KNEE ARTHRITIS - Diet and nutritional supplements :
Drastic weight loss good or bad - - Posted by TCO (TCO), 12 June 2004
Drastic weight loss diet ("tuna fish and weightlifting die")
Breakfast: Total (vitamen-sprayed cereal) and 1% milk
Lunch: "everything salad" with cottage cheese, but no fatty things
Dinner: 1-2 cans tuna fish or a bag of beef jerky
Total calories: 800.
Weight loss: .5 lbs/day. (,25 kilos/day)
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1. Is this generally dangerous? For a fat guy who wants to get skinny?
2. Is it dangerous to a knee that has arthritis?
3. Is it dangerous pre-surgery?
4. Is it dangerous during recovery?
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What kind of dieting (for mass loss) can be combined with surgical decisions?
Posted by gman1 (gman1), 19 June 2004
TCO,
here is my 1200 cal diet: http://www.enter.net/~gman1/diet/
Make sure you get at least 24g of protein, and all your vitamins.... I take coral calcium to get all my vitamins....
I went from 170 pound to 120 on this diet.... Meat and sugar are the enemy.... If you are gonna eat meat FISH is the best thing....
gary
Posted by Jules (Jules), 27 September 2004
Hi,
I know not all people agree with it, but I did the Atkins Diet and lost 4 stone in 9 months, I was never really that strict on it and still had my treats, I was never ketotic on it as they say you should be, and I still lost the weight. I have kept most of it off for two years now, put a stone and a half back on but just lost a stone of that in four weeks.
Its not for everyone and you must consult a doctor if you have any health problems.
Also heard the heart foundation do a good healthy quick weight loss programme, may be take a look on their web site.
Good Luck
Jules
Posted by BuffettBarbie (BuffettBarbie), 13 November 2004
TCO-
When you drastically reduce your caloric intake, it will cause your body to think it is "starving", and slow down your metabolism. It is the same with drastically reducing your meal portions- your stomach will not feel full, and this could cause binge eating.
The best weight loss plan is to increase exercise and to modify your diet. The exercise will increase your metabolic rate. Increase your daily intake of vegetables and lean meats. Your body still requires carbohydrates for energy, but often, we eat too many. The key is to watch everything you put in your mouth- "What is the nutritional value of this?" Add a cut banana to your breakfast cereal. Have two sides of steamed or fresh vegetables with your dinner. If you modify your eating habits (not drastically change them), you will have a much easier time sticking to healthier eating habits.
Any drastic weight loss is very unhealthy for your body, especially right before surgery. You must do this slowly. Your body requires additional nutrients to recover from trauma and heal properly. It is recommended to cease taking vitamin supplements two weeks prior to surgery, so you want to be certain you are getting these nutrients from the food you eat. When you are allowed to take vitamins, ensure you are getting adequate amounts of B-Complex, C, E, Calcium (stay away from oyster-derived, as it is high in lead), Potassium, Magnesium. Check the label, too, as Multi-Vitamins do not always contain all vitamins.
You mentioned "Weight-lifting diet." Lifting weights, while excellent for strength, will cause increase in muscle mass (hence, weight gain) and burns fewer calories than one may think. To lose fat, you must incorporate cardiovascular exercises into your regimine (riding a bike, elliptical machine, speed walking, swimming.) Low-impact cardio is excellent for arthritis.
Best of luck, and many hugs!
Chris 
Posted by blackbeltgirl (blackbeltgirl), 23 November 2004
So TCO - what did you decide to do? I just read your post, but realize it is months later.
Personally, I think 800 calories is just too low. You want to lower your intake and increase the output, but you don't want to shock the system quite that much.
You asked if this diet could help your arthritis. Generally, dropping extra weight can only help the joints. But it has to be done safely. Hope you're making progress.
Updated Mon Dec 1 2008