Healthy Weight Loss

[girl_dee]

It's been almost a month since anyone posted here.

i love hearing what others do.

in the grand scheme of things i don't have lots to lose but can't seem to get to where i am comfortable with myself.

i am eating way too much bread and not enough protein

drinking coke too often

eating way to much junk

so there, maybe now that i've gotten real i will behave a bit more.

i'm expected to take care of myself but when you are not in the right frame of mind it's a hard thing to do

[Miss Scarlett]

(((((Dee))))) I understand what you mean. It is extremely difficult to think about yourself when things are topsy turvy in your life. I was in the same place last year. One thing that helped me was to do small things for myself...they helped me reclaim my strength and self worth - two things we tend to forget or ignore first.

When I was taking care of my Grandparents and my Mom I neglected myself to my own detriment. I find this same behavior trying to creep back now but it's work related. Fortunately I have been blessed with wonderful, supportive people who have carte blanche when it comes to reminding me or calling my attention to this.

You are worth it Honey, you can still do things for yourself even when you are focused elsewhere. There's nothing wrong with that...never forget this.

As for protein...just the other day my weight loss doctor told me to get in 20g with each meal. It's not difficult and can be done without a heavy calorie load. I get 18g at 100 cal with a small container of plain, fat-free Greek yogurt. If I add 30g of Pistachios they contribute another 160 cal, healthy fat and 6g of protein.

[girl_dee]

i am a lazy *dieter*.

i don't like to have to count things, that's why i like Atkins, less than 20 carbs a day and that's all. i no longer stay in this plan for a long long time but my body responds well to it.

So even when i am just watching it i know to stick to low carb options.

but dang, i love bread!

i need to do well because having to answer to Syr as to why i am not eating well is a powerful deterrent to eating junk!

[Miss Scarlett]

Found a link (http://io9.com/5968164/why-you-should-probably-stop-eating-wheat) to an article about why wheat isn't good for us. It was on my weight loss doctor's Facebook page and it answers a lot of question I have about things I noticed after eating wheat products.

[pajama]

Been about 6 weeks mostly wheat-free. Since I am doing it mostly for my blood pressure and not for a chronic condition like Chrones, I have splurged a little. I did a big splurge last Thursday and had a sandwich, out, on bread. OMG did I pay for it!!!!!! My acid reflux came on with a vengence and lasted two days. So not worth it.....so that makes it so much easier.

I also got a really good (free) app for my phone to track my calories. I have stayed pretty close to what it wants, and definetly less than, on average, 1300 calories a day. I have lost about 6 pounds since starting wheat-free. And just tightened my belt, yet another notch this morning.

Little steps, little steps.

I still need to get more active.

A

[Andrea]

Thank you for starting up this thread again. I love reading that I am not the only one with starts and stops.

Was feeling good and happy with the few pounds I had lost. Then this weekend, it was as if I was on self-destruct. Actually, it wasn't that bad but it wasn't good either. I feel it physically, emotionally, and mentally.

The going off track weekend wasn't a waste because I watched what was happening and I learned a great deal. I also took some steps I have been avoiding that should go a long way to helping me deal with those things that cause me to lose focus on my health.

Today is a brand new day and I have packed my lunch, respecting my body.

Is today the day I will begin taking the stairs at work again? Hmmmmm....

[thedivahrrrself]

I very highly recommend watching HBO's Documentary series The Weight of the Nation. It features doctors who are researchers on the issue of obesity, and only features solutions that are statistically and clinically proven to work. (Hint: None of the current "diets" are proven to do anything but make you fatter.) It gives you simple steps to follow for real, long-lasting results.

I learned a lot from the first one. First, once you are smaller, you can never eat like a "normal" person again. Your metabolism will always be at your "set point", and you'll always have to take in less calories than your same-weight counterparts who never got big. Second, people who actually keep off weight do it by setting small goals and accomplishing those, not going on a big diet to lose a bunch of weight at once. Third, exercise will not really help you lose weight, but it is absolutely essential to keeping weight off. Fourth, stress and cortisol have a lot to do with why it's so hard to control cravings. Manage your stress, and you will manage your cravings.

I could go on and on, but I've been working toward some of the tiny goals suggested, and I'm doing well so far. I've eliminated all soda, juice, and all other drinks with sugar from my daily routine. Of course, this is only the beginning. I have a long way to go.

[Kelt]

I very highly recommend watching HBO's Documentary series The Weight of the Nation. It features doctors who are researchers on the issue of obesity, and only features solutions that are statistically and clinically proven to work. (Hint: None of the current "diets" are proven to do anything but make you fatter.) It gives you simple steps to follow for real, long-lasting results.

I learned a lot from the first one. First, once you are smaller, you can never eat like a "normal" person again. Your metabolism will always be at your "set point", and you'll always have to take in less calories than your same-weight counterparts who never got big. Second, people who actually keep off weight do it by setting small goals and accomplishing those, not going on a big diet to lose a bunch of weight at once. Third, exercise will not really help you lose weight, but it is absolutely essential to keeping weight off. Fourth, stress and cortisol have a lot to do with why it's so hard to control cravings. Manage your stress, and you will manage your cravings.

I could go on and on, but I've been working toward some of the tiny goals suggested, and I'm doing well so far. I've eliminated all soda, juice, and all other drinks with sugar from my daily routine. Of course, this is only the beginning. I have a long way to go.

Thanks for this suggestion. There is a lot of good information in the series.

I have to counter some of this by just saying there are exceptions to pretty much everything and understanding the underlying principles can make it easier to comply with the things that work for us.

For myself, I found that I can eat like a normal person after maintaining a significant weight loss for a time over 1 year. That said, there is a lot of variation in 'normal'. I have chosen to stay on a whole foods way of eating because I feel and think a lot better. It does take time to get used to it though, my quantities in maintenance are considerably larger than in fat loss mode. It is being shown that both set points and metabolic syndrome can be reset. Won't work for all, but it isn't necessarily a life sentence. I am not suggesting a return to sodas and fast foods though.

On goal setting, I think it depends on the person. Most people work best, on any project, with smaller incremental goals. Some people though, prefer a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). Whatever gets you there.

I also agree that there is no exercise program that will overcome a bad diet, not possible. Moderate regular exercise can however help retain lean muscle tissue while the fat is being lost. It's hella hard to gain muscle tissue after a certain age and a lot easier to preserve what you have along the way. Not suggesting long grueling gym sessions, but an active lifestyle that includes a regular whole body movement like swimming or walking really helps all systems operate as designed, vascular, lymphatic, hormone regulation etc.

Coritsol control through stress management and good sleep hygiene is a must. Fatigue is just as bad as stress, there are a lot of studies (aren't there always?) suggesting that fat loss is enhanced with quality sleep and enough of it. Cortisol triggers insulin release which, yes, causes those practically impossible cravings for carbohydrates. I have done a lot around this and it really does help with the cravings in my own experience.

It sounds like the measures you are taking are sane and sound and will work. Congratulations!

I also enjoyed Ms Scarletts article on wheat, it jibes with my own research and personal experience.

[Hollylane]

i am a lazy *dieter*.

i don't like to have to count things, that's why i like Atkins, less than 20 carbs a day and that's all. i no longer stay in this plan for a long long time but my body responds well to it.

So even when i am just watching it i know to stick to low carb options.

but dang, i love bread!

i need to do well because having to answer to Syr as to why i am not eating well is a powerful deterrent to eating junk!

Atkins style eating has always worked for me. I have a carb limit set, because anything over that impacts my blood sugar, weight, and makes other medical issues that Atkins has helped control, resurface with a vengeance.

Since the onset of my gastroparesis (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gastroparesis/DS00612), every day has become a balancing act. Recently, I went vegetarian with Atkins, which became a gigantic problem. It was extremely difficult to get the fat and proteins I needed, while controlling my carb intake, and with gastroparesis, I had to make most of my vegetables low in fiber(high fiber means less carbs, the one concession I make is with asparagus). Vegetarianism was virtually impossible for me, my gastroparesis quickly began to worsen, and I started gaining weight again.

I had to give in, and choose to become a pescatarian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pescetarianism). This opened up a lot more options, and I can do everything in my power to purchase seafood that is sustainably caught (bonus: when I catch my own fish, I know for a fact, that they are quickly and humanely dispatched). My weight/blood sugar has already started to go down, and eventually the current severe flare up of gastroparesis will start to fade (it has already, with treatment over the weekend) back into just the usual background noise.

Past primary physicians, gastroenterologists, and endocrinologists only saw that I was fat, and insisted all of my problems were related to a need to reduce my caloric intake, and eat less meals per day (gastroparesis makes it nearly impossible to get enough calories per day, or even eat at all most days. On the days you can eat, you can only have about 1/4 cup or less food per meal, and it is recommended to do this 5 times per day to avoid food literally rotting in your stomach, which can lead to the development of phytobezoars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytobezoar)). My blood sugar, at the time I was seen by these doctors, was averaging 370, and this was with two types of insulin (6 injections per day), metformin, a "diabetic diet", and regular exercise.

Luckily, I found one of the very few gastroparesis specialists in the country, as well as a primary physician who actually understands my unique nutritional needs, who in tune I am with my body, and has a good grasp on the relatively small amount of gastroparesis information available.

I know this is a lot of information about my personal health choices/issues, but I feel it is relevant, especially when any documentary suggests that healthy weight loss is simply about changing basic elements of your eating habits to (whole grain etc), and that these changes may work for everyone. For me, carbohydrates above 20 grams per day, vegetables that are not low in fiber, and a diet not rich enough in fat and protein, are an absolute recipe for disaster. I do not eat low carb to reduce my size (though this is always a welcome outcome, and it helps me maintain current weight), I do it to remain free of the need for insulin, metformin, statin drugs, prilosec etc (blood pressure returns to normal, lower blood sugar, cholesterol returns to normal, acid reflux disappears).

I watched the entire series, The Weight of the Nation. I understand the findings of the studies done, and do not disagree with the likely outcomes of being obese throughout a lifetime. I am really excited about attention being drawn to the disease, without the usually attached shaming. I really love what cities are doing to change the environment to encourage exercise and fresh food consumption (bike paths, walking paths, adding corner stores with fresh food options).

One segment really annoyed the hell out of me though. There was a study done, on persons who had a family history of diabetes, or were pre-diabetic, and the study was done using metformin prior to a diabetic diagnosis, in combination with diet and exercise changes, to prevent type 2 diabetes. WTF?? I know for a fact, that dramatically lowering consumption of carbohydrates and moving towards a diet comprised of fresh foods, in combination with regular exercise, can prevent most pre-diabetic patients, from advancing to type 2 diabetes (evidence of this has been around for years). In fact, for me, it reversed the type 2 diabetes diagnosis entirely (until I went vegetarian, and it reared its ugly head again). I just cannot get on board with medicating for something that does not currently exist.

Okay, I think I've rambled on long enough...Sometimes I get a little too passionate about a subject. :blink:

[girl_dee]

Atkins style eating has always worked for me. I have a carb limit set, because anything over that impacts my blood sugar, weight, and makes other medical issues that Atkins has helped control, resurface with a vengeance.

Since the onset of my gastroparesis (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gastroparesis/DS00612), every day has become a balancing act. Recently, I went vegetarian with Atkins, which became a gigantic problem. It was extremely difficult to get the fat and proteins I needed, while controlling my carb intake, and with gastroparesis, I had to make most of my vegetables low in fiber(high fiber means less carbs, the one concession I make is with asparagus). Vegetarianism was virtually impossible for me, my gastroparesis quickly began to worsen, and I started gaining weight again.

I had to give in, and choose to become a pescatarian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pescetarianism). This opened up a lot more options, and I can do everything in my power to purchase seafood that is sustainably caught (bonus: when I catch my own fish, I know for a fact, that they are quickly and humanely dispatched). My weight/blood sugar has already started to go down, and eventually the current severe flare up of gastroparesis will start to fade (it has already, with treatment over the weekend) back into just the usual background noise.

Past primary physicians, gastroenterologists, and endocrinologists only saw that I was fat, and insisted all of my problems were related to a need to reduce my caloric intake, and eat less meals per day (gastroparesis makes it nearly impossible to get enough calories per day, or even eat at all most days. On the days you can eat, you can only have about 1/4 cup or less food per meal, and it is recommended to do this 5 times per day to avoid food literally rotting in your stomach, which can lead to the development of phytobezoars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytobezoar)). My blood sugar, at the time I was seen by these doctors, was averaging 370, and this was with two types of insulin (6 injections per day), metformin, a "diabetic diet", and regular exercise.

Luckily, I found one of the very few gastroparesis specialists in the country, as well as a primary physician who actually understands my unique nutritional needs, who in tune I am with my body, and has a good grasp on the relatively small amount of gastroparesis information available.

I know this is a lot of information about my personal health choices/issues, but I feel it is relevant, especially when any documentary suggests that healthy weight loss is simply about changing basic elements of your eating habits to (whole grain etc), and that these changes may work for everyone. For me, carbohydrates above 20 grams per day, vegetables that are not low in fiber, and a diet not rich enough in fat and protein, are an absolute recipe for disaster. I do not eat low carb to reduce my size (though this is always a welcome outcome, and it helps me maintain current weight), I do it to remain free of the need for insulin, metformin, statin drugs, prilosec etc (blood pressure returns to normal, lower blood sugar, cholesterol returns to normal, acid reflux disappears).

I watched the entire series, The Weight of the Nation. I understand the findings of the studies done, and do not disagree with the likely outcomes of being obese throughout a lifetime. I am really excited about attention being drawn to the disease, without the usually attached shaming. I really love what cities are doing to change the environment to encourage exercise and fresh food consumption (bike paths, walking paths, adding corner stores with fresh food options).

One segment really annoyed the hell out of me though. There was a study done, on persons who had a family history of diabetes, or were pre-diabetic, and the study was done using metformin prior to a diabetic diagnosis, in combination with diet and exercise changes, to prevent type 2 diabetes. WTF?? I know for a fact, that dramatically lowering consumption of carbohydrates and moving towards a diet comprised of fresh foods, in combination with regular exercise, can prevent most pre-diabetic patients, from advancing to type 2 diabetes (evidence of this has been around for years). In fact, for me, it reversed the type 2 diabetes diagnosis entirely (until I went vegetarian, and it reared its ugly head again). I just cannot get on board with medicating for something that does not currently exist.

Okay, I think I've rambled on long enough...Sometimes I get a little too passionate about a subject. :blink:


Pescetarian is what i became after protesting against the beef industry's treatment of cattle. i do not want to contribute to it. Since i am a swamp rat i have access to fresh fish, shrimp, crab and oysters and i love anyhting that comes out of the sea, so protein is not a problem and i do love eggs.

when i went vegan i was very ill, so i started back with dairy and it worked. i was actually on Atkins without realizing it, but at times blow it with bread intake.

i think we all need to listen to our bodies and do what works for us, certainly we are all different and need something specific to us!

[Miss Scarlett]

Saw my weight loss doctor on Friday and this time he was concerned about me not eating breakfast...after some discussion he suggested that I try Medifast shakes in the morning since the thought of actual food flips my tummy...tried it yesterday and it wasn't bad at all...only 90 cal and 13g of protein...git the dark chocolate...tastes like instant breakfast and not like liquid vitamins...mixed it with water...

[girl_dee]

That would work for me as i start work early now. ( would clear that with Syr first) but iused to enjoy my protien shakes but always added fruit.

[Kelt]

I have wondered about the breakfast thing. Sometimes I have it sometimes I don't, just depends on if I feel like it. I figure as long as I break the fast at sometime during the day and get enough good quality food during that 24 hours why is that a problem?

Especially if I am going to exert myself physically. This is where it is backwards for me, it slows me down. I feel much more energetic before I eat in the morning. So, if I am doing my long walk first thing I wait until after. It took quite a while to figure that out, I alway thought it was some kind of sacrilege to skip pre-exercise feeding, but for me it works best and has never been a problem.

I think it just speaks to everybody is different.

Disclaimer: I don't have blood sugar issues anymore, if I did it would be different I am sure.

[Sweetfeme]

Well it has been about about 2 weeks now on a high protein/low carb way of eating and I feel much better. I still need to lose alot of weight but more importantly, I want to be kinder to my body.
Just got a cold so I spend the week end in bed, but I am going for a walk tomorrow for sure. I need to get out an move my body.
Starry good for You! Chancie I also agree with you that diets don't work. Cowboi good for you about the weights. You have inspired me too.
Any suggestions on meatless high protein choices would be great, Thanks :)

[thedivahrrrself]

I lost 5 pounds last week.

I don't feel like celebrating, but they say you should celebrate the little victories. So I'll post it here.

I hate talking about weight loss. Everyone wants to tell you what they think, and at the end of the day it just makes me feel like a fat cow and a big failure.

I've had only water to drink for the last 3 weeks, I've made a homemade lunch on average 3 days out of the week over the last few weeks, which is really a pretty big deal for me - I'd never really cooked a meal for myself until maybe 2 years ago - but of course it's not good enough.

I have most of my meals planned for next week. I'm hoping to increase my home cooked meals to be cooking the majority of the meals I eat in a week.

One of the biggest things I learned from the researchers I watched on the doc I mentioned in my last post is how important it is to control your stress. That cortisol triggers a crazy drive in your brain for heavy fats, salt, sugar, and carbs. They say it's one of the strongest desires we have. So, stress management is extremely important to fixing my relationship with food.

I'm a terrible manager of stress. Right now, I'd like to crawl in a hole. But I got shit to do....

[Kelt]

I lost 5 pounds last week.

I don't feel like celebrating, but they say you should celebrate the little victories. So I'll post it here.

I hate talking about weight loss. Everyone wants to tell you what they think, and at the end of the day it just makes me feel like a fat cow and a big failure.

I've had only water to drink for the last 3 weeks, I've made a homemade lunch on average 3 days out of the week over the last few weeks, which is really a pretty big deal for me - I'd never really cooked a meal for myself until maybe 2 years ago - but of course it's not good enough.

I have most of my meals planned for next week. I'm hoping to increase my home cooked meals to be cooking the majority of the meals I eat in a week.

One of the biggest things I learned from the researchers I watched on the doc I mentioned in my last post is how important it is to control your stress. That cortisol triggers a crazy drive in your brain for heavy fats, salt, sugar, and carbs. They say it's one of the strongest desires we have. So, stress management is extremely important to fixing my relationship with food.

I'm a terrible manager of stress. Right now, I'd like to crawl in a hole. But I got shit to do....

I think all the things you are doing are great, way to go! :cheesy:

[wahya]

Glad this thread is here. I have lost a total of almost 60 pounds in 4 months. I have given up sugar, I cut my carbs down. I saw a nutritionist and just started walking. I really just got tired of being tired. I don't like to call it a diet. Just a lifestyle change. I don't restrict myself from things I used to love if I want something bad I still eat it. But I just do little portions now. My energy level has skyrocketed and I feel great!

[Hollylane]

Well it has been about about 2 weeks now on a high protein/low carb way of eating and I feel much better. I still need to lose alot of weight but more importantly, I want to be kinder to my body.
Just got a cold so I spend the week end in bed, but I am going for a walk tomorrow for sure. I need to get out an move my body.
Starry good for You! Chancie I also agree with you that diets don't work. Cowboi good for you about the weights. You have inspired me too.
Any suggestions on meatless high protein choices would be great, Thanks :)

I love Quorn products. They are tasty and the texture is out of sight!

[Rockinonahigh]

I have big problem with acid reflux and take nexium daily,i'm also on the Atkins diet cause it's the only thing that works for me.For the last couple of days I have had the belchies and chest pain cause of the stuff that hits me at mid chest and feels liek a heart problem.This happend at my doctors office last week and she gave me an on the spot full ekg with lab work..I told her what it was but she had to see for her self,she agrees with me about feeling like my gaull bladder is fixing to pull a nasty bender wich is gonna make me real sick till it runns it corse.I have had gaull stones before so the old doctor I had said just let it pass then it will be ok,this doctos said if it dose blow this time it comes out,I have been so ready for it to be taken out so I wont have to deal with it.
Anyway with this adkins food plan the only thing that has been a problem is feeling like im gonna wipe out after a hard work out,i'm keeping my carbs around 35 oe 40 I tryed to go on a zero carb thing but I couldnt handle it like I could when I was 40yro.So im keeping baked chicken in the fridge,boied eggs,pnb,cheese to use as a pick up.What use to work was fruit but most have a prob with to many carbs...an small apple has 29 and an orange has 40
so what else can I do? if anyone has a sugestion I would be thakfull for it.

[curlyredhead]

Most people who know me, know that I am very athletic and tend to eat very healthy for the most part. I have my share of cheats here and there.

I am following a modified Paleo Diet, but let me say something diet is not something that should be considered temporary. A diet is what you eat.
I have dairy in my diet due to health reasons I need it.

I was recently introduced to a product by my coach / nutritionist. It is called Generation UCAN.

http://generationucan.com/home.html

That is the website it gives you in depth details of what makes their products unique. This is a great product if you are diabetic or are Gluten Free.

They carry a protein powder as well as an electrolyte replacement.

[Hollylane]

Pescetarian is what i became after protesting against the beef industry's treatment of cattle. i do not want to contribute to it. Since i am a swamp rat i have access to fresh fish, shrimp, crab and oysters and i love anyhting that comes out of the sea, so protein is not a problem and i do love eggs.

when i went vegan i was very ill, so i started back with dairy and it worked. i was actually on Atkins without realizing it, but at times blow it with bread intake.

i think we all need to listen to our bodies and do what works for us, certainly we are all different and need something specific to us!


I must say, I was sitting here, working myself up to jealousy over your access to all of that lovely fresh seafood. Then I had to laugh at myself. I live in Portland, I have access to all of the same foods, and I even know of a fresh seafood shop where everything for sale, is sustainably caught, and local. :| Time to go shopping :)

[Chancie]

I've been using an app on my phone to track everything I eat.

It's probably not very different than WW online, but it's free.

I suspect that the data I use for calories, etc isn't as accurate as it would be on WW, but that's okay for me.

I've lost about ten pounds a month since January 2.

I've done a lot of personal work, and I am able to be rigorously honest about what I eat.

I'm very uncomfortable with the way women are socialized to hate their bodies.

I stay away from conversations where women talk about how bad they are for eating or drinking.

I'm not interesting in dieting or manipulating my food choices in a compulsive way.

So it's been hard for me to get support for the choices I make that are healthy for me.

[Sweetfeme]

Holly ~ Was that Quorn Products? Never heard of them, I will check it out. Thanks.
Wayha, I have given up sugar completely and I feel good too!
Very excited!!

[Hollylane]

Holly ~ Was that Quorn Products? Never heard of them, I will check it out. Thanks.
Wayha, I have given up sugar completely and I feel good too!
Very excited!!

Yes, Quorn...Here's one of my favorites:

http://cdn.blisstree.com/files/2011/12/quorn1.jpg

[Sweetfeme]

I wanted to write a quick note about another thing I noticed recently, and I believe it has to do with the increased protein intake and lack of wheat and sugar and that is the severity of my cold.
I just finished fighting off a cold and usually when I get hot by a cold I am out for the count for a few days. This time however was so different. I was still achey and congested but I didn't feel anywhere near as played out or sick as usual. I kept waiting for the cold to get really bad yet it never did. This has never happened to me before. Has anyone else had this experience?
Thanks again Holly, will check it out :)

[Miss Scarlett]

Has anyone been through something like this?

There are times that my weight loss feels less like a blessing and more like a "curse"...This morning I am having some old me/new me issues. I was looking at pics taken yesterday and cannot wrap my brain around the fact that it's really me. It just doesn't seem possible. The old me, the pre-weight loss me of 5 years ago is clouding things. My WL doc assures me that, while it may never stop completely, in time this will happen less frequently. But it's very unsettling nonetheless...

I still have "fat days"...the ones where I feel like I'm still in that old body...getting in my own way...sometimes that's who is looking back at me from the mirror. There are also my "thin days"...the ones where I feel so small. I look down at myself and marvel at the narrowness of my lower body...the distance between me and the steering wheel or the fact that there's so much "give" in my seat belt. And I remind myself that 5 years ago there was no such distance or "give."

And it's more than just getting used to my appearance. There are the hunger issues. The old me seldom felt hungry so I'm having to get used to the feeling and that it means I need to eat. Oddly enough recognizing when I'm full (as in satisfied not stuffed) was never a problem when I started the diet and exercise program prescribed for me. In fact, that's been really easy.

According to my WL doc this feeling of being hungry, recognizing it as hunger, is an indication of being in a healthy body...that I'm "thinking like a healthy person." When he asked me if I remembered being thin I reminded him that at that point in my life I was a former athlete who was struggling with an eating disorder so I'm at a disadvantage. And while I am no longer "practicing" the disorder will always be with me every moment of every day and with every bite of food. Perhaps that's why this is so difficult...

Despite this disconnect I am determined to keep moving forward because I know that I am far healthier now than 5 years ago. And I refuse to ever do that to myself again.

And while I am having these current struggles, I haven't lost faith in myself and in the end I WILL win!

[Miss Scarlett]

To lift myself out of the blue mood I was in earlier today (when I made my previous post), I went shopping with absolutely no intention of buying anything because my budget is super tight right now.

I decided to try on jeans because I can pull my current ones on and off without undoing them. Figured either it was because they're so well broken in or maybe there was the slightest chance that I just might be able to fit into the next size down.

OMG, I'm down 2 jeans sizes!!!!!!! WooHoo!!!!

Budget thrown to the wind, those jeans came home with me!!!!!!!

(Actually, I could have gone down a third size but they were tighter than my budget...lol)

[Miss Scarlett]

Had an awesome appointment this morning with my WL doctor. Since I'm approaching maintenance and the number of pounds lost each month is getting smaller, we're no longer measuring my progress by the number of pounds lost. Instead we're looking at percentage of my weight from the prior visit. He said I have been losing at least 11% since day one and is extremely pleased, as am I.

He also strongly recommends that I eat 3 meals/day,rather than my usual two or one, and that I get no less than 20g of lean protein at every meal.

Then there was the leg cramp discussion...he frowned on potassium and calcium supplements and prefers that I get this from food. The potassium supplements don't deliver as much as foods will. And he wants me to avoid calcium supplements because they can cause kidney stones as calcium tends to collect there. Also, the area I live in is called the " Stone Belt" because of high mineral content in the soil and ground water.

BTW - while I'm not supposed to eat bananas, he approved my eating them as long as I continue with the small jar of Gerber baby food bananas because they are portion controlled... 90 cal/jar and have 350+ mg of potassium.

We compromised (as always) and I need to keep a log of frequency and duration this month. That will determine whether or not he sends me for a work-up.

[Chancie]

I'm not looking for advice or suggestions; I just want to share how I feel today.

I have lost almost 15% of my body weight, lowered my cholesterol more than 40 points, and I am no longer pre diabetic.

I feel great about my success, but

I still don't feel like fat is bad and thin is good and

I still don't believe in unhealthy unbalanced diets.

I am having a lot of feelings about the changes in my body.

More people are noticing me in public places, mostly men.

I am middle aged, and it's middle aged men who look over and look away.

Nobody's been aggressive, but I am aware of the attention.

I'm also feeling sad. I've had to get rid of a lot of clothing, and

I miss my pretty things. I only wore my pretty bathing suit once or twice, and

It's way too baggy on me.

I can hardly lift the contractor's black plastic bag of clothing that I have to bring to a thrift store.

I've always loved clothing, and I have always worn stylish outfits, my own style, I mean.

I have never been shy about wearing miniskirts and sleeveless tops and beautiful underthings.

I have spent a lot of time looking for clothing I like online, and

Now, I don't even know what size I wear.

[starryeyes]

I am up almost 30lbs from my lowest weight. ugh... its so frustrating! I have been going through stress, eating horribly and not moving, so I know why this has happened. I also know exactly what to do to get this weight off, and keep it off. I just need that switch to turn on again.

My friend is a Beachbody coach, and we have a group of 10 friends who are starting the Shakeology and Hip Hop Abs DVD for a 30 day challenge group. It was kinda expensive, $150 for the Shakeology and DVD, but i wanted to support my friend, and also be part of a group to be accountable.

I got my goods today, and made a shake for lunch. I accidentally ordered the vegan chocolate instead of the regular chocolate Shakeology, but it tasted good! Justin hated it though, lol.

So, June 1st, I'm gonna be "hip hoping" (scary) in my living room, and moving my body again and starting their 6 day cleanse. I can do this!!

I'm looking forward to posting regularly on this thread again!

[Kelt]

I know most folks don't want this much detail, but it keeps getting easier to find.

"Google just added nutrition info for over 1,000 fruits, vegetables, meats, and full dishes to its search results. It's designed to work well with voice search too, so you can just ask it "how much protein is in an egg?" and get your answer. The feature will begin rolling out today."

Wolfram Alpha also has extensive breakdowns, I have used it for a couple of years. This with google is set to work with voice search also.

Google post with details (http://insidesearch.blogspot.com/2013/05/time-to-back-away-from-cookie-jar.html)

[Chancie]

I guess I'm posting to fess up that I have had a rough couple of weeks of poor food choices.

I kept tracking my food, and paying attention to how much protein, carbs, and fat I was eating, but

For whatever reason, I was self sabotaging.

I did agree to let my doctor's medical assistant weigh me; I've always politely refused before.

We are nearing the end of the school year, and I am tired and stressed.

It seems easier to eat out, or buy food at school, because I don't have to grocery shop, or cook, or clean up afterwards.

My neighbor and I used to joke that we needed wives, but what we really meant was that we needed someone to take care of us.

I can take care of myself by eating healthy delicious food.

[Andrea]

After two weeks of travel, stress, and not being totally conscious of what I was eating, I finally stepped on the scale. Wow! It wasn't the disaster I had been worrying about. I can live with that.

I assume I am making healthier choices without really thinking about it and that is a good thing.

Now I am dreaming of what the scale would show if I paid attention AND got my patootie to the gym.

Healthy living to all!!!

[*Anya*]

I have also gained weight. 10 pounds but since I had lost 50 originally, I know that I can gain it all back in the blink of an eye.

Dating= thin (for me) must look good for the butches...

Relationship= weight gain (for me) ah...comfortable and in love

I have tons of excuses:

My GF loves to eat out

My job is horribly demanding so I don't walk 30 minutes twice a day now (meeting after meeting, project after project and they all need it tomorrow!

Truth:
Just because we eat out all of the time does not mean I have to make unhealthy choices (but it tastes so good).

I can set better limits with people that make unrealistic demands of me at work (very, very hard for me-you need 600 behavioral health codes reviewed to ensure that nothing is left out, with a 24-hour turn-around time? But, of course I can do that).

I need to get a grip. Right now.

[Rockinonahigh]

Instant weight loss + Hamburger helper= a totaly wrecked guts...if u can't keep the food in u wont gain weight.I do not recomend this .

[aussiebaby]

I am a fellow diabetic, and have recently had to lose a little bit of weight. About 15kgs.

For me, I follow a plan set by Dr Fuhrman - his book is called Eat To Live and his diet is centered around eating foods that are of high nutrient density. Since I've switched, the sugar binges have stopped, the weight has come off, my eyes have cleared, I think better, I have more energy.

It's definitely not for everyone - it's essentially plant-based Vegan, to most people that doesn't seem the most exciting. But for me it worked.

Love and light.

AuB.

[girl_dee]

Ok time to get back on the wagon....

Out with the carbs and in with the protein..

[Miss Scarlett]

Yesterday I got on the scale for the first time in over a week and, to my delight, found that I'd lost about 8 lbs since my last WL doctor's visit!

This morning I was down by another 2.1 which is even better! Have an appointment with my WL doc this Friday and I'd like to be down another 3 (which would be a total of 13 since last month) but I'll be happy with this current number!

Another thing...this has me super excited too! Yesterday I was wearing those smaller jeans I bought last month. When I was changing clothes I decided to see if I could take them off without unbuttoning or unzipping them. And I could!

Today I wore a top to work that was given to me by my stepsister and which I was unable to wear until yesterday when I decided to try it on. (It's the raspberry one I'm wearing in my latest gallery photo.)

This has been quite a journey for me and it hasn't always been easy. But it has definitely been worth it and I AM worth it!

ALL of us are worth it!!!!!

[midwest chick]

I have big problem with acid reflux and take nexium daily,i'm also on the Atkins diet cause it's the only thing that works for me.For the last couple of days I have had the belchies and chest pain cause of the stuff that hits me at mid chest and feels liek a heart problem.This happend at my doctors office last week and she gave me an on the spot full ekg with lab work..I told her what it was but she had to see for her self,she agrees with me about feeling like my gaull bladder is fixing to pull a nasty bender wich is gonna make me real sick till it runns it corse.I have had gaull stones before so the old doctor I had said just let it pass then it will be ok,this doctos said if it dose blow this time it comes out,I have been so ready for it to be taken out so I wont have to deal with it.
Anyway with this adkins food plan the only thing that has been a problem is feeling like im gonna wipe out after a hard work out,i'm keeping my carbs around 35 oe 40 I tryed to go on a zero carb thing but I couldnt handle it like I could when I was 40yro.So im keeping baked chicken in the fridge,boied eggs,pnb,cheese to use as a pick up.What use to work was fruit but most have a prob with to many carbs...an small apple has 29 and an orange has 40
so what else can I do? if anyone has a sugestion I would be thakfull for it.


Veggies are way lower in carbs, avacado and egg whites on a salad, celery goes well with pnb. Carrots, cabbage, cauliflower are all higher carbs, but cabbage can be used to make a meat/cheese roll up. For portability, celery stuffed with pnb, or broccoli pieces might be easier for after a workout.

Concentrate on timing...2 hours before a workout, eat a protein, and drink water. Avoid sugar AND sugar substitutes...new studies are painting a picture of Splenda/Equal/Spireva all adding to abdominal fat (worse for cardiac health) and rebound cravings/'drops' in serum glucose secondary to low blood sugars---which are actually caused by the body neurologically being aware that although a 'sweet' was consumed, the expected physiological change didn't occur...so your brain tells you to consume more. Vicious cycle if you answer that with more substitutes....

Good luck!!!

[Miss Scarlett]

Saw my WL doctor yesterday...I'm down another 11.3 lbs since last month!

I'm thrilled with this but at the same time there's confusion stemming from internal conflict and a high level of insecurity and lack of confidence.

Last weekend I had a long conversation with a former boss who is also one of my most cherished friends, big brother and mentor. He told me "Don't let the opinions of others determine who you are or how you see yourself." He went on to suggest that I write this on my mirror and leave it there "until it sinks in." I haven't done that yet and may not but it's sound advice and some I need to follow...

To steal from a friend's song..."There's so much left to do but there's so much you've (I've) already done..."

I never expected there would be any conflict/confusion over the positive results of this journey. He asked me if had I known would I have started much less stayed with it? At the moment I don't really know...I did this for me...for my health...I was slowly dying from the excess weight...digging my own grave with my knife and fork.

Thankfully that is no longer the case, so mission accomplished. But this unsteady feeling from the collateral damage of my success is difficult for me...there's no "wall" for me to hide behind even if it was killing me there was a comfort there and sense of consistency...

There's a part of me, the "grown up," who knows I will overcome this and that gives me hope but at the same time little comfort. Because the other part of me is a very frightened "little girl" who feels lost, alone, abandoned, adrift, isolated...

Despite this I am determined to keep moving forward on this journey. Interesting though, the weight seems like just a battle to be easily won while the rest is all out war.

But a war that I am determined to win!

Sorry for rambling but this is some necessary venting...

Has anyone else experienced this or something similar? And if so, what did you do to help you overcome it?

[curlyredhead]

Saw my WL doctor yesterday...I'm down another 11.3 lbs since last month!

I'm thrilled with this but at the same time there's confusion stemming from internal conflict and a high level of insecurity and lack of confidence.

Last weekend I had a long conversation with a former boss who is also one of my most cherished friends, big brother and mentor. He told me "Don't let the opinions of others determine who you are or how you see yourself." He went on to suggest that I write this on my mirror and leave it there "until it sinks in." I haven't done that yet and may not but it's sound advice and some I need to follow...

To steal from a friend's song..."There's so much left to do but there's so much you've (I've) already done..."

I never expected there would be any conflict/confusion over the positive results of this journey. He asked me if had I known would I have started much less stayed with it? At the moment I don't really know...I did this for me...for my health...I was slowly dying from the excess weight...digging my own grave with my knife and fork.

Thankfully that is no longer the case, so mission accomplished. But this unsteady feeling from the collateral damage of my success is difficult for me...there's no "wall" for me to hide behind even if it was killing me there was a comfort there and sense of consistency...

There's a part of me, the "grown up," who knows I will overcome this and that gives me hope but at the same time little comfort. Because the other part of me is a very frightened "little girl" who feels lost, alone, abandoned, adrift, isolated...

Despite this I am determined to keep moving forward on this journey. Interesting though, the weight seems like just a battle to be easily won while the rest is all out war.

But a war that I am determined to win!

Sorry for rambling but this is some necessary venting...

Has anyone else experienced this or something similar? And if so, what did you do to help you overcome it?





I can relate to this in a different way and possibly a similar way as well.

I have a rare genetic defect that controls my life no matter what I do. When I say control it controls essentially how my body works. But there is a choice to make, do I allow it to control what I do for fun or my life in general absolutely not. In the past when I was younger it nearly caused me to commit suicide a few times. This is how overpowering it is. So far out of all the people I know with this disease, I am the most physically fit and active person.

At one point 6 years ago, I realized I had a choice. That choice was to continue eating the garbage and junk food I ate and gain weight till I had diabetes. Or start to make changes in my life to make me live longer and have fun doing it. I chose the second. Since that happened I went from 185lbs down to about 130lbs and now I am back up to 140lbs. Now my goal is to drop my body fat down to 12%.

Something I want to share with you, is the disease I have doesn't make me who I am, nor does the fact I am a sports fanatic now. I am still that guy who loves to make others laugh. Who is there for my friends and family. If you are struggling to figure out who you are ask your friends when they think of you what comes to mind. Work from that. You as a person as a whole will never change regardless of your weight.

[Hollylane]

Saw my WL doctor yesterday...I'm down another 11.3 lbs since last month!

I'm thrilled with this but at the same time there's confusion stemming from internal conflict and a high level of insecurity and lack of confidence.

Last weekend I had a long conversation with a former boss who is also one of my most cherished friends, big brother and mentor. He told me "Don't let the opinions of others determine who you are or how you see yourself." He went on to suggest that I write this on my mirror and leave it there "until it sinks in." I haven't done that yet and may not but it's sound advice and some I need to follow...

To steal from a friend's song..."There's so much left to do but there's so much you've (I've) already done..."

I never expected there would be any conflict/confusion over the positive results of this journey. He asked me if had I known would I have started much less stayed with it? At the moment I don't really know...I did this for me...for my health...I was slowly dying from the excess weight...digging my own grave with my knife and fork.

Thankfully that is no longer the case, so mission accomplished. But this unsteady feeling from the collateral damage of my success is difficult for me...there's no "wall" for me to hide behind even if it was killing me there was a comfort there and sense of consistency...

There's a part of me, the "grown up," who knows I will overcome this and that gives me hope but at the same time little comfort. Because the other part of me is a very frightened "little girl" who feels lost, alone, abandoned, adrift, isolated...

Despite this I am determined to keep moving forward on this journey. Interesting though, the weight seems like just a battle to be easily won while the rest is all out war.

But a war that I am determined to win!

Sorry for rambling but this is some necessary venting...

Has anyone else experienced this or something similar? And if so, what did you do to help you overcome it?





I have had multiple periods of my life where I have been larger than is healthy for me, some caused by health issues, some caused by my being not-so-attentive to my food choices...

When I am at a healthy weight, I have gone through periods of feeling more exposed, and vulnerable. At one time, after being assaulted, I think I even made a decision (subconsciously) to make myself an unhealthy size, to avoid men finding me attractive. Believe me, I was more than successful at achieving this.

Having been raised by a family who's main career choices center on mental health, I have never found therapists, or group therapy to be helpful, at all. Eventually, I just began having positive inner-monologues with myself, whenever I have feelings of vulnerability, or negative thoughts about my weight, or other peoples' weight. I have to do this, nearly every day, regardless of my size, or current health conditions.

Because, regardless of what my current weight/size is, my brain tells me that I am grossly overweight, so it is important that I the take time to remind myself daily, that my body shape/size does not reflect who I am as a person, and that the most important thing I can do for my body, is to keep trying to stay healthy. I also have to ignore the outside influence of others, who's idea of what is a healthy diet/weight, is very different from what is healthy for me. If I have a conversation about my diet with someone who thinks differently (something I avoid), I find that a lot of people can be utterly and completely negative.

[Dean Thoreau]

Having been the skinny person for 45 of my now 60 yrs on this planet, it has been very difficult for me to adapt to the bigger me...but alas I adapted rather well, and I can give u hundreds of excuses/reasons fro having gotten to the weight of 285 pounds....(actually i tipped 300 but whose counting).
For the past 4 months I have been following a rather strict diet, (Joel Fuhrmans Eat to Live), I am now at 238 (depending on the time of day) and I must admit Scarlet, it is really weird. I would have thought I would be overjoyed by the body changes, and reducation in weight...I am BUt....I have discovered eating was something I did out of boredom, lonleliness, laziness and..damn...I am addicted to sugary crap...One little smidgen and my entire being is craving for more more more....
I quit smoking over 5 years ago...I thought that was difficult, : O
The Eat to live diet is wonderful, I have more energy than I have had in years, I am never hungry and for me when I follow it religiouly, I am never hungry nor do I crave crap food, and I have not missed a single animal product.
I have met with Dr. fhurman, since he happens to practice in my hometown, I also checked him out with a bunch of folks...all I can say is, if it were not for Joel I would not have lost the weight..I have 65 pounds more to go...

One thing a diet can not help me with is..the way the body is loosing the weight..... this chest hasnt gone down at all...i no longer get mistaken for a guy. ..cause there is no way u can miss these puppies....but that is also an issue for me...I like being rather androgynous, (except when i need to use a bathroom) and I am rather butch....and now that...i am loosing weight everywhere but THERE....I feel like I am loosing part of me....
I sometimes wonder if that is why I allowed myself to gain so much weight,,,so my gut would stick out as much as my chest ..and all the psychological issues that went with that.
Well anyway, I am on this diet, it is working...and when I am on the roof of my house, wearing shorts, beater and work boots....old men come over and holler up to me " hey lady you need some help...." first time it happened i looked around to see if there was a lady in distress somewhere....

[Rockinonahigh]

Yeaterday I spent nearly all day either on the road or in at the pool hall,I did eat before I left home but after near eight hours of barely anything I felt like crap.I did a big nono on the way home cause I was to tired to fix anything when I finaly got home.Yes I sined and sined big time cause I stoped at churchies chicken for a box of my fave fried chicken and bisquits,I only had one bisquit plus three small peices of chicken over an hour so it wouldnt hit me stomach like a rock,today the poor things is on revolt kinda.Mostly all I wanted was a cool shower then a nap.The plus being I won a spopt to Vegas for the nationals in August,im still tired from yesterday.I still am watching what I eat even though the steroid shots I have gotten fro my back and shoulder are not helping to foght the weight gain thats going right to my gut.I wish I could find something that works in reduceig it but nothing seems to be working nomater how I work out...i'm not goveig up just wish something would woke even a little.

[Kelt]

Well, this should be a hot kettle of fish...

AMA declares obesity a disease (http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jun/18/science/la-sci-obesity-disease-20130619) Los Angeles Times

If Obesity Is a Disease, Who's Going to Treat It? (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-berardi-phd/ama-obesity-disease_b_3479179.html) Huffington Post

Obesity disease status could hurt insurance, help pharma (http://www.nbcnews.com/business/obesity-disease-status-could-hurt-insurance-help-pharma-6C10395235) NBC News

I was going to take a Coursera course on "Obesity and Economics" this summer. I had to push it off until next summer. Something tells me it is going to be a lot more interesting a year from now.

:glasses:

[Hollylane]

I'm struggling today, just completely impatient with my body, and the way it works (my gastric issues). I need more sleep, because sleep is a very important part (for me) of losing the unhealthy extra weight. I just can't seem to catch more than 5 hours of sleep at a time, this is making exercise a real challenge.

[PaPa]

Well, the time has come when I MUST tackle the weight loss goal with sincerity. I saw a weight loss doc last Monday and she has informed me that she feels the BPD/DS surgery is the best choice for me although the ultimate decision must be made by me. I have gained and lost over the years but each time increasing until at my current weight. Most people don't have to hit the bottom of the barrel with their weight issues, but for me it had to be all the way to the bottom. Soooo...over the last week I have read the entire folder of information they gave to me, began keeping a daily log of intake and exercise (honestly the exercise must be seated because it has gotten that bad for me). I say that in shame, but know there is still hope to improve or I would not even be posting here. I also bought 3 books from OA and have started a daily journal of my thoughts and emotions about my journey. I figure it can definitely help me to get both feet up on the wagon and be willing to make this work.

For some reason in past attempts when trying to lose this excess weight, I would get off say 30 to 60 pounds and all of a sudden I would feel like I were starving or something would happen in my life and I can honestly say I made a mental choice to throw it away. I really want it to be different this time. I really want this monkey off of my back so hope to gain support here as well as who I have in my real life with the support groups and docs, etc...

The foreword of the OA text had a statement that hit me today. It stated "I feel that eating binges are often displaced temper tantrums or rage reactions." How many times when I go for food is it because of something I am feeling emotionally that I dislike?? This also ties in with a quote from a friend of mine that I met on Facebook. A while back she posted "Life is a feast - do not feed your appetite; choose your hunger." To me this has great meaning. Life has so much to offer and instead of compulsively overeating think of the long term. The real hunger is for life...to live fully again. Therefore, each time when encountering food it is possible for me to think of my ultimate goal which is life and doing the things that I can no longer do instead of feeding to relieve the emotional discomfort I am experiencing.

I don't know if this resonates with anyone else, but I have found for today those have been some of my thoughts about my current journey....AND I feel like I have just rambled incessantly and really said not much of anything. LOL!!

[Mopsie]

I am on my phone so this will be short ...

I have decided to use July 4th as the start of my independence from my unhealthy habits. I am going to start moving more and making better food choices. I would like to lose weight but more important to me is to feel better - to have more energy and more desire to do things I enjoy.

[Gemme]

I started getting earnest again with regular exercise and eating better a few weeks ago. Just after my birthday, actually. There's nothing like another candle in your cupcake to make you start thinking about things, right?

There's a certain amount of leeway we have to give ourselves. Most of us have full time jobs and/or other commitments that make devoting time to plan healthy meals and time to go to the gym/for a walk/run, etc very difficult. The last time I began, seriously, a workout regimine and put more thought into what went into my mouth (and tended to stick around a little farther South) I had recently moved from WA to TX and was....temporarily.....unemployed. Granted, I spent a certain amount of the day online doing applications and making calls and going to interviews, but for the most part, I had all the time in the world.

And I made it count.

I dropped 40 lbs and looked and felt better and was happier.

Then I got a physically demanding full time job and I couldn't go to the gym every day and spend 1-3 hours there.

The exercise petered off to nothing and my eating eventually went back to whatever I craved at that moment instead of what my body needed.

So, I've been easing back into it and trying to be more forgiving towards myself. I don't go to the gym every day. I can't. I would burn out and then nothing would get accomplished. I do try to make the time that I am able to devote to the gym count. I don't dawdle too much and I do push myself every time, depending on what I can give that day. Some days, I am on fire and run as if my life depended on it (for brief periods of time, but you know what I mean) and some days it's a victory just to show up and walk for half an hour at a 'normal' pace.

I am the tortoise.

First, the tortoise. Then the hare. Then the eagle.

Center myself and find my path. Check.
Learn how to walk it. In progress.
Learn how to run it. Soon.
Learn how to soar above it. When the time is right.

Yesterday, I just didn't feel up to it. I have a couple of very minor injuries that make running uncomfortable. I could have still gone and walked the treadmill or walked around the neighborhood, but I didn't. Today I had to cut my workout short due to an appointment, but I pushed myself the hardest I could in the time that I had.

I win some, I hold steady sometimes and sometimes I fall behind a little. Ideally, it all comes out in the wash.

I think my main motivation is that I am still trying and things are starting to click into place. Even though I may have eaten something I "shouldn't" have (meaning that moderation is a nifty idea, but only if it's put into practice) or I skip a workout when there's not a medical reason for doing so, I still try. Less soda and more water. Less meat and more beans. More veggies and less pre-packaged junk. More grilled and sauted and less fried. More workouts and less excuses.

I've started to see results and that's always exciting.

I am the tortoise and I'm okay with that.

For now.

[PaPa]

Yesterday while reading I ran across a statement that has had me deep in thought analyzing my compulsions. It was this:

"I feel that eating binges are displaced temper tantrums or rage reactions."

I think this may be true of emotional eaters in general. Food has become a coping strategy to numb the emotions being felt. I know this is true for me.

Does anyone else care to discuss their thoughts on this topic or how they feel it is for them?

[Gemme]

*raises hand*

I gotta get some shuteye for my day tomorrow, but want to chime in on this briefly.

I'm an emotional eater. Any emotion will do. Stressed? Eat something. Hurt feelings? Eat something. Hurt body? As long as it's not a stomach ache, eat something. Angry? Eat something and eat it fast. Bored? Eat something and take my time. The sweeter or creamier or more 'comforting', the better. Don't forget to plunk myself down in front of the computer or TV while doing it.

Emotions: disengage.
Face stuffing autopilot: engage.

Food is love until it's not. Too much love smothers the spirit and too much food kills the body.

I just read a story about a 7 year old boy who volunteers for an organization that trains dogs to signal when someone's blood sugar rises too high or falls too low. One of the dogs signaled at him. His parents had him checked and he's at the tippy top edge of diabetes. SEVEN!

Back on track....


*****possibly triggering******

It...emotional eating...started early for me and has always been a coping method. I haven't been shy about my history. I spent 10 years under the thumb of a controlling, manipulative child rapist as well as experiencing a one time molestation by one of my first cousins at age 5 (he was 14). I think that, subconsciously, I wanted to make myself less attractive in the hopes that it would stop. I know that's a normal response now. Then, it just felt like a failed attempt and thus began the cycle of punishing and rewarding myself with food that I still have to work on to this very day.

[Chancie]

Good Morning!

I just want to share where I'm at; I'm not looking for any advice or suggestions.

I'm still tracking my food, and I've lost about 50 pounds. I still have plenty of weight to lose but my blood pressure's lower, my cholesterol's gone down, and I'm no longer pre diabetic. I'm much more physically comfortable and I just started exercising.

I'm taking water aerobics five mornings a week, and I joined the Y so I can take group exercise classes. I've been doing great, and I am very proud of myself.

My weight loss seems to be stalled since I started exercising. Maybe I'm not drinking enough water; maybe I'm not eating enough calories for my level of exertion. I should have taken some body measurements so I can assess my progress that way.

I know that it took exactly this many years and personal work on myself to get me here, to this place where I can pay enough attention to my body.

[Kelt]

The sweeter or creamier or more 'comforting', the better.

This part stuck me. I happened to be reading a book right now about this very topic, The End of Overeating by David Kessler MD, former FDA commissioner.

It examines a lot of the current chemical tinkering that is going on in the processed food industries right now. There is very targeted manipulation of sugars, fats, and salt, along with texture and mouth feel. It is strikingly similar to what was going on in the tobacco industry 30 – 40 years ago. These foods are being specifically engineered to trigger opiate and dopamine receptors in our brains. Heroin anyone?

This emotional connection that we have to certain foods is most certainly being exploited, only making it worse. For me, knowledge is power, and this is helping. Understanding how it works, and that I am not the only button-pusher involved here somehow makes me feel a little more in control.

Not a fix, just another tool in the toolbox.

[Mopsie]

Happy 4th of July everyone!

For me, today is the kick off day of my healthier habits. (My independence day!)

In the past its been about taking things away ... ie. taking things out of my diet or severely limiting them. I tended to feel like I was missing something or would feel rebellious against the rules.

This time I decided to focus on the positives - on what I'm going to add in to my diet or my lifestyle. The first steps I decided on was to have a piece of fruit every day, drink 8 glasses of water a day, and move more often.

I've been slowly reading through this thread and have been very inspired. Thank you to everyone who has posted!

[Zimmeh]

I am the same way and I am trying to curb my emotional eating habits. When I found out that I was losing my job in May, I would normally go home and find any form of sweets we had. Instead, I took my dog out for a nice walk around our apartment complex and enjoyed it. Each day is a struggle for me since my job has been extended and knowing that I might lose my job at the end of July.

Zimmeh

*raises hand*

I gotta get some shuteye for my day tomorrow, but want to chime in on this briefly.

I'm an emotional eater. Any emotion will do. Stressed? Eat something. Hurt feelings? Eat something. Hurt body? As long as it's not a stomach ache, eat something. Angry? Eat something and eat it fast. Bored? Eat something and take my time. The sweeter or creamier or more 'comforting', the better. Don't forget to plunk myself down in front of the computer or TV while doing it.

Emotions: disengage.
Face stuffing autopilot: engage.

Food is love until it's not. Too much love smothers the spirit and too much food kills the body.

I just read a story about a 7 year old boy who volunteers for an organization that trains dogs to signal when someone's blood sugar rises too high or falls too low. One of the dogs signaled at him. His parents had him checked and he's at the tippy top edge of diabetes. SEVEN!

Back on track....


*****possibly triggering******

It...emotional eating...started early for me and has always been a coping method. I haven't been shy about my history. I spent 10 years under the thumb of a controlling, manipulative child rapist as well as experiencing a one time molestation by one of my first cousins at age 5 (he was 14). I think that, subconsciously, I wanted to make myself less attractive in the hopes that it would stop. I know that's a normal response now. Then, it just felt like a failed attempt and thus began the cycle of punishing and rewarding myself with food that I still have to work on to this very day.

[Zimmeh]

Growing up in a dysfunctional home as a child and being homeless at 16, means that I still struggle with rejection and other emotions. When I am stressed and bored, I will eat more junk food to healthy food. When I am done eating this junk food, I feel bad and mentally berate myself over this. When something is said about the junk food missing, I become embarrassed and really berate myself mentally. When I started my weight loss journey six years ago, I found keeping my emotional eating was easier than now. I thought getting braces would help me loose weight, but it hasn't.

Zimmeh

Yesterday while reading I ran across a statement that has had me deep in thought analyzing my compulsions. It was this:

"I feel that eating binges are displaced temper tantrums or rage reactions."

I think this may be true of emotional eaters in general. Food has become a coping strategy to numb the emotions being felt. I know this is true for me.

Does anyone else care to discuss their thoughts on this topic or how they feel it is for them?

[Miss Scarlett]

It's interesting isn't it? This close connection between our emotions and eating.

There's a flip side to stress eating and I haven't seen it mentioned here...stress not-eating.

Has anyone experienced this?

[alexri]

I can totally understand the "food is love" and "food is comforting" concept. I lived with it for a long time.

Food didn't care that I was/am gay/trans. Food didn't tell me I was stupid like my mom did. Food didn't make fun of me. Food was comforting. It was pleasure in terms of taste.

It took me a very long time to appreciate that food is fuel and that I need to treat it as such. Crap in, crap out. Just like if I use watered-down gas for my car, the performance fails, if I feed myself crap, my body, the machine that it is, will pay for it. For some people, moderation works. For some, it doesn't.

Geneen Roth is a wonderful author and has written many pieces on breaking away from emotional eating.

[Miss Scarlett]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/253635_634589243237199_685631718_n.jpg

[Gemme]

Today was a banner day thus far for me!

Consider this horn formally tooted.

:fart:---but not like this

[Kelt]

Growing up in a dysfunctional home as a child and being homeless at 16, ...Zimmeh

This sounds familiar, for me I was 15 and fortunately my homeless stint was quite brief. The first couple of years out on my own were extremely slim pickings though when it came to food. Even though I worked full time, it was minimum wage, $1.30 per hour. Rent and a bus pass were about all I could have. I spent quite a bit of time genuinely hungry.

What that time in my life has left me with is sort of a weird combination of scarcity/hoarding behaviors in the kitchen. Until fairly recently I have always felt the need to have a jam-packed pantry "just in case". Having so much food around all the time was I am sure a big part of putting all that weight on me that I carried for a decade. If it's in the house, someday, someone will eat it. It was usually me.

I can totally understand the "food is love" and "food is comforting" concept. I lived with it for a long time.

Food didn't care that I was/am gay/trans. Food didn't tell me I was stupid like my mom did. Food didn't make fun of me. Food was comforting. It was pleasure in terms of taste.

It took me a very long time to appreciate that food is fuel and that I need to treat it as such. Crap in, crap out. Just like if I use watered-down gas for my car, the performance fails, if I feed myself crap, my body, the machine that it is, will pay for it. For some people, moderation works. For some, it doesn't.

Geneen Roth is a wonderful author and has written many pieces on breaking away from emotional eating.

I am now at a point where I feel about it much like Alex does. It is an uneasy truce, but holding up a couple of years later. I still keep a well-stocked basic pantry but now it consists of all healthy whole foods.

Assuming that all holds well in my medical world, come September I'm going to embark on another physical change. Again I will experiment and track much as I did with my weight loss challenge. This time it will be for a body composition change. I know it will involve a lot of the same things I went through before with having to move away from some of my new favorite comfort foods and back into some uncomfortable places.

Oh joy

It will involve some "weight loss", although it will be actually more of a weight swap. Even though I am pretty much what would be popularly considered a "normal" (whatever that is) weight, I need to drop some body fat and pick up some lean tissue. A couple of the folks that were in here a few years ago may remember that I spent a lot of time in this thread during my initial changes and I plan on spending more time back in here and in the daily exercise thread when I start the next phase.

The support and accountability that I got in here really helped. I hope some of the people newer to this thread will come to appreciated it as I did. It is a lifeline.

:cheesy:

[Hollylane]

It's interesting isn't it? This close connection between our emotions and eating.

There's a flip side to stress eating and I haven't seen it mentioned here...stress not-eating.

Has anyone experienced this?

When I am upset, I cannot eat, when I am happy, I want to eat. The not eating causes absolute havoc on my body, which already has problems getting the right nutrients, or even digesting foods that it needs to fuel it. With constant nausea (gastroparesis), I'm expected to eat 5 small meals a day (my gastro doc refers to this as eating like I've had a gastric bypass, which I have not), and most days, I can barely get the interest up for one meal. On the happy scale (pun intended), I want to eat the foods that do not nourish me, and my body cannot digest. The parts that I am at fault for, and the one's my body causes, both deliver the same results, my body goes into starvation mode (undigested food/not enough food), and stores everything it can as fat.

When Gaige and I vacation together, I always know how it will end. Yet I do it anyway, every single time, eating the things that she can eat without problems, and ending up sick for weeks after our visits.

I really need to work on the happy bad eating, and the frequent meals (despite my nausea). Sometimes my dieter brain (the one that has fadded out for years), talks me out of frequent meals, because it feels like grazing. See? Work is much needed in these areas.

This week, I'm going to work on getting enough of the right fuel, and try to get down to the pool as often as possible. I love swimming, it is a perfect exercise for me, and I'm hoping that I can get up the drive and energy to make it happen.

I've been doing well this week, with lots of extra walking and the right foods, I've dropped a few pounds this week, but mostly inches. Either one is fine for me, as far as my health is concerned.

[ruffryder]

I wanted to write a quick note about another thing I noticed recently, and I believe it has to do with the increased protein intake and lack of wheat and sugar and that is the severity of my cold.
I just finished fighting off a cold and usually when I get hot by a cold I am out for the count for a few days. This time however was so different. I was still achey and congested but I didn't feel anywhere near as played out or sick as usual. I kept waiting for the cold to get really bad yet it never did. This has never happened to me before. Has anyone else had this experience?
Thanks again Holly, will check it out :)


I definitely believe someone getting sick or catching a cold and how long it takes to recover and get over has to do with diet.


Yesterday while reading I ran across a statement that has had me deep in thought analyzing my compulsions. It was this:

"I feel that eating binges are displaced temper tantrums or rage reactions."

I think this may be true of emotional eaters in general. Food has become a coping strategy to numb the emotions being felt. I know this is true for me.

Does anyone else care to discuss their thoughts on this topic or how they feel it is for them?

I believe you hit this on the nail for a majority of people that struggle with eating binges and emotional eaters. BTW it's great to see you in here PaPa!


Kudos to all that continue to come here and share. Glad to see you all on your weight journeys Thanks!
I've been stuck on the same level and that is knowing what eating healthy is and doing so sometimes and then other times eating whatever the heck I want and having cravings. I haven't really gained or lost. I know what I need to do it's getting motivated or wanting to be motivated to do it. I, like starry have also got the hip hop abs and it's been sitting in the box unopened now for a little over a month!! We moved just about that time and it still sits there. Right before we moved I found some awesome work outs on line and I was doing those in the mornings. When I find them I will post them for those interested. I also lost in the move all my protein visalus shake mix. I was/am bummed and have to find an alternative. I also want to try fresh veggie and fruit smoothies and have been doing research but haven't actually made them yet. We also have a small gym and pool here where we live. I have utilized the pool but not the gym just yet.

So, onward and upward to all.. we have a few months (4) before Thanksgiving and Christmas hit us so we should all make the commitment to focus till then :P

[PaPa]

First of all, thanks Ruffryder for welcoming me to the thread. I wanted to say that first before I forgot.

With the last week I have been reading, analyzing my actions, trying to make changes, keeping a daily food log, writing in a journal, and trying to eat less and move more. I have had one success this week in that I was able to fit back into the pants I wore at the beginning of my internship last summer. However, I celebrated by eating a piece of jello poke cake. I find that the old habits are dying hard. I reach and put things in my mouth before I even think about it. I found this especially true since my brother's family was here for a couple days. I would be interacting with them and not even aware that I was shoving a little bite here and a little bite there into my mouth while we talked. Ugh! I am now trying to figure out how to be more mindful of my actions and even reactions because I think that is what emotional eating is about (the reactions).

Did anyone else have this struggle? If so what strategies did you employ to help stop the behaviors? If you did not have a struggle here what do you think helped so you didn't?

I find my mind running in many different ways with what needs to be done and grasping at ways to get a grip....Idk if this is normal, but it is how it has been this first couple weeks.

[Gemme]

Whenever I would find myself doing that.....nibbling mindlessly on stuff.....I was not above spitting it into the trash. The very second I realized it.

I've also worn a rubber band on my wrist and tried the whole snapping it thing. It's supposed to redirect your attention and can be used for everything from changing eating behaviors to quitting smoking.

Mindful eating is a big deal for me. When I practice it, I don't overeat and I don't emotionally eat because I'm taking time between bites and I'm sipping fluids (ideally, water) every few bites. The fork/knife/spoon/spork goes down between bites and I pay more attention to what's going on around me than what is on my plate. I also ask myself am I really hungry or am I bored/scared/angry/etc. If the answer is not I am hungry or I don't feel the rumble that literally says "feed me!" (flashback to Little Shop of Horrors, anyone?), I don't eat then. Period.

Now, here's the fly in the ointment....how often do I do this? Not nearly enough.

It's absolutely about reflexes, Papa, and retraining yourself to not go on autopilot but to be more aware of what's going in your body. You just started, so give yourself some credit that you realized it and just keep working on being mindful and disengaging that autopilot. Journals are a fantastic way to gauge your progress. Definitely keep that up. Make sure to notate what you're feeling when you eat. That helps too.

[Kelt]

In thinking back over what things have helped me the most so far, I come up with two primary tools. They just happen to be in alignment with what we are talking about here.

Like the others have mentioned, mindful eating tops the list. For me that means no distractions; nothing with a screen, no books, no talking on the phone or anything else that will take my attention away. Early on I made a ritual out of it. I like to set a nice place at a table, use decent dishes and silverware, and make sure I'm eating good quality food. It helps if I can be a little on the hungry side also, my mother always used to say "appetite is the best sauce". I don't do this 100% of the time but as long as I can have one, or better yet, two meals like this in a day it's all good. If I pay attention when I am eating I feel like I have gotten enough. If I don't, sometimes it feels like I just went through the day and didn't eat when the reality is I just didn't pay attention when I was eating.

The other thing that has been super important for me is tracking. I don't do a traditional paper journal, instead I use the computer. I am a self-confessed data geek so it just works best for my natural tendencies. I first have to know what the problem is before I can fix it. Tracking was the tool that let me do course corrections on the fly. Analyzing what I had been doing for the previous few days and seeing what the outcomes were let me skip past plateaus more often than not. Just seeing how things would balance out during the day would help me make better choices for the next day.

Thinking about what Papa said, the habits are really tough. I have seen some research lately about habits and behavior that has come out lately that has contradicted some of my previous beliefs. I used to think that I could replace a bad habit with a good one but found that rarely works out. Some of the newer studies back that up. They're finding that even when we adopt new good habits the old habits remain. It seems that can be helpful to at least partly overlap a bad habit and a good habit. I remember years and years ago when I quit smoking something that helped me a lot was taking up the habit of tootsie pops. That way I took the habit apart a piece at a time instead of all at once. Keeping the oral fixation for a while as I was getting off the nicotine, then tapering off the candy. That might not be the best example here, but it is one that came to mind.

Maybe it might help with the unconscious eating around others if you had something else to do with your hands. I remember when I was young and my mother (back to mom) would be on some diet or other she would use knitting to keep her hands busy and away from snacking, she also then would not want to handle her nice yarn with greasy hands.. Gemme has some good ideas too. Maybe having something like a pack of cards handy where you could keep a little running game of solitaire going would serve the same purpose. Something that would keep your hands actively engaged, and also be something where you wouldn't want to go back to with dirty fingers. It wouldn't be so engaging as to take you away from conversation but would give you something to fiddle with.

Thoughts for now, keep up the great work!

:cheesy:

[Miss Scarlett]

As if I don't have enough stress in my life already ...LOL

I've been doing some thinking over the last few days about something someone said to me recently as Hy lit my cigarette. "We need to work on this." And it was accompanied by THAT look...

After being smoke free for over 23 years, and for no valid reason, on September 3, 2011 I started smoking again. Early in 2012 I quit until the Fall when I picked them up again - this time for stress management; thinking smoking would prevent stress eating. And, for the most part, it did...

There are 5 cigarettes left in the pack sitting next to me and the nearest unopened pack is about a half mile away at Walgreens where, I decided, they shall remain.

I know I can do this, it's easy. But can I do it without regaining any of the weight I've worked so hard to lose? There's only one way to find out...

Wish me luck!

[*Anya*]

I finally bought a scale for my GF's house.

She doesn't weigh but goes by her clothing (too tight, time to eat less).

Not only do I have a history of eating when sad but I have discovered that I eat when happy!

Who knew?

In the end, it is all emotional eating and eating while not conscious of what is going in the mouth-

my mouth, that is.

Weighing myself is the one thing that works for me.

Every morning, naked, before I eat or drink anything.

My personal reality check.

Weighed myself yesterday for the first time in a while.

Reality check indeed.

[girl_dee]

Put a rubber ban on my wrist to snap myself when i feel like munching!!

"Snap!!"

[DiaSmiles]

For the first 35 years of my life I was an emotional eater. As a child and teen I gained weight to protect myself from unwanted advances. In using food for that purpose it also became my friend. I wanted to celebrate with it and if I was sad food was right there with me too! Food was always with me, always around...food never let me down.

I eventually reached 300 pounds and I knew I had to change something. I realized I no longer needed to eat to protect myself from others. I also realized that what I loved so much was killing me. I had several health issues that I had to start dealing with and all my excess weight was making things much worse for my body. I was flipping out at the idea of dieting. I was in no way ready to lose weight. I wasn't ready to give up my comfort..my only friend.

I guess the change came when I started to love myself and I realized I was important and I deserved to be healthy and live a healthy life. In the last 5 years I have lost 160 pounds. I changed my eating habits and lifestyle 100 percent.

In my mind I will always be an emotional eater. It is still a fight sometimes when I have good and bad moments my first thought is what can I eat...
When my girlfriend of 17 years and I broke up last year I fell off the wagon hard. I think I alone supported the Taco Bell and Pizza Hut in my town:)~

Now I control my urges by only having food in the house that I am okay with eating. Do not put any trigger foods in your pantry until you can control yourself around that food. The hardest lesson for me was to take food out of it's *special* place in my life. Food is for the nourishment and health of your body and nothing else. I am at the place now where I can eat any food I want without triggering emotional eating and binging. I have learned to have my favourite foods in moderation and keep my food intake in balance.

One thing I know is you have to really want to eat right and lose weight to be successful. It is so hard to accomplish controlling your food intake when you really aren't ready to face it. I tell myself every morning...that I'm worth it. I think that thought that I am worth it keeps me trying to be as healthy as I can be.

[midwest chick]

It's interesting isn't it? This close connection between our emotions and eating.

There's a flip side to stress eating and I haven't seen it mentioned here...stress not-eating.

Has anyone experienced this?

Guilty as charged...what's crazy is that when things start to calm down, and I start eating again, the weight loss begins, and I can't make it stop. During extreme stress, my cortisol levels shoot up, and combined with less sleep, I can't lose weight even if I try to diet and exercise.

Apparently, lack of sufficient sleep also plays a large role in increasing the cortisol levels, which translates into an increase in abdominal fat (stress) storage. Vicious cycle for anyone dealing with difficulties, especially when combined with insomnia.

[girl_dee]

"snap snap snap!!!"

[SometimesSweet]

Hey All, I just wanted to say how much I am able to relate to what has been shared. Talk about motivation irony, it is amazing to me how I can spend so much time and energy on dating site looking for Ms. Right, instead of getting out there and moving my body to attract the very Ms. Right I seek. :seeingstars:

I will be following this thread for certain, thanks for everyone's sharing it is really great! :)

[Gemme]

Hey All, I just wanted to say how much I am able to relate to what has been shared. Talk about motivation irony, it is amazing to me how I can spend so much time and energy on dating site looking for Ms. Right, instead of getting out there and moving my body to attract the very Ms. Right I seek. :seeingstars:

I will be following this thread for certain, thanks for everyone's sharing it is really great! :)

Welcome to the thread and the site!

Start with taking care of you and Ms. Right will find you.

[Miss Scarlett]

Guilty as charged...what's crazy is that when things start to calm down, and I start eating again, the weight loss begins, and I can't make it stop. During extreme stress, my cortisol levels shoot up, and combined with less sleep, I can't lose weight even if I try to diet and exercise.

Apparently, lack of sufficient sleep also plays a large role in increasing the cortisol levels, which translates into an increase in abdominal fat (stress) storage. Vicious cycle for anyone dealing with difficulties, especially when combined with insomnia.

Interesting that you can't lose during that time. And I forgot about the insomnia that often accompanies this. Yes, it is indeed a vicious cycle.

Not losing weight when stress not-eating is not a problem for me...not sleeping usually is. My biggest problem comes from it being difficult to start eating again after things calm down but that's mostly because of the stomach pain from the stress.

[Daktari]

Another here who doesn't eat when stressed. I believe it's a control issue. At those times of stress, especially when feeling powerless or having no control in various areas of life then food intake is the only thing one can control.

Also in times of stress, my tendency is to 'not care' about looking after or nurturing m'self. A lack of food is part of that.





You mean you didn't realise I was a nutjob before now? :cheesy:

[Kelt]

I guess I hadn't really thought about this in quite a while. When I was younger and I would get stressed I would get a very upset stomach and would not be able to eat because of that.

Somewhere in my middle 30s a switch flipped somewhere. Ever since then stress seems to trigger emotional eating, specifically sugar.

Sugar is my kryptonite.

[girl_dee]

PaPa is helping me to snap my elastic!

It does help, to "snap" rather than snack

Also chewing gum helps...

But today i had a cookie.

[PaPa]

PaPa is helping me to snap my elastic!

It does help, to "snap" rather than snack

Also chewing gum helps...

But today i had a cookie.

I really like that!! "Snap NOT Snack!"
I may try this behavioral modification strategy too now.
Have you truly found it has worked??

[girl_dee]

I really like that!! "Snap NOT Snack!"
I may try this behavioral modification strategy too now.
Have you truly found it has worked??

it sounds crazy, but it has. Around 3pm at work everyone wants a snack, popcorn, cookies, ice cream.... and i want to munch too even though i am not anywhere near hungry and it will ruin my appetite for supper...

so i snapped and stopped thinking about snack!

[Syr]

PaPa is helping me to snap my elastic!

It does help, to "snap" rather than snack

Also chewing gum helps...

But today i had a cookie.

You best be reading labels as gum is usually full of artificial sweeteners

[Miss Scarlett]

This past month has been an out of control emotional roller coaster for me for far too many reasons...as a result I haven't been eating, just can't, and have lost 14.6 lbs as of this morning. I see my WL doctor this morning and can't wait to see what his scale shows...that's where I get my "official" weight. He'll be thrilled at my loss but is going to blow a gasket when he finds out how I did it.

This is a scary time for me; not eating has become very easy and, heaven help me, somewhat "comforting" which is NOT a good thing at all. It's no secret that I am a recovering Bulimarexic, I've posted about it many times. And while I'm not in the incidious binge/purge cycle, I fear that I am heading down the more perfidious path of anorexic behaviors. And they are far more difficult to overcome...

[Kelt]

Warning: product endorsement ahead.

Something that I like to do as a way of keeping an eye on things is to periodically take my measurements. I do this quarterly, it is long enough to show significant progress between measurings. It can also be really encouraging when it seems that progress seems slow. (and helps when shopping for replacement clothing)

I have always just used a cloth measuring tape meant for sewing. I ended up getting this specific body measuring tape as sort of an accident, it ended up being free when I had it shipped with something else.

The Myotape

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/418C2WNACEL._SL160_SL90_.jpg

Getting the measurement right if you don't have someone to help is kind of tricky. I would keep dropping it, or pulling it too tight, or leaving it too loose.This little thing makes it really simple. You just put it really loose around the body part and put the little pin on the end in the holder, then you just push a button and it automatically adjusts to the proper tension and holds it there. Then you can just unhook it and easily get the correct reading. You get the same tension every time. It seems like a little thing, and I never would've bothered with it, but I find it is a really cool little device.

It's $5 on Amazon.

[Mopsie]

So I have changed my mind about my diet.

I am posting it here as a way of holding myself accountable.

I am going to go back to the diabetic plate method diet.

I have done this in the past and it worked well for me.

I'm not diabetic but its such a healthy way to eat.

Okay that is all... thanks for listening.

[Gentle Tiger]

So I have changed my mind about my diet.

I am posting it here as a way of holding myself accountable.

I am going to go back to the diabetic plate method diet.

I have done this in the past and it worked well for me.

I'm not diabetic but its such a healthy way to eat.

Okay that is all... thanks for listening.

What is the diabetic plate method? Don't want to assume.

[Mopsie]

Basically it divides up a plate this way:

(Picture your plate like a clock as I describe this)

Divide the clock in half with a line going from 12 to 6. The left side of your clock should be some sort of vegetable (non-starchy).

Now draw another line from the center of the clock to the three. The upper quadrant is lean protein and the lower quadrant is carbs.

Then you also add (off to the side) a serving of dairy and a serving of fruit.

It is an easy visual way to see the amount of food you should have each meal.

Here is a link: http://www.m.webmd.com/diabetes/using-a-plate-format-for-people-with-diabetes

[Gemme]

Great find, Kelt!

Good idea, Mopsie.

Hope everything works out, Scarlett.

[PaPa]

Basically it divides up a plate this way:

(Picture your plate like a clock as I describe this)

Divide the clock in half with a line going from 12 to 6. The left side of your clock should be some sort of vegetable (non-starchy).

Now draw another line from the center of the clock to the three. The upper quadrant is lean protein and the lower quadrant is carbs.

Then you also add (off to the side) a serving of dairy and a serving of fruit.

It is an easy visual way to see the amount of food you should have each meal.

Here is a link: http://www.m.webmd.com/diabetes/using-a-plate-format-for-people-with-diabetes

First of all, Mopsie, I want to thank you for sharing since I know it is difficult for you. Secondly, I did not know that is what it was called!! I am not diabetic, but the High Risk Obesity Clinic gave me a picture of this method. They include it with all packets they give to patients. The page also had a picture of a deck of cards, a baseball, a golf ball, a poker chip, a hockey puck, etc...It is used as a visual method of learning measurements. I have tried to switch to this method because it is easier to see how much I should be eating and then adhere to that amount versus what actually is taken onto my plate and ingested when not keeping a food log or thinking about it.

I think one thing I am battling for me is the actual addiction part. The sensational aspects of food: the smell, the texture, the taste, the visual component...I have realized it was never about hungry or full. As a matter of fact, I have not known hunger in many years. I do not know what it is like for my stomach to growl and tell me that it needs nourishment. Drinking a glass of water a half hour before meals does not diminish my appetite because in my addiction I entered a pattern of eating past the full point. During those times I would keep eating and then be able to eat more and without pain. That to me is just plain scary when I think about it in hindsight!!! That is insane! I guess addictions are crazy like that!

My next appointment with the doc is on the 18th. I have a nutrition class beforehand. It will be my first actual class because before I did not attend those. When going through my paperwork from all the times I have been there, I realized I have went there off and on since 2000. That is 13 years!! I think it is time to buckle down now and git 'er done! I am really struggling, but I am determined as I have said before. I also am grateful for this thread and the supportive friends I have here. Thanks to all of you for contributing to my recovery.

[Gentle Tiger]

Thank you for explaining Mopsie.

[Miss Scarlett]

Got my "official" number this morning and I've lost 15 lbs...for once my doctor's scale weighed me lighter than my scale at home...not usually the case, go figure.

While my doc was happy with the number he was very unhappy in that I lost that over the last 28 days. According to him it was too high a percentage of my body weight to drop in such a short amount of time.

We had a very long talk about my not eating, my history of eating disorders and everything that's been going on in my life. He actually called me anorexic and I nearly fell off my chair! I pointed out to him that I was neither cadaverous nor skeletal. He reminded me that it didn't matter, that my hair is starting to fall out and my nails have nearly stopped growing and, based on that and my history, I should know what he meant. Sadly I do and really hated to admit that to him...sometimes denial is a very comfy place.

After additional discussion we came up with a "plan" that we can both live with. I'm determined to win this battle. Wish me luck...

[Miss Scarlett]

http://i.pinger.pl/pgr439/916e66940013eed350b26d13

[PaPa]

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/10/25/6-ways-to-beat-your-food-addiction/

I read this today and learned a few interesting things so wanted to share.

[girl_dee]

thank you Papa

Still on the prednisone but soon to be done,.. got get back on track!


and the test shows i have a food addiction tendency!

Truth? If we as humans only ate when we were hungry, and stopped when we were satisfied, we would not have a problem... that's my opinion anyway

Food is comfort and lack of it is comfort for me too, so when i go from starve to binge it plays havoc on me.

Progress always ongoing....

[Gráinne]

I just saw this: http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2013/06/obesity-ama-fat-acceptance

I do think we (I) need to get out of the mindset that fat=unhealthy. Not necessarily. People are the size they are for all kinds of reasons, including genetics. If there's health problems due in part to being heavy, then it makes sense to sensibly reduce. Otherwise, it makes much more sense (and costs far less) to focus on good habits instead of getting to some unrealistic shape or weight.

This week, I was diagnosed with mild, very early arthritis in one knee. I have anti-inflammatories if needed, was instructed to do gentle movement several times a week, and stretch. The doctor did recommend that I lose some weight, as excess weight is hard on knees.

So, onward. This will become a well-read thread for me, and especially the last few posts on mindful eating. I have to confess it's quite overwhelming, though. Maybe one habit at a time, done well.

(oh, and I also show "food addiction tendencies". I knew that deep down, anyway. That's the kind of thing I think I need to go back to OA for, not necessarily a focus on "losing weight").

[Miss Scarlett]

As a matter of fact, I have not known hunger in many years. I do not know what it is like for my stomach to growl and tell me that it needs nourishment.

Been there and thought I'd never recognize true physical hunger either. But now I do and you will too. It takes some time but it does happen. Hang in there, you're worth it!

[PaPa]

Been there and thought I'd never recognize true physical hunger either. But now I do and you will too. It takes some time but it does happen. Hang in there, you're worth it!

Thank you for the words of encouragement Miss Scarlett. Congratulations on your own growth and awareness. I think as I too raise my cognizance to my habits and be more mindful of my actions/reactions I will be able to get this addiction under control.

[alexri]

You best be reading labels as gum is usually full of artificial sweeteners

Glee Gum is a really good natural brand that does not have aspartame or any of the nasty other artificial chemicals. They even sell a home kit for making you own gum. Spry gum is also another good brand.

I avoid any of the major national brands because of the chemicals, dyes and artificial ingredients they put in the gum.

[girl_dee]

Been there and thought I'd never recognize true physical hunger either. But now I do and you will too. It takes some time but it does happen. Hang in there, you're worth it!

i could skip eating all day and eat nonstop after 6pm.

Anyone else?

i love crunchy things and munching.. and thats my downfall. i spend the whole day being *good* then crave carbs and milk after 6-7 pm!

[Gemme]

Got my "official" number this morning and I've lost 15 lbs...for once my doctor's scale weighed me lighter than my scale at home...not usually the case, go figure.

While my doc was happy with the number he was very unhappy in that I lost that over the last 28 days. According to him it was too high a percentage of my body weight to drop in such a short amount of time.

We had a very long talk about my not eating, my history of eating disorders and everything that's been going on in my life. He actually called me anorexic and I nearly fell off my chair! I pointed out to him that I was neither cadaverous nor skeletal. He reminded me that it didn't matter, that my hair is starting to fall out and my nails have nearly stopped growing and, based on that and my history, I should know what he meant. Sadly I do and really hated to admit that to him...sometimes denial is a very comfy place.

After additional discussion we came up with a "plan" that we can both live with. I'm determined to win this battle. Wish me luck...



Good luck!!! Attacking it head on is the best way to ensure your success.

dee, I'm the same way in that nighttime eating is off the charts. I can usually monitor things and keep them to an acceptable level during the day with being busy at work and running errands, etc but at night is when it becomes a true battle of willpower to eat or not eat and what to eat and when to stop.

[girl_dee]

Good luck!!! Attacking it head on is the best way to ensure your success.

dee, I'm the same way in that nighttime eating is off the charts. I can usually monitor things and keep them to an acceptable level during the day with being busy at work and running errands, etc but at night is when it becomes a true battle of willpower to eat or not eat and what to eat and when to stop.


i remember Oprah talked about her weight loss once.. Said she was at a plateau for a while..she change one thing.. No eating after 6pm. It worked. She said she would rush home to get done eating by 6 and that got her going again.

i also heard that you should have a little protein before bedtime to keep metabolism up during the sleeping fast.......

However......Cereal and a glass of milk isn't protein lol.

[girl_dee]

Glee Gum is a really good natural brand that does not have aspartame or any of the nasty other artificial chemicals. They even sell a home kit for making you own gum. Spry gum is also another good brand.

I avoid any of the major national brands because of the chemicals, dyes and artificial ingredients they put in the gum.

Where can you get this?

[girl_dee]

So I have changed my mind about my diet.

I am posting it here as a way of holding myself accountable.

I am going to go back to the diabetic plate method diet.

I have done this in the past and it worked well for me.

I'm not diabetic but its such a healthy way to eat.

Okay that is all... thanks for listening.



i'm interested in this.....could you explain?

ETA I googled this- smart way to eat!

[Mopsie]

Reposting for girl_dee

Basically it divides up a plate this way:

(Picture your plate like a clock as I describe this)

Divide the clock in half with a line going from 12 to 6. The left side of your clock should be some sort of vegetable (non-starchy).

Now draw another line from the center of the clock to the three. The upper quadrant is lean protein and the lower quadrant is carbs.

Then you also add (off to the side) a serving of dairy and a serving of fruit.

It is an easy visual way to see the amount of food you should have each meal.

Here is a link: http://www.m.webmd.com/diabetes/using-a-plate-format-for-people-with-diabetes

[Daktari]

My version of a plate diet is to use a side-plate, not a full-size dinner plate.

It comes from many moons ago when I was teaching m'self to eat in public again...after years of anorexic/bulimic hiding away and refusing to eat with people.

[girl_dee]

[QUOTE=Daktari;822158]My version of a plate diet is to use a side-plate, not a full-size dinner plate.

It comes from many moons ago when I was teaching m'self to eat in public again...after years of anorexic/bulimic hiding away and refusing to eat with people.



i like using small plates myself. It's a good way to tone down portions.

[girl_dee]

Reposting for girl_dee

Thank you!

for me cutting out processed foods is key, when i do i always feel better. High protein low carb.

i just read somewhere that even cutting back carbs twice per week will help tremendously.

[nanners]

Dee!

Here is a link to read about it and but it:

http://www.gleegum.com/sugar-free-glee-gum.htm?c1=GAW_SE_NW&source=BRND&kw=glee_sugar_free__PLUS_gum&cr5=16464978488&gclid=COSF7ICFr7gCFYhAMgodGCcAVA

Also, you can buy it at Amazon.com

Love ya my friend!

[girl_dee]

:mohawk:Dee!

Here is a link to read about it and but it:

http://www.gleegum.com/sugar-free-glee-gum.htm?c1=GAW_SE_NW&source=BRND&kw=glee_sugar_free__PLUS_gum&cr5=16464978488&gclid=COSF7ICFr7gCFYhAMgodGCcAVA

Also, you can buy it at Amazon.com

Love ya my friend!

Thanks!!!!

[Kelt]

My version of a plate diet is to use a side-plate, not a full-size dinner plate.

It comes from many moons ago when I was teaching m'self to eat in public again...after years of anorexic/bulimic hiding away and refusing to eat with people.



Smaller plates/bowls is something I adopted when I started my weight loss 3 years ago and I still eat this way. I find it a lot more satisfying (mentally) to have a big heaping plate and know that I get all of it than to have a small pittance on a giant (American sized) plate.

I got mine very inexpensively open stock at an Ikea store.

American plates are now 11-12 inches, euro 7-9. Mine are 7.

My grandmothers china has 8 inch dinner plates. That is how much things have changed in a short time. No wonder we eat more, and we are a lot less active.

:cheesy:

[alexri]

Where can you get this?

You can get Glee Gum or Spry Gum online, at Whole Foods, or at local indi or health markets.

[PaPa]

I wanted to share with y'all the paper they gave me at the High Risk Obesity Clinic about plate and portion control. I have this posted to my fridge. It is what I referred to when I said I knew what Mopsie was talking about. It helped me to be able to visualize servings and how I should be eating.

I also switched to luncheon plates quite awhile back. My main thing is portion control and this guide definitely helps.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/printable/portion-control-size-guide

[Kelt]

I was doing some reading and thought I would share a small snippet. I haven't seen this mentioned in here before.

Compensatory mechanisms

The human body is very “smart” and has a strong innate drive to keep us alive and to maintain the status quo. When we cut calories without exercising, our metabolism decreases, and proteins like leptin set off the drive to eat more.

Likewise, when we exercise at the same time as we cut calories, the metabolic efficiency of exercise often increases so that we burn fewer calories for the same amount of exercise.

Meanwhile, we also want to eat more – and, without even meaning to, we may reduce our non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).

For example, maybe after a long, tough workout you decide to go through the drive-thru instead of cooking. Even if you choose healthy food, it doesn’t take much energy to get it. Meanwhile, if you’re a 150 pound male, you could have burned roughly 136 calories by cooking for one hour (2). That may not sound like a lot, but if in addition to going to the drive-thru, you also let the kids walk the dog and the dishwasher wash the dishes, and then you drive to the corner for your mail instead of walking, the calorie-burn edge of your workout is completely lost.

As this example demonstrates, it’s tough to capture everything that goes into our energy balance equation and this presents a puzzle for researchers trying to understand the relationship between exercise and weight loss.

I have caught myself doing this more than I care to admit and it can really effect results. It's very easy to say to myself "I killed it on the beach today, this other stuff can wait" and easy as that, lose some of my results.

Just a thought.

[Gemme]

Where can you get this?

Dee!

Here is a link to read about it and but it:

http://www.gleegum.com/sugar-free-glee-gum.htm?c1=GAW_SE_NW&source=BRND&kw=glee_sugar_free__PLUS_gum&cr5=16464978488&gclid=COSF7ICFr7gCFYhAMgodGCcAVA

Also, you can buy it at Amazon.com

Love ya my friend!

You can get Glee Gum or Spry Gum online, at Whole Foods, or at local indi or health markets.

We have some of the Glee Gum here, so we could send it to you to try out. Just let us know where.

I will warn you though....you get 3-4 really good chews before the flavor starts to dissipate. If you're the type to need that flavor as long as possible, you might not love this. If you just need something to keep your mouth busy, this would work.

[Miss Scarlett]

http://photos-ak.sparkpeople.com/nw/8/3/l836912189.jpg

[girl_dee]

So 7 is my cut off time. ( thank you Syr :| )

Hope this helps me break my bad habit..

i have been known to eat middle of the night and wake up to find empty wrappers or half a sammich ...

Crazy stuff !

[Daktari]

Smaller plates/bowls is something I adopted when I started my weight loss 3 years ago and I still eat this way. I find it a lot more satisfying (mentally) to have a big heaping plate and know that I get all of it than to have a small pittance on a giant (American sized) plate.

I got mine very inexpensively open stock at an Ikea store.

American plates are now 11-12 inches, euro 7-9. Mine are 7.

My grandmothers china has 8 inch dinner plates. That is how much things have changed in a short time. No wonder we eat more, and we are a lot less active.

:cheesy:

Really, US dinner plates are so much bigger? :|
Not sure where you got those figures but I've never seen a dinner plate quite that small on my visits to various European places.

Your figures have just spurred me to measure the various styles of dinner plates I have. They range from 10in with 7in usable space to 11in with 8in usable space. I don't count the 'rims' as usable. These are a 'normal' size over here in my experience.

My larger side plates are 8in with 6.5in usable space and the smaller ones 7in with 5.5in usable. These are a perfect size for what mates call my 'bird' portions. :cheesy: cheep-cheep-quack! :duck:

[girl_dee]

Really, US dinner plates are so much bigger? :|
Not sure where you got those figures but I've never seen a dinner plate quite that small on my visits to various European places.

Your figures have just spurred me to measure the various styles of dinner plates I have. They range from 10in with 7in usable space to 11in with 8in usable space. I don't count the 'rims' as usable. These are a 'normal' size over here in my experience.

My larger side plates are 8in with 6.5in usable space and the smaller ones 7in with 5.5in usable. These are a perfect size for what mates call my 'bird' portions. :cheesy: cheep-cheep-quack! :duck:


US plates are humongous ! i prefer to use really small, like a salad plate, and enjoy a second 'serving' ...

[Daktari]

US plates are humongous ! i prefer to use really small, like a salad plate, and enjoy a second 'serving' ...

A salad plate? You don't just have a dinner and side plates? Jeepers! I don't think they taste any different on a dedicated plate. ;)

[Gemme]

A salad plate? You don't just have a dinner and side plates? Jeepers! I don't think they taste any different on a dedicated plate. ;)

But there's so much more! (http://www.wikihow.com/Arrange-a-Place-Setting-for-a-Formal-Dinner)

Slide down to the bottom to see an actual photo/video.

[Kelt]

Hey all

I thought I would put up another "snippet"
This is mostly common knowledge but it never hurts to have a quick reminder
Negative energy balance is burning more that you take in for fat loss
with a focus on losing fat, not just 'weight'

HOW TO CREATE A NEGATIVE ENERGY BALANCE


Build muscle with weight training (about 5 hours of total exercise each week) and proper nutrition
Create muscle damage with intense weight training
Maximize post workout energy expenditure by using high intensity exercise
Regular program change to force new stimuli and adaptations
Boost non-exercise physical activity
Increase thermic effect of feeding by increasing unprocessed food intake
Eat at regular intervals throughout the day
Eat lean protein at regular intervals throughout the day
Eat vegetables and/or fruit at regular intervals
Incorporate omega-3 fats
Incorporate multiple exercise modes
Stay involved with “life” outside of exercise and nutrition
Sleep 7-9 hours each night
Don’t engage in extreme diets for risk of long-term overcompensation
Stay consistent with habits
Ignore food advertising


I wish I could link out to the source material, but these snips are from a private site and I cannot. It is a credible source.

[Mopsie]

*Raises hand*

Umm... can you explain the two I bolded?

And thanks for posting this! :)


Hey all

I thought I would put up another "snippet"
This is mostly common knowledge but it never hurts to have a quick reminder
Negative energy balance is burning more that you take in for fat loss
with a focus on losing fat, not just 'weight'

HOW TO CREATE A NEGATIVE ENERGY BALANCE


Build muscle with weight training (about 5 hours of total exercise each week) and proper nutrition
Create muscle damage with intense weight training
Maximize post workout energy expenditure by using high intensity exercise
Regular program change to force new stimuli and adaptations
Boost non-exercise physical activity
Increase thermic effect of feeding by increasing unprocessed food intake
Eat at regular intervals throughout the day
Eat lean protein at regular intervals throughout the day
Eat vegetables and/or fruit at regular intervals
Incorporate omega-3 fats
Incorporate multiple exercise modes
Stay involved with “life” outside of exercise and nutrition
Sleep 7-9 hours each night
Don’t engage in extreme diets for risk of long-term overcompensation
Stay consistent with habits
Ignore food advertising


I wish I could link out to the source material, but these snips are from a private site and I cannot. It is a credible source.

[Kelt]

*Raises hand*

Umm... can you explain the two I bolded?

And thanks for posting this! :)

Sure, point number 4 comes into play with your resistance training. Standard recommendations are to change things up every 12-16 weeks to avoid stagnation due to adaptation. It can mean changing to different exercises for the same body parts or, if you are doing broad compound movements (pull-ups, squats) it can be as simple as just changing grip or stance widths. If you have access to a qualified trainer that would be a good place for specific recommendations.

On point 11, this would apply to anything really, referring to variety. I take it on this particular list to be more about cardio. Just using different things instead of always doing the same thing. Something which I am very guilty of and am changing now. For instance, if you are alway slogging away on a treadmill, try a bike, or lap swimming. Maybe some outdoor hiking. Any change in activity can help avoid stagnation both physically and mentally. I like the triathlete example of run, bike, swim, as a well rounded approach to cardio.

Disclaimer: This is my opinion, always verify anyones opinion with your own research.

:cheesy:

[Mopsie]

I wanted to share a small victory I had last night...

I went out to eat for Mexican with a friend. I love Mexican and usually eat more than I should. Last night I took a Tupperware container with me. Before eating a bite, I put half of my meal in the Tupperware container to take home with me.

It will be tonight's dinner! :cheer:

[Kelt]

I wanted to share a small victory I had last night...

I went out to eat for Mexican with a friend. I love Mexican and usually eat more than I should. Last night I took a Tupperware container with me. Before eating a bite, I put half of my meal in the Tupperware container to take home with me.

It will be tonight's dinner! :cheer:

Great choice for both the waist and the wallet!

[Chancie]

I wanted to share a small victory I had last night...

I went out to eat for Mexican with a friend. I love Mexican and usually eat more than I should. Last night I took a Tupperware container with me. Before eating a bite, I put half of my meal in the Tupperware container to take home with me.

It will be tonight's dinner! :cheer:

Good for you, Miss Mopsie.

[PaPa]

Mopsie, that is such a great idea! I am going out for dinner with a friend on Friday so I believe I will do that too! I like that idea because I don't see the food on my plate the entire meal. Thanks for the idea!

In other news I go to the high risk obesity clinic tomorrow for a nutrition support class and a doc appointment. I am sure there will be a weigh in and I am not feeling the pounds coming off so we will see. I really want to talk to him about compulsive eating in relation to the weight loss surgery. I do NOT want to go into a procedure like they are talking without having a full grasp on my food addiction first and foremost. Of course I attend a program that has rigid stipulations before surgery can occur anyways so I am sure they don't want that either. Honesty is always the best policy so I will talk candidly to him about the issues as I see them. Otherwise, I cross my fingers and say a little prayer that the scales are a little lighter in numbers when I step on. Good thing I get to take my food and exercise log too. I just wish I were able to walk. That is the part that is most frustrating to me. I miss the activities I used to take part in such as hiking, bicycling, mowing the yard, etc...Haahaa! I know you all will probably be too happy to allow me to mow your yards once I am able to walk again. Right?? *Smiles.

[Gemme]

I wanted to share a small victory I had last night...

I went out to eat for Mexican with a friend. I love Mexican and usually eat more than I should. Last night I took a Tupperware container with me. Before eating a bite, I put half of my meal in the Tupperware container to take home with me.

It will be tonight's dinner! :cheer:

Excellent!

Great choice for both the waist and the wallet!

AND great for the enviornment as there's no styrofoam to throw away.

Mopsie, that is such a great idea! I am going out for dinner with a friend on Friday so I believe I will do that too! I like that idea because I don't see the food on my plate the entire meal. Thanks for the idea!

In other news I go to the high risk obesity clinic tomorrow for a nutrition support class and a doc appointment. I am sure there will be a weigh in and I am not feeling the pounds coming off so we will see. I really want to talk to him about compulsive eating in relation to the weight loss surgery. I do NOT want to go into a procedure like they are talking without having a full grasp on my food addiction first and foremost. Of course I attend a program that has rigid stipulations before surgery can occur anyways so I am sure they don't want that either. Honesty is always the best policy so I will talk candidly to him about the issues as I see them. Otherwise, I cross my fingers and say a little prayer that the scales are a little lighter in numbers when I step on. Good thing I get to take my food and exercise log too. I just wish I were able to walk. That is the part that is most frustrating to me. I miss the activities I used to take part in such as hiking, bicycling, mowing the yard, etc...Haahaa! I know you all will probably be too happy to allow me to mow your yards once I am able to walk again. Right?? *Smiles.

Totally. I'm sure Alex would love give his mowing up a time or two. We have a front, back AND side yard.

Good luck at the weigh in!

[vixenagogo]

We have some of the Glee Gum here, so we could send it to you to try out. Just let us know where.

I will warn you though....you get 3-4 really good chews before the flavor starts to dissipate. If you're the type to need that flavor as long as possible, you might not love this. If you just need something to keep your mouth busy, this would work.

DaddyClyde and I have sampled/ordered glee, pür and spry. we are partial to the spry. it seems to hold its flavor the longest. we just order it from amazon.

[PaPa]

Good Evening! I am sorry for the delay in posting from yesterday's nutritional meeting, weigh-in, and doc appointment. Today was yet another test for my lungs. No results on that, but here is what I learned yesterday. I took notes! *Smiles. In the surgical program where I go 5-10% keep the weight off. They say it is quite common for those of us with weight issues to backslide and the nutritional classes and support groups offered now before surgery are to help us practice our lifestyle changes. I will type the entire sheet I received for those who are interested in reading it.

Think before you eat! Keeping food logs will help you with this. "Before you bite it, Write it!"

Chewing food well (30-40 chews before you swallow) Food should be of the consistency of appleasauce before you swallow. Venison is a very dry meat and people who have had surgery sometimes have difficulty with it getting stuck in ducts.

Slowing down the rate of eating. Pouch can hold 1 ounce of food in 10 minutes. It takes your brain 20 minutes to let your stomach know there is food in it. Meal time should last at least 30 minutes.

Stop when you feel comfortable (not overly full). After surgery eating tot he point of fullness could cause your pouch to stretch, become damaged, and/or cause sickness.

Reducing portion sizes. After surgery a meal will consist of about a cup of food with 1/2 of that coming from protein sources. Will help with pre0surgery weight loss, also.

Eat three meals per day with 2 snack times (if needed). Eating scheduled meals and snack times will decrease the amount of "Grazing" on empty calories throughout the day now and after surgery. No skipping meals! The first meal of the day should be within 2 hours of waking up. If you skip a meal ask yourself why you really missed it.

Make healthier food choices (in general). Protein, fruits/vegetables, whole grains. Will help with weight loss but will also provide adequate nutrition.

Choosing low fat/ low sugar foods and reducing alcohol consumption. After bariatric surgery foods high in fat and sugar could cause dumping syndrome. Each food serving should have no more than 5 grams total fat and 10-15 grams total sugar. Beverages containing more than 10 calories per serving should be avoided.

Sip slowly adequate amounts of non-caffeinated/ sugar free/ non-carbonated fluids. No caffeine, no carbonation, not straws!

Separate solids and liquids. No drinking with meals and separate from meals by 30 minutes before or after a meal for gastric bypass, sleeve, BPD, 60 minutes for lap band.

Exercise should be 2 hours 30 minutes or more per week. Make it do-able. Start small. 10 minutes 3 times per day.

Now via the doc afterwards. Practice behaviors learned in nutrition class. Increase physical activity by 10 minutes per exercise day. Water intake 61-96 oz per day. 1800-2000 calories per day. No skipping meals. Begin taking metformin hcl 500 mg 1 by mouth daily for 1st 7 days, then 1 by mouth twice daily. Referral to counseling for compulsive overeating to deal with the compulsivity before surgery.

Now the weigh-in results....I lost 1 pound. He said, "it is better than gaining or even holding the same. So I will take it!" Although I was disappointed, it was positive because it is one more pound toward me goal. Right??

Hope this is a refresher for those who need it or helpful to those who have never heard this info before.

[girl_dee]

Moose I have a friend that when she goes out to dinner she asks for half to be put in a to go container and to serve the other half


Tupperware even better!!

Congrats PaPa !!!

[girl_dee]

**Moose**? i must stop posting from my iPhone!

Sorry about that Mopsie! lol

i am already a fan of meditation and as a hypnotherapist i know the power of suggestion...there are a ton of meditation YouTubes out there!

do you know that even after you fall asleep words that are spoken are recored by your brain.so even when you fall asleep on a meditation it's working for you!

i found this last night and i am not even sure of what was said but i have not snacked or wanted to snack all day...

/o1AeeugeINo

[girl_dee]

so i've had a few days of no processed foods (i did have one piece of bread yesterday) and wow i am feeling so good!

[Mopsie]

so i've had a few days of no processed foods (i did have one piece of bread yesterday) and wow i am feeling so good!

Wow - good for you! That has got to be hard to do. :cheerleader:

I have not been doing so well with eating healthy. I have been eating a piece of fruit each day, but I've also been eating all sorts of no-no foods like chips and cookies.

I don't know what happened but my motivation took a vacation. :(

[Andrea]

I have written about the SparkPeople website before. The site offers support, articles, tracking, recipes, videos and more.

Recently, SparkPeople put out a book called Spark Solutions. About two months ago, my honey and I borrowed the book from the library and started the program. In those two months, in spite of multiple traveling and other things attempting to side track us, we have both lost weight, lost inches, and feel healthier. The majority of the recipes are delicious (once my honey added more spices) and we don’t feel like we are struggling to maintain the program.

The book offers two full weeks of detailed meals (including recipes) and exercise, with explanations and alternatives. You can even get the grocery shopping list for the meals on the website.

The book also offers directions for weeks three and four, or you can redo weeks one and two, as we have done.

I don’t know how you all are, but I am intimidated by food choices and cooking and tend to eat what I have always eaten with little thought to what is in it. Spark Solutions allows me to concentrate on learning portion sizes (my big downfall), while learning new ways to make dishes using healthy alternatives.

I am even more intimidated by working out or going to the gym and I don’t want to pay a trainer to torture me on their schedule. Spark Solutions takes the guesswork out of working out for me. I know how often to concentrate on cardio, when I should do strength training, and when I should rest.

Bottom line is we found something that works well for us and have purchased the book, now that we know it works.

Anyone else doing Spark Solutions?

[Ranger Butch Force]

I've been doing Paleo for about two months now and I've lost about 30 pounds. When I researched it I thought "I can do this because I can still have bacon and coffee", but then I saw you can't have peanut butter. That was a tough one, and still is. I do cheat every now and then and slap some peanut butter on a celery stick and some raisins, but that's about it.

I exercise on my days off because my job is physically demanding, so I need to keep moving.

The true test is when I head to Burning Man and keep on the diet, since it mostly consists of meats and veggies it will be a challenge to keep those items cold and/or frozen for two weeks (I don't do the RV thing out there). I may need to get more dry ice this time around.

[Miss Scarlett]

Had an interesting appointment this morning with my WL doctor...lost 8 lbs in the last month and he was not a happy camper. Since I've been having the problem of not eating the goal was to not lose anything over the last month and, in fact, he wanted me to gain a pound. I honestly did try to eat and while I did try, my calorie intake was minimal hence the loss.

So now, among other things, I have to add Ensure Plus at least twice daily for the next week and see him again on Friday...we're taking it a week at a time unless I lose anything over the coming week...

For the record, that stuff tastes nasty...

[Gemme]

I'm maintaining. I keep sliding back and forth between the same 2-3 lbs and that's okay. I'd like it to slide on the downward side a little faster but the longer it takes, the longer it will stick.

[Hollylane]

I'm up two pounds today, but I'm not discouraged. I have been doing all of the right things, and my body is feeling healthier, and that is the most important thing of all.

[Miss Scarlett]

I'm maintaining. I keep sliding back and forth between the same 2-3 lbs and that's okay. I'd like it to slide on the downward side a little faster but the longer it takes, the longer it will stick.

I'm up two pounds today, but I'm not discouraged. I have been doing all of the right things, and my body is feeling healthier, and that is the most important thing of all.

You ladies absolutely rock!

[Daktari]

Don't forget if you're building lean muscle mass then you could well remain the same weight or heavier.

[Gemme]

Don't forget if you're building lean muscle mass then you could well remain the same weight or heavier.

That's very true. Plus there are natural horomonal fluctuations to consider too. I have crazy fluctuations the week of, the week before and the week after so my only 'true' reading falls in the remaining week.

I'm not unhappy with my progress. Not all all. I am eating much healthier again, feeling better, and actually thinking about what I'm putting into my body and what the results will be from it (sluggish, tired, energized, stuffed, full enough, etc) now. My body is responding appropriately according to what I eat, what exercise I'm getting and my general in/output of calories.

I just wish it were as easy to come by as it was when I was getting to the point I was at before. *grin*

[Joness]

Was introduced to this eye opening documentary made in the US. Absolutely blew me away was shocked to see what a money maker illness and bad health is. Here is a link to a trailer of the movie:

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/food-matters/

I did eat healthy anyways before watching this and exercise regular but after seeing this realised that I needed to up my intake of vitamins and minerals it reassured me the importance or steering clear of conventional medicines especially when they were not completely necessary.

Green Tea all the way :-) :tea:

[girl_dee]

No bread or bread products in over a week,,,,!!!

[Andrea]

Today I achieved a weight goal I have been working towards for at least a year. It has been slow and often disrupted by life, but I made it. Along the way, I have learned many healthy living things about food and exercise, and I will never go back to treating my body badly the way I once did.

Yippie for me!! Doing the Snoopy happy dance and wiping happy tears from my eyes.

Hmmmm..... Is this important enough to wake my honey to share? LOL

Tomorrow I will set my next weight/health goal. Happy, healthy living to you all.

[Gemme]

Congrats, Andrea!

I haven't met my goal but I'm close and within a reasonably accessible range of doing so. Thus far, I've dropped about 18 pounds. It doesn't sound like much, but on my 5 ft 1.5 inch frame, every ounce shows. I feel soooo much better too and find myself, 7 out of 10 times, reaching for a healthier option than I would have a few months ago. I've done it without depriving myself; a sure way for me to fail, so I'm stoked about that too.

All good things!

[DapperButch]

Congrats, Andrea!

I haven't met my goal but I'm close and within a reasonably accessible range of doing so. Thus far, I've dropped about 18 pounds. It doesn't sound like much, but on my 5 ft 1.5 inch frame, every ounce shows. I feel soooo much better too and find myself, 7 out of 10 times, reaching for a healthier option than I would have a few months ago. I've done it without depriving myself; a sure way for me to fail, so I'm stoked about that too.

All good things!

Damn, girl, 18 lbs! I had no idea. You don't talk much on the exercise thread about what you are eating. You need to clue us in. I didn't even realize weight loss was a significant part of ahy you were working out. You lost that fast and all with hard work. Congrats!

[Hollylane]

Congrats, Andrea!

I haven't met my goal but I'm close and within a reasonably accessible range of doing so. Thus far, I've dropped about 18 pounds. It doesn't sound like much, but on my 5 ft 1.5 inch frame, every ounce shows. I feel soooo much better too and find myself, 7 out of 10 times, reaching for a healthier option than I would have a few months ago. I've done it without depriving myself; a sure way for me to fail, so I'm stoked about that too.

All good things!

Goodness...You better believe that is a lot to lose, and to be proud of!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Gall-dindi.jpg/220px-Gall-dindi.jpg

Congratulations, you have now lost more than the average weight of a turkey! That is awesome!

[Gemme]

Damn, girl, 18 lbs! I had no idea. You don't talk much on the exercise thread about what you are eating. You need to clue us in. I didn't even realize weight loss was a significant part of ahy you were working out. You lost that fast and all with hard work. Congrats!

Thanks. It wasn't fast at all, though. It's taken me 3 months. After my last birthday, I started getting serious about my health again.

A store chain here, Stop 'n Shop, has some pretty nifty pre-made salads in their deli section. The ones that I usually get are the health salad, the broccoli salad and a Greek pasta salad. The last one's not necessarily 'healthy' eating with pasta and a heavier sauce so I don't get it as frequently as the other two. Mainly, it's the health salad I love and I haven't found it anywhere else and I don't find it at every Stop 'n Shop either, so when I find a store that sells it regularly, I stalk them.

The health salad contains small seeds, finely chopped nuts, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, raisins, dried cranberries, diced red onion and a very light sauce. It's basically all I need on a daily basis....protein, veggies, fruit and something to make it stick.

Breakfast and lunch, on working days, are pretty routine. Breakfast is high fiber oatmeal with chopped pecans and walnuts and blueberries mixed in and it's cooked in fat free milk. I drink a small glass, maybe 4 oz of oj with it. Lunch is a frozen lunch. Either Smart Ones or Healthy Choice something or other, 300 calories or less. I have a couple of small sides with it...usually fresh fruit (grapes are my fave) and either a container of pear applesauce or mandarin oranges. What I have depends on my frozen entree. If it's acidic already, I chill on the oranges, for example.

Those are very structured meals and are easy for me. Dinner is the wildcard. I cook more than I go out. Luckily for me, I'm happy to eat something until it's gone, even if it's 2-3 nights in a row. For example, last night I had turkey bacon with a little Greek pasta salad and a big tossed salad. The night before, I cooked a thin steak and cut it up and made a steak pita with a whole wheat pita, pepperjack cheese and a smidge of steak sauce. Tonight, it'll be steak again (I do love my red meat) but I'll saute some mushrooms with it in a sauce and have a big salad. Basically, I try to hit the major food groups and I try to not go overboard on the fat and unnecessary stuff that I won't taste in the final product.

Some days, though, I want ice cream. I just choose the best ice cream that I can. I have a crazy intense sweet tooth and root beer barrel candies and Tootsie Pops seem to be enough to take care of that when it crops up.

I don't skip meals. I always eat breakfast. I try to drink as much water as I can in the morning and at work because I only want soda with dinner. I drink water after dinner as well. I'm active either with my workouts or doing manual labor at work during the day. I listen to my body more now. Before I stuffed my face until the emotional urge to eat was over. There are certain foods that I just enjoy the feeling of eating...it has nothing to do with nutrition or hunger at all. By that time, my stomach is too full and uncomfortable. I take longer to eat now, so my brain registers that I'm eating and I've had enough. When I do get cravings, I try to talk to myself to find out if it's a random, meaningless craving that maybe a commercial initiated or if it's something I really and truly want.

No one's perfect and I've still had more sweets and junk than I would care to eat but when I am driving home and I pass by Burger King (I used to work there many moons ago and still love the smell of the broiler in the air), the smell gets me once in a while but most of the time, it's now a fond memory versus a Pavlovian response.

[Gemme]

Goodness...You better believe that is a lot to lose, and to be proud of!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Gall-dindi.jpg/220px-Gall-dindi.jpg

Congratulations, you have now lost more than the average weight of a turkey! That is awesome!



Gobble, gobble!

:)

[DapperButch]

Hey, Gemme, thanks for the info on your eating. Sounds like you can really balance eating healthy and enjoyable.

[Gemme]

Hey, Gemme, thanks for the info on your eating. Sounds like you can really balance eating healthy and enjoyable.

I try. I fully expect to gain a couple pounds back during the Reunion though. Being off routine, plus not having my usual staples handy, plus going out the whole weekend....it'll be alright though.

You hit the nail on the head. It's all about balance. Some days I wobble, some days I fall.

[Elijah]

I'm back on track and off the sugar...also, have entered therapy in hopes of having sleeve surgery in 6 mos. One of the conditions my therapist set fourth in order to approve it was that I am to eat like I would post surgically for the next 6 mos.

I won't lie, it sounds daunting. So far, so good. I am down 4 pounds since Thursday, when I started.

It's really interesting what we (as Americans) think a normal portion is. This morning I was making an omelet w/ 2 turkey sausage links, 1 egg, mushrooms, red onion, spinach, and 1 slice of muenster cheese. After just these few days, when I looked at that portion, I had to cut it in half.

I consider that a small victory.

I hope everyone is well.

Elijah

[Nic]

I'm back on track and off the sugar...also, have entered therapy in hopes of having sleeve surgery in 6 mos. One of the conditions my therapist set fourth in order to approve it was that I am to eat like I would post surgically for the next 6 mos.

I won't lie, it sounds daunting. So far, so good. I am down 4 pounds since Thursday, when I started.

It's really interesting what we (as Americans) think a normal portion is. This morning I was making an omelet w/ 2 turkey sausage links, 1 egg, mushrooms, red onion, spinach, and 1 slice of muenster cheese. After just these few days, when I looked at that portion, I had to cut it in half.

I consider that a small victory.

I hope everyone is well.

Elijah

Congrats on your victory Elijah! Hope you reach the goals you determine for yourself.

Hard road, going off sugar. Can be addicting stuff. The woman I'm dating quit using (her term for it) sugar last December. She talks about learning to understand portion sizes also. Apparently she hadn't thought about it until she saw her roommate eating a box of Mac and Cheese and a pint of ice cream for dinner every day. Don't know if it's the key for everyone but she's lost 60 lbs with modest exercise, no sugar and portion control in 9 months. No gimmicks. I dropped 35 lbs about 6 years ago and another 10 last year and portion control is the only reason I had success keeping it off. Don't think I have the discipline for no sugar but if I wanted to lose more, I'd try it.

Glad you're happy with your changes.

[Zimmeh]

After losing my job in July, I went on a binge eating fest. So I have probably gained a few unwanted pounds as a result. Now that I have a job that requires you to be on your feet and is fast paced, I am hoping to loose the weight. I have also been playing the Wii Sports and Just Dance 3. The company that I work for at the airport, gives us a $6.50 credit towards lunch everyday. I have been using it to purchase salads from Chik-Fil-A; our only healthy place to eat. When I work on Sunday and Chik-Fil-A is closed, I got to Quiznos and get a flatbread sandwich with Chicken and Pesto on it. I find it is very hard when I get home from work and I want to *veg* out on the couch and eat every damn sweet in my house. I bought some fresh fruit instead of candy, but the week before *mothernature* hits, I crave sweets! It was so much easier six and a half years ago to lose my original weight of 60lbs.

I am looking forward to losing fifteen pounds! I am signed up with WebMD.com to log my food on a daily basis and I have not done that in awhile. Come Sunday, I am going to start logging my food again and hoping this crazy funk that I have been in goes away!



Zimmeh

[girl_dee]

Good for you Zimmeh!


SInce the Reunion i have been struggling... i crae bread and sugar like nobody's business

i feel so fluidy and swoooshy...

Also since i bought my house i don't walk my dog around anymore..

i am gonna start walking for lunch, the heat is finally going down

[Miss Scarlett]

Gosh, it's been a while since I've posted in here.

Where to start...the problem with not being able to eat is history. It took some doing but I was able to gain nearly 7 lbs.

That sounds odd but my WL doctor explained it was necessary because I was malnourished and my electrolytes were approaching dangerous levels. No more drinking that nasty Pediasure and (equally nasty) Pedialyte every day. No more being "threatened" with another treatment which would have been extremely unpleasant, not to mention socially awkward.

The super short explanation for my not eating - extreme stress.

Every day I thank G-d for the people who never gave up on me.

My WL doctor; so sweet, wise and gentle. A very patient and understanding man but tenacious as all get out! LOL

My friends who cared enough to intervene. Without them life would have been completely unbearable but they kept me afloat in those stormy seas. I am forever grateful to them.

And then there's my Beau. Whose strength, understanding and loving, unconditional support, even during my darkest hours, was simply amazing. He witnessed me at my absolute worst and yet stayed by my side. Not out of some need he had to rescue me but because, as he put it, "You're a wonderful woman who I want in my life. I want to grow old with you."

Now that everything is back on track it's time to start moving forward with my weight loss, though at a much slower pace. This is frustrating (those 7 lbs really bug me) but the healthy way to go and I need to keep that in mind.

[Miss Scarlett]

Sugar is so darn addictive! Did anyone see the story (http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2013/1016/Oreos-addictive-Rats-treat-Oreos-like-cocaine-study-suggests) in the news the other day about Oreos being more addictive than cocaine?

[girl_dee]

Yes i read that on AOL... i am not surprised and it's why i don't keep them or stuff like that in the house.

[Zimmeh]

I had two pieces of German Dark Wheat press with lite peanut butter on them for breakfast.

Late lunch: Grilled chicken sandwich with only pickles.

Dinner: Depends on what time I get off from work.

I power walked up a flight of escalators today.

Zimmeh

[*Anya*]

I thought that since many of us lose our way in terms of sticking to healthy eating over the holidays; it might be a good time to resurrect this thread.

My way has been lost. Not permanently, however.

My daughter was over our house last weekend, with my oldest daughter and I was bemoaning the weight I have gained since I have been with D.

My youngest daughter called them "happy pounds".

Uh, no.

I am personally very happy with my love, my job, my life: but not the pounds I have picked up.

I am working on portion control again, very seriously. That is always my first step.

I am back to at weight management as a critical part of my health.

Healthy Weight Loss has always been a great thread and a big help for me.

How are you doing?

[Andrea]

Thank you, Anya, for bumping this thread. I too have put pounds back on and need to refocus.

I have been traveling this week and find it hard to worry about what I am eating and how much I am eating, especially when I have to consider others and their wishes.

As a side note, I did sign up to walk a 5K in March so I will begin my training in January. I have always wanted to do a marathon so this is a good start.

[Orema]

Ten good foods to eat while dieting. (http://healthyliving.msn.com/nutrition/10-foods-to-eat-so-you-never-have-to-diet)

[D Phryxus]

A new determination.

I have decided that I need to buckle down and release this weight. I try not to say l-o-s-e weight because I believe words have power and I don't want my subconscious going "Lost? We lost something? Ok I'll fix that and add more."

I am at the heaviest I have ever been after years of yo-yo-ing between 120 and 140. I am now 180,nearly 190 and feeling it. Most of this was put on during a very stressful time in my life. Now that I have a better outlook, I want to feel better too.

According to the BMI chart I should be around 100lbs (i'm 5 ft tall). So i'm trying to think of accessible goals and ways of achieving them.

My biggest thing is doing exercises that I actually will want to do at home. I love dancing, particularly belly dancing, so I'm looking for video instructionals I can do at home. I also used to do kung fu and ken-do. I'd be willing to do other types of work outs as well but my biggest thing is something that will keep me from being frustrated and bored.
Does anyone have any suggestions for dvd's that I might be able to get my hands on?

[Daktari]

A new determination.

I have decided that I need to buckle down and release this weight. I try not to say l-o-s-e weight because I believe words have power and I don't want my subconscious going "Lost? We lost something? Ok I'll fix that and add more."

I am at the heaviest I have ever been after years of yo-yo-ing between 120 and 140. I am now 180,nearly 190 and feeling it. Most of this was put on during a very stressful time in my life. Now that I have a better outlook, I want to feel better too.

According to the BMI chart I should be around 100lbs (i'm 5 ft tall). So i'm trying to think of accessible goals and ways of achieving them.

My biggest thing is doing exercises that I actually will want to do at home. I love dancing, particularly belly dancing, so I'm looking for video instructionals I can do at home. I also used to do kung fu and ken-do. I'd be willing to do other types of work outs as well but my biggest thing is something that will keep me from being frustrated and bored.
Does anyone have any suggestions for dvd's that I might be able to get my hands on?

For something a bit more low impact but high results [...in my experience and when the requisite disciplined effort is put in of course] Darcy Bussell's Pilates for Life dvd is one to look out for.

Walking. Walk, walk and keep on walking...try putting Eckhart Tolle Power of Now and/or New Earth on you phone/ipod to keep the walk interesting.

Start small work up.

[Medusa]

Maybe time to resurrect this thread?!

Between getting back on the wagon with my meal plan and being sick last week I lost 8 pounds in 7 days.

I had lost 151 pounds on my own over the last couple of years but had gained 20 pounds back over the last 5 months. Decided to button down last week and get back to what I know is good for me and the 8 pounds is feeling REALLY good off of my knees!

Going back to a 99% meatless diet and back to my Fitbit steps!

anyone else back on the wagon?

[Gemme]

That's phenomenal progress, Medusa. The past two and a half months I've been working to bring down the number on the scale and, more recently, to keep an eye on my sugar intake. It's been slow-going but I'm down a little over 11 lbs. Hopefully, the slower it goes, the more likely it will stay off.

[legally_b10nde]

I drink green tea 2-3 times a day

[Medusa]

I'm hanging in there with my weight but would really love to lose about 30 pounds! Anyone on Fitbit regularly and up for step challenges?

[Zimmeh]

My goal is 40lbs next year. One of my coworkers is willing to help me with meal planning and finding exercises that I can do. My knees are letting me know it's time to lose the weight again. I use the LoseIt App and it's easy to use!

I have been doing meal planning and this helps!

Good luck to all of us!

Zimmeh

[girl_dee]

I have gone off the deep end.

Since I moved here in January my entire regular diet is gone off the deep end.

Why am I suddenly eating junk that I never ate in my life!

[girl_dee]

one month later, junk free, just about sugar free.

i feel so much better, but definitely gained some weight during my 2 months home, and not giving a care about my well being.

[Gayandgray]

I've been trying to cut. Ack on junk food and eat more fruit, peanuts, hard boiled eggs, Greek yogurt instead. And I'm watching my portion sizes. Hey it's better than nothing & im losing slow and steady.

[cinnamongrrl]

I finally realized if I just give up the things I love and crave it sets me up to fail...

Instead, I have found healthy replacements for the foods I know I can't live without.

For example:

Ice cream. I started making my own version in my food processor. It starts with 3 frozen bananas and I add to it to make whatever flavor I want.

For a salty snack, I got a whirly gig type popcorn popper. I use coconut oil in a minimal amount and use good sea salt. Im also going to add nutritional yeast on occasion for that yummy cheesy flavor.

I've started reading labels and cutting back on sugar. But if I do eat something really "bad" I just have less of it.

Now I don't feel deprived nor do I feel heaped with guilt when I do partake.

Still no replacement for beer though. I've read that wine is better so maybe back to that. I only get to drink on my,nights off any how. ...

[girl_dee]

ok i figured i probably gained about 15 -20 pounds over the months before my coming to life.

i am bread free AND junk food free 3 weeks now...

i feel better. thats all i care about i think

i am feast or famine....

[Gayandgray]

I concocted my own sweet snack to eat instead of cake, pie, etc. I use natural peanut butter (crunchy), 2 bananas, a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, and I crumble up one of those KIND pressed fruit bars (the coconut pineapple one), mix it all up in a bowl or I could use the food processor I guess? It's good and satisfies my sweet tooth. Not sure how fattening it is? But hey, it's gotta be better than eating other stuff I can think of!

[*Anya*]

I concocted my own sweet snack to eat instead of cake, pie, etc. I use natural peanut butter (crunchy), 2 bananas, a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, and I crumble up one of those KIND pressed fruit bars (the coconut pineapple one), mix it all up in a bowl or I could use the food processor I guess? It's good and satisfies my sweet tooth. Not sure how fattening it is? But hey, it's gotta be better than eating other stuff I can think of!

It depends on what you are going for: reduced total calories, decreased sugar or low carbs.

Your snack does sound yummy.

I found a good site that has most foods. I just put in the name, get what I am looking for (usually the total sugar and the carbs) and then add it up.

I know there are lots of good sites people use.

http://www.fooducate.com

[Gayandgray]

BUMP! BUMP!

[girl_dee]

hi!

i am on a Keto plan right now, i am not losing i don't think but i feel 100% better!

[Gayandgray]

I need to do something because being obese is starting to affect my joints....:seeingstars:

[girl_dee]

I need to do something because being obese is starting to affect my joints....:seeingstars:

have you tried Keto? It will melt off i tell ya.......

[nina03]

I am doing weight watchers, and it has been super successful for me. Unfortunately, right now, I have two relationships ending at the same time, so I've lost about 30 pounds in six weeks from the stress, which is too fast. I need to slow it down so it is sustainable and I can maintain it.

[Zimmeh]

What is Keto? I have been using the LoseIt App and I plan my meals for dinner with it. Since I walk about 7.5 hours a day at work, I have been accruing a lot of calories. So far, I am down almost 8,000 calories for the week.


Thank you!

Zimmeh

have you tried Keto? It will melt off i tell ya.......

[Gayandgray]

have you tried Keto? It will melt off i tell ya.......



I've done keto in the past as a meat eater. Can you do keto as a vegetarian or vegan?

[girl_dee]

I've done keto in the past as a meat eater. Can you do keto as a vegetarian or vegan?

I dont see how unless there is sonething i don't know....

[girl_dee]

What is Keto? I have been using the LoseIt App and I plan my meals for dinner with it. Since I walk about 7.5 hours a day at work, I have been accruing a lot of calories. So far, I am down almost 8,000 calories for the week.


Thank you!

Zimmeh



Its basically Atkins... if you are a meat eater like me its perfect...

[apollo]

Well I got a physical today and I weight 20 pounds less than last year. I didn't think I would lose that much but little things add up, like reducing carbs and portions. I need to start gaining some muscle though my arms are weak :(

[girl_dee]

Well I got a physical today and I weight 20 pounds less than last year. I didn't think I would lose that much but little things add up, like reducing carbs and portions. I need to start gaining some muscle though my arms are weak :(

Yes it works! Losing the carbs changes the body thats for sure!

[*Anya*]

I just bumped the High Protein/Low carb thread.

It is chock-full of terrific recipes and great information on low carb and paleo.

:girleating:

[Wrang1er]

I've lost 8.4 lbs since July 17th. I've been trying to walk 5 miles a day and eating better. I cut out pop and sweets plus cutting back on carbs.

[PlatinumPearl]

I've done keto in the past as a meat eater. Can you do keto as a vegetarian or vegan?

Yes, you can. A Ketogenic Diet is a diet that is low in carbohydrates, high in fat, and has a moderate level of protein.

Download a sample Keto Diet plan and customize to your liking.

Good luck! :)

[Wrang1er]

I have lost 15 lbs since July 17th. I have 8.2 lbs to go to reach my first goal. I've cut out pop and candy totally. I've cut back on carbs. It's hard to eat as healthy as I would like since I live with my mother. She fries most everything and there's always lots of potatoes and carbs. I do my best though. I did eat 2 m & m cookies on Wednesday (so I guess I can't say all candy). I feel guilty so I walked 2 extra miles that day. I was hoping to be at my first goal by my birthday on Thursday. I wanted to be able to put my first goal weight on my driver license. I am not sure if that's possible. I'm going to do my best!

[FireSignFemme]

Since watching calories/cutting slightly back on carbs wasn't making a difference, decided drastic dietary changes were in order/began in earnest yesterday. Wound up sleeping 16 hours, woke early this morning to leg cramps and worst headache I've had since brain surgery. From what I've read sleep only prolongs these symptoms. It's advised to resist urge to go back to bed so to help stay awake drank coffee, to combat cramping had bouillon. Surprisingly it did help. Fortunately I've been slowly working up to this change or no telling how wanting to rip fistfuls of my hair out and scream this induction phase would be making me. Don't understand why I'm so tired despite reducing carbs. Usually if I eat a lot of carbs it knocks me right out. Anyhow I'm envying Monte right now. He got to stay up late, party unchecked most of the night, play outside all full of energy this morning, overeat, zonk out and sleep all afternoon – he's still asleep. Well maybe some more coffee and dinner a bit earlier than usual. Seems this change is turning me into a real whiner – I hate that, I don't much like, care for people who whine a lot and it now it seems I'm turning into one.

[Wrang1er]

I am now down 21.4 lbs since July 17th. I have 1.8 lbs to go before hitting my first goal. I should have already reached that goal but unfortunately I have been slacking the last couple weeks. Better late than never though!

[girl_dee]

I am now down 21.4 lbs since July 17th. I have 1.8 lbs to go before hitting my first goal. I should have already reached that goal but unfortunately I have been slacking the last couple weeks. Better late than never though!

This is great !!!

[Wrang1er]

This is great !!!

Thanks Dee! :)

[girl_dee]

i need to get on a scale but I know it won't be good. I don't feel comfortable in my clothes, I know I could've doing better.

[Esme nha Maire]

Exercise-wise I'd thoroughly reccomend trying Pilates, which can be done at home with just an exercise mat, and doesn't require one to be a complete bendy-wendy in order to get real benefits from it. Yes, once you've got the hang of some basic moves, there are some bits of kit that can help increase the effectiveness of some exercises, but they are absolutely not essential. Most of the benefit from Pilates is by using your own body parts as the weights you are moving, and it's no-impact exercise.

With regard to food, I tried cutting stuff out, avoiding stuff, etc, and generally that only had temporary and limited success. What worked better for me was simply reducing portion sizes, and the frequency with which I'd treat myself, plus tilting my diet towards more protein, somewhat less carbs, and quite a bit less sugars. Whilst I'm not (currently) vegetarian (I have been for months at a time in the past), probably about 2/3 of my protein intake is in the form of 'fake meats' - I simply like their taste, and actually prefer their texture to the real thing.

Also, having ones biggest meal at breakfast, a somewhat smaller meal at lunchtime, and smallest one in the evening, plus healthy snacks (eg: rice cakes or crispbreads with cottage cheese, rather than the 'healthy' munchy bars full of carbs and sugars one can buy) inbetween is a thing that I've tried and seems to help me, plus directly after exercise (within the next hour or two) is definitely the best time to consume protein. Oh, and making sure to stay reasonably hydrated, that's very important, both because it ensures your kidneys can function well, and because the fluid fills you up. Water is perfect for this, most commercial 'hydration' drinks are simply not worth it, and skimmed milk is, believe it or not, just about the best thing you can drink after exercise, as it rehydrates you, provides some protein, and some useful vitamins.

I am not a guru on this though - a lot of my information on food comes from an excellent book on sports nutrition that I purchased when I still had some hope of turning myself into an athlete, and the rest from trainers I've had contact with at a couple of gyms.

[Mopsie]

I struggle with food addiction. I go to a 12-step program and have a sponsor but have not had sustained abstinence for a while now. For me that means bouts of binge eating which makes losing weight difficult. I have lost 30 lbs total since January but it's been a slow process.

Right now I'm working on using coping skills instead of running to food when I'm stressed. My eating plan is based on counting calories and staying away from food triggers.

For exercise I'm walking 3 or 4 days a week in my neighborhood. There are a lot of other folks out walking so it feels safe.

This is a great thread. Thanks for sharing everyone. :)

[Gayandgray]

I am now down 21.4 lbs since July 17th. I have 1.8 lbs to go before hitting my first goal. I should have already reached that goal but unfortunately I have been slacking the last couple weeks. Better late than never though!

Hey, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That is very impressive Wrangler!

[Gayandgray]

I struggle with food addiction. I go to a 12-step program and have a sponsor but have not had sustained abstinence for a while now. For me that means bouts of binge eating which makes losing weight difficult. I have lost 30 lbs total since January but it's been a slow process.

Right now I'm working on using coping skills instead of running to food when I'm stressed. My eating plan is based on counting calories and staying away from food triggers.

For exercise I'm walking 3 or 4 days a week in my neighborhood. There are a lot of other folks out walking so it feels safe.

This is a great thread. Thanks for sharing everyone. :)



I always eat when I'm stressed..... I know I have a food addiction and have for pretty much all my life. I looked into Overeaters Anonymous at one time but my work schedule conflicted with the meetings. I should check into it now that I only work weekends....

[homoe]

I struggle with food addiction. I go to a 12-step program and have a sponsor but have not had sustained abstinence for a while now. For me that means bouts of binge eating which makes losing weight difficult. I have lost 30 lbs total since January but it's been a slow process.

Right now I'm working on using coping skills instead of running to food when I'm stressed. My eating plan is based on counting calories and staying away from food triggers.

For exercise I'm walking 3 or 4 days a week in my neighborhood. There are a lot of other folks out walking so it feels safe.

This is a great thread. Thanks for sharing everyone. :)

I give you a lot of credit! Staying away from food triggers is almost impossible! One can't open a magazine or turn on a TV without seeing mouth watering ads for some forbidden calorie riddled food!
My problem is that every time I try and cut down and eat more healthy, I'll get a craving for some damn thing I ain't had in years! Last time it was a craving for banana splits!

[Mopsie]

I always eat when I'm stressed..... I know I have a food addiction and have for pretty much all my life. I looked into Overeaters Anonymous at one time but my work schedule conflicted with the meetings. I should check into it now that I only work weekends....

You definitely should check again - I really enjoy the OA meetings I go to. But if the face-to-face meeting schedule doesn't work for you there are over 250 phone meetings each week. You can find one by going to OA.org. I really like the "100 pounders" phone meetings because most nights they have a speaker. :)

[Mopsie]

I give you a lot of credit! Staying away from food triggers is almost impossible! One can't open a magazine or turn on a TV without seeing mouth watering ads for some forbidden calorie riddled food!
My problem is that every time I try and cut down and eat more healthy, I'll get a craving for some damn thing I ain't had in years! Last time it was a craving for banana splits!

I know! Triggers are everywhere! I have the most trouble at work with people bringing in stuff to share. We are in one big room with a table in the middle. It feels like those sweets are calling my name!

[Esme nha Maire]

Good luck folks that are trying to beat food addictions. I struggled with chocolate for years, and even when it got to a point where if I ate too much it'd start causing migraines didn't stop me entirely. I still find it difficult to stop at just 3-4 biscuits, if I buy a pack - so instead I just don't buy biscuits very often.

What curbed the worst excesses of my binge-eating and my chocolate addiction was my noting, repeatedly, how horrid it felt to be overfull, slightly nauseous, and getting a touch of reflux if I tried to have a nap or sleep thereafter. Plus I also noted that I seemed to get a bit hyper but with a low mood after too much sugar. Too much energy, but also too tired to burn it off, because too much weight was tiresome to haul around, with too little muscle.

When I eventually did sufficient exercise to get the effect, I noted that I'd get an adrenalin high - and it didn't have the unpleasant side-effects that overeating did, so that helped. Then there was the cost of the excess food I was buying - if I didn't spend so much on food, i could afford more shinies. And having a bit of a geek streak definitely helped in my case - there have been occasions where I've been so fascinated by something new I've come across that I've studied it/played with it almost non-stop for days and pretty much couldn't be bothered to eat for as much as a couple of days at a time (this when I was younger).

We're all so different though, that's the bugger, that there is no one size fits all method to beat overeating, eath healthily and get fitter. It's a case of find that method that works for you.

By the by, if any of you imagine that I now eat a completely healthy diet and don't binge at all, please disabuse yourself of this notion. I've only just got to a point where I'm nearly eating the reccomended number of portions of fruit and veg per day, as advised by HM Govt. I do still have the occasional binge, too, but it makes a huge difference if it's a once a fortnight thing to if it's nearly every perishing day. The body can cope with occasional binges - just not so well with constant bingeing.

May deity smile upon you and help you in your efforts to get healthier, people!

Esme xxx

[Gayandgray]

You definitely should check again - I really enjoy the OA meetings I go to. But if the face-to-face meeting schedule doesn't work for you there are over 250 phone meetings each week. You can find one by going to OA.org. I really like the "100 pounders" phone meetings because most nights they have a speaker. :)

I see today that they have OAmeetings online and email loops or something?

[Mopsie]

I see today that they have OAmeetings online and email loops or something?

I don't know much about the online meetings ... I don't have a computer or wifi - just my smart phone - so never tried those. Maybe you will like that option. :)

[Medusa]

I'm back at it.

I had lost a total of 153 pounds over the last few years with diet and exercise (and some unhealthy bulimia that is now in check) but have had some ENORMOUS life changes in the last 18 months.

I looked up one day and I had gained back 37 pounds and did that whole, "Oh, HEYALLLLL NAH" thing and started back with monitoring my calories and trying to get more exercise. My gain was mostly due to being off-plan, not exercising as much, indulging a LOT, and dealing with some of my grief and joy with old coping mechanisms of binging.

I have lost 22 of the 37 pounds I gained and have my eye on losing another 20 pounds as my first short-term goal. That goal actually puts me 5 pounds below my initial lowest weight but my plan was always to lose another 50 slowly and methodically.

I'll do it! It will be slow work but I'll do it by cutting back on my calories and getting back to yoga and walking and I SUPER look forward to getting my curvy self into a very cute dress I've been saving :D

[Kätzchen]

I'm back at it.

I had lost a total of 153 pounds over the last few years with diet and exercise (and some unhealthy bulimia that is now in check) but have had some ENORMOUS life changes in the last 18 months.

I looked up one day and I had gained back 37 pounds and did that whole, "Oh, HEYALLLLL NAH" thing and started back with monitoring my calories and trying to get more exercise. My gain was mostly due to being off-plan, not exercising as much, indulging a LOT, and dealing with some of my grief and joy with old coping mechanisms of binging.

I have lost 22 of the 37 pounds I gained and have my eye on losing another 20 pounds as my first short-term goal. That goal actually puts me 5 pounds below my initial lowest weight but my plan was always to lose another 50 slowly and methodically.

I'll do it! It will be slow work but I'll do it by cutting back on my calories and getting back to yoga and walking and I SUPER look forward to getting my curvy self into a very cute dress I've been saving :D

That's wonderful, Medusa! You'll do it, I know you will.

Last summer, I was bicycling to work, back and forth each day. Three months later, I slimmed down by nearly 45 pounds.

my goal, at this point, is to regain independent mobility, because once I do? I'll be riding my bicycle again and will hope to shed another 50 pounds. :balloon:

[girl_dee]

I'm back at it.

I had lost a total of 153 pounds over the last few years with diet and exercise (and some unhealthy bulimia that is now in check) but have had some ENORMOUS life changes in the last 18 months.

I looked up one day and I had gained back 37 pounds and did that whole, "Oh, HEYALLLLL NAH" thing and started back with monitoring my calories and trying to get more exercise. My gain was mostly due to being off-plan, not exercising as much, indulging a LOT, and dealing with some of my grief and joy with old coping mechanisms of binging.

I have lost 22 of the 37 pounds I gained and have my eye on losing another 20 pounds as my first short-term goal. That goal actually puts me 5 pounds below my initial lowest weight but my plan was always to lose another 50 slowly and methodically.

I'll do it! It will be slow work but I'll do it by cutting back on my calories and getting back to yoga and walking and I SUPER look forward to getting my curvy self into a very cute dress I've been saving :D


You got this, and you look amazing and happy.

Bulimia is the devil. i still fight the urge. (((( You )))))

[Medusa]

You got this, and you look amazing and happy.

Bulimia is the devil. i still fight the urge. (((( You )))))


Goddess, is it ever.

It took a while for me to acknowledge that I was bulimic. Acknowledging that I was a binge-eater was super easy; it felt powerful to me. But saying out loud "I might be bulimic" was not something I could do for a very long time.

I had always thought of bulimia as a strict definition of "people who throw up" and I was not a person who threw up but my therapist helped me understand that purging the calories through excessive exercise was also bulimic. So there I was, exercising 3 - 5 hours a day so I could justify eating a cheeseburger and losing a LOT of weight in a short time when I had the lightbulb moment of "Oh, maybe this isn't the best course of action."

So now it's about balance. I do walk a little extra when I eat a large meal and try to counterbalance the times I am going to eat outside of my plan with extra activity or a lighter dinner but I don't obsess over it much. I don't set my treadmill for 750 calories and run until it zeroes out like I used to. I don't march in place until my legs are numb much anymore.
Don't get me wrong, there are days when I do the math in my head and think "I'm going to need to hit the elliptical for 2.5 hours if I eat this steak". Sometimes I win that mental battle and sometimes I don't.

I've maintained most of my 150+ pound weight loss for over 3 years now and I'm really proud of that but really, I am even more proud of learning to control my bulimic tendencies and maintain my weight how I imagine a "normal" person would.

Small victories, eh?

[Esme nha Maire]

Wow, Great Goddess, Medusa, I am in awe of your ability to dedicate to exercise! I still have my size 14 little red dress, as a memento... reading what you've said gives me a smidge of hope that i might just be able yo get back into it one day!

[girl_dee]

Goddess, is it ever.

It took a while for me to acknowledge that I was bulimic. Acknowledging that I was a binge-eater was super easy; it felt powerful to me. But saying out loud "I might be bulimic" was not something I could do for a very long time.

I had always thought of bulimia as a strict definition of "people who throw up" and I was not a person who threw up but my therapist helped me understand that purging the calories through excessive exercise was also bulimic. So there I was, exercising 3 - 5 hours a day so I could justify eating a cheeseburger and losing a LOT of weight in a short time when I had the lightbulb moment of "Oh, maybe this isn't the best course of action."

So now it's about balance. I do walk a little extra when I eat a large meal and try to counterbalance the times I am going to eat outside of my plan with extra activity or a lighter dinner but I don't obsess over it much. I don't set my treadmill for 750 calories and run until it zeroes out like I used to. I don't march in place until my legs are numb much anymore.
Don't get me wrong, there are days when I do the math in my head and think "I'm going to need to hit the elliptical for 2.5 hours if I eat this steak". Sometimes I win that mental battle and sometimes I don't.

I've maintained most of my 150+ pound weight loss for over 3 years now and I'm really proud of that but really, I am even more proud of learning to control my bulimic tendencies and maintain my weight how I imagine a "normal" person would.

Small victories, eh?


Balance. thats the key. i am struggling to find it. i am all or nothing.

My pattern has always been to binge on a carb complete diet, gain about 20 pounds then have fun punishing myself to lose it. Thats the old days.

i've avoided this thread because its just a crappy week. So to make myself feel better i resort to old habits. Or want to.

anyway thats some of my *stuff*....

i want to get to a healthy place mentally when it comes to food, but right now i am not there.

[Mopsie]

Balance. thats the key. i am struggling to find it. i am all or nothing.

My pattern has always been to binge on a carb complete diet, gain about 20 pounds then have fun punishing myself to lose it. Thats the old days.

i've avoided this thread because its just a crappy week. So to make myself feel better i resort to old habits. Or want to.

anyway thats some of my *stuff*....

i want to get to a healthy place mentally when it comes to food, but right now i am not there.

dee - I wanted to say you are not alone and thanks for sharing. I've had a bad week too - in fact was binging today. Trying to love myself despite the feelings of shame is difficult. I try to give myself a clean slate each day and forgive myself but it's hard. Sending you loving thoughts. :praying:

[girl_dee]

dee - I wanted to say you are not alone and thanks for sharing. I've had a bad week too - in fact was binging today. Trying to love myself despite the feelings of shame is difficult. I try to give myself a clean slate each day and forgive myself but it's hard. Sending you loving thoughts. :praying:

and you too.... thank you Mopsie

[Zimmeh]

I want to say Congratulations to you! You have always been a tough cookie and yes life does happen. Good luck to you on losing that last bit of weight! I myself need to lose about 60lbs to keep myself healthy.

Zimmeh


I'm back at it.

I had lost a total of 153 pounds over the last few years with diet and exercise (and some unhealthy bulimia that is now in check) but have had some ENORMOUS life changes in the last 18 months.

I looked up one day and I had gained back 37 pounds and did that whole, "Oh, HEYALLLLL NAH" thing and started back with monitoring my calories and trying to get more exercise. My gain was mostly due to being off-plan, not exercising as much, indulging a LOT, and dealing with some of my grief and joy with old coping mechanisms of binging.

I have lost 22 of the 37 pounds I gained and have my eye on losing another 20 pounds as my first short-term goal. That goal actually puts me 5 pounds below my initial lowest weight but my plan was always to lose another 50 slowly and methodically.

I'll do it! It will be slow work but I'll do it by cutting back on my calories and getting back to yoga and walking and I SUPER look forward to getting my curvy self into a very cute dress I've been saving :D

[Zimmeh]

I started my weight loss in 2007. For about eight years, I was able to keep it off. When my life went in the shitter in 2015, I turned to food to cope with my depression and heartache. November 1st, 2017 I got the shock of my life. For the last couple of months I haven’t been feeling well. I just thought it was my blood sugars and hormones was out of whack. It wasn’t that at all. My doctor took my blood pressure and it was 180/101. I nearly had a heart attack at the age of 43. I am now on blood pressure medicine and I’m on a strict diet. I now have to lose around 70lbs. The moral of my post s listen to your bodies and don’t be stubborn about going to the doctor’s.

Zimmeh

[Greco]

Coconut oil, olive oil, and nuts, yes keto has and continues to be terrific. And, that Irish butter "Kerrygold" (pasture raised) is an option if your not strict on being veggie.

This is Dr. Eric Berg whose channel is full of solid info on keto.

Zxvlhc7ythA
The Best Way for a VEGAN to Lose Belly Fat

Y2NErC-c0kk
Top Vegan (Plant-Based) Protein Sources

GL67Ney21mo
Best Vegan Source of Vitamin B12

Hope this helps, and much success to you.

Greco

I've done keto in the past as a meat eater. Can you do keto as a vegetarian or vegan?

[girl_dee]

Coconut oil, olive oil, and nuts, yes keto has and continues to be terrific. And, that Irish butter "Kerrygold" (pasture raised) is an option if your not strict on being veggie.


Greco

i LOVE Kerrygold!

[Zimmeh]

I weighed in on Thursday. I have lost 2.2 pounds in eight days!

Zimmeh

[Greco]

I wanted to share three videos by Eric Berg that gave me
valuable information to support my health.

5NPVnXixQ8c
Body Type l What Is My Shape l How to Find Your Body Type

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What to Eat for Your Body Type?

JDd2QK9WdBU
How to Exercise for Your Body Type

So, hope this helps and did help me a great deal. As a stressed-out
Newyorrican, and later learned adrenal type, daily runner, and intense
work more than 6 days a week...yes, what can I say...I've reduced my
running to every other day, and since returning from last month on my
island, am down to 4 mi on those days. The other days I am yes, walking,
hiking, enjoying the beauty of this place, breathing, stretching, swimming
and encouraging myself not to think less of myself because I'm not
struggling through exercise, or anything else for that matter. In other
words, the war is over in my life.

I began looking at this way back in 2010 after my disastrous
NYC Marathon attempt.
I failed big time, but was directed to these videos, and
well, the rest is history. And yes, I do this now as a vegan.
So, for more information visit Dr. Eric Berg's Youtube channel.
There are success videos also that will bring tears to your eyes.

May this support you as well.

Greco

[Greco]

Pkoai6HCMcg
How To Fix Your Adrenal Body Type

And Dr. Eric Berg's story

last one...Youtube has them all

Greco

[Greco]

r1pR-L9ClHY
Before and After Photos. I Was SO Fat!

4AvXcioOkEY
How To Get Started on the Ketogenic Diet

bGYtXXD58H8
Hardest Part of the Keto Diet


I'm sharing these videos because Keto helped me
and continues to support, my as of 2010, new
lifestyle of health, and endurance.

There are some of you who will be helped by
keto, of course if you wish to begin it, especially
now with the holidays coming on.

Casey talks about listening to her body. Listening
to my body has made all the difference, and also
researching how to do this as a vegan which is
definitely doable. For protein I have Spirulina,
Wheatgrass in my green smoothies.
Casey, Go Keto with Casey
is her Youtube channel, and Dr. Eric Berg also
has a Youtube channel full of information for
every step of the way.

All the Best, Greco

[Greco]

tF7pmUmyzTk
How to Burn the Most Fat

ul5HVtnF5Jw
Exercise Fat-burning Formula - REVEALED!!!

For me sleep, rest after running and other
workouts, and most importantly un-stressing
has made the most difference. For those of
you who are exercising...recovery is the most
important part...it was hard for me to believe
but, for me it is true.

For protein I have Spirulina,
Wheatgrass, and green leafy veggies
in my green smoothies.

to your health, Greco

[Esme nha Maire]

I've just spotted an interesting article on the Science Daily website (a site I'd heartily recommend to anyone interested in getting and maintaining an overview in where we are now on the sciences) regarding what's happening when we gain too much weight and why it's so hard to lose. And why just because I might not LOOK too bad, shape-wise, doesn't mean to say that I am free of potentially serious weight-related problems.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/01/180112132941.htm

This has re-inviograted my desire to do better with exercise and stop my recent minor spate of comfort over-eating NOW!

[FireSignFemme]

One of my goals for 2018 is to lose weight and I'm off to a good start, so far I've lost 8lbs.

[Mopsie]

One of my goals for 2018 is to lose weight and I'm off to a good start, so far I've lost 8lbs.

Congrats! That's awesome! :)

[FireSignFemme]

This month though I'm aiming for a lower daily carb intake, resolved to make better choices about what type of carbs I eat, I'm not gong to try to put my body into a state of Ketosis, drastically reduce my carbs or anything like that. As long as what I'm doing is working I'm sticking with it. When it stops working then I'll look at making changes. This month I do have a goal to get more exercise in though. Anyhow it just feels really good to have closed out January with weight loss rather weight gain or even just weight maintenance. Hopefully I can keep this trend up in February. Even though I only lost a little bit of weight last month I didn't feel deprived, experience true hunger or struggle with cravings. I hope that proves to be the case this month.

[FireSignFemme]

Still plugging away at it. Between February and March I lost another 10lbs. I didn't realize it until today because my weigh ins have been sporadic. Yesterday though I noticed my jeans felt a little loose. This morning I kept having to pull my pajama bottoms up while working around the apartment. So I did a weigh in. It's not a tremendous amount of weight loss but the journey of a thousand miles has to start someplace right? I just keep telling myself as long as I'm losing, not gaining, I'll count it as a success.

[girl_dee]

Still plugging away at it. Between February and March I lost another 10lbs. I didn't realize it until today because my weigh ins have been sporadic. Yesterday though I noticed my jeans felt a little loose. This morning I kept having to pull my pajama bottoms up while working around the apartment. So I did a weigh in. It's not a tremendous amount of weight loss but the journey of a thousand miles has to start someplace right? I just keep telling myself as long as I'm losing, not gaining, I'll count it as a success.

Good for you Fire!

[FireSignFemme]

For those who are dieting how's everyone doing with their weightloss/fitness goals?

[Medusa]

I'm down 9 pounds in the last 10 days.
Yes, that's a lot but I always lose a lot of weight the first week I recommit to meatless eating and more exercise.
Back on my plan and focused as fuck.
Feeling good. :rrose:

[Mopsie]

It took me more than a year and a half of eating healthy (with some hiccups here and there) but this week I officially hit the 50 lbs lost mark. :)

[homoe]

It took me more than a year and a half of eating healthy (with some hiccups here and there) but this week I officially hit the 50 lbs lost mark. :)

Congratulations............:hangloose:

[Medusa]

It took me more than a year and a half of eating healthy (with some hiccups here and there) but this week I officially hit the 50 lbs lost mark. :)

Congrats on that dedication, girlie!! xoxo

[cinnamongrrl]

I spoke.to a wonderful couple.while visiting Asheville..They.strongly recommend the Keto diet. I thought it was a new thing but I just read that Greco (hi Greco!) has.been doing keto for years.

I've bought a book and I'm reading stuff online
Dr.Berg was specifically mentioned by the couple as an excellent source of info.

Ive.been doing more workouts, walking more and my job is physical. But I'm not losing weight. So I'm hoping keto will help me. I will touch base as time goes by.

So glad to have all of.yall for support :)

[Breathless]

I've been doing Keto WOE since October last year, the results so far are pretty fantastic, but mostly I feel great! I struggle with eating meat, as I am a vegetarian at heart, but I hated feeling the way I was more.. so out go the carbs and sugar! I have honestly NEVER felt this good in my life. 10,000 steps minimum everyday is easy now, no longer have to push to get them done..
Pointers:
As with anything --Do your research, don't try to wing it, log all your food and water.. (lots of cool FREE apps to help with this) and always grocery shop with your list of approved items.. for the first while I menu planned, and shopped that way. It can get expensive shopping if you don't plan it out. I'm living tiny, so I need to keep it simple and to the point, I don't have room to store all kinds of stuff that I'll use some day. lol
There are tons of support groups with menu ideas etc.. message me if you would like me to recommend some.
I spoke.to a wonderful couple.while visiting Asheville..They.strongly recommend the Keto diet. I thought it was a new thing but I just read that Greco (hi Greco!) has.been doing keto for years.

I've bought a book and I'm reading stuff online
Dr.Berg was specifically mentioned by the couple as an excellent source of info.

Ive.been doing more workouts, walking more and my job is physical. But I'm not losing weight. So I'm hoping keto will help me. I will touch base as time goes by.

So glad to have all of.yall for support :)

[Greco]

cinnamongrrl,

All the best to you on your keto journey if you embark on it.
Yes, Dr. Eric Berg's videos on youtube I found to be the most
informative with detailed resources.

I've adapted his keto information to my veganism, and have
found that it works very well for me, after doing a lot of research
on plant protein sources, etc.

Have fun with it, your going to feel so great!

Greco



I spoke.to a wonderful couple.while visiting Asheville..They.strongly recommend the Keto diet. I thought it was a new thing but I just read that Greco (hi Greco!) has.been doing keto for years.

I've bought a book and I'm reading stuff online
Dr.Berg was specifically mentioned by the couple as an excellent source of info.

Ive.been doing more workouts, walking more and my job is physical. But I'm not losing weight. So I'm hoping keto will help me. I will touch base as time goes by.

So glad to have all of.yall for support :)

[Greco]

Zxvlhc7ythA
The Best Way for a VEGAN to Lose Belly Fat

Adding to videos I've posted by
Dr. Eric Berg. And for veggies or vegans that
are interested in doing a keto lifestyle.

I will add that B12 supplementation I also
include regardless of possible rise in
insulin, though my experience has been
that it doesn't rise enough to get me out
of ketosis.

How's that for a run-on sentence...smiling.

Greco

[FireSignFemme]

No weight loss so far but I've been eating like there's going to be a famine so it's a wonder I haven't gained any back. It's probably because I still have so much weight to lose. Still doesn't mean I can't make more of an effort the rest of this month.

[Greco]

MN3mq50KVZs
500 lbs of Weight Loss On a Plant Based Diet - The LaJaunie Family Interview

Poignant.

Greco

[Esme nha Maire]

Interesting snippet from Science Daily regarding the amount of carbohydrates and the type of proteins we ingest in our diets compared to lifespan expectation:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180817093812.htm

Also on that site, a correlation between milk use at breakfast and lowered blood sugar, which may be useful for treating Type 2 diabetes: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180820085243.htm

and finally, why using probiotics constantly is bad for you: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180806095213.htm

I'd add that globally dairy farming (like meat production) is ecologically
a very bad thing (said the milk and cheese-loving horticulturist-in-training), so those of us without diabetes shouldn't go increasing our milk consumption on the basis of the above!

[Kätzchen]

MN3mq50KVZs
500 lbs of Weight Loss On a Plant Based Diet - The LaJaunie Family Interview

Poignant.

Greco


Thanks so much for this video Greco. I sent it to my mother because in our private talks about my switching to an Plant Based Diet, she often asks me how I meet the bodily need for protein because she's got her own ideas about consuming Dairy products and Animal (meat) products or anything that converts into sugar in the blood stream.

My own brothers, all three of them, are diabetics. They don't get how the food choices they've practiced for years has led them toward an diabetic trajectory. And because all three siblings in the video speak about their own experience, it carries lots of weight in helping others to see how important it is when trying to understand the impact of traditional food choices vs the great benefits of consuming food from an Plant Based Food diet.

I didn't switch to an Plant Based Diet for weight loss, although weight loss was an natural consequence of ridding my diet of Dairy and Meat (animal products). At my special medical appt, last Friday, when the nurse recorded my weight, I was so surprised to learn that since March of this year, I've lost nearly 63 pounds. That's roughly an ten pound weight loss each month since early March. I switched to an Plant Based Diet so I wouldn't become Diabetic. Weight loss, as an result of this radical change in foods I consume, was never an objective.

Thanks muchly for the video. I think it will help my mom and all three of my brothers to see the benefits of not consuming Dairy or Meat (animal products), as conveyed by the three siblings featured in the video you posted, Greco.

--K. (f)

[Zimmeh]

I have officially lost 13 pounds since I joined LA Fitness!

Zimmeh

[Mopsie]

I have officially lost 13 pounds since I joined LA Fitness!

Zimmeh

Congratulations! Losing weight is so hard - good for you!

[FireSignFemme]

I promised after I did my main grocery shopping I'd start working on my resolution to only eat meals prepared at home or my with my sons in their homes. Items from the deli section okay but only items to use to make meals not already prepared items. For example deli meats and sliced cheese to take home to make sandwiches with okay. Orange Chicken, jalapeno poppers, corn dogs, Mozzarella sticks and so on in the heater case not okay. I realize there is a lot of food available in stores that is far less healthy than foods served at some restaurants but for me right now it's more about getting in the habit of preparing meals for myself and saving money. I get so much more food, more filling foods and in general healthier food when I don't cave and hit the drive-thru, or just order pizza because it's so much less hassle. Anyhow the month is almost over, I'm surprised how hard it's been. I didn't realize I'd gotten in such a habit of easy food, and one so difficult to break. Since I didn't do my shopping until around the middle of the month I've only been at it for a little over two weeks, but already I'm noticing a difference. I'm eating a lot more, but I'm losing weight more quickly so win win. Plus I just feel a lot better. I need more strips so I can see what if any effect it's having on my blood sugar.

[FireSignFemme]

Planning my relapse...

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/574e156345bf21546484c353/t/589978be6b8f5bbffd7168ec/1486452934833/?format=1000w

[Greco]

So, blood type lifestyle. I'm blood type A. Interestingly that is the
blood type that is naturally vegan. Who knew?! I went vegan several years
ago only after viewing "Earthling".

Who would have guessed that I had found the way to my max health
and contentment?! I swear by green smoothies and am vegan, period.
I lost weight, a lot of weight and began to walk/run, the rest is part of
my herstory.

So, check out Dr. D'Adamo's book on blood type foods/diet it may
be a blessing for you. It has been for me as through these years I've
understood more of what works for me. Trust what your body is saying to you.
For me Yoga, yes...swimming, yes...running, absolutely...music, goes without
saying...heavy metal, not anymore, staying up late? Not so good.
So, goodnight. Greco

[FireSignFemme]

Big shock! Though I've been losing weight I had to go to the ER because my blood sugar was crazy high. Now I'm changing how I eat because I don't want to wind up on insulin or worse needing dialysis. I'd rather be fat and have good numbers than thin and in poor health. I used to work as a dialysis tech. Though I worked at a really great private clinic, still I wouldn't want to wind up a patient, doing that three times a week. Not unless I absolutely had to. Some people have no choice, but I'm not one of them. In my case it would be inexcusable. Anyhow last night J bought me some healthy snacks and my son said he'd come over tomorrow to take me shopping for some better food choices. Today I spent part of the morning going through the cupboards/fridge and getting rid of stuff. Later J came over and surprised me with a frozen, cauliflower crust pizza. I had my doubts - but it's so good! The best part was I only had the suggested serving size and it completely filled me up, which never happens with regular pizza, and only 230 calories too which is not bad at all. This was really great, her surprising me. As I was cleaning out the kitchen earlier I was determined but mourning the loss off all the fun stuff. She remembered me saying I would miss pizza the other night, then went searching for a healthier option for me today on her lunch hour. It was so thoughtful of her to do that, it really touched me. Oh and even better she bought me a two pack. :)

[Esme nha Maire]

I've recently had an Epic Fail on the trying to lose weight front, after weeks of feeling demotivated whilst on summer break from my degree course. Have been exercising only irregularly and not enough - and have had several relapses of eating too much sweet stuff.

However, I know how to exercise properly, and the solution to the sweet stuff thing is to simply go back to not buying the things that tend to make me go off the rails, so that policy restarts today! (I need to go shopping for a few basics today). And I'm working on slowly ramping up my exercise to a sensible level again. Sigh.. it's gotta be done though!

As regular readers here will know, I tend to keep up with science news across a range of sciences, and I've spotted the following that may be of interest.

First up - why having "cheat days" off a keto diet may be a very bad idea: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190327112657.htm

Secondly, plant-based diets and choline levels: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190829184143.htm

There was a fairly recent article I read which unfortunately I can't seem to find again, but Firesignfemme's post above brought to mind, regarding the foods we eat and what makes us feel full. It isn't just about bulk. From my admittedly not great memory, the article I can't find at the moment was saying that a lot of the high-calorie naughties that we like to consume actually affect our feeling of fullness chemically so that we don't feel as full as quickly as we would eating a similar volume of other stuff.

One thing I noted with myself over the years as food became cheaper and more easily available is that I seemed to develop a tendency to eat larger portions of favoured foodstuffs more rapidly - and yet enjoy the experience less than when whatever it was was less readily available and in smaller portions. Recently, I've taken to eating strawberry mousse (I buy packs of six most weeks to eat as dessert) with a chopstick rather than with a spoon. By spoon, it's all gone in seconds in about 3-4 spoonfuls. Via chopstick, well, I can still get through it fairly quickly, though not as quickly as with a spoon, but tend to instead find myself savouring the taste of each little blob I eat off the chopstick and enjoying each pot of mousse far more than if I just spoon it down quickly.

Hmm.. that's just given me an idea about next time I fancy some savoury nibbles - I'm thinking small cheese squares I can spear with a chopstick, and pickle-coated crackers cut up so I can pick them up with chopsticks! :-)

For those of you not so familiar with the sciences, please note that articles like the ones I've linked to above should be regarded as signposts to things worth looking into further, NOT as infallible guides to what to do improve your personal situation. Because humans are extremely complex biochemically and vary biochemically way more than most people realise (both between individuals and over time), what works fine for one person might be downright dangerous for another. So, for instance, the article on choline doesn't mean that vegetarian or vegan diets are inherently unhealthy - just that they can't so easily provide a healthy level of choline, so folk shifting toward such a diet (like me) need to be aware of that, particularly if they are picky eaters who will only eat a small range of veggies (again, like me!).

As ever, please check with your own doctor or bariatrician before doing anything too drastic with your diet or exercise regimen, and checking the website of your national health service for advice is seldom a bad idea, as is the adage of changing your diet and exercise regimen bit by bit over a reasonable period rather than drastic sudden change. And never forget that authors of weight-loss books are in it for the money and what they say may not be founded on good science and may be dangerous!

The relevant bit of the National Health Service website (UK national healthcare provider) website can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/ and the US equivalent can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/index.html

[Esme nha Maire]

Confirmed - we really do need to eat less and maintain our levels of exercise as we get older: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190909193211.htm