[CR] [Lay] My CR 1990 letter

[Guest guest]

Hi All, This post is to relay to you a letter I wrote in 1990 to describe my

exercise, diet and weight history, their health effects and my future plans.

I paste below a transcribed handwritten note I wrote in 1990 to describe my

exercise, diet and weight history, their health effects and my future plans.

Some minor editorial changes are with []s to clarify and correct where

errors were apparently made.

I am 55 years old, was born in 1947 and weigh 100 pounds today, a 34%

reduction. I have been as low as 40% down, but it seemed to be dangerous to

my health.

I have kept odds and ends, such as pre-CR full-mouth dental X-ray, pre-CR

lung performance analysis, my irregular heartbeat in 1984 and notes over

many years on my and my wife’s blood pressure and pulse and many medical

blood and other tests.

Cheers, Al.

Some notes on the weight loss, diet and their health effects for Alan Pater.

March, 1990.

A. Weight loss

My weight from about 18 years age to 24: I was about 153 pounds and

increased 18 or 20 pounds (in morning, naked) as I did exercises such as

push-ups and sit-ups. I stopped exercises and lost all that weight over six

weeks [in 1971-1972]. I then maintained this approximate weight until

moving to Newfoundland [in Jan., 1985]. I gained about [3] pounds to

158-159 pounds (or [155] naked in the morning) in May, 1987. After changing

to low fat I lost 8-10 pounds over 6-8 weeks which I kept from going lower

with extra sugar and starches. Then between June 1, 1989 to Sept 30 I lost

15 pounds (by reducing sugars and calories) to 125 pounds naked in the

morning.

B. Diet

My diet after suppertime for the last 25 years has been light

(especially

less fat) to avoid sleeplessness or discomfort during sleep. When I changed

to low fat diet in May 1987 I reduced fats, especially saturated fats and

increased sugar and starch and moderately reduced meats. I aimed for 10-15%

fat and about 15-20% protein. When I changed to low calorie diet I

increased protein, with beans and meat and also eliminated caffeine and tea

and reduced, to very low levels, alcohol. I supplemented vitamins and

minerals, take a great deal of vegetables (cooked and salad), sugar

substitutes moderately, garlic, onion hot pepper and vinegar moderately and

also quite a lot of water to avoid kidney stones with all the vegetables I

eat.

C. Health changes since altering diet

There was little change with going to low fat. I lost fat tissues mainly. I

was more sleepy in the afternoon after my heavily sugar-rich lunch.

After my change to low calorie diet significant change occurred:

1.) I lost a lot of skeletal muscle. I walk a little “wobbly”. I have

maintained approximately the same amount of total exercise as before.

2.) My pulse rate has dropped from about 70 per minute to 45-60 (lower

in

the PM, when I stop eating for the evening especially).

3.) Internal body temperature dropped a little while losing weight but

now

has stabilized at about 97 degrees F that it was before.

4.) I feel colder than before, so I wear much warmer clothing and use

more

blankets. The cold feeling is accentuated in the PM.

5.) I sleep 1-2 hours less I fall to sleep easily at night and urinate

more

and more often during the night. I feel fine when I get up and if I have

had less sleep I nap 2-10 minutes, usually about 3-5 PM.

6.) Tension, anxiety and stress are much lower. I need no underarm

deodorant, except when I get too hot. I used to get lower backaches and

shoulder-upper back pain, especially during uncontrolled tension periods and

if not careful lifting and bending but all these are insignificant now.

7.) My energy levels are higher in the early day and lower after the

last

meal. I developed “lazy” habits such as swinging only one arm when I walk

at a certain pace.

8.) Mental capabilities seem better early in the day but worse in the

afternoon and especially the evening. It is difficult to assess the

significance, if any, of this health aspect. It could be, for example that

my emphasis or interests change. I am moving to positions of more

“responsibility and less “nitty gritty” things but it is a difficult

transition.

D Future plans.

I plan to re-evaluate my weight plans after 1 year on the diet (June 1). My

goal had been to lose 17.5% of what I was at 20-30 years (when not doing

exercises). I may stay the same or add up to 10 pounds, depending on how I

feel at that time about it. When I get to about 60 years old I plan to gain

about 5 pounds per decade for 2 consecutive decades.

My attitude at the moment is that the tests which have been done

might help

to decide if significant changes other than the blood glucose and thyroid

hormones occur. But I have largely adjusted to the physiological changes

and probably will stick with the diet, but try to be open-minded about it

and re-evaluate it every year or so. I feel it is important to maintain

weight very close to my goal, whatever I decide.

Alan Pater, Ph.D.; Faculty of Medicine; Memorial University; St. 's, NF

A1B 3V6 Canada; Tel. No.: (709) 777-6488; Fax No.: (709) 777-7010; email:

apater@...

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Website: http://www.calorierestriction.org/

Alan Pater, Ph.D.; Faculty of Medicine; Memorial University; St. 's, NF

A1B 3V6 Canada; Tel. No.: (709) 777-6488; Fax No.: (709) 777-7010; email:

apater@...