Better blood pressure levels and better health for Joel through weight loss

Joel Bush (ProfBush)

07-13-2007

Losing weight was important for Joel, but it wasn't the only factor he needed to become healthier. Just as important were the need to reduce body fat and to adjust his way of thinking about his body image. Here he describes the nutritional aspects of his own weight loss program, his exercise habits, and what motivates him to stay on track.

-City & country: Mena, Arkansas, USA
-Age: 57
-Weight before diet:  210.25 lbs.
-Weight now:  155.75 lbs.
-Target weight: Initially my target weight was 155 because that would have put me at the pre-1998  Body Mass Index (BMI) normal level and, as I work out regularly, I felt the current BMI was inappropriate to measure my progress. I have since shifted to using body fat as measured by skin-fold testing to set my goals. On that basis, my first goal was 159 pounds and I am now shooting for an 18% body fat percentage which, by the way, may be accompanied by an actual increase in weight but a drop in body fat (muscle weights more than fat). On May 18 my body fat was 22.4% (I weighed 166 pounds), and on June 19 at a weight of 160.3 pounds, my body fat was 20.9%. My blood pressure is now low normal without medication as well.

-What finally made you decide to start with a weight loss program?
I stepped on the scales at the fitness center January 3, 2007 and was shocked to find that I weighed 10 pounds more than when I had previously thought I was really fat. More importantly, my blood pressure was 181/118 and this was the lowest of three measurements by three different people. I have never been a dieter but this time I set as my goal to see whether I could lower my blood pressure through diet, weight loss, and exercise.

-What type of weight loss program did you follow?
I have never trusted fad diets and felt that as I needed a combination of low calorie, low sodium, and low fat to meet my health goals, I would have to come up with my own program. I consulted the Mayo Clinic weight calculators and they recommended 1400 calories per day for me for weight loss. I decided to try to keep my daily sodium intake under 1500 mg and the percentage of daily calories from fat under 20%. In order to keep track of all this, I devised my own spreadsheet using Excel. I used, and continue to use, the USDA nutrient database. I have since discovered that there are a number of good web sites where you can register for free and keep track of these nutrients online.
 
-Why did you choose this weight loss program?
This program fit with my head on style and allowed me to take complete control over my diet and my health.

-How long were you on your weight loss program?
I was in the active loss phase of my program from January 3, 2007 until July 3, 2007, six months. I am now in the maintenance, toning, and fitness phase which I imagine will be a lifelong endeavor.

-What kinds of physical activities do you like doing to maintain your weight and to stay fit?
I enjoy walking, gardening, and yard work but because of the focused nature of my program, I have been following a more structured regimen at the fitness center. I work out 3-5 days per week. My workout consists of a 10-minute warm-up on the treadmill followed by two circuits of strength (weight) training and ending back on the treadmill for 20 minutes followed by a 5 minute cool down. I spend a total of 35 minutes on the treadmill and I alternate days of strength training focusing on upper body one day and lower body the next. My whole workout takes about an hour and ten minutes.
 
-What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome or are still overcoming?
I think the most insidious obstacle is my own head and my body image. I continue to struggle with the person in the mirror. Until recently I saw myself as still fat and large, and have had to overcome the cognitive dissonance created by my perception and the perceptions of the outside world. I have been called “small” and “the incredible shrinking man” by acquaintances. I wear size 34 belts and slacks rather than the size 40s I wore for decades, and my shirt size has gone from extra large to medium. I was afraid that if I didn’t get in synch with this new reality, my subconscious would “solve” the dissonance problem by sabotaging my weight loss.

-How did you keep yourself motivated?
As a former chef, I enjoyed the challenge of remodeling recipes so I could still eat well and meet my dietary goals. It was especially challenging to come up with recipes that were both low calorie and low fat, but I did it and it was fun. Blogging about my experiences was a terrific motivator as well as keeping me accountable. When I closed in on my 1400 calorie daily limit and was tempted to cheat, I reminded myself that tomorrow I would have to post my indiscretion for the world to see. Knowing where I was on my daily goals helped me to make informed healthy choices. I found that I could have my favorite chocolate low-fat frozen yogurt most days by making choices during the day that allowed me to work it in.

-Do you have any weight loss tips for our readers?
If you want to be successful in weight loss, include some form of exercise that you enjoy. Simply put, muscle is more metabolically active than fat and your body burns more calories maintaining muscle than maintaining fat. I didn’t hit a complete plateau at any point during my weight loss and I attribute that to my exercise program. Also, learn as much as you can about how the body works and the role of metabolism in weight loss. I ate 5-6 time per day and drank lots of tea and water to keep my metabolism up; it helped.

-Do you think it will be easy to fall back into your old lifestyle pattern? How do you prevent this from happening?
I just had a chance to test this. My program is based on keeping track and knowing where I am with regard to my goals at any moment during the day so I can make informed decisions. I knew that I had learned healthy eating habits along the way, but didn’t think that I was safe to be eating out in the world without my crutches. Last week I completed a weeklong trip that included attending my 40th high school reunion, and meeting my new grandson for the first time. I tried to eat using the things I had learned during this experience, but felt that my judgment was not to be trusted. I had anticipated a rise in blood pressure as sodium is the most difficult to control and perhaps a small increase in weight but I was surprised to find that the BP was still low normal without medication, and I had actually lost 2.25 pounds.
Working out has become a healthy habit and a part of my life. Making healthy choices has also become a habit and as long as I keep track of my weight periodically, I don’t think I will fall back into the old habits that made these changes necessary.

-Do you have a favorite Web site or blog that helped or inspired you to lose weight?
My favorite weight loss web site is my own blog, "Diet, Cooking, and Exercise" as it has helped keep me accountable and motivated to share my remodeled recipes and experiences.

I was invited to join a group of men who were blogging about weight loss, FatBloggers.net, and have enjoyed the group experience. Since then one woman, Lady Rose, has joined and I hope the community continues to expand.

My interest in nutrition has been piqued and supported by sites such as the Mayo Clinic, Nutrition Data, and the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory.

Although I am neither vegan nor vegetarian, my favorite cooking blog is Monica’s Fat Free Vegan Kitchen. It is so well done and beautifully illustrated that I would gladly share a kitchen with her any time.