chicago ken's Journal, 12 October 2023

I don't count/weigh or measure food. I eat slowly, usually while doing other things, and it typically takes me 2 hours to finish a meal. Most of what I eat on my WFPB/Vegan diet is fresh fruit and vegetables (a mix of raw and cooked), so I'm able to eat huge amounts at meals. I consume 2x the RDA of fiber this way, so I stay full and am rarely hungry. @Ken, if you're tracking everything that goes in your mouth, getting decent amounts of protein, water, fiber and micronutrients, then don't force yourself to eat. That's what got most of us fat here. The goal is mindfulness -- recognizing true hunger, satiety, and nutrition as it relates to your health. After achieving this, ditch the training wheels!🚲💚 

I have to eat to get in protein whether I want to or not. It makes a huge difference in how I feel generally. 

I do measure and track, except when eating out or at friends, I only track in which I am estimating. That's the life of a diabetic or pre-diabeties, if wanting to control with diet instead of meds. I'd probably do it for myself regardless of the diabeties. I want make sure I get the vitamins and nutrients and protein that I need for health and performance. But if I lived in a country or area where measuring and tracking was not possible (which has happened to me), I'd follow the Plate Method. 

Eating small meals every 2-3 hours is better for stable blood sugar level 

I have been doing this 25-30 years. I’m not obsessive— like when I am making up dishes with what is in the fridge, it’s just too tedious. I have never been over weight— actually the reverse, I couldn’t keep my weight up. Between swimming and hiking and having a job where we often didn’t even get a chance to eat for 12 plus hours I could keep my weight up so I started trackin. Now it’s just a part of my life and I don’t really even think about it. I’m most concerned with maintaining my nutritional state. That is so very important as we age. 

Thanks Justbananas. I like your angle and I’ll try it for a few weeks to see how it feels. After being on “the tricycle” for years it could be tough to let go and “go blindly” and trust my hunger or lack there of. I’ve made such progress perhaps I’m just afraid most of taking my hands off the wheel and going back into the ditch. One thing is clear: my food choices are solid and if I continue eat healthy I’ll have nothing to worry about. 💪🏻💚 

Outer limit it’s funny but sometimes I feel like a diabetic with the way my diet is. I have struggled with triglycerides over 150 for years. My habits have changed and I think my blood work should come back in the low 100s this time in December. Wish me luck. I really want to get off the statin. 🤞😀🤘 

Kenna I may have to go back to counting after trying to stay off for a few weeks but we’ll see how my weight fluctuates in the coming days. Thanks! 

That's great you've taken steps to reduce meds. I bet your numbers will get better. For me, I have Zero willpower, but I do have a desire to prevent disease and heart surgery. I rely on easy routines to take the emotion out of it, for both diet and activity. It has to be easy, peasy. Whatever you decide to manage your health moving forward, chances are there's someone on FatSecret that's doing the same thing and can be of logistical support. 

Thanks Outerlimit. I’m definitely looking to maximize my healthy choices and perfect my blood scores.  

I do the mederteranian heart healthy 

I was Mediterranean and switched to pescatarian when I dropped chicken. I’m plant based 

Im at maintenance now and yes, if i have calories left over, i tend to eat them. Dunno if thats the healthy thing to do when not hungry tho. I suppose our bodies are designed to let us know when we need to nourish them tho 

all the time.. 

Yes you still have to eat if you don’t eat enough you will send your body into starvation mode and you won’t lose any fat or very little. Feeling hungry isn’t just a perfect body signal to tell you when you need food. You can feel hungry over emotions and other chemical reactions as well so just being hungry can be deceptive. Look at it the other way you can really need food but if your too excited you don’t feel hungry it you still need to eat …remember being a kid lol 

keep it up....watch Yhomas Delour on you tube...very educational on diets 

Y.O.H yes that’s my question exactly. Like right now I’m at 1050 calories and I’m not hungry but I feel I don’t want to go into starvation mode like Lil Wil was saying. So I think I’ll just eat another 600 by 7:30.  

Chicago i think thats probably best. Make sure they are good calories tho.😂 

YOH. Yes they always are