Sorry I havn’t posted in the last couple of days. But there is a reason. Last night I found out that I got a huge research grant that will fund my salary and research costs for the next three years. This is huge. Because my academic life up until now has been either as a poor postgraduate student or living from short grant to short grant – never knowing any certainty about my future. Now I can actually plan what I need to do for the next three years. So huge relief!!!!
The other good thing that I did yesterday was succeed in avoiding crappy foods. I went to a fellow kiwis house to watch the soccer. They provided dinner – pasta. Followed by lots of iceblocks that were actually like jelly because they infused gelatin into them. Im not going to lie. I really really wanted one. But I resisted. What was funny was that this guy made a comment about how he has a lot of these things at his house and can eat 10 in one day. Well that sounded fairly reasonable to me on a good binge day. Hell I could (and have) eaten a lot more than 10. But when questioned if this was the case he said that he couldn’t possibly imagine having ten and his record was six. Everyone else was really impressed. Except me. Because I have eaten way more than that before.
Im also feeling a little frustrated because my weight is not going anywhere. Today it climbed back up. This is infuriating because I have been pretty good up until now except for the weekend. What I do know is that my body tends to bloat a few days after drinking alcohol. So I guess I will see what I weigh tomorrow. But the last couple of days (ever since the binge) I feel really unmotivated. Im really struggling. Could the set point theory be right? Could I simply get hungry every time my body drops below it. I have been feeling really good lately but my weight has been stable. Should I be focusing on been healthy and not worry about been fat. These are some of the thoughts running through my mind.
Meals
Breakfast - Almonds
Lunch – Roast Chicken, Spinach, Olive Oil.
Late Snack – Ground Beef, Canned Tomatoes
Late Dinner – Roast Pork, Spinach
Macronutrients
Fat 64% (sat 20%, poly 9%, mono 35%)
Carbohydrates 7% (50g)
Protein 29%
Nice going, Dan! Congratulations. It’s good to have some certainty to plan around. Cheers!
Well done Dan – nice one.
Thanks guys. I will be posting everyday just in case you now see the new edited version. Changed my mind!
QUOTE:
“Could the set point theory be right? Could I simply get hungry every time my body drops below it.”
Well, as much as I hate to admit it, it’s possible, at least for me. I seem to be able to regularly lose 20 pounds, and then the yo-yo effect kicks in and I gain the weight back. I’ve done this many, many times.
Jim Purdy
Same here. Maybe there is some truth to most of these diet claims, but none are exclusively right. Low calories is good, but you also need to do low carb. People can be addicted to food, but your body will also biologically fight you if you try and lose weight.
Congratulations! It must feel great that you can now plan for your future.
I wouldn’t worry about losing everyday. You are going to gain some weight but as long as you continue to live a primal lifestyle then that weight will continue to drop until you are at a comfortable weight.
That wouldn’t work for me. I have tried this in the past, just eating paleo, and I maintain well but never lose weight. I really do need to focus on what I am eating. Its either that or I eat for health and don’t worry about my weight.
Congratulations on your grant!! If you don’t mind my asking, what will your focus be? I also am happy for the fact that you avoided crappy food….I can’t. I just ate about 1/2 cup of cheetos. I have zippo in the “power to eliminate things from my life” department. I have a more “all things in moderation” nature. I admire the ability to demonstrate great intensity in pursuits.
My research is looking at how turbidity can provide an invasion pathway for exotic non-visual fish. Now In layman terms. When humans do human stuff they produce a lot of crap that goes into our rivers and lakes. These freshwater ecosystems then become very turbid or murky. Thus is is hard for fish to see and so feed. This is when you get a lot of exotic (alien/non-native) fish that can feed without vision (ie. smell) invading into these ecosystems and displace the natives.
Hey Dr. Dan!
Congratulations on having the best day of your life. Those are the best! And great job on not eating crappy foods. Don’t know if this helps, and I am sure you have heard it in you studies, but I never get on a scale except at the doctors office. My blue jean tightness is my guide and I just focus on eating right, and don’t sweat the small gains. And thank you for being a supporter of my site. Keep us updated on your life, my wife and I find ourselves talking about you quite often these days.
Ha thanks mate. As for the weight thing I simply need to do it. When it comes to my weight I have to/like to micromanage. I don’t feel in control unless I do. If I don’t have some control I tend to just go off the deep end.
Congrats Dr. Dan! Always good to get a longer term grant to lessen the uncertainty in your life! I too am interested in your research focus.
As an internal auditor at a university cancer center that does a lot of research I end up on many research or grant related projects. I find that I spend more time than necessary just reading a grant’s research proposal and their scientific reporting out of curiosity. Probably because of my chemistry background or perhaps just because I am nosy. So yes, I am nosy about the focus of your research.
And oh yeah, congrats on the nice result for the All-whites and good luck to them on Sunday. It will be a tough haul against the Azzurri but with Buffon out and their flat performances so far perhaps magic can happen.
Disclaimer, I am a fan of the Azzurri but have a secret thing for all things New Zealand. Perhaps another draw…
Thanks! I just commented to Tracey about what I am doing for my research.
Yes was surprised at the draw with the All Whites. Our first goal ever at a world cup.
Hey Dan, congrats on the research grant! That is really wonderful for you.
I can totally relate to what you are saying about the set point theory. I don’t know if it’s actually real, but I find that when I lose weight, my body REALLY seems to want to gain it back. It must have something to do with the hormones or chemicals in the brain – I don’t really know! I’m going to just keep eating healthy and see what happens!!! Hopefully things will adjust and my body will get used to my new lower weight.
I think thats everybody’s hope. Now whether its true or not….. I hope so because it would be horrible to have to watch your weight so closely for the rest of your life.
Take a look at Lyle McDonald’s series on fat loss. He has one about the whoosh effect or something like that- you can go for what seems like ages without losing, and then suddenly, whoosh, there it goes. Be patient.
So excited to hear about your grant. That has got to make a difference in your life! It will help you stabilize your mood, identity (believe me I remember the postdoc days and seeming to have no future) and social life. I see good things in your future.
I totally agree. Now that the stress has gone this can only be good for my mood and thus my weight loss!!!
Hi Dan. Congratulations!
I think alcohol is a major bloater so I’m sure that could be it.
Bearfriend xx
Yes I agree!
Congratulations on the grant! And for 3 years. Is this post-doc work for you?
And congratulations on continuing the detective work on food addiction,primal/paleo, macro- & micro-nutrients. Your diligence and consistency will pay off. It will!
Thanks Cheryl. Yes this is a post doc.