Checking In

[garyscpa]

Originally Posted by HalvOnHorseracing

Sooner or later I had to do this post.

I've lost 40 lbs in the last year due to a very rare form of leukemia. I was told I had only six months left and was advised I wouldn't be very functional for most of them.

Then an amazing thing happened. The research center that did the bone marrow biopsy to confirm the diagnosis called and said a new chemo drug was being tested. The testing had only been going on six months so there was very little information on dosage, effectiveness etc. The researchers were anxious to get me started, mainly because I had the highest levels of bone marrow mast cells they had seen. They figured if they could arrest my deterioration, the drug would work on just about anyone.

I was told a lot of getting better was up to me. I had a lot of protocols to follow and within three days I was being overwhelmed by the drug and the cancer. Constant nausea. Sleeping 12 hours a day. Eating sparsely and having to give up some of my favorite foods because the smell made me nauseous. So the 40 pounds I lost, I lost the hard way.

For a few months I could hardly move, and the idea of exercising became ludicrous. After five months of misery I decided to go off the drug. I talked to my doctor and he said, before you quit let's see if cutting the dose in half makes you feel better. After about a month I noticed my energy level start to increase, and I was motivated enough to walk around the block. Improvement was slow, but I could tell when I could push myself harder.

I made it to the NHC, finishing 119th out of 695 entries, but it took a lot of my energy and by the time I got home I lost a lot of the motivation provided by the NHC. I finished in the top 20% in a couple of other contests, but I eventually stopped handicapping and doing my blog. The disease and the chemo made me apathetic and moody, and I stayed that way until my 5th bone marrow biopsy (a miserable procedure where they drill into your hip bone and extract marrow) and 8th MRI (the one where you're in a coffin for an hour holding your breath most of the time.) The medical staff agreed that there was a remarkable improvement since I started on the drug, even though I still felt crappy because of the drug's hold on my body. I asked how much longer I'd have to be on the drug. Naturally nobody knows, but they've asked me to keep dosing for another year. It will be a long year.

I started pushing harder to get back my strength and stamina. I felt confident enough that that I could do well enough to do my basketball officials training camp (I do High School varsity ball). It was three of the toughest days of my life, but I got through it. It was the first time in a year that I believed there was a hope for a lot more years. I could immediately tell I was lighter - I felt like I was floating down the court. I wore down over the three days, but I did it. It was a great personal triumph.

The chemo also affects your brain. Even though it is a misnomer, chemo brain is the common term used by cancer patients to describe thinking and memory problems that can occur after cancer treatment. I can tell you it is pretty embarrassing to look at a numerical keypad and have no idea what your telephone number is. It's a very weird feeling, especially since I pride myself on having a good memory for all sorts of things.

I think the good days are starting to outweigh the bad and I hope to get back to a normal life, a full basketball schedule and regeneration of my love of handicapping. Some weeks I wouldn't even look at a racing form, mostly because I didn't give a shit. I hope that changes soon. I'm taking baby steps toward qualifying for my second NHC. I'LL BE AT THE BELMONT NEXT WEEK. I'm golfing, although I have to cover myself because the chemo leads to a nasty sunburn after 10 minutes in the sun. I'm not used to looking ghostly.

Anyway, the thread currently seemed to be focused on losing weight. I lost 40 pounds the hard way. The really hard way.

Keep up the good fight.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

I'll start from the beginning of my weight loss program because it has evolved along the way. It's more a story of what I don't eat anymore.

First to go was sugar, refined grains/flour, starchy vegetables.
Next I dumped anything containing seed oils like soybean, canola, sunflower, etc. These are nasty unstable manmade industrial oils which are in no way healthy.

I went on like this for a long time, losing a lot of weight, then I started to look at plants, fruits and non starchy vegetables. I came across some people who were eating carnivore style, basically diametrically opposite of a vegan, only food from the animal kingdom, primarily meat. I was curious about this so I decided to give it a 30 day trial.
That was 8 months ago and I'm still doing it. I eat meat plus some eggs and cheese. The only plant based exceptions in my diet are coffee, pepper, and perhaps hot sauce too. Essentially coffee and spices.
I do plan to enjoy some local fruit when it's in season.
In any case, since I've went to this carnivore style of eating I feel fantastic. stronger, faster, calmer, better mood and clarity. It's hard to put into words. It just feels right in all respects. Come to find out plants were never supposed to be our primary fuel, we're not designed to digest them and on top of that they contain self defense chemical toxins which can reek havoc on the body.

So with the weight loss, exercise and these other improvements from my diet, it's like I've rolled back the clock and feel better than I have in ages. I did a half marathon back in November and I'm going to do another one in July.

I have also become fanatical about diet and exercise in recent years, Jim...and I hope my additional questions don't appear overly inquisitive to you:

Do you eat ALL types of meat...and, should the meat be "special" in any way...either in essence or preparation? What I mean is, should the meat be "grass-fed"...or not fried, etc?

Also...how does the way you feel now, in your carnivore state, compare with the way you felt during your earlier diet stage...when you were losing a lot of weight by abandoning sugar, refined grains/flour, starchy vegetables and unstable man-made oils? Thanks in advance for your reply.

[cj]

Originally Posted by HalvOnHorseracing

Sooner or later I had to do this post.

I've lost 40 lbs in the last year due to a very rare form of leukemia. I was told I had only six months left and was advised I wouldn't be very functional for most of them.

Then an amazing thing happened. The research center that did the bone marrow biopsy to confirm the diagnosis called and said a new chemo drug was being tested. The testing had only been going on six months so there was very little information on dosage, effectiveness etc. The researchers were anxious to get me started, mainly because I had the highest levels of bone marrow mast cells they had seen. They figured if they could arrest my deterioration, the drug would work on just about anyone.

I was told a lot of getting better was up to me. I had a lot of protocols to follow and within three days I was being overwhelmed by the drug and the cancer. Constant nausea. Sleeping 12 hours a day. Eating sparsely and having to give up some of my favorite foods because the smell made me nauseous. So the 40 pounds I lost, I lost the hard way.

For a few months I could hardly move, and the idea of exercising became ludicrous. After five months of misery I decided to go off the drug. I talked to my doctor and he said, before you quit let's see if cutting the dose in half makes you feel better. After about a month I noticed my energy level start to increase, and I was motivated enough to walk around the block. Improvement was slow, but I could tell when I could push myself harder.

I made it to the NHC, finishing 119th out of 695 entries, but it took a lot of my energy and by the time I got home I lost a lot of the motivation provided by the NHC. I finished in the top 20% in a couple of other contests, but I eventually stopped handicapping and doing my blog. The disease and the chemo made me apathetic and moody, and I stayed that way until my 5th bone marrow biopsy (a miserable procedure where they drill into your hip bone and extract marrow) and 8th MRI (the one where you're in a coffin for an hour holding your breath most of the time.) The medical staff agreed that there was a remarkable improvement since I started on the drug, even though I still felt crappy because of the drug's hold on my body. I asked how much longer I'd have to be on the drug. Naturally nobody knows, but they've asked me to keep dosing for another year. It will be a long year.

I started pushing harder to get back my strength and stamina. I felt confident enough that that I could do well enough to do my basketball officials training camp (I do High School varsity ball). It was three of the toughest days of my life, but I got through it. It was the first time in a year that I believed there was a hope for a lot more years. I could immediately tell I was lighter - I felt like I was floating down the court. I wore down over the three days, but I did it. It was a great personal triumph.

The chemo also affects your brain. Even though it is a misnomer, chemo brain is the common term used by cancer patients to describe thinking and memory problems that can occur after cancer treatment. I can tell you it is pretty embarrassing to look at a numerical keypad and have no idea what your telephone number is. It's a very weird feeling, especially since I pride myself on having a good memory for all sorts of things.

I think the good days are starting to outweigh the bad and I hope to get back to a normal life, a full basketball schedule and regeneration of my love of handicapping. Some weeks I wouldn't even look at a racing form, mostly because I didn't give a shit. I hope that changes soon. I'm taking baby steps toward qualifying for my second NHC. I'LL BE AT THE BELMONT NEXT WEEK. I'm golfing, although I have to cover myself because the chemo leads to a nasty sunburn after 10 minutes in the sun. I'm not used to looking ghostly.

Anyway, the thread currently seemed to be focused on losing weight. I lost 40 pounds the hard way. The really hard way.

Stay strong Rich and thanks for sharing!

[HalvOnHorseracing]

Thanks to everyone for their kind thoughts. It was a bad break, but I'll fight my way back the best I can.

[Tom]

Keep you eye on the end game, Rich.
You will get there - never stop believing.
Prayers to help you get there from many here no doubt.

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

I have also become fanatical about diet and exercise in recent years, Jim...and I hope my additional questions don't appear overly inquisitive to you:

Do you eat ALL types of meat...and, should the meat be "special" in any way...either in essence or preparation? What I mean is, should the meat be "grass-fed"...or not fried, etc?

Also...how does the way you feel now, in your carnivore state, compare with the way you felt during your earlier diet stage...when you were losing a lot of weight by abandoning sugar, refined grains/flour, starchy vegetables and unstable man-made oils? Thanks in advance for your reply.

Good for you, once you start down this path it's hard not to get somewhat fanatical about it.
Oh heck no I don't mind the questions. it's hard to avoid and I don't mind talking about it. I try not to say too much unless people seem to show a genuine interest.

No I don't eat all types of meat. I'd estimate my lineup as 60% beef, 30% pork, and the final 10% split between salmon, tuna, and chicken.
I mix it up, the fattier cuts are the most satisfying but will balance it off with some leaner cuts too. I don't eat organ meats although many carnivores do, they are quite nutritious but I'm just not into the taste and texture. Many also eat it raw but again that's not me, at least at this time.
There seems to be a broad consensus on beef, it is without a doubt the most satisfying and satiating of all whereas I refer to chicken as the lettuce of meats. It just doesn't cut it.

Many go for the grass finished rather than grain finished in order to avoid the grain aspect. After looking into it I'm mixed. Cattle are all pretty much raised on grass and only get the grain for the final 10% when they are fattened. From a taste standpoint I have to say the grain finish would be a slight favorite. I do try to support the smaller farms which ethically raise animals in a pasture as opposed to the corporate feed lots. It's way more expensive but I think for the environment and the well being of the animals it is superior. this is a trend (small and local) that I support.

Carnivores are all over the map on the cooking of the meat. Like I said many come to it and eat it raw. This has helped many people with severe gut problems like IBS, Crohns, etc as they are able to tolerate the raw meat. I eat my steak medium rare, ground beef fairly well done, and same with pork I like it cooked pretty well. I don't think there is one preferred or correct method, its whatever works for you.

I felt pretty good after giving up sugar, grains, oils etc. I was losing weight and overall felt fine. One other aspect of this journey that I haven't mentioned yet, I also incorporated types of intermittent fasting. For example for the past 1.5 years I eat only once per day, so I'm fasted like 23 hours. I do all my running in a fasted state. I started this to assist with weight loss and to completely switch over my metabolism to fat burning. Eating once a day became a habit and I have found many advantages to it. Back in the beginning I also did some prolonged fasting of days at a time. The combination of fasting, eating once per day, and giving up all the various garbage foods broke my cravings and food addictions. Also since making those changes I can truly say without a hint of exaggeration that I've never been the same since. The biggie seemed to be breaking the sugar habit and getting off the hi carb roller coaster. These changes in lifestyle have changed me inside and out and gave me a boost in mental clarity and energy.

Okay so then I started the carnivore experiment not really expecting to feel much better, but after a few weeks of adjustment I began to notice some changes. It definitely is what your body is looking for, the fat for fuel, the protein for muscle and cell regeneration. Then there is this almost primal awareness, a feeling of strength, of always being in the moment with your senses. My skin and hair really improved, cleared up, got thicker. I noticed my running speed and stamina pick up. I can tolerate the sun now way better than in the past, the hotter the better, and I hardly burn even with no sunscreen.
A couple other changes after going carnivore, no digestion problems, gas or constipation. Meat breaks down so easily in our intestine, nutrients are much more fully absorbed from meat because of this.

People see me now who haven't seen me in a long time often will ask how do I feel? I tell them I feel like superman!

I always have to remind myself to stop talking about this. Frankly these days it seems that every conversation I have winds up with me droning on and on.
I hope some of this was useful.

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by cj

That is great Jim, congrats and keep it up!

thanks CJ

[johnhannibalsmith]

Originally Posted by cj

Stay strong Rich and thanks for sharing!

Piggybacking on this one - keep it up Rich.

[Grits]

When long time posters disappear, we don't ever know what, in their lives, has changed. It could be a lifestyle turnabout as Jim has achieved which is worthy of our support and our tremendous congrats. GREAT WORK, Jim!!! Happy for you.


Or, that disappearance could be due to a horrific diagnosis that is truly life changing and is capable of plunging us into fear and even despair. The hardest battle we would ever, ever wage is what Rich is fighting.


I have those that are close to me, and, too, those that I don't really know other than their online presence. They all need my support and the only way I can help them, at a distance, is to ask God to watch over them, to be with them day and night. For them to keep their strength to cope, to endure, to fight and not give up.


You are in my prayers now, Rich. God is with you; he will not leave you. <3

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

Good for you, once you start down this path it's hard not to get somewhat fanatical about it.
Oh heck no I don't mind the questions. it's hard to avoid and I don't mind talking about it. I try not to say too much unless people seem to show a genuine interest.

No I don't eat all types of meat. I'd estimate my lineup as 60% beef, 30% pork, and the final 10% split between salmon, tuna, and chicken.
I mix it up, the fattier cuts are the most satisfying but will balance it off with some leaner cuts too. I don't eat organ meats although many carnivores do, they are quite nutritious but I'm just not into the taste and texture. Many also eat it raw but again that's not me, at least at this time.
There seems to be a broad consensus on beef, it is without a doubt the most satisfying and satiating of all whereas I refer to chicken as the lettuce of meats. It just doesn't cut it.

Many go for the grass finished rather than grain finished in order to avoid the grain aspect. After looking into it I'm mixed. Cattle are all pretty much raised on grass and only get the grain for the final 10% when they are fattened. From a taste standpoint I have to say the grain finish would be a slight favorite. I do try to support the smaller farms which ethically raise animals in a pasture as opposed to the corporate feed lots. It's way more expensive but I think for the environment and the well being of the animals it is superior. this is a trend (small and local) that I support.

Carnivores are all over the map on the cooking of the meat. Like I said many come to it and eat it raw. This has helped many people with severe gut problems like IBS, Crohns, etc as they are able to tolerate the raw meat. I eat my steak medium rare, ground beef fairly well done, and same with pork I like it cooked pretty well. I don't think there is one preferred or correct method, its whatever works for you.

I felt pretty good after giving up sugar, grains, oils etc. I was losing weight and overall felt fine. One other aspect of this journey that I haven't mentioned yet, I also incorporated types of intermittent fasting. For example for the past 1.5 years I eat only once per day, so I'm fasted like 23 hours. I do all my running in a fasted state. I started this to assist with weight loss and to completely switch over my metabolism to fat burning. Eating once a day became a habit and I have found many advantages to it. Back in the beginning I also did some prolonged fasting of days at a time. The combination of fasting, eating once per day, and giving up all the various garbage foods broke my cravings and food addictions. Also since making those changes I can truly say without a hint of exaggeration that I've never been the same since. The biggie seemed to be breaking the sugar habit and getting off the hi carb roller coaster. These changes in lifestyle have changed me inside and out and gave me a boost in mental clarity and energy.

Okay so then I started the carnivore experiment not really expecting to feel much better, but after a few weeks of adjustment I began to notice some changes. It definitely is what your body is looking for, the fat for fuel, the protein for muscle and cell regeneration. Then there is this almost primal awareness, a feeling of strength, of always being in the moment with your senses. My skin and hair really improved, cleared up, got thicker. I noticed my running speed and stamina pick up. I can tolerate the sun now way better than in the past, the hotter the better, and I hardly burn even with no sunscreen.
A couple other changes after going carnivore, no digestion problems, gas or constipation. Meat breaks down so easily in our intestine, nutrients are much more fully absorbed from meat because of this.

People see me now who haven't seen me in a long time often will ask how do I feel? I tell them I feel like superman!

I always have to remind myself to stop talking about this. Frankly these days it seems that every conversation I have winds up with me droning on and on.
I hope some of this was useful.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer so completely...I appreciate it greatly. As I said, I have also become an advocate of proper diet and exercise in recent years...and I too will sometimes give out more advice to friends than they could tolerate . But health and vitality are vital issues, IMO...and we don't seem to appreciate them until we put them in jeopardy. Sheer lunacy...when you think about it. I wish you all the best going forward.

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

Hey all, I've been awol from PA for some time.
Frankly got burned out on racing, also politics.
Then I started into weight loss, nutrition, diet, exercise, and well I've changed a lot in the past two years as you can see below.
I'm an avid runner now and have lost close to 190 pounds from my peak.
Back to a weight I haven't seen since a junior in high school, and feeling better than ever too.
I only check into racing on a few of the big days now. Frankly I just felt like I didn't recognize the game anymore and lost interest.
Anyway I hope all are doing well.
I see the same political storms are being fought on a daily basis around here by the same folks.
good luck to all.
Jim

Sorry I'm late to this thread...great to see you back here (if only temporary ) and damn man...great job cutting all that weight. Truly amazing transformation. Impressive and admirable!

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by HalvOnHorseracing

Sooner or later I had to do this post.

I've lost 40 lbs in the last year due to a very rare form of leukemia. I was told I had only six months left and was advised I wouldn't be very functional for most of them.

Then an amazing thing happened. The research center that did the bone marrow biopsy to confirm the diagnosis called and said a new chemo drug was being tested. The testing had only been going on six months so there was very little information on dosage, effectiveness etc. The researchers were anxious to get me started, mainly because I had the highest levels of bone marrow mast cells they had seen. They figured if they could arrest my deterioration, the drug would work on just about anyone.

I was told a lot of getting better was up to me. I had a lot of protocols to follow and within three days I was being overwhelmed by the drug and the cancer. Constant nausea. Sleeping 12 hours a day. Eating sparsely and having to give up some of my favorite foods because the smell made me nauseous. So the 40 pounds I lost, I lost the hard way.

For a few months I could hardly move, and the idea of exercising became ludicrous. After five months of misery I decided to go off the drug. I talked to my doctor and he said, before you quit let's see if cutting the dose in half makes you feel better. After about a month I noticed my energy level start to increase, and I was motivated enough to walk around the block. Improvement was slow, but I could tell when I could push myself harder.

I made it to the NHC, finishing 119th out of 695 entries, but it took a lot of my energy and by the time I got home I lost a lot of the motivation provided by the NHC. I finished in the top 20% in a couple of other contests, but I eventually stopped handicapping and doing my blog. The disease and the chemo made me apathetic and moody, and I stayed that way until my 5th bone marrow biopsy (a miserable procedure where they drill into your hip bone and extract marrow) and 8th MRI (the one where you're in a coffin for an hour holding your breath most of the time.) The medical staff agreed that there was a remarkable improvement since I started on the drug, even though I still felt crappy because of the drug's hold on my body. I asked how much longer I'd have to be on the drug. Naturally nobody knows, but they've asked me to keep dosing for another year. It will be a long year.

I started pushing harder to get back my strength and stamina. I felt confident enough that that I could do well enough to do my basketball officials training camp (I do High School varsity ball). It was three of the toughest days of my life, but I got through it. It was the first time in a year that I believed there was a hope for a lot more years. I could immediately tell I was lighter - I felt like I was floating down the court. I wore down over the three days, but I did it. It was a great personal triumph.

The chemo also affects your brain. Even though it is a misnomer, chemo brain is the common term used by cancer patients to describe thinking and memory problems that can occur after cancer treatment. I can tell you it is pretty embarrassing to look at a numerical keypad and have no idea what your telephone number is. It's a very weird feeling, especially since I pride myself on having a good memory for all sorts of things.

I think the good days are starting to outweigh the bad and I hope to get back to a normal life, a full basketball schedule and regeneration of my love of handicapping. Some weeks I wouldn't even look at a racing form, mostly because I didn't give a shit. I hope that changes soon. I'm taking baby steps toward qualifying for my second NHC. I'LL BE AT THE BELMONT NEXT WEEK. I'm golfing, although I have to cover myself because the chemo leads to a nasty sunburn after 10 minutes in the sun. I'm not used to looking ghostly.

Anyway, the thread currently seemed to be focused on losing weight. I lost 40 pounds the hard way. The really hard way.

Holy moly...so sorry to read about this, but happy to see the good days are outnumbering the bad I wish you nothing but the best and a full recovery!

[chadk66]

Damn dude sorry to hear about that. My sister is an NP in oncology. She talks about some horrible stuff she sees. I am just now five years post surgery for prostate cancer. It has went so well for me I almost don't even want to talk about it because I kinda feel guilty when I hear stories like this. I'm so damn grateful. It could have been so much worse. Your an inspiration for many

[elysiantraveller]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

I felt pretty good after giving up sugar, grains, oils etc. I was losing weight and overall felt fine. One other aspect of this journey that I haven't mentioned yet, I also incorporated types of intermittent fasting. For example for the past 1.5 years I eat only once per day, so I'm fasted like 23 hours. I do all my running in a fasted state. I started this to assist with weight loss and to completely switch over my metabolism to fat burning. Eating once a day became a habit and I have found many advantages to it. Back in the beginning I also did some prolonged fasting of days at a time. The combination of fasting, eating once per day, and giving up all the various garbage foods broke my cravings and food addictions. Also since making those changes I can truly say without a hint of exaggeration that I've never been the same since. The biggie seemed to be breaking the sugar habit and getting off the hi carb roller coaster. These changes in lifestyle have changed me inside and out and gave me a boost in mental clarity and energy.

Good write-up.

Two questions on the IF and Carb stuff.

On the IF stuff are you ever cycling this stuff or do you remain pretty rigid with your once a day routine? I have read some on the subject and see some people plateau on results if they stay in the same cycle for awhile. Since you're burning fat I didn't know if you ever cycled with a 16/8 or a every other day occasionally.

Similar to the first when I am running a low carb cutting diet I typically find that after a couple of weeks I begin to flatten out again. Typically every 2-3 weeks I will have a carb-binge day to give the system an insulin shock and restart the cutting cycle some more. Did you ever do the same?

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by elysiantraveller

Good write-up.

Two questions on the IF and Carb stuff.

On the IF stuff are you ever cycling this stuff or do you remain pretty rigid with your once a day routine? I have read some on the subject and see some people plateau on results if they stay in the same cycle for awhile. Since you're burning fat I didn't know if you ever cycled with a 16/8 or a every other day occasionally.

Similar to the first when I am running a low carb cutting diet I typically find that after a couple of weeks I begin to flatten out again. Typically every 2-3 weeks I will have a carb-binge day to give the system an insulin shock and restart the cutting cycle some more. Did you ever do the same?

I started one meal a day back in the beginning at my heaviest, then stuck with it because it was working and also because I got used to it and didn't find it hard. I'm now 20 pounds lower than my original goal weight, there is no reason why I need to maintain the one meal a day thing. However I keep doing it because it simplfies my life, it just works well, and I feel better like this, so I'm not even considering changing back just because it is the norm to eat more often.

I've done a number of things with IF, but before going into that, just to make sure I answer you correctly, when you talk about "plateau on results" and "flatten out" you're speaking specifically about weight loss correct?

Assuming you are yes I've seen plateaus come on occasion. what I would do when I was in weight loss mode, as long as I was seeing steady weekly progress I didn't change anything. When I saw a plateau coming on, I wouldn't do anything for at least 3 weeks to confirm it. Then I would shake things up. My methods for shaking things up were;
Fasting, once I broke a plateau by going on a 5 day fast, when I resumed the same plan I had been doing the weight loss kicked in again like it had been reenergized.

Other times I kick started the weight loss by doing fasting on a weekly basis, meaning one meal per day for five days then fasting for two, or eating 6 then fasting one. This is a little different than what they call the 5:2 because on that they allow you to eat something like 500 cal per day and they call that a fasting day.
I never did any carb cycling. The best thing I did was getting off of carbs. It allowed me to take charge of my appetite, to have control over cravings. to not be a slave to food. Sure I can have a carb meal now and again if I want to, it doesn't phase me. Sometimes in social settings I will just to blend in with others, but if I have a choice I usually pass just because I view that food differently now.
I feel like I'm rambling again, I hope I answered your question.