Hello,
My name is Don Orwell, and my blog, SuperfoodsToday.com, is devoted to the Superfoods way of life. In 2009, I had life-altering experiences that prompted me to reconsider my eating habits and my current lifestyle.
Essentially, I was terrified, and this affected me. My blog and this book would not exist without my diet failures, so bear with me as I introduce you to superfoods gradually. I wish I had been smart enough to anticipate my health catastrophe, but I was not, despite having always considered myself to be quite intelligent. In 2009, I was physically fit and overweight, but not to a dangerous degree. At least, that was my belief. Before 2009, I was an average yo-yo dieter with two notable weight fluctuations. In less than a year, I lost 35 kilograms (75 pounds) in 1994. I went from 120 kg (265 pounds) to 75 kg (165 pounds) (165 pounds). Now that I think about it, I realize that I did it in an extremely foolish manner. I didn't engage in any physical activity, and I ate very little food. I skipped breakfast and had salads with lean protein for lunch and dinner.
In the summer, I consumed tomatoes and cucumbers, and in the winter, sauerkraut. Initially, I considered excluding bread and potatoes, as these were the only carbohydrates I consumed at the time (no rice or cereals). I stopped eating all sweet foods, including fruits. I didn't read any books about dieting because I decided to start a diet on a whim, and since it went so well from the start, I didn't believe I needed to educate myself about dieting. So I continued to eat smaller and smaller portions, which nearly halted my metabolism.
Unfortunately, I lost nearly all of my muscle mass in the process. Before this diet, I had been going to the gym for nine months and could bench press 55 to 60 kilograms. When I completed my diet,
I was so embarrassed that when I returned to the gym I could not push more than 30 kilograms for the first few weeks. That was a difficult lesson to learn. Even at 75 kilograms, I was unable to eliminate some stubborn abdominal fat. My lifetime of obesity has left its mark on my body. A friend who was studying medicine at the time explained that fat cells are composed of 85% fat and 15% cell nucleus and other cell material. He stated that when I lose weight, the fat cell continues to exist; it just has less fat, but it is still there, dormant, and ready to be filled with fat when I consume too many calories. Unsettling, isn't it? Later, I read on the internet that dieting has a rhythm, and that weight loss is easiest at the beginning and becomes progressively slower until it ceases. This can be avoided by increasing the metabolism and exercising.
I was able to remain "under 100 kg" until the year 2000. I went 4-5
I went five times per week to the gym, ate protein-rich foods, and my weight fluctuated between 82 (180) and 82 (180) pounds.
pounds) to 94 kilograms (207 pounds). Then, in February 2000, I changed jobs, my life became more stressful, and I stopped exercising. Within a year, I had regained over 250 pounds (114 kg). However, I was 30 years old and in good health at the time. Then, at the end of 2002, our son was born, and instead of my wife gaining weight, I went over 120 kg (265 pounds). Then, fifteen months after the birth of our daughter, my weight peaked at 275 pounds (125 kg). In 2004, I had a new job, significantly less stress at work, and the Atkins diet was all the rage.
Therefore, I began the Atkins diet, but this time I was significantly better prepared. I wasn't exercising at all, but housework related to my children kept me active. I wasn't concerned about muscle loss because the Atkins diet consists entirely of protein, right? Because the brain relies on glucose, the simplest form of carbohydrate, I was concerned about ketosis and my brain's ability to function normally. I then began the Atkins diet. During the first few weeks, I experienced some dreadful side effects (headache, nausea, and vomiting).
It took me a while to find food that wouldn't be monotonous due to my symptoms (weakness, fatigue, constipation, foul breath). Atkins diet encourages the consumption of fat cheese and fatty processed meats, but after two weeks of eating them daily, I grew tired of them and wanted to accelerate my weight loss, so I ate low-fat protein with raw or steamed cauliflower.
potato substitute for low-carbers). I educated myself about carbs that should be counted and fiber that should not be counted, and began eating lots of fiber-rich vegetables with lean proteins such as hard-boiled eggs, fish, pork, and chicken, stir-fried with broccoli, Chinese cabbage, spinach, and celery. I consume eggs and every other day either low-fat cottage cheese or low-fat yogurt with cucumbers or celery for breakfast. I even purchased ketone test strips and peed on them every few days in the hopes of confirming that I am still in ketosis. And the weight disappeared very quickly. After 4-5 months, I had lost 30-35 kilograms and weighed 90 kilograms (200 pounds).
I lost (pounds), and I was very pleased with the results. I began to preach the Atkins diet and became a low carb Taliban, proclaiming sugar and carbohydrates to be evil. And I was able to keep my weight below 100 kg for nearly three years due to my low carb office lunches (fiber salad and protein). But after 3
My job became stressful over the years, and I reverted to my old eating habits, causing me to regain weight. In the summer of 2008, my children informed me that I was overweight, and at the end of February 2009, the results of my blood tests were returned. I was in the midst of engineering my future diet, but the results diverted my efforts.
I have discovered that I have a low thyroid, but that was not what terrified me the most. A blood test revealed an elevated TSH level.
Our family physician explained hypothyroidism and its side effects in detail and prescribed synthetic hormone pills (thyroxin).
She stated that it is the most manageable and least dangerous chronic illness I could have, and that I should learn to live with side effects and take a pill every day for the rest of my life.
I initially did not know how to react. I read that it is predominantly a female ailment and discovered that I've had symptoms for a few years; they just weren't showing up on my blood tests. I started losing my hair, I was constantly exhausted (I thought it was because I was overweight), and I read that losing weight would be more difficult than before, which was true. I also realized I have a poor memory. I chose to seek out a natural remedy or anything else that could alleviate side effects. However, as previously stated, low thyroid levels were not what scared me. Coincidentally, I developed my first hemorrhoid. As I later discovered, it was an externally-caused disaster of the worst kind. She prescribed ointment and decided to examine the veins in my legs after I re-visited our family doctor (a pleasant older woman in the St. Lawrence district). She also discovered that I have extremely enlarged external veins on my legs. Although they were as thick as my thumb, I could not see them because they were buried in fat. In addition to occasional heaviness and itching in my lower legs, I experienced no other side effects. Given that I'm sedentary throughout my entire workday and that I was already sedentary prior to my employment, I've decided to
Being overweight, it was no surprise that I developed hemorrhoids and dilated veins. This type of veins is known as varicose veins. This was my second diagnosis of a chronic illness in less than a month. Although my deep venous thrombosis was diagnosed, the doctor sent me for additional tests.
The vascular specialist informed me that I have numerous small blood clots clinging to the walls of my veins, some of which can be released into the bloodstream and obstruct a vein. And I was aware that my veins were already clogged due to my obesity. And this may result in a heart attack, a stroke, or a pulmonary embolism.
Well, this is frightening!
Knowing that I could have a stroke or heart attack at any time prompted me to plan my diet carefully. I desired my veins to be cleared as quickly as possible! But this time I wanted to create a perfect diet, one that I wouldn't even be aware of, a diet for life. After some consideration and
After conducting research and analyzing my previous diet attempts, I decided to stick with a diet that was supposed to work (going through a full cycle every day). I wished to avoid all of the side effects I had experienced in the past. I wanted to include carbohydrates in my diet because it was intended to be a permanent eating plan. I wanted to avoid future weight fluctuations. Surely there will be no weight cycling if this is a permanent diet? I desired the ideal solution that would prevent me from ever returning to my health-damaging eating habits. My poor eating habits consist of processed and refined foods, sugary breakfasts (muffins, donuts), soft drinks, and a lack of whole foods. Therefore, fad diets were ruled out. I mean, I couldn't survive my entire life on smoothies or steak and eggs. I also chose to investigate the mechanism of fad diets and weight cycling, as well as the reasons why people cycle their weight, when EXACTLY cycling begins (when they drop the ball and why), why it occurs, and how long it takes for them to cycle their weight. And I wished to contrast their facts with mine.
experience. I also desired to understand why there are so many obese people in my vicinity and the processes underlying food consumption. Thyroid hormone issue prompted me to also research
How hormones in the human body influence weight loss. I was fortunate not to have blood sugar or cholesterol issues, but I wanted to learn everything I could about them because my brother and father have high blood pressure, and my aunt (my father's sister) died of cancer and was diabetic for the last 10 years of her life.
The last thing to impact my family around that time was the diagnosis of ADHD in our son. End of 2002 he was born, and in September 2008 he began elementary school. After a few months, we received a phone call from his teacher, who informed us that he is unfocused in class and exhibits all symptoms of ADHD.
(Inattentional hyperactivity disorder) Consultations over a few months confirmed that he has ADHD. My wife began searching for anything that could alleviate symptoms in the hopes of avoiding Ritalin and other stimulants.
medications. Researchers have discovered that certain foods can fuel ADHD. Also, our friends found out at the same time that their 3-year-old son is autistic and they already started to take nutritional measures to alleviate autism and that included gluten free and casein free diet. They reported that his behavior has improved significantly since beginning the diet (less hyperactivity, fewer temper tantrums, he began making eye contact, and his speech improved), so we decided to educate ourselves on the foods that fuel ADHD.
When I began my research, I kept coming across information about high sugar consumption, blood sugar levels, insulin sensitivity, cholesterol levels, the typical American diet of fast food, processed foods, ingredients in processed foods, etc. It turned out that the same food that was causing me issues was also a major contributor to ADHD. Sugar, processed foods, and refined carbohydrates are unhealthy.
Then, I compiled a list of healthy whole foods that can assist with my issues and my son's ADHD. As I began to investigate each food in greater detail, I repeatedly came across websites devoted to superfoods. Before the list was
I discovered that all of the foods on my list were superfoods after completing my list. WOW!!!!