@maisie89, I am Rosemary, a volunteer mentor on Mayo Clinic Connect. I want to welcome you to Connect. And I especially welcome you to this particular discussion on Staying Motivated! In my opinion, you have made a perfectly timed entry:-) I, and probably others, are already experiencing the holiday splurges, and the 'winter blahs' .

Would you share with us, what caused the 'switch' to go off in your mind? And how did you develop your current eating plan?
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Rosemary

Yes, my annual physical was coming up and for the last five years my doctor told me I needed to lose weight because of heart issues in my family and also a history of colon cancer. I decided I would lose weight before he saw me. I used JJ Smith's 10-day Green Smoothie Cleanse. That got me started and my doctor was delighted I had dropped 12 pounds. After the physical, my liver enzymes were slightly elevated. Of course, I read everything I could on liver problems. The key to a healthy liver is fresh fruits, veggies and no sugar, lots of water. I made up my mind this would be my way of life. It's not hard and after many tests, turns out I have a genetic problem that is nothing to worry about. I will continue following The Liver Cleansing Diet by Dr. Sandra Cabot.

With all of this talk about losing weight does anyone know what can cause unintentional weight loss? I have lost about 10 pounds in the last two months without trying to. I feel great (except for this darned knee which is still giving me problems). It just seems odd.
JK

@maisie89 Thanks for sharing! The veggies and fruits sound wonderful. Do you eat all these raw, all the time? or are you using any healthy cooking recipes?
I like to hear ideas from others about what works for them. I have heard that the best diet is one that works for an individual; one that they can adhere to for the long term. And, I know from my own experience that I sometimes get in the rut of fixing same things - and getting bored. Thanks for sharing.

I am happy that your doctor was pleased with your dedication. And as a liver patient, I'm double happy that your liver is happy!
Rosemary

@contentandwell, I hope you know that I am concerned about what you are experiencing. I do hope that as you return to a slower pace of activities that you will see some natural improvement in your weight and appetite. Is it possible that any of this is a result of the stress, pain meds, and immunosuppressant meds?
I wish you a Merry Christmas.
Rosemary

I do eat a lot of fresh fruits, and veggies mostly consisting of salads. I do roast root veggies like sweet potato, cauliflower, broc. and include in my diet. I try to have a protein with either lunch or dinner. Fish or chicken either grilled using about a tsp. of olive oil. Whole grains are also part of my daily routine using quinoa and brown rice and steel cut oats. Hope this helps. Still strongly motivated, I think due to the daily walking.

@maisie89, I pretty much rely on the healthy eating habits from the Mayo Diet book that I purchased as a souvenir during one of my Mayo Clinic visits. And it has worked well for me. However, my husband is a meat and potatoes man, and that makes it easy for me to slip into careless choices. On top of that, cooking is not my favorite activity!
I have been a walker for years and this past April we joined a gym and we go there most mornings. I used to have a walking group, and I enjoyed that immensely, but my girlfriends dropped out and I do not like walking alone.

Thank you for helping me to begin to re-focus my eating habits:-)
Do you have to prepare meals for other family members?
Rosemary

Yes, I prepare meals for my husband, who is a heart patient, so he enjoys eating healthy too. I have the same cookbook and there are some wonderful recipes inside.

@rosemarya I am going through old email and trying to respond primarily to ones that address me.
My weight has not been a problem at all. Oddly, despite my lack of activity I have lost weight! I think at this point in my life 143 or so would be ideal, and that is where I am at today, but it has gone as low as 138 on some days. I find I mind the cold more than ever before. My husband thinks it is because I have less padding. I don’t know if that can be true or not.
JK

@contentandwell Nice to hear from you! How is your knee coming along? Teresa