Flexitarian Diet & Weight Loss

My Extreme Weight Loss Journey

My Challenges & Approach

Because I am trying to heal from a spinal condition & periodontal disease (both of which require adequate protein and tissue support), irritated digestive system, insulin resistance, and obesity, my focuses are a little different than the average person who might be taking on or considering the flexitarian diet.

I have been eating flexitarian for the past five years and I’ve tried variations of it (more or less animal products, junkier and cleaner, normal vs. low-carb). So, I have a fair amount of experience with how it affects my body, at least.

My eating plan is currently gluten-free, dairy-free, low-glycemic, anti-inflammatory, high protein, and flexitarian. I typically eat one serving of meat or eggs, per day. About 95% of my diet consists of plants.

Weight Loss Inspiration

In my late teens (1996-1998), I worked in a clothing store and was studying fashion design at a junior college. I was determined to lose the extra weight and be able to fit into the clothes that I was selling.

In addition to running around a store 15-20 hours, per week, I walked to the gym, then did cardio and weight training, after every shift. I lost a significant amount of weight. I don’t remember how much I weighed, unfortunately, but I do remember that I was able to fit into a size 14/16 and my body looked significantly different. So did my face, LOL. Can we say “chiseled cheekbones”? LOL. 

Unfortunately, I hadn’t done the inner work to heal my mind, so I couldn’t deal with the consequences that came with the physical changes. I had zero confidence, I was still very anxious and depressed, and I felt very threatened by all the attention I was getting from men. So, I put the weight right back on.

Many years later, when I came to Colorado, in 2011, I lost sixty pounds dancing and riding a bike all around the area.

Because of my disabilities, plus the very high cost of living, in Colorado, I ended up homeless in 2016 and had to stay at shelters. I was dependent on them for food. Unfortunately, with the upset of being in survival mode, plus eating whatever I could get my hands on (it was mostly carbs), my food addiction became out-of-control, again. I gained the sixty pounds back, plus more.

The Final Straw

In 2017, I weighed in at the doctor’s office and found myself back up the scale at 295 pounds (see pic on the left). I was in pain, all-the-time, and I could barely walk. I also had high blood pressure and I was very concerned about my heart, because I was experiencing random pains and other sensations. Plus, my family has a long history of heart disease and heart failure.

I was approaching 40 and I knew I had to get the weight off (once and for all, gosh darn it!) before menopause started to take root, so I made it my top priority.

Weight Loss Trial and Error

I initially lost 30 pounds with exercise (swimming and walking) and no major diet changes. Then I stalled for a few years, despite my fitness efforts. Note: At the time, I was living in communal housing, with no kitchen access, so I only had so much control over my diet.

I gained control over my food consumption and I lost another 35 pounds with keto. Unfortunately, that really hurt my body (I acquired a knee injury, because it ate at my tissues). I also started to see signs of major inflammation and accelerated aging (zoinks!!). I somehow learned about the correlation between inflammation and weight gain and I started to lean more towards plants.

When I got my apartment in 2019, I was excited to have my own kitchen and I leaned further into the plants. I cut back on my animal food consumption to only a couple servings, per week. Unfortunately, my tissues started to fall apart, I developed anemia, I was dizzy all-the-time, and it was clear that my body was way out-of-balance. So, I had to add more animal products back in.

I’ve lost about 22 pounds, with the flexitarian diet and exercise. I realize that doesn’t sound like a lot, but I also kept off the 65 pounds that I had lost, before, while going through perimenopause, and that’s kind of a big deal. Ten of those pounds came off, when I cut out gluten and dairy. I believe that’s a result of reduced inflammation and glycemic load, plus improved insulin sensitivity.

My Weight Loss Goal

I would love to be able to say that I lost over half of my body weight. I started out at 295 and my goal is 145 pounds. I have lost about 87 pounds (at last weigh-in) and have another 60 or so, to go. 

General Weight Loss Factors

Every body is unique and I can’t guarantee that the this approach is going to help you lose weight. But, it can’t hurt to try it, right? Here are some things to consider, regarding weight loss, in general:

Weight loss is seen as based on calories in and calories out. It’s not quite that simple, because there are other factors involved, like hormones, but getting a calorie deficit is important. Calories can add up far more quickly than you realize. When you’re just starting out, you might want to track how you normally eat, for a couple weeks (www.cronometer.com), and see where you’re at, in terms of calorie intake. Check out this calorie calculator for an idea of what to shoot for. Keep in mind that going too low can impair your metabolism and make you super hungry, so slow and steady wins the race! 

Our bodies need a certain amount of insulin, to function normally. But too much causes weight gain or the inability to lose weight. I am recommending a low-glycemic diet, which means eating foods that are unlikely to spike your blood sugar and insulin levels. There are many plant foods which can increase insulin sensitivity and help with blood sugar control, which is one of the main reasons to go flexitarian. You can also check out the post that I wrote about how to control your blood sugar with your food choices.

Chronic inflammation can cause weight gain. Overweight is a cause of chronic inflammation. That creates a vicious cycle. The only way to break it is to reduce inflammation. You can do that by removing allergens from your diet & environment, stopping any unhealthy habits, like smoking, limiting animal consumption, eating mostly plants, etc. Even though the flexitarian diet isn’t strictly plants, it is plant-based, so I’ve got you covered on that last one. 

Reducing oxidation is very important with every single meal, according to Dr. Greger, a plant-based nutrition researcher. Additionally, there is a group of antioxidants called anthocyanins that can help with blood sugar control, insulin sensitivity, and weight loss. Have you ever heard the term “eat the rainbow”? Pigments in Mother Nature’s bounty are an indicator of antioxidants. Anthocyanins are found in many black, blue, purple, and some red foods. Check out this article from Healthline, for an overview of anthocyanins. Go here for general info on antioxidants and weight loss. 

Cortisol is the hormone that gets released in times of stress. Unfortunately, it raises blood sugar and can cause weight gain. So, getting your cortisol levels down may be a key to losing weight…especially if you suffer from PTSD, like I do, are a bit of a control freak (raises hand), live in clutter and chaos, have social anxiety, or otherwise have a high-stress lifestyle. Going low-carb raises cortisol levels, so I don’t recommend it. You may be wise to get enough of the right kind of carbs & other nutrients, to reduce cortisol and lose weight. 

Our digestion has so much to do with inflammation, blood sugar, insulin and cortisol production, our microbiome, immune system, and overall health. You can learn more about how our food choices affect our digestion and ultimately our weight, here. You’ll want to focus on slow-burning, whole,  unprocessed foods, for the best results. Don’t worry, that’s what I’m outlining, below, because I have to be really careful about digestion, too. 

A moderate amount of cardio (up to an hour, per day) can help lower blood sugar, insulin and cortisol levels. Exercise burns calories, of course. As long as you don’t eat extra to make up for your fitness efforts and you maintain a calorie-deficit, overall, it can help you lose weight. Retaining muscle is important, too, so you may want to look at doing some resistance exercise. Keep in mind that muscle-building activities can make you extra hungry, so that’s a little tricky for weight loss. 

Hydration can be very important for weight loss. It makes exercise more effective, stimulates our metabolisms, and more. You don’t want to overdo it, but most people probably don’t get enough water. Maybe track your water intake for a while and see where you’re at? Caffeine should be avoided if you’re trying to lose weight, for a couple of reasons. One of them is that it is a diuretic and can make you shed water. So, limit caffeine whenever possible. Limit alcohol, carbonated, and sugary drinks, as well. Plain water, herbal tea, infused water, soy milk, and nut milks are good plant-based beverage options. 

A Wealth of Plant-Based Options

A lot of things can be made with these ingredients. If you’ve been eating mostly meat, until now, it can take a little while to reorient your thinking. But, you might be surprised that a primarily plant-based diet can open up your palate to more foods and flavor combinations than you ever dreamed possible!

If you tolerate gluten well, that opens up even more options. Though, I advise against eating bread, crackers, pasta, and other processed grain products, if you are trying to lose weight, because they are usually high glycemic. For the best results, try sticking to whole grains, like wheat berries, barley, and rye. 

With the basic foods shown above, you can make sides, salads, soups, stews, Buddha bowls, scrambles, skewers, dips, spreads, dressings, sauces, oatmeal, smoothies, and more.

With the addition of a bit of sweetener, like maple syrup, you can also make desserts. Those should be an occasional indulgence (if at all) for the best weight loss results.

Animal Proteins

Bioavailable, But Inflammatory

Animal proteins are concentrated sources of nutrients. They are also more bioavailable to us, than plant proteins, because our bodies don’t have to fight through fiber, to get to the protein. Also certain animal nutrients are just better absorbed, like heme iron. But, animal proteins are pro-inflammatory and can bring negative health consequences. So, many (including myself) believe they should be limited.

Finding a Balance

For health reasons (this was recommended to me by a dietician), I eat one serving of meat or eggs, per day. I usually rotate beef/liver combo, ground beef, ground turkey, chicken, sardines, and wild salmon. I try to eat the meat or eggs at lunchtime, for the best digestion and absorption of nutrients, as well as the least impactive health consequences, otherwise.

Choose Your Animal Products Carefully

Conventional dairy and meat are often produced with the use of genetically modified Monsanto corn (glyphosate) and other pesticide-laden grains. For that reason (and others), you may want to look for the highest quality meats and dairy products, when you do choose to eat them. That means grass-fed and grass-finished, organic, pasture-raised, wild-caught. Or, at the very least, non-GMO.

Dairy Considerations

As I mentioned, I have recently gone dairy-free, due to allergies. However, if you can eat dairy, Greek yogurt and reduced-fat cheese might be a good idea, because of their nutritional value. You might want to consider limiting your dairy intake to once-a-day or less. If you’re concerned about how you’d get enough calcium, by limiting or ditching dairy, you’re in luck! I just published a post on non-dairy calcium food sources.

Dairy & Eggs

Meat & Seafood