eat less, move more, keep a food diary

Before I get to the body update, I’ll remind you that my planning for taking care of my body included the intentions of moving more, eating well and taking my medicine on schedule when it is due.  I set an overarching goal of achieving a weight ≤62kg supported by a number of diet and exercise habits I hope to develop over the coming 12 months.

This week I went back to hospital for my regular transplant check up and am very happy to report that my transplanted kidney continues to do well.   As an aside, I recently saw what is left of my “native” kidneys (as they call them) on an ultrasound.  They kind of look like poor shrivelled up dried mushrooms.  A bit freaky – I felt kind of sorry for them.  My new kidney is an ENORMOUS black blob by comparison.

Anyway, I have put on another couple of kilograms and am being threatened with larger drug doses if I don’t lose the weight…  Given how much hair fell out in my initial post-transplant weeks of high doses, I’m quite keen not to repeat the experience.  Deadline to lose by March clinic appointment.

It seems I need to make more specific goals…

Like losing 4kg in 12 weeks…  Though having said that, averaging that out would be 335g per week which doesn’t sound too bad.  Or 400g if I take Christmas/New Year off.  Or 500g if I count the weight I’ll put on…  I suppose that’s doable but needs tracking.

Once again I was given the never helpful move more eat less advice.  Though combined with Ruben Meerman’s solution of losing carbon dioxide and water [1], somewhat more useful, i.e. moving enough to make me sweat and breathe heavily.  Possibly that’s why my Christmas holiday home maintenance projects are always so good for weight loss – I’m hot and sweaty and working hard in the sun.  I just have to work out how to keep it off after that.

It is generally accepted that keeping a food journal, and updating it before you eat helps you make better choices, control serving sizes and understand non-hunger eating triggers.  Plus sitting at table (tv off) and focusing on really tasting the food.  Remembering that eating is not a competition to see who finishes first, but a pleasurable experience to savour – taking time to appreciate the sights, sounds, smells, flavours, and textures.  Sort of like the difference between a steaming plate of sizzling something carried from the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant and a damp bag of burgers from the drive-through window…

So revised plan…

• lose 335 – 500g per week for 12 weeks
• take a walk every day
• undertake a hot sweaty activity at least once a week (mostly gardening I fear)
• eat meals at table, not snacks in front of the tv
• keep a food journal to monitor consumption and serving sizes, and force better choices

For the record, I was 65.0kg this morning.  Given all the variables about what you can and do wear (or not) when weighing yourself at hospital and at home, I am going to assume 1kg of clothing and shoes, and aim for 61kg by the next appointment. (I have to admit it is kind of funny to queue at the scales and watch everyone take off their shoes and as much clothing as possible before they get on them.)

Any suggestions for further improvement?

I’ll let you know how it’s going in a couple of weeks.