Healthy Weight Loss

[PinkieLee]

Originally Posted by little_ms_sunshyne

Today was my weigh in for the week...3lbs gone! I have also fallen back into my regular workout routine and treat myself to the sauna afterwards...I know I know, it is freakin hott outside BUT for some reason the sauna makes me relax and helps me meditate. My stress level has definitely decreased! Working it all out.

WOOOHOOOO I am so freakin' proud of you honey! 3 pounds is amazing! Whatever you are doing... it's working! Keep up the great work! And I loved how you and your brother got in some exercise but the bonus was bonding time... LOVE that!

[PinkieLee]

You know, one amazing thing we have here, is that although we are all on the journey to a healthier lifestyle, some of us are taking different routes. There is no ONE WAY to do this....what works for some, might not work for others. I'm glad that we are all able to come together to support & encourage eachother along!!

For me, I needed the accountability of WW. In my life, I have NEVER actually kept track of what I eat throughout the day. Call it living in denial, because maybe I didn't really want to know every single thing I ate during the day. Journaling & figuring out points makes me focus on what I'm eating and WHY I am eating (stress, boredom or hunger).

The main thing I struggle with is my emotional eating. The slightest thing can trigger my binges. But since I started WW, I am able to catch myself before I start to slide down that slope. Somedays are harder than others.

I know that I'm having to retrain my brain after 38 years on how I relate to food.

[JustJo]

Originally Posted by PinkieLee

You know, one amazing thing we have here, is that although we are all on the journey to a healthier lifestyle, some of us are taking different routes. There is no ONE WAY to do this....what works for some, might not work for others. I'm glad that we are all able to come together to support & encourage eachother along!!

This is sooooo true.
I think it's great that we can each find what works for us, share tips and be encouraging....love it!

[Thinker]

Originally Posted by ZimmygLrL

I am now having plain Chobani Greek Yogurt with six red cherries and an 8oz glass of chocolate soymilk for breakfast. The yogurt is very bitter and I am not sure if I will be able to finish it. Thank goodness it is only a 4oz bowl.

I really enjoy plain Greek yogurt with small bits of diced apple mixed in; I use a red Delicious apple because of the sweetness. I'll add a little more than half of a small apple in a serving of yogurt, and it seems to be just enough to balance out that bitterness you're talking about.

Originally Posted by Anya/Georgia

I have made it to lunchtime now. My breakfast was approx. 3/4 cup of oatmeal with about 20 raisins, one peach mid-morning and one cup of coffee with 1 teaspoon of half-and-half (refuse to give that up).

I won't give up my half-n-half either. I've been using the fat free variety for years now.....not sure if you've tried that or not??

Originally Posted by Nina

I have a strange, or at least it feels strange to me even though I am the one doing it, weight change behavior...I buy any of the junk stuff I want...I bake any of the sweets 'n stuff I get into my head to bake...I have stuff in the house, sweet and savory...if I Don't buy it, or order it at a restaurant, or bake/make it I will eat whatever I have and get more...for me, I can have it around, I can make it and not even take a bite...two weekends ago I was grumpy and was going down to get some carrots...and, I bought a pie, a good handmade pie they sell here, that was sunday...on wednesday I gave it to my Great Pal from across the street...not a bite was gone...

I am also good at taking one bite of something, and throwing the rest away...
I clean out the cupboards often and make bags of 'treats' which I then leave at places where folks who might enjoy some treats hang out...I get what I need from getting it, and someone else can have the final enjoyment from it...

I admit it's not the most economical way to change what I eat, or maybe even a way that makes sense to anyone but me, but it does work...same at a restaurant...I never, ever finish what I order...the more food that is on the plate, the less of it I will tend to eat...I don't ever take home food from a restaurant...

I am kind of interested in Jo's friend's eating plan...I am going to actually print it out and think it through...I like the whole thing of having stuff to chew on, a lot, and it sounds like there are a good bit of options included in the plan...

the happier I am the lighter I become...

Two things...

Your "strategy" and your post about it made me laugh. Hey....whatever works, huh?

Also, the plan Jo's friend uses reminds me of when I followed the USDA's food pyramid (I think it's a "plate" now though) about 5 years ago. I lost 20 lbs. so easily just by following what the pyramid said I should have each day.......and yeah.........I felt like I was eating throughout the day. What I really liked is that I never felt full and I never felt hungry; I was always just content.

Originally Posted by PinkieLee

Journaling & figuring out points makes me focus on what I'm eating and WHY I am eating (stress, boredom or hunger).

I like the points thing too; it really works for my type A self. Like you, it has......without me really thinking about it.....gotten me to look at what I'm eating and when and how I can get the most bang for my buck. In the end, I'm making better choices and re-discovering foods I've always liked that are so good for me (like tuna salad).

[Medusa]

I ate too much tonight.

I'm not really feeling ashamed or anything but mostly regretful. We went to Golden Corral and I generally have a huge salad before my meal and then go eat a little of this and that. I did that tonight just like always but I ate more of the hot food than I actually needed.

I discovered that I do NOT like the feeling of hunger. Tonight when we entered the restaurant, my stomach was growling and I was feeling MEAN! The autopilot in me was just wanted to cram something in my stomach to shut her up.

If I had to do it differently, I wouldn't have eaten that yeast roll or that green bean casserole because I was full before I had those. I'm not beating myself up at all, just realizing that I knew I was full and at a stopping point and made a decision to ignore it.

Still, not feeling bad about it really (which is a brand new thing for me), and definitely feeling more in touch with my hunger system. I'm kinda thankful for that! (even when it kinda sucks!)

[Softly]

Tonight I went to my gym at 10pm and burned 300 calories on the elliptical!

Super proud of myself

When I first started in April, I couldn't stay on that thing more than 2 minutes lol now I look forward to beating my time

[Gentle Tiger]

Hi everyone.

I've been lurking in and around this thread for a bit now. Thanks for sharing your ups and downs, tips and strategies. I am trying again to be healthy. I have a lot of weight to lose for health reasons. I gained all the weight I lost and then some. And I am feeling the consequences.

Any way, thanks for being a support without even knowing it.

Oh and I walked 1 mile Wednesday and 2.5 miles today (in too much pain Thursday). It's a start. I'd like to get up to 5 miles/day and do a few other things. I may or may not be an overachiever. And I am tackling the eating department. I'm not big on counting and measuring and group meetings. But I know I can reach my goal. I gain this weight over night. So I know it will take time to lose it, retrain my brain, break old habits and learn new ones.

Ok enough rambling. Thanks again.

[Queerasfck]

Originally Posted by Gentle Tiger

Hi everyone.

I've been lurking in and around this thread for a bit now. Thanks for sharing your ups and downs, tips and strategies. I am trying again to be healthy. I have a lot of weight to lose for health reasons. I gained all the weight I lost and then some. And I am feeling the consequences.

Any way, thanks for being a support without even knowing it.

Oh and I walked 1 mile Wednesday and 2.5 miles today (in too much pain Thursday). It's a start. I'd like to get up to 5 miles/day and do a few other things. I may or may not be an overachiever. And I am tackling the eating department. I'm not big on counting and measuring and group meetings. But I know I can reach my goal. I gain this weight over night. So I know it will take time to lose it, retrain my brain, break old habits and learn new ones.

Ok enough rambling. Thanks again.

Congrats on your progress fellow tiger! I'm happy for you. Keep up the excellent work!

Duuuuuuuuuude, I would totally meet up with you to walk at the bay or Lake Murray or wherever. I also would love to hit the gym sometime with you! Hit me up.

[little_ms_sunshyne]

Originally Posted by Gentle Tiger

Hi everyone.

I've been lurking in and around this thread for a bit now. Thanks for sharing your ups and downs, tips and strategies. I am trying again to be healthy. I have a lot of weight to lose for health reasons. I gained all the weight I lost and then some. And I am feeling the consequences.

Any way, thanks for being a support without even knowing it.

Oh and I walked 1 mile Wednesday and 2.5 miles today (in too much pain Thursday). It's a steady. I'd like to get up to 5 miles/day and do a few other things. I may or may not be an overachiever. And I am tackling the eating department. I'm not big on counting and measuring and group meetings. But I know I can reach my goal. I gain this weight over night. So I know it will take time to lose it, retrain my brain, break old habits and learn new ones.

Ok enough rambling. Thanks again.

Glad you are here! We can battle the love of donuts together

[Rockinonahigh]

Tonight I was watching tv and wishing I had gone to the gym today even tho my back has been on one of its fits,I even went to the chiro to take out the kinks wich he did for the most part but we go back monday for another treatment.Anyhoo I just got up then went out to the patio then brought in my exersise bike, my stair stepper as well as a couple of hand weights..then did as much a workout as I could muster with them.I did 4mi on the bike,100 steps on the stepper,then went on the paito for a round of bench presses(40) then a fue things on the bowflex,the the temp was only 95 so I didnt stay out to long.I have no idea how many calories I burned but it shure felt good to do somethinbg of a work out.Im not shure the chiro ment for me to do this but I did any way...just had to.

[*Anya*]

Lost those two pounds that had magically reappeared the other day. So glad I did not let it get into my head: Negative thoughts+discouragement=giving up & getting off my healthy food plan. I know that equation all too well.

The whole 10 pounds= one dress/pants size is right on the money! That is kind of how I did it mentally when I lost 50 pounds. I had forgotten how well it worked for me before my derail!

I tried very hard to never allow myself to think about the total amount I needed to lose. I would focus on 10 pounds only. Once I lost 10, I would say to self, OK, you lost 10, you can do it again. To think about the total amount is just too discouraging. I now work on stopping negative thoughts about the 15- wait, now 13! I had regained.

My mantra now: you did it before, you have control, you will do it again.

I simply must find exercise I can do with my not-so-good knees. Tried stairs yesterday, which I used to love to do-did 6-flights and knee gave out. Just can't do them anymore. Must move on.

Weekends hard for me, my remaining dog is sick & may need to be put down but I can't, won't give up.

PS: thanks Thinker re the fat-free half-in-half. I believe the fat-free has corn syrup or something of that nature. It's weird but a Splenda does not trigger me for sweets but anything with corn syrup or things like that are triggers for me to eat sugar. I allow myself the "real" (lol) half-in-half and take total joy in it and still keep daily cals around 1500.

I do always welcome tips & ideas because they do help me and they give me new ways of looking at this journey that we are on together.

Thanks all, super great thread.

[Scorp]

Good Morning Folks,

Well, today was my weigh-in day and I lost 1.4 lbs. Not too bad and I'll take it!

[Miss Scarlett]

Good morning everyone!

Been absent from this thread for a while...

Greek yogurt is really awesome stuff...i started with Fage Total 0% (plain) but changed a few months ago to Dannon Greek Plain when Fage became hard to find. Recently i started having it for lunch at work so i've been putting them in the freezer...when it's super cold it's very thick and omg!

My weight loss doc has had me on a combination of 5HTP/Carbidopa for over a year and it was working very well until the last prescription. i told him that i did not feel as good with this latest prescription (it's from a custom pharmacy). So yesterday he had me add L-5-MTHF (Natural Folic Acid) one capsule twice daily. We're going to try this for a month or so and if there is no improvement we'll look back at the 5HTP/Carbidopa and consider increasing my dosage to twice daily. Have had 3 doses so far and feel a little light headed but i sure did sleep well last night!

Contacted the pharmacy yesterday and they assured me that the difference in size of capsule of latest prescription has to do with less "filler". But lead pharmacist will be contacting me on Monday and i am going to ask for a replacement of the balance of this batch. Because of the way i don't feel i don't think it is the same strength.

Time for me to resume my programme full-time. New apartment complex has an awesome exercise room that is not in a "glass box" like old apartment complex. So i will be more inclined to use it...and it's directly across from new apartment too!

[JustJo]

Hi everyone and welcome Gentle Tiger!
I love how this group is growing! So...I'm still contemplating the new style of eating but leaning more and more towards yes I will. Partly because I'm sure it will help me lose weight, but more so because it's so darn healthy....and my eyes have been bothering me more lately. That's super scary to me because I have diabetic retinopathy...so keeping my vision depends on keeping my blood sugar under control.

I showed the plan to Scoote yesterday but she's not inclined to join me in it. She's not a veggie eater and loves the carbs and sweets...so it's just too big of a stretch for her to enjoy it and be able to live with it. She's made great strides ...drinking less soda, more water, more 100% fruit juice and V8....and much less junk food and chocolate than she used to.

We really do all have to do our own journey...even if we live in the same house. So, a big part of my contemplation has to do with how I'll manage this in a housefull of people not eating the same way. Dinners are do-able...more roasting and grilling instead of frying, and tossing in a potato to bake for me instead of the mashed one or noodles or whatever....dramatically increasing the veggies so I can have a bigger serving and more variety.

Daytime is easy since I work from home....so getting the healthy snacks and probably just make a giant salad every day instead of the sandwich thing.

I got this! Now I just need to get to the farmers market and load up on fruit and veggies for the week.

[nycfem]

I'm finally caught up on this thread. Woohoo!

I thought I'd do a general check-in

Today I'm 192, the exact weight I was this time last year. And while I'd like to lose, I'm terrifically excited about maintaining! Maintaining is so very much work in and of itself!

In June 2007 when my mom had her heart attack, I started keeping my daily journal (by hand), and every morning I would write at the top of it, "I have lost X pounds since my mom's heart attack." As of today, I've lost 51 pounds since my moms heart attack. It feels really good to see that, even if most of the weight followed shortly after the shock of seeing her all hooked up to machines, having quadruple bypass surgery.

While my weight hasn't changed this year, I did drop a size, from a 22 to a 20. I'm an endorphin junkie, and yesterday exercise-biked two hours while simultaneously lifting weights throughout. I am very "ADD," and I love doing multiple things at once. I always stretch for half an hour after to calm down and avoid any soreness.

The bingeing continues to come up an average of slightly less than 7 days total per month. When I binge, it's like out of a movie, just a complete loss of control and so very unhealthy. I have had job stress that has been a big contributor. Tracking my binges and noting triggers helps me. Sometimes it feels like nearly everything is a trigger, the bad and the good! My dear friend Sylvie and I email privately from time to time, sharing our innermost feelings on this (big help!), and I also look at some online forums.

My goal is to solidly get into the 180's. I have been finding that when I am in the low 190's, I relax and allow myself to slack off. When I near 200, I go into high gear of being very controlled, and back and forth.

My reasons for weight loss: on blood pressure meds, pre-diabetes, and knee problems.

My methods for a healthier lifestyle: journal food, emotions, and exercise, and keep various statistics on my habits. I try to eat about 3 400 calorie meals ("breakfast, lunch, dinner" and 3 200 calorie snacks), with a very loose estimation of calories (rarely measuring). I try to eat every 3-4 hours. I exercise a minimum of 4 hours per week. The foods/drinks I am completely abstinent from always are meat/chicken/fish (for factory farming ethics reasons since being a teenager) and all caffeine, including chocolate. I weigh myself every morning.

I have a few triggers coming up, in addition to ongoing job issues. Next Sunday for a week we have our yearly vacation to the beach. Need I say more? Then, the weekend after, we have a wedding out of town. Need I say more? The latter involves having had to drop out of being a bridesmaid because I didn't fit in the brand name, tight, form-fitting, red dress (All the other bridesmaids, including the one whom I was quickly replaced with, are in the size 6 range.). The wedding is an old college friend of mine who was lesbian identified for many years but is now marrying a man. It's going to be quite a weekend.

Thanks, as always, to everyone for the feeling of group support that warms me in this thread.

[*Anya*]

I read Nina's post about the good place she is in regarding the ability to take one bite of pie or buy it and give it away. That is truly wonderful!

I have been known to buy a pie (prior to this journey I started 2 &1/2 years ago) and would never be able to stop at one bite. I would tell myself I would eat one slice-all the while knowing I never would stop at one. I would have one slice with crust and them would delude myself that if I only ate the filling out of the rest of the entire pie that it was "just fruit". I could finish that sucker in less than a day.

That is why I know one bite, for me, is no different than an alcoholic telling herself that "one drink won't hurt me, I can stop at one".

I can't afford to even test myself with one bite of pie or cake. I am done for if I do.

I have never even admitted that anywhere- to friends or in cyberspace. Scary but good to say it.

Hugs,

[girl_dee]

For those who are interested in this stuff, Believe me I don't always do this BUT there is some sort of scientific proof that a craving is satisfied with 3 bites, so I try to remember that when I want something, (doesn't always work) and I tell myself ok 3 bites after that my craving is officially gone and I am just having it for the sake of having it.

[Thinker]

Originally Posted by nycfembbw

I'm finally caught up on this thread. Woohoo!

I thought I'd do a general check-in

Today I'm 192, the exact weight I was this time last year. And while I'd like to lose, I'm terrifically excited about maintaining! Maintaining is so very much work in and of itself!

Damn! No doubt! I think this is amazing, J!!

In June 2007 when my mom had her heart attack, I started keeping my daily journal (by hand), and every morning I would write at the top of it, "I have lost X pounds since my mom's heart attack." As of today, I've lost 51 pounds since my moms heart attack. It feels really good to see that, even if most of the weight followed shortly after the shock of seeing her all hooked up to machines, having quadruple bypass surgery.

While my weight hasn't changed this year, I did drop a size, from a 22 to a 20. I'm an endorphin junkie, and yesterday exercise-biked two hours while simultaneously lifting weights throughout. I am very "ADD," and I love doing multiple things at once. I always stretch for half an hour after to calm down and avoid any soreness.

I could never bike that long. So impressive!!

The bingeing continues to come up an average of slightly less than 7 days total per month. When I binge, it's like out of a movie, just a complete loss of control and so very unhealthy. I have had job stress that has been a big contributor. Tracking my binges and noting triggers helps me. Sometimes it feels like nearly everything is a trigger, the bad and the good! My dear friend Sylvie and I email privately from time to time, sharing our innermost feelings on this (big help!), and I also look at some online forums.

My goal is to solidly get into the 180's. I have been finding that when I am in the low 190's, I relax and allow myself to slack off. When I near 200, I go into high gear of being very controlled, and back and forth.

I love how clear you are about all of this and how well you know yourself. Knowing this is possible....hearing you talk about it.....inspires me to focus more. Thanks!

My reasons for weight loss: on blood pressure meds, pre-diabetes, and knee problems.

I wish you the very best and am cheering you on.

My methods for a healthier lifestyle: journal food, emotions, and exercise, and keep various statistics on my habits. I try to eat about 3 400 calorie meals ("breakfast, lunch, dinner" and 3 200 calorie snacks), with a very loose estimation of calories (rarely measuring). I try to eat every 3-4 hours. I exercise a minimum of 4 hours per week. The foods/drinks I am completely abstinent from always are meat/chicken/fish (for factory farming ethics reasons since being a teenager) and all caffeine, including chocolate. I weigh myself every morning.

Do you notice much fluctuation? If so, do you find yourself reacting much to the changes? ...or have you gotten to a place where you are better able to take it all in stride?

I have a few triggers coming up, in addition to ongoing job issues. Next Sunday for a week we have our yearly vacation to the beach. Need I say more? Then, the weekend after, we have a wedding out of town. Need I say more? The latter involves having had to drop out of being a bridesmaid because I didn't fit in the brand name, tight, form-fitting, red dress (All the other bridesmaids, including the one whom I was quickly replaced with, are in the size 6 range.). The wedding is an old college friend of mine who was lesbian identified for many years but is now marrying a man. It's going to be quite a weekend.

The part I put in bold made me feel pretty gross just reading it. I admire the hell out of you for going, J. I hope it ends up being a really good time for you guys.

Thanks, as always, to everyone for the feeling of group support that warms me in this thread.

I'm up there in red.

[nycfem]

Thinker asked about whether I notice fluctuations much in weighing myself every morning. Usually my weight stays within 2 lbs of whatever I weighed the day before. Sometimes I will get a big drop from exercising or a big gain from bingeing.

What I find helpful about it is that if I notice that I've, say, gained 3 lbs when the day before I've exercised and ate decent portions of healthy food, I then go back over my journal and try to look at what might be going on. Sometimes I find that I had a high sodium food, and so I then try to reduce that (good for my high blood pressure). I've been paying much closer attention to the sodium in everything. "Healthy" meals at restaurant chains can have thousands of mgs of sodium! Calories are not just the problem. Stepping off soap box.

On the flip side, if I binge, a lot of the weight is simply from sodium, so the nice part is that a lot of it comes off quickly once I start back to cooking healthy meals.

Once per month (and I think we all know when) I tend to retain water more as well as eat more, so I have to just sit with that! It's never fun to see the scale go up when trying to lose weight, even if we know why.

I was helped by advice from Shadow's Papa on the "Getting in Shape for the Reunion" thread. The advice was to not think much about five pounds up or down. Do I follow that rule perfectly? Certainly not, but it helps me with perspective, since a few pounds up or down is normal.

Some people find weighing themselves every day to be too much. For me it helps keep myself on track. I like the concrete aspect of starting out the day knowing where I am.

[jelli]