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.

Where can you get this?

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

ETA I googled this- smart way to eat!

Reposting for 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.

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.

Glee Gum
 

:mohawk:Thanks!!!!

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:

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

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/...rol-size-guide

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.

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 !

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' ...

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

1. Build muscle with weight training (about 5 hours of total exercise each week) and proper nutrition
2. Create muscle damage with intense weight training
3. Maximize post workout energy expenditure by using high intensity exercise
4. Regular program change to force new stimuli and adaptations
5. Boost non-exercise physical activity
6. Increase thermic effect of feeding by increasing unprocessed food intake
7. Eat at regular intervals throughout the day
8. Eat lean protein at regular intervals throughout the day
9. Eat vegetables and/or fruit at regular intervals
10. Incorporate omega-3 fats
11. Incorporate multiple exercise modes
12. Stay involved with “life” outside of exercise and nutrition
13. Sleep 7-9 hours each night
14. Don’t engage in extreme diets for risk of long-term overcompensation
15. Stay consistent with habits
16. 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.

*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:

Great choice for both the waist and the wallet!

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.

Excellent!

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

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!

...on the bedpost overnight.
 

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.

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 !!!

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. :(

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?

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.