Healthy Weight Loss

[girl_dee]

Well i knew it was coming but two weeks on the road and one of those weeks being in New Orleans my jeans are just screaming at me.



Time to DETOX !

[starryeyes]

Me too!! I am keep gaining and I am not moving at all. I need to change my mind frame and get it together. I was interpreting for a pride festival yesterday, and after seeing some of the pictures on Facebook I feel so defeated! I am 25lbs up from my lowest weight 2 years ago. I keep justifying that I am still less than when I started (at 250lbs) but that justification is keeping me stagnant. I know I can set 10lb goals and get that 25 off and more in no time with some motivation.

I am ready!!!!

[Leigh]

You can do it starry, we all can

[cinnamongrrl]

I KNEW rice cakes just couldn't be right.....

[Dance-with-me]

Hi, I'd like to join in with this thread.

I am an anti-dieter for many reasons, and want simply to focus on eating good, healthy foods in reasonable portions with occasional treats in moderation and a strong focus on local/seasonal eating, and moving my body as much as I need it to move for stress reduction, heart health, and to increase my strength, endurance and flexibility. I've found that when I focus on that instead of on the scale or any other outward measure, not only do I feel better, but that the pounds and inches also naturally fall off - and I certainly doing go looking for them.

I liked what cajun_dee just posted. I'm a strong believer that fake processed crap masquerading as "diet food" is the worst thing for me. I'd much rather have a reasonable portion of real butter over a blob of "reduced fat spread, some good-quality olive oil, flavored vinegar and some herbs and a bit of strong hard cheese than "fat free salad dressing," and I'd rather have a small portion of a really excellent cheesecake or brownie than an entire package of "reduced fat" or "sugar free" cookies. If I have quality, substance, and real foods, my cravings for the crap are greatly reduced.

My downfall is sugar and alcohol. I enjoy having a drink in the evening, but my waistline definitely thinks it's a bad idea. And sugar.... Definitely have to get a grip on my sugar consumption. My other problem is forgetting to eat meals, whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner: I feel like I'm fine at the time, but then later on I'm focused on getting whatever I can find quickly and easily into my system.

Is there a thread anywhere for sharing recipes? I'd love to share and get more ideas on things that are easy to fix, delicious, and relatively healthy.

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by Dance-with-me

Hi, I'd like to join in with this thread.

I am an anti-dieter for many reasons, and want simply to focus on eating good, healthy foods in reasonable portions with occasional treats in moderation and a strong focus on local/seasonal eating, and moving my body as much as I need it to move for stress reduction, heart health, and to increase my strength, endurance and flexibility. I've found that when I focus on that instead of on the scale or any other outward measure, not only do I feel better, but that the pounds and inches also naturally fall off - and I certainly doing go looking for them.

I liked what cajun_dee just posted. I'm a strong believer that fake processed crap masquerading as "diet food" is the worst thing for me. I'd much rather have a reasonable portion of real butter over a blob of "reduced fat spread, some good-quality olive oil, flavored vinegar and some herbs and a bit of strong hard cheese than "fat free salad dressing," and I'd rather have a small portion of a really excellent cheesecake or brownie than an entire package of "reduced fat" or "sugar free" cookies. If I have quality, substance, and real foods, my cravings for the crap are greatly reduced.

My downfall is sugar and alcohol. I enjoy having a drink in the evening, but my waistline definitely thinks it's a bad idea. And sugar.... Definitely have to get a grip on my sugar consumption. My other problem is forgetting to eat meals, whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner: I feel like I'm fine at the time, but then later on I'm focused on getting whatever I can find quickly and easily into my system.

Is there a thread anywhere for sharing recipes? I'd love to share and get more ideas on things that are easy to fix, delicious, and relatively healthy.

There is. I can't find it right this moment, but there is one.

[Gemme]

Here are a couple that I found real quick that may or may not help, depending on what you are specifically looking for.

http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/foru...ead.php?t=4500

http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/foru...ead.php?t=2353

http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/foru...read.php?t=416

[Kelt]

Hey healthies,

It's been a bit since I was in here much, but I want to keep a promise. Just over a year ago I put up my first annual report on my weight loss. Some of you will remember that I spent a year in here getting tremendous support and encouragement from you while working on my health. It paid off and I lost the weight.

I said then that I would let you all know how things were going and that I would come back to check in whether it be good news or bad. A good way to set up ongoing accountability with the folks who helped me so much. Well, it's good news, one year in maintenance and the weight is still off.

It hasn't been without its pitfalls, I still struggle at times. I have been able to learn more about my own triggers and what happens if I make a bad decision. Like others have stated in here, for me stress seems to be the thing that sets off bad food choices. I've had a pocketful this year although much less than other people in here.

I have turned to processed food, specifically grain and sugar, to numb things when I felt like I needed that. It was, of course, a bad idea. Just like any other "drug" I would get brain fog, apathy, fatigue, and not-give-a-damn results. I have stayed within a 20lb range from 10 too low to 10 too high, but overall I am satisfied with my first year of this.

Going forward into the next year I will focus on balance. I will work on narrowing the "wiggle room" to a range of 10lb instead of 20. I will reorder my exercise routine to be a bit less obsessive and focus on optimizing my nutrition further for even better overall health. Learning more and better stress management techniques will also be key.

I have faithfully kept up with this thread and will continue to read. If I have a resource to share or something positive to contribute, I will. I applaud everyone in here and cheer you on everyday. I'm also going to stay accountable to you. Maintenance is easier than loss, but still requires vigilance.

You guys are aces, and to Jo in particular, thank you for having this thread. It probably saved my life.

[Cowboi]

Crossfit=puke.

[Heavenleahangel]

Good Evening to all my gettin-healthy peeps! I decided to start going to the gym so I went twice this week. I have to start out really slow as I have not yet recovered fully from the chemo and my muscles are very weak (read as gone...lol). But I have actually thought about everytime I went to eat something and asked "Why am I eating this? Am I bored? In pain?" I officially lost 3 pounds!!! I am stoked!!!

[Andrea]

Yesterday was one of those days I could have allowed myself to eat for comfort. Or I could have chosen to give up my new healthy ways because what's the use anyway....

I am refusing to allow this bump in my road to dictate my health. I will push on. What I could use is an AMEN from my support team.

I have set the Presidential Debate up to record so I can go to the gym tonight without concern about missing it. And we have fish tacos planned for dinner so there is no chance we will succumb to the hungrys and grab processed foods to eat.

[Gráinne]

This morning was one of those times in which I'm so efficient, I scare myself. We were all out the door early, with the result that I could go to the early Zumba class at my gym .

Zumba is a dance workout based on Latin, African and Caribbean beats. Believe me, it's a whole-body workout. I think I lost my booty bone and shimmy muscles long ago, and everything else hasn't moved like that in years. It's probably illegal for a bunch of middle-aged women to move like that, shhhh!

This time I'm focusing on movement that I enjoy, not something to push myself through to reshape this or that part, or to lose weight. If I'm exercising for any of those reasons, I won't keep it up. However, allow my mind to go to naughty and come up with ideas on applying Zumba to more intimate moments, and it's "What time is class tomorrow evening?" :lol:. Hey, whatever works!

The best thing about my movement movement (ha!) is that I don't feel like eating junk after I've done all that work. It's already helped my mood a lot.

[JustJo]

Hi healthies

I just got off the phone with my oldest and dearest friend, and I'm just sitting here, so sad and hurting for her. She has always struggled with her weight and, while I would be overweight and pretty much holding steady, she worked incredibly hard over and over for years to lose the weight, but would always gain it back. She's been on every diet I know of, and her weight has fluctuated by as much as 100 lbs up and down, over and over.

In recent years, she just keeps gaining, no matter how hard she tries. She's been working with a nutritionist, working out....and still gaining. Her doctor has told her that all of her yo-yo dieting has essentially damaged her metabolism ....and she no longer has that internal set point that most of us have.

On top of that, her life is full of stress and....like me and many others....she is a stress and emotional eater.

She's 5'2" and is currently at her heaviest ever weight of 283.
She's seriously considering bariatric surgery.
I'm worried about her.

[*Anya*]

I am sitting in Nordie's Bistro and was just beating myself up because the "Not your daughter's jeans", dress slacks and blouse that I just bought, are not size 10 but are 12 petite ( I am a shorty: 5"3).

I had to give myself a stern talking to.

In 2009, I was in size 22's. Yep, not only short but short and fat.

I hope that does not offend anyone but for me, there are no euphuisms. It is exactly what I was.

I am not thin, maybe if I had larger breasts, I could be considered voluptuous. I don't know exactly what I am, other than hypercritical of myself.

I am back where I was after I lost 50 pounds. My cholesterol is staying at 170, from the high of 270, even after stopping the Lipitor.

Self-acceptance.

Even more difficult than losing weight.

[JustJo]

Originally Posted by *Anya*

I am sitting in Nordie's Bistro and was just beating myself up because the "Not your daughter's jeans", dress slacks and blouse that I just bought, are not size 10 but are 12 petite ( I am a shorty: 5"3).

I had to give myself a stern talking to.

In 2009, I was in size 22's. Yep, not only short but short and fat.

I hope that does not offend anyone but for me, there are no euphuisms. It is exactly what I was.

I am not thin, maybe if I had larger breasts, I could be considered voluptuous. I don't know exactly what I am, other than hypercritical of myself.

I am back where I was after I lost 50 pounds. My cholesterol is staying at 170, from the high of 270, even after stopping the Lipitor.

Self-acceptance.

Even more difficult than losing weight.

((((( Anya )))))

I'm so glad that you posted this.

I think it's so easy to get caught up in berating ourselves because we aren't where we want to be instead of patting ourselves on the back for what we've accomplished.

Your cholesterol count alone equals a big improvement health-wise.

I know that I sometimes go a bit sideways and grumble about the world's slowest weight loss. I see others losing 1, 2, 5 or more pounds each week....and I'm averaging 2 a month. I know it's partly genetic, partly diabetes medications, partly because I'm exercising and being more active but not doing serious "training" and, in largest part, because I'm not dieting. I've just been making small life changes that I can live with forever.

So....when I really want a cheeseburger, I go get one. But I don't drive thru McDonald's multiple times in a week anymore. If I really want some ice cream I have it, but I don't drown my sorrows in a pint of Ben & Jerry's every night.

At the end of the day, here's what I have to look at. I've been in Florida a little over 2 years. Since I've been here, my highest weight was 229, but I'm not sure exactly when that was. I struggled mightily to break the 200 barrier, and now I'm running a pretty consistent 193 - 195, with a gradual trending downward slope. This morning was 193.

That's the lowest weight I've been in so long that I can't remember the last time.

That's a loss of 36 pounds....and slightly more than 15% of my starting body weight. I KNOW that positively impacts my health, not to mention how I look and feel....and that's where I need to focus, not on how far I still have to go.

Hugs to you all

[JoSchmooze]

Thanks to both of you for posting!
I went for my weigh in on Friday....
I have been on maintenance for 6 weeks and only
lost 2 pounds. ONLY!!
Forget the fact that I have a stress fracture in my left
foot that has prevented me from being in the gym...
Forget the fact that I have gone from 500 calories a day
to 1200 calories........I STILL was able to lose something!

As long as we are able to focus on achievement and HEALTH,
and not be hypercritical of ourselves and not focus on what
what others achieve......that's a win in my book.
It takes all of us to be able to look at our own
acheivements and celebrate the healthy!

Keep on trucking y'all.....I know I will be......

[Cowboi]

OMG!!! Today was leg day. I had to crawl out of the gym. Im thinking tomorrow, im gonna be walkin like Fred Sanford.

75 pushups
75 wallballs(12lb ball) with box squats
75 squats
and that was just to warm up.
then on to Leg press 4x10
leg raises 4x10
seated hamstring curls 4x10
calfs(on leg press machine) 4x15

[*Anya*]

I had a very interesting discussion yesterday with

<<<<<<Occupied.

She is average weight, proportioned for her height, has no food issues or addictions.

She texted me from my house while I was at work asking me: "Where are your sweets? I can't find any cookies, candy, ice cream or cake. How can you live like this"?

She was only half-kidding.

When I got home from work, there was a Mounds bar in the frig. She actually went to the store to buy candy.

I tried to think from a non-food addiction person how strange it would be.

The only analogy I could give her was an acoholic and how one drink sends them down the path of hell.

Sweets seem so harmless but for me, they set up a craving so intense, such an obsession, it feels like an addiction to me.

I think she got it and was apologetic as she ate the candy bar and asked if I wanted her to go outside to eat it. Just like an alcoholic in recovery, I could watch her eat it because I had no craving.

I don't miss the insanity of eating a bag of cookies in one sitting or a box of Thin Mints or even the last time I fell off the wagon with Graham crackers.

I can never eat just one or have one bite. Period.

[Gráinne]

Last night at the gym, I noticed that my 25 minute mile was becoming easy. I wasn't sweating as hard, nor straining to finish. I told myself that it was because I was watching the debate on one screen, and football on the other, and thus wasn't working as hard as I do if it's just me.

Then this morning I noticed that my pants didn't work; they were way too loose. I told myself that these were old pants (true) and probably just worn out. My top was also too baggy, but I told myself the same, that it was just wearing out.

So it looks like I have to buy new pants and new bras, and kick up my pace to the next level that's difficult but doable. But what I've been thinking is, why do we ascribe outside things for success, like 'the clothes are worn out', but castigate ourselves for our "failures"? It's not only about weight.

[Andrea]

A medical procedure has kept me from working out for the last few days and I am missing it.

Wow!!! When did that happen? LOL

How is everyone else doing?