The Transition

Alright everybody, as you know I am now off the KE Diet until March the 7th.  Until then I am using Health Wise  shake products (which we carry in our offices) to replace 2 meals daily.  I am then having one "real meal" each day.  This strategy affords me several advantages:

1. It simplifies my eating plan each day - I only have to plan for one meal.
2. I get the correct amount of protein, fat, carbs, vitamins, nutrients, and calories for my body without having to even think about it - "No Brainer."
3. I preserve my lean body mass while losing weight.
4. It allows me to stay on track with a low carb, low calorie diet that continues to produce fat mass loss, which is my goal.



Wickham

Some Thoughts On My KE Diet Experience

1.     It pays to be committed and motivated.  Don’t do this if you are not ready.

2.     Any hunger I experienced was more “head hunger” – it was triggered by cues associated with eating but it wasn’t real “body hunger” or hunger associated with weakness due to lack of nutrition.

3.     I drank a lot of water – 100 ounces a day minimum.  This helped.

4.     Make plans to stay busy every day (especially at supper time) – it makes the experience go faster and it keeps you from thinking about eating.  Going to work was actually good for me while on this diet.

5.     Getting out in to the community to shop and run errands was good for me – people would be curious about the tube.  I would tell them about it and they thought it was cool.

6.     Weighing every day was motivating and kept me focused.

7.     Checking my ketones was positive re-enforcement.

8.     Having the tube in was never at any point painful or uncomfortable.  There was an “adjustment period” of 24 hours or so as I got used to the fact it was there.

9.     I realized that I had spent a lot of time over my lifetime obtaining and consuming various kinds of foods.  My brain has developed a “reward response” to this.  With the Nutritional Smart Tube, this was taken away, and I was forced to examine this whole phenomenon more closely.

10.  In light of the last point – I was forced to see food in a new light.  Food is nutrition that should be used to keep my body healthy.  Eating it for the primary purpose of pleasure is a mistake.  My pleasure needs to come from other areas of my life.

11.  The KE Diet prepared my mind for the diet that follows – a diet of meal replacement shakes twice daily plus one reasonable meal.  The meal replacements solve the nutrition piece and take the focus off all the effort of obtaining and eating food. After the KE Diet, I don’t think about what I’m missing.

12.  The KE Diet prepared my physiology for the diet that follows – I am satisfied with small amounts of food and I don’t feel hungry.  This is how the ketosis of a low carb diet works – it makes you full and satisfied easily, cuts down on hunger, and it cuts down on cravings. 

13.  I am glad I am going through this experience.  It will help me serve my patients better.

14.  Embrace your journey of weight loss and better health.  Don’t hide it or keep it a secret.  Get your circle of friends, family, and associates on board – let them know what your goals are and what you are trying to do.  Getting their support is a good thing. 

15.  Finally, the KE Diet is exactly as advertised – it will produce an encouraging, rapid weight loss, and it is an excellent jumpstart to prolonged weight loss.  For me the KE Diet is serving as a “Nutritional Bridge” to a “New Nutritional Life (a life of eating for my good health).”  In my 10 years of practicing Obesity Medicine, I have never seen any treatment tool that is this effective.

THANK YOU

Ok, the KE Diet® first cycle of 10 days is now over for me.  I plan to repeat it again on Monday March the 7^th.  Before giving you any more thoughts on the diet (tomorrow), I wanted to take a moment to say “thank you” to a few people.  First, to Dr. Oliver Di Pietro and MARZIA LAVINIA FREZZA, PHD who taught me all about the KE Diet.  Without them, I would not have experienced this.  I highlighted Marzia’s name because it was she who really helped me understand what it is like having the Nutritional Smart Tube in, and it was she who shared many practical “nuts and bolts” insights about the KE Diet®. 

Second, to Dr. Eric Westman who brought me into all of this last year.  Whether Eric knows it or not, I have become a much better Obesity Medicine Specialist because of all the things he has directly or indirectly exposed me to – including the KE Diet®.  Finally, to the administrative personnel at KE Diet® and at Physician Assisted Weight Loss – without them, I could not introduce this effectively to all of my patients.  This includes Jacquelyn Pina, John Westman, and my father Jack Simonds (now the master of social media amongst other things).  Thanks for all the work you did in helping me get this launched. 

Stay tuned tomorrow.  I will give more thoughts on the KE Diet experience®.  After that I will give you more detail about my diet with meal replacement shakes.  Make sure to register for the KE Diet® giveaway on Monday March 17^th.  The web address is www.paweightloss.com.

Tube Out - Final Results In

Alright everybody, I had my Nutritional Smart Tube removed today and the final weigh in has been done.  Please observe the picture below.


As you might recall, I started at 260.4.  My total weight loss then is 20.2 pounds in just about 10 full days on the KE Diet!!!

I have 2 conclusions about the KE Diet at this point.  First, it is exactly as advertised - 5-10% of your body weight in 10 days.  Another description is "you could lose up to 20 pounds in 10 days."  The KE Diet delivered as advertised for me.  Second, this has been a terrific jumpstart to my diet efforts.  Both my body's physiology and psychology are adjusted and ready to do a low carbohydrate, calorie restricted diet that will continue to produce more weight loss.

I feel great, and I am really motivated about my efforts.  Make sure and follow the rest of my social sites for continued details.  Tomorrow, I will be posting more reflections on my KE Diet experience, so please check back.  I am now transitioning unto Health-Wise meal replacement shakes twice a day and 1 full meal in addition to that.  You will want to follow that progress also.  I will repeat the KE Diet again for 10 days starting on March the 7th.

Also, remember that my office still teaches the normal diets that we always have and we still prescribe medicine to help you.  None of that has changed.  The KE Diet is just a new service offering.  Please register for the free KE Diet giveaway on Monday March 17th.  To register go to www.paweightloss.com.

Wickham

Day 9 of the KE Diet

Progress



So, this is the morning weight in for 2/23.  I have lost another 1.8 pounds from yesterday and a total now of 16.8 pounds in 8 days.  I have one more full day ahead of me, and the Nutritional Smart Tube will come out tomorrow.  Starting tomorrow, I will transition unto a low carb diet that uses Health-Wise meal replacement shakes.  I will continue to post on all of our social sites about this and you can continue to follow all of my progress.

There were some keys to my success yesterday.  First, I stayed busy.  I made a list of things to do, which included washing the car, running some errands, doing some yard work, taking the dogs for a walk, and some textbook reading (outside in the afternoon sun).  Trust me, it keeps your mind off of food and drink, and it makes your body feel good.  Second, I purposely avoided the television because it is full of advertisements for food and drink.  These ads can provoke a bunch of emotions and thoughts that are counterproductive to me losing weight.  Avoiding these kinds of cues keeps you from desiring food and from experiencing a "false sense of hunger".  Finally, I reminded myself of my goals - to lose 41 pounds of fat.  My challenge is to stay on task.  Good leaders set goals for their organizations.  They bring the entire organization on board with the goals.  They constantly re-evaluate their progress and keep the organization focused on those goals.  You must also do this with dieting and lifestyle change.  It is important to stay on task and not to "wander aimlessly" or lose focus and motivation.

Just a quick final note - I am giving YouTube a day off today, so I'm no producing a video today.  Yesterday's video will be posted today.  The final weigh in is tomorrow and that will appear here and on Facebook and Twitter.  There will also be a YouTube video made on Monday.  Don't forget to register for the free KE Diet giveaway on Monday March 17th.  Details about this and the KE Diet can be found at www.paweightloss.com

Wickham

I'm Starting Day 8 of the KE Diet

A Quick Review

Yesterday was day 7.  I stayed busy.  I took Barney to the Vet.  I saw three patients at the Hickory office and administered Botox to them.  I picked up supplies from the Medical Supply store.  I had a short meeting with my investment advisor.  I filled up my tank with gas.  I went to the grocery store to get "chewy treats" for my 4 Yorkies.  I shopped at Barnes and Nobles, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Best Buy.  Along the way, I answered a lot of questions about the KE Diet, and the people asking were very receptive to the idea.  Why am I saying all of this?  The Nutritional Smart Tube and the KE Diet have not prevented me from doing what I normally do.  I did not have to take vacation from work or otherwise seclude myself so I could do the KE Diet.  I have embraced this weight loss journey - it is a good thing, and I am not going to quit living my life normally because I am taking measures to lose weight and get healthy.

So, what has the KE Diet done for me?  At the end of 7 days my weight is down another 2.2 pounds and my total weight loss is 15 pounds in 7 days! My energy level is excellent and I have had very little in the way of real hunger.  It has been very uplifting to see my weight dropping like this.  In other words, the KE Diet has been and excellent jumpstart for my weight loss efforts.



Check out my website - www.paweightloss.com and www.kediet.com for more details on the KE Diet.  Don't forget to register for the free KE Diet giveaway on Monday March 17th.

Wickham

I'm Starting Day 7 of the KE Diet

Todays Weigh in was a Shot In the Arm!

As you readers know, as of yesterday I had lost 9.4 pounds.  That was good and I was glad about that.  However, my rate of weight loss had slowed.  I wasn't so thrilled about this.  So, I drank more water yesterday, and restricted my broth intake and Bam!  I weighed 247.6 this morning!  That means I have lost 12.8 pounds in 6 days.  I am excited about this and it is motivating - a real "shot in the arm" if you will.

Just a word about day to day functioning - it really hasn't been difficult having this nutritional smart tube in place.  Yesterday I was able to clean my townhouse in Durham, load luggage and other items in my car, work the busiest day we have had this year, and drive 3 hours back to Lenoir last night. I slept great last night.  Today I have a busy day planned.  I have to go to the Hickory office and administer Botox to some patients, meet with my investment advisor, and pick up some medical supplies.   In other words, the nutritional smart tube is not impairing my activity in any way.

Don't forget to register for the KE Diet giveaway on Monday March 17th.  You can get more info about this and the KE Diet at www.paweightloss.com.  You can find out even more at www.kediet.com.  Also, don't forget to check me out on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Wickham

REFLECTIONS ON YESTERDAY

Thursday February 20^th

Yesterday came and went.  I did all of my testing (as I mentioned in my previous post I would do).  My weight went down by another pound to 251 even.  So my total weight loss is 9.4 pounds since mid-day Saturday.  I am starting day 6 today.  My next weigh in will be tomorrow morning from my home over in Lenoir.   The InBody 720 showed that I had lost some fat and some lean mass.  I was a little concerned about the lean mass loss, so I will probably add a little protein to my feeding mixture to minimize this.  The Korr CardioCoach CO2 revealed by metabolic rate to have dropped by about 200 calories per day – kind of a bummer.  However, when you lose weight your metabolic rate drops and so I expected this.  This phenomenon makes losing weight much harder when you get closer to your goal weight (as many of you undoubtedly know from experience).  Anyway, the testing gives me a good picture of what my body is doing so that I can make adjustments. 

Another thought before I end this post – I am sure that this experience could be taken to “another level” if I was doing the KE Diet concurrently with somebody close to me (like my spouse, etc.).  I think that having a “battle buddy” would be motivating, uplifting, and fun.  I have always thought that teamwork is very powerful. With this thought in mind, I will probably offer a discount on this service if two close friends or family members decide to do this together.   I will check in again tomorrow – keep following me on our social sites and don’t for get to sign up for the free KE Diet giveaway!

Wickham

A Big Day Today - Wednesday February 19th

Start of Day 5 of the KE Diet

Ok readers, day 5 of the KE Diet is here.  Today I get some repeat testing.  I'll get a recheck of my labs - blood chemistries, etc.  I'll have my weight and body composition analyzed on the InBody 720 (http://www.inbodystore.com/InBody720) - a very cool device which will give much detail on my fat mass, my lean mass, and the distribution of both.  I'll also be rechecking my metabolic rate with the Korr CardioCoach CO2 (http://korr.com/products/cardiocoach/) - a precise way to know if my metabolic rate is changing.  One thing about the KE Diet - I give every patient a thorough evaluation before and during the process.  You will know exactly what your body is doing in response to this diet process. I think the feed back from this diagnostic testing is very useful.  Just like a diet journal, it gives instant feedback on your progress and motivates you to continue trying.  I will be sharing the results with you tomorrow morning (my official weigh in will be on the InBody 720 later today).

I did well yesterday, and slept well last night.  Work was not a problem.  I felt no weakness or tiredness.  I was not hungry at all during the day yesterday.  Between 6pm and 8pm last night I felt some hunger and a "psychological desire" to have dinner.  I did some extra work at the office last evening and had a cup of broth, and all of that passed.  I woke up this morning with no sensation of hunger.  Don't forget to register for the free KE Diet giveaway on Monday March the 17th.  Details can be found on our website - www.paweightloss.com.  Also, be "cool and up to speed" by following me on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.    See you at the office!

Wickham

Update On My Progress Plus a Few Thoughts - February 18th

Got up this morning and weighed at my townhouse in Durham on a different scale than the one at home.  It weighs a little more than a pound higher usually when you compare it to my home scale back in Lenoir.  So my weight here this morning is 252 even (had I weighed on the scale and Lenoir it may have shown a lower number).  That brings my total weight loss since Saturday mid-day to 8.4 pounds!  My ketone strip revealed that I am in ketosis (moderate ketones). I did well yesterday and overnight.  I had no problem working, no problem sleeping, no problem with showering, shaving, etc.  Hunger was minimal and occurred at meal times only. I drank some broth and it passed.  Patients have been asking me about the tube - is it uncomfortable, etc?  Overall, there is some adjustment to having the tube in place, but the adjustment is fairly easy.  I have had no discomfort. I have been able to do all my normal activities with it in.

One more thought – no matter how you prepare for this, there is a psychological war about food that takes place.  You are so used to the procuring and eating of food that when you no longer have to do it, there seems to be a “void” there.  It is best to plan to stay busy around meal times so you aren’t thinking about it.  Tomorrow evening I will repeat my body composition and metabolic rate testing,  I will also have some lab-work done.  I will, of course, be sharing those results with you.  Make sure to follow me on this blog, on Facebook,Twitter, and YouTube.  I will be posting video and pics and you don't want to miss them.  Be sure to register for the KE Diet free giveaway on Monday March 17th.  Details on how to register are on the website - www.paweightloss.com.

WHAT I’M TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THE KE DIET®

WHAT I’M TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THE KE DIET®

As some of you know, I have been managing my weight for many years.  My top weight was around 300 pounds, and my lowest weight in 10 years was 220.  Well, the plain truth is that Saturday morning (February15th) I weighed 260.4.  My BMI is 33.2 (Obese) and InBody 720 Body Composition Analysis shows that I am 186.5 pounds of lean mass and 73.9 pounds of fat.  Now you should know that Obesity is a disease of excess body fat (called excess adiposity).  What’s the bottom line here for Wickham?  I need to lose 41.2 pounds of body fat.   

So, what am I going to do about this disease of Obesity or excess body fat?  Over the next 8 weeks I am going to do 3 cycles of the KE Diet®. In between cycles I will follow a calorie restricted, portion controlled low-carbohydrate diet.  My goal – lose the fat!  During this time, I will be under the care of Dr. Eric Westman who is the Director of the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic at Duke University.  I will be reporting to all of you my progress and various notes about my experience.  I hope you will follow along.

Finally, please register for the free KE Diet® giveaway which will occur on Monday March 17^th.  See our website www.pa-weightloss.com for details on how to sign up.

PS - At the time of this post, I have already lost 7 pounds!