16.5 stone, knees going GOT to lose weight

[ohforfs]

Hi,

This is my first ever post, I thought this might be a good place to ask for an opinion on the drastic plan I have committed to.

First a bit about my situation: I am 47 and my knees are going, I had to have an operation on one and was immobile in a brace for four months after ripping the cartilage. I suspect this damage and ongoing problems with my knees is due to my being badly overweight. My lipid profile is not good but not awful, I am on the high end of cholesterol and just about pre-statin. I have fatty liver disease and I WANT, NEED and MUST lose weight. This cannot go on any longer.

What I have tried to do in the past, but am now four days into, is a mostly liquid diet with Atkins and Slimfast shakes. I am not convinced on the Atkins science but I think there is a lot of good in a low carb diet. My exceptions to the all liquid diet is a couple of times I have had a bag (small bag) of microwaveable veg, an average portion size, when I get a headache from the atkins shakes (and I assume that is me entering ketosis).

I intend to continue this for about FOUR stones worth of weight loss. I have had enough, I cannot take being fat any more and cannot do half a diet or some fancy one foot in one foot out diet. I either do it or don't do it. I think I have the willpower, fear and (above all) anger to do this. I am really fed up being fat and I cannot face one or more of my knees going again and leaving me an invalid. The four months I spent in a leg brace taught me a lesson and the pain was terrible.

There are no glaring health reasons why I should not go on a mostly liquid diet, but I do have to be careful on the ketosis due to my abnormal liver function tests and fatty liver disease.

I would just like some opinions on what I am doing. Am I a total fool or could this huge feeling of commitment mean I can make it work for me?

I like my food but wouldn't say I was food addicted and my previous diet was reasonable, if not good. I know what to eat to eat healthily, but it loses me no weight.

I cannot exercise much due to my knee, which is a real pity. If it was not for my knee I would go back to the gym but I daren't put any pressure on it as I don't want any more of my miniscus lodged in my joint and have to be removed by surgery again. I am terrified of doing exercise it is fair to say.

Anyway, I have rambled on too much. What do you think of my plan? (Which is atkins/slimfast shakes twice a day with a helping of microwaved veg should it all get too much until I have lost at least four stone).

 

[Trusylver]

Shakes are not the way to go, but low carb is your friend for helping you with your fatty liver, I would link out to the studies, unfortunately the full studies are behind paywalls. but this is a summary https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(18)30054-8

Low carb also has a good effect on triglyceride levels Effects of protein, monounsaturated fat, and carbohydrate intake on blood pressure and serum lipids: results of the OmniHeart randomized trial. - PubMed - NCBI

Atkins is a poor example of a good low carb/keto diet as it promotes high fat to replace the carbs rather than having adequate protein. low carb and low-moderate fat.

Diet however is not always an answer to your cholesterol, that is sometimes genetic.

Low impact exercise is still possible with your knee, knee injuries do not end your ability to exercise.

You need to be looking at eating real food,

What does your diet look like when you are not consuming shakes ?

https://weight-loss.fitness.com/threads/information-needed-when-asking-for-help.89399/

 

[ohforfs]

The reason I do the liquid diet is I drink my meal and it's done. It is easy to prepare and apart from having some frozen veg in the fridge (with some emergency peanuts I haven't touched yet) is it is a simple diet to follow. I actually feel angry at food (non-sensical as that sounds) and I feel like I am done with eating for a while apart from the shakes.

 

[BossSomm]

The reason I do the liquid diet is I drink my meal and it's done. It is easy to prepare and apart from having some frozen veg in the fridge (with some emergency peanuts I haven't touched yet) is it is a simple diet to follow. I actually feel angry at food (non-sensical as that sounds) and I feel like I am done with eating for a while apart from the shakes.

I totally understand the need to comparmentalize your eating like this. As an all or nothing person, it seems to work for me in short bursts. I have never found it to be sustainable. I would encourage you to stick with it as long as you can, but then have a healthy backup plan for if you stop or once you hit your goal, otherwise all the weight will come crashing right back! Best of luck and take care.