Mike D,
That was a good read (the link elaborates). One of the things I never believed is heavy drinking is good for you! But I also have a philosophy, somewhat, of "eat well, stay fit and die of a car crash anyway". I would be really mad to live like a health puritan, refuse myself all the good stuff, then get taken out by something that had absolutely nothing to do with what I put in my pie hole.
I'll also be kind of mad if I develop a disease beyond alcoholism because that would have been caused by me. But, I would have lived many days and years doing what I loved with drinking, rather than abstaining from something I love. My wife of course feels the opposite! She's going to be mad if that happens.
Not only do I take supplements, but they also include that fish oil that seems to increase alcohol damage! (per that study). Along with fish and flax oil, multivitamin, extra vitamin E and C, I also take plant sterols for help with cholesterol (I refuse to take poison statins), I take niacin for the heart, and milk thistle for the liver. I started the milk thistle after seeing a doctor on the news talk about how he has seen people/patients with damage as bad as cirrhosis actually reverse the damage much faster than abstinence alone. I also take 1/4 aspirin, the equiv of a baby aspirin every day...so I'm not your typical alcoholic thats doesn't eat well, I am hyper nutritioned!
I'm losing weight not for the direct health benefits or any medical issues that often drives people to weight loss; I was just sick of being so fat...thats it...I'm selfish that way! With drinking, I'm the opposite...it takes being nearly sick for me to HAVE to cut back...the diet actually made me stop and cut back for the simple goal of losing weight. I've had acute pancreatitis and was told at any point, alcohol could kill me and like an idiot, eventually went right back to it. Its all because I dont want to quit drinking...period...like I said, I'm selfish...I'm supposed to be thinking of everyone else in my life instead of doing what I want.
BobbieLee,
I think your daily diet example looks fine...assuming that's a no bun hamburger for dinner! I find activity does help me lose a little. I have done almost no exorcising on purpose, but I do notice when I do a bunch of work around the house, some of it very physical, thats when I really see the needle move.
We just went on a trip for the weekend and when I got back, I had jumped a couple-three pounds back just over 190. Within 2 days I was back to the high180's and just this morning back down below 188. I wondered if the higher altitude made me gain! That's where I seem to be stuck right now.
I did a dietary splurge too. We went to a German restaurant. I'm sure the cabbage sides had a little sugar in them and the sauces had some flour. My wife and I ordered different then split to share. I ordered stuffed cabbage...and it never occurred to be that those usually have a filler! Like rice. The place was so dark it was hard to tell or see it. I just ate it and stayed away from the spaetzel. But...the biggest cheat of all, something I prided myself in having never done since January 1 this year...I ate a half of a dinner roll
thats right, a dinner roll. It wasn't the apogee moment I dreamed of, it was just a decent dinner roll with some butter. But I can no longer say I haven't cheated, I ate that...and absolutely no way to know the carb numbers in the rest of the meal...but we ordered away from anything breaded of course. In retrospect it was a dumb cheat, I'm not even a fan of most German food, its like almost any other home cooking, no "wow" factor, except I love sausage and THAT was the most expensive thing on the menu! I WAS NOT paying $20 for a lunch to get sausage. My wife wasn't impressed either, so we'll likely not go back. It was spur of the moment on a road trip, we knew the restaurant well as we'd made the trip many times. A lesson learned.
Congrats on the 4 lbs! I was told by someone here that the body can easily fluctuate 3-4 lbs in a couple days, and to not be too discouraged if I gain, and stick with the plan for the long haul. Fortunately for you, you lost it! I've trimmed back my carb intake this week as a result of that cheat to hopefully balance that carb burst I hit my body with.