I have quite a history. When I say my current diet works, that is from a background of many diets that didn’t work and several that did short term but failed long term. Then you need to know that the most important factor is a diet or WOE (way of eating) that helps you live longer and better. You can lose weight and still be unhealthy. I have 2 old running acquaintances that died at age 51, still running up to then, and skinny as, never had any fat.
So, my first diet started at age 14. When I started at Putaruru High School in 1961 I was 85.7 kg, or 189 pounds. I was too heavy to play rugby with my classmates and played hockey that year, which was difficult then as a left hander, not so bad these days. I started daily exercise running and the 5BX plan and severe calorie restriction, about 1800. Over 2 years I got down to 70 kg or 154 pounds.
Then I got fat again about age 18 and did similar.
The next time I was about 26, 1973, when I had left uni for 1.5 years and worked as a storeman and then a car assembler, VW’s, Fiats, Skoda, Simca. Cut out evening meals and did a lot of running.
I got married at age 31 (nearly) and Lee & I worked on the “yum” diet, so I packed on the pounds slowly while I was still running. Then we shifted from Christchurch to Papakura at my age 41 and my body said give up running. Lots of walking to catch public transport, but steadily put weight on. At this stage I wasn’t really aware that when you lose weight you can’t go back to your old diet because you need less intake for a smaller body. Duh!
I started on blood pressure pills about age 56. I didn’t know then that the reason for my high BP was that my system was starting to block up. As Dr McDougall says, while high BP can cause blood vessel ruptures and then your body heals with cholesterol and calcium, its more likely that bad diet causes blockages and high BP.
So I tried a few diets. I tried the bread diet. Worked quick and failed quick. Any diet that is unbalanced will fail quick. Then I tried Atkins. Thought it was a godsend as I could eat roast meals cooked in fat, put butter on my potatoes, feel good and lose weight. Atkins is really a type of Keto diet. Worked well for 6 months then bang, I just started putting all that weight and more back on. I guess my body just fought back.
You can read my other blog on My Heart Operation Experience for the rest. In summary, I had stents at age 60 on 2 arteries, chelation but still got blocked arteries again and needed a triple bypass at age 70. That’s when I started McDougall vegetarian. Basically since then I have kept stable. Before the op my body wasn’t responding to any type of restricted diets. I think all my earlier attempts at dieting had perverted my body responses. My current diet is so much easier and life is much more satisfying. Right now (early 2021, age 73.5) I still need to lose another 17 kg or 35 pounds). Before I publish the book I hope to get a photo of my abs! Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus in advance!