one pound a day and suffering much less than I suspected I would.  I haven’t taken any measurements but I know my belly is a good bit smaller as I keep tightening my shorts draw strings and can wear some smaller sized ones plus when I look in the mirror, my face is thinner.  I’m looking older as I don’t have the fat to pooch out my wrinkles oh well, can't keep those boyish looks for ever.

To achieve this rate of weight loss, I’m using a combo of several diet plans.  First, I only eat between 11am and 6pm thereby fasting for 17 hours a day.  Second, I only eat two meals a day with a lite snack (if hungry) of blueberries or mixed nuts in between, all amounting to 700-800 calories per day. Third, I eat very few carbs (no alcohol) that are not in the fruits and vegetables that I eat.  Finally, I’m eating much of the Blue Zone foods with beans most days, the occasional sweet potato, and lots of salads, which I fortunately enjoy. 

This above paragraph is for the many people who have said this to me over the years – “Do you know what you need to do to lose weight?” – to which I’ve always answered yes.

My primary meal is breakfast where I usually eat a three-egg scramble with a little bacon or ham in it for about 320 calories, some mixed nuts or fruit for a 3:30 snack if I’m hungry, then a big salad or some type of beans for supper.  Since I can barely walk without pain, I’m having to achieve the weight loss with no serious exercise but I do try to stay busy puttering around as I can.

The day I wrote this, I ate the breakfast as described for 320 calories, a cup of blueberries at 100 calories and a cup and half of pinto beans for 360 calories for a total of 780 calories.

The biggest surprised for me has been that I’m not really hungry between meals or after 6pm while I’m a little bit so before breakfast.  And to really test my meddle, for part of some days, I watch “Food Paradise” on TV, which typically shows large volumes of very high calorie food.

Still huge after a 40 pound loss but definitely thinner in the same shirt.

While I don’t plan on sticking to this strict of a diet long term, I do plan to eat similarly until I get much thinner and beyond.  I won’t say this is right for your weight loss, but it sure is working for me and I’m confident I’ll be below the weight the doc gave me before surgery day for a total loss of a 60 pounds.  

I go back to the doctor on Jan 28 to prove that I have lost the requisite weight for the Feb 5 surgery date.  

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South.

Larry