I'm shooting for between two and four small meals of about 300 calories. I'm exercising for 30 minutes every other day, arm exercises with 2 lb dumbbells. The other days I do other body exercises and walk. My energy is good. I'm being very careful to avoid injuries. Exercise has reduced arthritus pain in a shoulder. Not much pain otherwise. I've not walked in 20 years, it will take a while to condition my body (bones, joints and muscles) for normal walking.

@EdEarl That's terrific! I was able to lower my blood pressure so as not to be on medication by losing a 6 pounds. I can't wait to see what losing more will do for my knees and my blood pressure. My friend is now in his 96 hours of fasting...I usually do 16 daily but he is inspiring me to do 48-72 hours. It works for some people, especially those with carb addictions like me!

@thinktwice A couple of years ago I weighed about 450 lbs and my doctor said if I changed my eating habits to plant-based whole-food I would lose weight without being hungry. I tried it for a couple of months. I had a complication of being fat, lymphedema which began to spill lymph fluid through the skin on my thighs. I got a systemic infection and was admitted to the hospital. I spent about 8 weeks in the hospital with an antibiotic drip IV for about six weeks. While there, my doctors took me off my high blood pressure meds; they said I had normal BP. I've not taken BP meds since, and my BP is often 90/65, yet I still weigh over 300 lbs. Doctors and nurses sometimes ask, "Is this normal for you?" Yes, it is normal for me.

The reason for my high blood pressure was what I ate in my earlier life. My diet, which was rich in meat and dairy, was the cause of my high BP. I had plaque in ny blood vessles, which caused a heart attack in 2000. Earlier this year I had an angeogram; they put a camera in an artery of my left arm, rand it down through my heart and into my left leg. The doctor said I had no plaque!

The plant based diet cleared the plaque from my system, and that's why my BP is 90/65. My pulse rate is also low normal. Change your diet to plant-based whole-food, and you too will lose weight and lower your BP,, easily.

The difficulty is changing your lifestyle to eating a plant-based whole-food (similar to the Mediterranean Diet). It took me years to convert. However, I was skeptical about it working. Now, I know IT WORKS. Good luck.

@EdEarl I pretty much eat whole foods and as close to the source as I can. However, I was once vegan and felt terrible...I became anemic...I went keto and it worked for me, so I stick to that most of the time...my numbers for cholesterol is 157...I remember reading about your journey when I first came to this site...it was wonderfully inspiring!!! I am glad for you and know that you are on a journey of health...

@thinktwice Thanks. I think keto and fasting can help people lose weight, question whether people will keep their weight loss. I have heard long term success stories from stomach reduction surgery (staples, balloons, etc.) and from plant-based whole-food, but not so much from other diets. Good luck.

@EdEarl I have been doing it for at least ten years...I think you have to find what works.

@thinktwice True, everyone must find their own way.