BMI is too simple and misleading.

BMI is a common statistic used for weight studies, calculating insurance rates, etc.  It is simply a weight-height ratio.  It is based on the average person and really is a poor measurement across the board.  I have a stocky build, am big boned, and have big muscles. According to the USDA, any BMI above 25 is unhealthy and above 30 is obese.  My BMI, based on my actual height and weight is 46.7.   Yes, that's right, I'm currently fat.  I calculate my lean body mass(weight with zero fat) to be between about 180 pounds. If I was able to get my fat down to zero (better than the leanest body builder), my BMI would still be 25.1 which is still considered a tad overweight.  Keep in mind that this is is zero fat which is not realistic.  A percent body fat of 14-17% is considered to be fit and above average.  Based on this, my fit weight range would be between 205 and 211 pounds.  This would put my BMI at 29, which is the upper of what is considered unhealthy, pushing the edge of what is considered to be obese.

BMI = weight (in kilograms) divided by height squared (in meters). 

I know that I am overweight, but BMI is simply not a sufficient measurement for my body type.  It's misleading and exaggerates my obesity as I have bigger bones and bigger muscles than the average person.  In addition to those with body types like mine,  BMI is not considered reliable for children, pregnant women, body builders, and the frail elderly. 

Morning and Evening Thoughts, 1908 - James Allen

James Allen (1864 - 1912) is a British philosopher known for his inspirational writings mostly about the power of positive thinking.  In 1908, he published Morning and Evening Thoughts which consists of short inspirational writings to be read over a period of 31 days.  Due to the age, this text is considered public domain and can be copied and shared freely.  For each day in March, I will post his morning and evening thoughts along with my own occasional commentary.  The intention is to mold my mind and spirit, focusing on positive thinking.  Please feel free to follow along with me now or later and post your own comments.

Effects of Sleep Quality

Many obese people, including myself, have sleep apnea which affects the quality of sleep.  Untreated, it contributes to a number of physical and mental health problems.  Here is my story.

Throughout my youth and into my mid twenties, I was fascinated with dreams.  I kept a dream journal for many years, usually remembering three or four dreams each night.  I was not a "morning person" and could easily sleep more than 12 hours a night if I didn't have a pressing reason to get out of  bed.  Then, suddenly, in my mid twenties, I quit remembering my dreams.  I had thought at the time that my sub-conscience needed to work through issues and that perhaps I was better off letting go of this part of me for a while.  

Fast forward about a decade.  For work, I was splitting my time between Kentucky and Paris, France.  I'd fly to Paris and stay there two or three weeks each month.  I was exhausted all of the time.  You'd think that my exhaustion was just due to the time zone differences and jet lag.  But, my wife was worried that I was stopping breathing while asleep.  So, on my next routine doctor's visit, I mentioned this and was prescribed a sleep study.  The neurologist who interpreted my study told me that I had zero REM sleep, meaning that I didn't dream at all.  She said that she didn't understand how I was able to function with such poor quality sleep.  A C-PAP device was prescribed which is a breathing machine that applies enough pressure to keep the airway open.  The machine didn't work great, and I thought they had set my pressure too low.  The insurance wouldn't pay for another study to double check the settings on my machine.  So, I hacked the machine and slowly upped the pressure each night until I quit snoring and was able to sleep more soundly.  I started dreaming again.  But my quality of sleep was still poor.  

Fast forward another five years.  I asked for a new sleep study to adjust my C-PAP settings.  The result was a prescription for a Bi-PAP machine with a much higher pressure setting.  Under this treatment, my quality of sleep greatly improved.  Almost immediately, my cognitive abilities also improved (energy, focus, aphasia, and memory).   And, I'm recalling dreams which means I am getting REM sleep!  I still feel pretty rough when I first get out of bed.  But, I feel better throughout the rest of the day than I did before.  

My current sleep doctor says that surgery would be very unlikely to make a difference for me.  Losing weight would help.   I'm sure losing weight would help but it probably wouldn't fix my condition completely because I've always been a snorer, even when thin.  

I know that sleep experts say that obesity can impact the severity of sleep apnea.  But, I am also convinced that sleep apnea can itself be a contributor to obesity.  Poor quality sleep results in a lower metabolism and increased cravings of calorie dense foods.  Sleep apnea, while not the sole cause, has been a contributor to my weight problems.  It has gotten in the way of my dreaming which I consider a spiritual state.  And, it has had a negative impact on my memory and cognitive abilities. By treating sleep apnea with my Bi-PAP machine, I am improving my chances of losing weight, improving my cognitive abilities, improving dream recall (a spiritual connection), and reducing my risk of dying in an accident.  In short, quality of sleep effects all three of body, mind, and spirit.

Fasting and World Religions

I have never gone a day in my life without food nor have I have ever wanted to. If you think about it, this means that I am actually very, very lucky. Like many Americans, I am battling obesity while much of the world is starving. I have never been a fan of self denial and therefore have never attempted a fast. I admit that my personality is a bit more indulging and self-gratifying.

For the last couple of weeks, it seems that the topic of fasting keeps coming up. It all started when I watched the documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead". Then, throughout the following week, it seems that everywhere I turn, I hear or see something related to the topic. Maybe it's because we are in the period of Lent where many people "fast" from something, not always food. Logically, I don't think a food fast is healthy and fasting too long might disrupt one's metabolism.

Yet here I am, finding myself strangely attracted to the idea of fasting. And, I have to admit that most religious paths either has a history of fasting or currently encourage the practice. Perhaps putting your body into starvation mode affects you mind and spirit in a similar manner to a sweat lodge, entheogens, sleep deprivation, or meditation? I don't know for sure. Since I've never gone without, I have a hard time knowing the subjective effects.

 Here are some examples of fasting in the major religions of the world:

In Judaism (Christian Old Testament), Moses fasted 40 days and 40 nights, twice. Once before his trip (yes, trip is doublespeak) up the mountain where he was presented with the ten commandments and again after coming down. King David also fasted. There are other accounts in Chronicals, Joel, Jonah, Esther, and Isiah. There are several modern Jewish holidays that involve fasting including Yom Kippur, Tisha'Bav.

Many Christian denominations practice lent which is essential self-denial as a form of penitenceI have to admit that I don't really understand penitence as it seems to be somewhat masochistic. There are many other periods of fasting prescribed by various denominations. Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights during which time he communed with the devil and angels in what reads much like a psychedelic experience. He later taught that you should fast in private and not do so to make a show of being righteous. Saul (renamed Paul) fasted after being converted. In Acts, Paul and Barnabus told elders of the church in Antioch to pray and fast.

Some Mormans fast the first Sunday of each month and donate the money that would have otherwise been spent on food.

Hinduism entails many different forms of fasting at various times. Gandhi used fasting as a tool in Satyagraha (passive resistence).

In Islam, fasting during the month of Ramadan is number four in the five pillars of Islam. During this period Muslims don't eat, drink, or have sex during the daylight hours. Fasting is said to cleanse the soul and redirect the heart from worldly activities. There are also several other days on which many Mulsims fast.

Jainishm also practice fasting during many holidays. Santhara, self starvation is supposed to shed karma. Sometimes Santhara is carried out to death.

In Bahai, there is a period of almost three weeks in March were they fast during daylight hours. During this time, people focus on introspection and re-aligning their inner life.

Many shamanic traditions from various cultures around the world use fasting as a means to alter consciousness and enter a spiritual state. Fasting quickly produces an altered state of consciousness through physical stress, thereby following a pattern common in shamanic practices. By physically changing our bodies, fasting alters our spirits, opening us to journeys in other realms and to radically different forms of perception.   In both shamanic traditions and those who practice ritual magik, fasting is sometimes practiced as part of a larger project: in preparation for an important ritual such as a vision quest. Fasting becomes part of the process that removes us from the everyday world into someplace subtly different.


But, not every religion supports fasting. For example:

Sikhs are against the practice of fasting and believe that it brings no real spiritual benefit to a person.

Buddhists to my knowledge do not fast. It's contrary to the "Middle Way" and the avoidance of extremes.


In a nutshell, what are the supposed benefits to fasting?

1. To reveal what really controls us and to give build willpower. 
2. Health benefits: 
1. Purification and detoxification 
2. Weight reduction 
3. Numerous other health benefits are claimed relating to just about every ailment. 
3. Obtain a state of inner balance and harmony. 
4. Obtain an awareness and empathy for those with less than one's self. 
5. To burn off bad karma through voluntary suffering. 
6. To alter consciousness and create a "high". 

Since most of the benefits from fasting are subjective, it's hard to know if it really works without trying it for yourself. About 80% of religions tout the benefits of fasting which is enough to make me think it might be worth exploring. I'll admit that I have always been a glutton. I've rarely gone without anything that my heart desires. Perhaps I should give this a try at least for one day. I don't know if I am going to do a juice fast, a water fast, or no fast at all. But, if I continue to find the topic haunting me then I probably will give it a try at least for a single day.

Should I do low carb or try low calorie?

My wife and I are both significantly overweight (again).  In the past, I have found low carb diets to be quite effective for myself and moderately successful for my wife.  It seems much more difficult for her to give up carbs than it is for me.  After the first month doing low carb, I feel great but she doesn't.  EveryBODY is different.  What works well for one person doesn't always work as well for another.

The typical cycle for me is this... Over a period of several years, I become about a hundred pounds overweight. About this time, I realize that I'm feeling lousy and not happy about my body.  So, I resolve to fix it.  First, I prepare myself mentally for a month or so.  During this month or so, I get my intentions focused.  I study and plan my weight loss strategy.  I also eat all of the unhealthy foods in my house that I can't bare to throw away.  This last part I liken to the excessive  Mardi-Gras blow-out just before Lent.  Then it's time to start the diet, which has always been low-carb.  I usually stick with the low carb diet for six months to a year.  The first month, I lose 20 to 30 pounds.  The next month, I lose 10 to 15.  The third month, I lose just 5 to 7 pounds.  Each month I lose half of what I did the previous month until I am losing so little that I'm not sure if it's working anymore.  But, alas, add it up and the results are impressive.  I will have typically lost about 50 or 60 pounds in the first six months.

My wife is wanting me to try a low calorie diet this time around.  If I do low carb, I do it alone.  If I do low calorie we can do it together.  I have never really bought into the "calories in vs. calories out" theory.  I know that there is some truth to it but consider the body much more complex and know that carbohydrates impact your insulin and fat storage in a way that is more profound than caloric intake alone.  Regardless, the last time I tried to reduce calories was about twenty years ago and that was just for a single week.  I think it's worth a real try.  So, I will probably do this soon at least for a couple of months to see what happens.

With that said, I'm the kind of guy who has to research things before jumping in head-first.  I'm going to spend the next few weeks reading about caloric restriction and formulate an approach that will work for me.  The first thought I have is to investigate caloric density.  In other words, which foods are the most filling with the least calories?  I don't want to be hungry, so I want to know what foods will fill me up and provide very little macro-nutrients (carbs, fats, and protein).  These foods contain lots of fiber and/or lots of water.  I've tried to find good charts of caloric density online and find all of them to be conflicting.  Most claim to be using a formula such as calories divided by grams.  Yet, the charts don't match up.  And, many try to express this as a percentage which is mathematically unsound as you quickly wind up with 200% "density".  I have just downloaded a huge database of raw nutritional statistics from the USDA and am going to create my own chart using the simple calories/grams formula.  I'd like to come up with some sort of factor where I can weigh in serving size so that I can include sauces and things that are eaten in lower volumes but might contain a higher caloric density. Because foods consisting of mostly water (ex. broth) digest rather quickly, I'd like to also factor in the amount of water or fiber.  This seems like a fairly simple approach and I doubt I am breaking any new ground here.  I'll be very interested to see which foods rank at the top and bottom of my chart.  Once I refine my calculations and build a chart, I will share it here.

Is Juice Fasting Healthy?

Recently, on netflix, I watched the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" which follows a man during a two month juice fast.  He was medically supervised and his blood work throughout showed no reason to be concerned.  The results on his body were amazing.   I tried to calculate his caloric intake and figured it to be about 2000 calories per day.  This is sufficient to keep the body going and to lose weight.  In the documentary, he did indeed lose tons of weight and claimed to be feeling great.  It even "cured" some of his other health ailments.  While the results were inspiring, I couldn't help but wonder if it's really healthy.  Juice fast diets typically use a wide range of vegetables and fruits.  If done properly,  you'd be getting plenty of vitamins and calories from carbohydrates, but where are the fats and proteins in this diet that are necessary for the body to function?    At first glance, this juice fast diet seems to be too trendy and perhaps even dangerous.

I have spent years going on and off of low carbohydrate diets where most of the "experts" said it was unhealthy.  On or off, my cholesterol levels and blood pressure have been fine.  The low carb diet worked well for me and I felt good.  So, why should I be so quick to just toss aside the idea of a juice fast simply because it doesn't fit into my current reality framework.  I think it's worth investigating.  And, so for the last week, I have been reading about juice fasts.  I'm the kind of guy who has to study something and understand it before I jump in.  

In a nutshell, here is what I have found:   Most websites and books touting the benefits of juice fasting seem to be tied to money making schemes where they try to sell you juicers or guides.  Almost all claim that the diet is good for detox but can never really pinpoint exactly what these so-called toxins are.  Supposedly, you feel sick a few days into the diet and then as the toxins leave your body you start feeling much better than you did even before the fast.  I can find no scientific studies to explain what these toxins are nor if they really are flushed out of your body.  Granted, many vegetables do contain antioxidants which could be helpful.  However, you can have these vegetables in your diet with or without fasting.  And, I haven't quite figured out how to make a juice with significant healthy fats and proteins.  I seriously doubt that I could juice an avocado or nuts without creating an oily mess.  Furthermore, juicing implies a lack of fiber.  Just having liquids in your diet is touted to cleans the colon and digestive track.  I'm concerned that little fiber might not be healthy either.  With all of this said, I really can find no specific documented unhealthy side effects to juice fasting.  While it may not be healthy per-se, I can't prove that it is un-healthy either.  Beneficial or not, it seems that most people's bodies can handle it okay.  

Partly because I can't prove or disprove the effectiveness of "juicing" I am considering trying a 10 day juice fast.  There is no way that I would attempt to go two months like the guy in the documentary.  I still don't know that it would be safe for prolonged periods of time.  

My expectations would be:

1. Gain better control over my hunger and cravings.
2. I'm not convinced about detox but expect to feel woozy for the first few days until glycogen stores in my liver are depleted due to reduced caloric intake.
3. Changes to the way I feel.  I suspect that I will feel rough at the beginning but that I may begin feeling good simply due to having more vitamins that were previously missing in my diet.  
4. "Shrink" my stomach.  I suspect that for a short while after, less food will feel more filling.
5. A good springboard for giving up caffeine.  If I do this fast, I plan on not allowing caffeinated beverages back into my diet.

Before I decide if to start, I'll need to do more research to develop the best recipes to get the proper nutrition mix.  If I can't get enough protein, I probably won't make an attempt.  

If any of my readers know of any good "juice fast" resources, please share by posting comments here.

What Foods Make You Feel Full?

I'm trying to analyze what makes one food more filling and satisfying than another.  I know it sounds basic, but I think truly understanding this might help me to plan a more satisfying weight loss program.  Could it be the water weight or the amount of indigestible fiber?  Or could it be the caloric density , net carbohydrate levels, or maybe it has something to do with vitamins?

Assume that you could only eat one cup of a single food.  What would be the most filling/satisfying and what would be the least?  For example, 1 cup of macaroni is much more filling than one cup of shredded lettuce.  Please post comments stating which foods you find most and least satisfying.  Once I get a list, I am going to look for patterns in their nutritional composition.

As a Man Thinketh

Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes,

And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes

The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,

Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills:—

He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:

Environment is but his looking-glass. 

                                                    -James Allen

The follownig are exerpts from As A Man Thinketh by James Allen. My comments in black..


Chapter 3. Effect of Thought on Health and the Body

THE body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically expressed. At the bidding of unlawful thoughts the body sinks rapidly into disease and decay; at the command of glad and beautiful thoughts it becomes clothed with youthfulness and beauty. 

Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will express themselves through a sickly body. Thoughts of fear have been known to kill a man as speedily as a bullet, and they are continually killing thousands of people just as surely though less rapidly. The people who live in fear of disease are the people who get it. Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body, and lays it open to the, entrance of disease; while impure thoughts, even if not physically indulged, will soon shatter the nervous system.

Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigour and grace. The body is a delicate and plastic instrument, which responds readily to the thoughts by which it is impressed, and habits of thought will produce their own effects, good or bad, upon it.

Men will continue to have impure and poisoned blood, so long as they propagate unclean thoughts. Out of a clean heart comes a clean life and a clean body. Out of a defiled mind proceeds a defiled life and a corrupt body. Thought is the fount of action, life, and manifestation; make the fountain pure, and all will be pure.

I think that a typical person will find the preceding excerpt offensive.  It implies that we are personally responsible for whatever happens to our self in life.  And, with health in particular, I don't think many people would feel deserving of cancer, obesity, or the even the common cold.  Regardless, I think it is commonly accepted that when one is severely sad and depressed that their immune system suffers.  Therefore, even though not a pleasant notion, there is likely some truth to James Allen's view.  But, the question that begs to be asked is what constitutes impure thought?  By who's standards do we determine what is clean vs. what is defiled?

Change of diet will not help a man who will not change his thoughts. When a man makes his thoughts pure, he no longer desires impure food.

While James Allen makes a good point about a pure mind not craving impure food, I think he is only seeing half of the picture.  If I am correct that body, mind, and spirit are interrelated then I have to imagine that a change in diet could in fact change a person's thoughts.  For example, when a person feels good physically they are typically in a better mood and their thoughts are much more likely to remain positive.  So, is mind really the master?  Or does mind have to work with body?

Clean thoughts make clean habits. The so-called saint who does not wash his body is not a saint. He who has strengthened and purified his thoughts does not need to consider the malevolent microbe.

If you would protect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify your mind. Thoughts of malice, envy, disappointment, despondency, rob the body of its health and grace. A sour face does not come by chance; it is made by sour thoughts. Wrinkles that mar are drawn by folly, passion, and pride.

I know a woman of ninety-six who has the bright, innocent face of a girl. I know a man well under middle age whose face is drawn into inharmonious contours. The one is the result of a sweet and sunny disposition; the other is the outcome of passion and discontent.

As you cannot have a sweet and wholesome abode unless you admit the air and sunshine freely into your rooms, so a strong body and a bright, happy, or serene countenance can only result from the free admittance into the mind of thoughts of joy and goodwill and serenity.

On the faces of the aged there are wrinkles made by sympathy, others by strong and pure thought, and others are carved by passion: who cannot distinguish them? With those who have lived righteously, age is calm, peaceful, and softly mellowed, like the setting sun. I have recently seen a philosopher on his deathbed. He was not old except in years. He died as sweetly and peacefully as he had lived.

Once again, I think the inverse to everything just said is also equally true.  James Allen says that if you want to protect your body, guard your mind.  I would add that if you want to protect your mind, guard your body.

Furthermore, everyone ages and will eventually succumb to one ailment or another.  Death is inevitable.  By improving body, mind, and spirit, we can experience a better and possibly longer life here on earth.

There is no physician like cheerful thought for dissipating the ills of the body; there is no comforter to compare with goodwill for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live continually in thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self made prison-hole. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all—such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor.

I fully agree.  All I can say is "Amen".

Meditations for Every Day in the Year

The following is from James Allen’s Book of Meditations for Every Day in the Year. I'm sharing it because the message is quite fitting for Fat Tuesday when Catholics give up something for lent.

Seek diligently the path of holiness.

February Twenty-first.

THE giving up of self is not merely the renunciation of outward things. It consists of the renunciation of the inward sin, the inward error. Not by giving up vain clothing; not by relinquishing riches ; not by abstaining from certain foods ; not by speaking smooth words ; not by merely doing these things is the Truth found. But by giving up the spirit of vanity; by relinquishing the desire for riches ; by abstaining from the lust of self-indulgence ; by giving up all hatred, strife, condemnation, and self-seeking, and becoming gentle and pure at heart, by doing these things is the Truth found.

The renunciation of self is the way of Truth.

A New Start with a New Blog

For many years, I have struggled with obesity.  Typically, I get to be about a hundred pounds overweight before I realize that I don't feel well and am not happy with my appearance.  About this time, I focus a great deal of energy on  losing fat.  I slenderize over a period of about a year. Then, after another year of being thin, I lose focus and gradually my weight creeps up again.  I can lose weight and keep it off only by focusing a great deal of attention on my condition.  The fact that I keep gaining the weight back leads me to believe that I have still not addressed the underlying cause.  There is a reason why I am overeating and lacking exercise.  And, I think the root cause is not really all about lifestyle so much as it is a mental and spiritual issue.  To get healthy and stay healthy, I need to address my body, mind, and spirit all together.  If any one of these three is not well then the others will suffer also.

I am still not sure how I am going to shape my body, mind, and spirit.  This blog will serve as my online journal.  I'll spend a month or so contemplating what has brought me to where I am and what to do about it.  During this time, I'll develop an action plan and work on focusing my will power in preparation for making myself a better person all round.  Then, I will begin blogging about my progress following this ever evolving plan.

I have always been a firm believer in the power of divine will.  I believe that our expectations and intentions influence the world around us.  When young, I formulated my own view of how existence is structured and later I came across several authors who shared a similar perspective.  My two favorites are James Allen (author of As a Man Thinketh, 1902) and Claude Bristol (author of the Magic of Believing, 1958) .  Their general philosophy is quite similar to the modern and more commercialized writings of Rhonda Byrne (author of The Secret, 2006).  I tend to like the older authors best as they seem to be more philosophical and genuine.  James Allen died over 70 years ago, so his books are now considered public domain.  As such you can easily find free copies online and in e-book format (click here for the James Allen Free Library).  And, because it is public domain, I will likely be posting many excerpts and quotes from his books.  

Many people who follow "The Secret" or "The Magic of Believing" don't think that you should share your intentions as other people's expectations and doubts might actually influence your outcome.  And this begs the question of why blog?  What good is there in being so open?  First, the internet is a great platform for finding similar people who can provide mutual support.  Second, when I develop a following, I will feel an obligation to succeed and will be much less likely to fall off of the wagon.  And third, when I do succeed in improving my body, mind, and spirit, this blog will remain to serve as inspiration to others.