We should also keep track of people's cholesterol and blood pressure....*coughBOBcough*
Keep up the good work! I haven't gained holiday weight yet, but I must lose some in the next few months. I need to be thinner before I start student teaching next year. It would make me feel better.
posted
It makes biological sense to put on weight this time of year. It's COLD! And DARK! You need fats to keep your body warm and to provide energy for your tasks. So fighting to keep the weight off is fighting against Nature. I wonder if it would be more helpful to at least recognize and honor this urge to fatten up for winter. Then, when the sun returns, focus on eating the fresh greens of that season and revelling outdoors in sport activities.
I think everyone should try to be kind to themselves during Dark Times. Not necessarily overindulging, but not beating yourself up about having a cookie, either. And perhaps be a kid, and go play in the snow. Good exercise, burns lots of energy (especially if you DON'T dress up warm), and the kids will love you.
Posts: 3141 | Registered: Apr 2000
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posted
Heehee, Jenny.... you, my dear, have obviously never been obese! Believe me, I certainly don't need to put on any more fat this winter! I've got enough padding already!
And besides, we should be able to control such instincts, dangit!
I'm down 23 pounds total, after a bumpy Thanksgiving, and I'm having an excellent week. I'm just dying to earn that 25 pound magnet this week! Posts: 2220 | Registered: Jun 1999
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posted
are you going to use it for bench presses, Ayelar? Heh heh. I kind of agree with Jenny that fall to winter is not the best time to work on losing, but if one is already obese (me) I don't think it is necessary to gain. Next Monday I'm going to start throwing open the shutters to get hubby some sunlight. I've been walking, and I think I'm going to start a weight lifting regimen.
I'm also trying to eat more fruits and vegetables. Focus more on what I should be doing and less on what I shouldn't.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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So you don't have a weight problem, Jenny? :gets out a feather pillow and puts some tar on the boil:
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Lol, with my old eating habits, Jenny, I imagine I could make short work of even your super-speedy metabolism.
What continues to amaze (and embarrass) me is how FULL I am eating the amount of food I do know, while I'm "on a diet". From day one I've been perfectly happy, fullness-wise, to eat this much. So what the heck was I doing eating the other two or three thousand calories a day? Whyyy?
And it's really nice, in social situations, to no longer feel like getting the food is some sort of competition, that I don't need to hover near the food tables and eat as much as I can as quickly as I can. Ugh, that must have been so gross to watch. Posts: 2220 | Registered: Jun 1999
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posted
or 25 boxes of butter. I thought of making myself a butter backpack when I did Body for Life and lost 27 pounds a few years back.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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GO GO GO! HOOYAH! DO IT! DO IT! YOUVE GOT IT! EASY DAY! NO PROBLEM! DOESNT HURT, IT FEELS GOOD! IF IT DIDNT HURT, IT WAS TOO EASY! YOU CAN DO IT! ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!
encouragement. go go go. Posts: 2532 | Registered: Jul 2001
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quote::gets out a feather pillow and puts some tar on the boil:
Pooka, you're really funny. I can't even quite tell if you only teasingly serious or halfway serious, but I like it. You're very funny. Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
Pooka, mine's the opposite. I'm hypoglycemic. My metabolism runs me, rather than the other way around. I must keep to a strict diet to keep from becoming weak and evil and exhausted. I can never keep warm, because my body burns everything instead of storing it. I worry about my long-term health.
So, tar and feather me if you must. You really do inspire me, because you are working towards important goals, and are not afraid to share the methods you use to reach success. I keep thinking that if I learn from what you do here, I can find ways to reach my own goals, too.
Posts: 3141 | Registered: Apr 2000
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quote:I keep thinking that if I learn from what you do here, I can find ways to reach my own goals, too.
I pay a bunch of women to keep an eye on me and give me cheesy little awards for every little accomplishment. I imagine it would work in any endeavor!
Posts: 2220 | Registered: Jun 1999
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posted
I'm sitting on them right now, Mack! I'm on a low-carb diet, too. It helps, but it doesn't really solve anything.
Posts: 3141 | Registered: Apr 2000
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posted
Well, just reporting in. The rate at which I'm losing weight has definitely slowed way down finally. In fact, I'm not so much losing weight anymore as I am continuing to tone up, I think. I've only dropped one size in the last couple of months, where this time last year I was dropping one size a month for a while there. There should be a pic or two next week of me in a size 6 dress.
What's weird, however, is that in the last couple months I have been having the strongest food cravings. Sometimes it's a strong craving for meat or for green veggies. These are understandable, and to some degree I've always experienced them, though they're a lot stronger now than they used to be. I caught myself recently almost literally drooling at the store over the mere thought of some nice lamb chops...haha! What's odder than craving meet and veggies is the nearly obsessive cravings I'm suddenly having for sweets. I NEVER used to crave sweets, and only occasionally had any at all. Crunchy, salty fried foods was my big weakness, never sweets. Now I almost never crave the fried stuff, but I'm almost constantly craving sweets. Of course, what I want to fullfil a sweets craving hasn't really broadened...I'm still very picky about what sweets I like. It pretty much must involve chocolate, and a high quality chocolate at that. Or something with a crumb topping. That pretty much sums up my list of acceptable sweet foods.
And lastly, just this past week, I've been hit with both the obsessive craving for chocolate, and an equally obsessive craving for something I couldn't quite pinpoint at first. I just knew I wanted...something...and that whatever it was most certainly was not in my fridge. Haha! I was at the grocery with a friend last night when I realized, looking at stuff in the store, that I was actually craving fats. Dairy fats. A picture of mashed potatoes looked delicious, but it wasn't the potatoes, it was the thought of the melted butter, that was appealing. Fried potato skins sounded yummy, but only as a delivery method for melted cheese and dollops of sour cream. I ended up getting a quart of the world's best chocolate milk (it's sold in glass bottles, doesn't taste even remotely like chemicals, and is malted...mmmmmmmmmm!), which I drank all of immediately upon getting through my front door. When I was done, I felt all bloated and miserable, and still wanted more!
Okay, so the question to the health-knowledgable folks is, why am I craving all this crap? Why now? Last year I was working in an office where we had dozens and dozens of "gifts" from vendors and clients all over the place all through the holidays. Candies and cookies and chocolates and every imaginable type of junk food. It was everywhere you turned, and I didn't want any of it. This year I'm home, without any temptation surrounding me, and suddenly I'm experiencing the strongest cravings I've ever had. Why? Do I give in to a craving, just a little? Does a strong craving really mean that there's something lacking in my current diet, and that I should probably get a small, reasonable amount of whatever it is I'm craving? Or is this all just in my imagination?
I still fit in the dress though, in spite of craving as much chocolate as I can get my hands on. Hehe!
posted
Here's my weight loss secret. It worked for me over the summer. Fall on your face while on a mountain bike. Be sure to shatter your two front teeth. Then, get them fixed. You will be unable to eat anything solid for a while. The pounds just melt off, even ones you'd rather keep. I went from 140 to a svelt 125 in a matter of days, on a diet of beer and ice cream.
Posts: 1769 | Registered: Feb 2000
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posted
Um, Lead.... is there any possibility you might be pregnant?
Mark and I have decided that, the moment I start wanting to eat pickles, we're getting a pregnancy test. I hate pickles.
That, or you're undernourished and your body is demanding protein and dairy fats. What are you eating as you lose weight?
Posts: 2220 | Registered: Jun 1999
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posted
Heh. What the hell was that post of mine on page two about...?
I should whine in here about my body. I lost nearly sixty pounds over the summer doing my Latin America thang -- most of it was discovering I don't need to eat much per day, no more than maybe a spoonful of peanut butter. If that. And that's on a full workload and partying at night. Then, of course, when I get back to the US, there's just so much damn food... And now that I've sprained my ankle, I can't exercise. I'm getting disturbingly soft -- I hesitate to call myself flabby, but if I don't do something I'll get there in weeks.
What's really bizarre is my weight. When I stepped off the plane in August, I weighed 230 lbs., more or less -- and at the time I was practically 0 body fat, and had some serious muscle degeneration from no weight equipment available for two months. Now I'm flabbier (may as well say it), and my upper body's larger than it was in August, yet I'm weighing in at 225. What the hell? 230's an ideal weight for me, given muscle mass -- how can I be fat and underweight at the same time?
Oh. Duh. Now that I write this, it must be the lost muscle I had on my legs. Especially exacerbated due to my sprained ankle. Well, dammit. I need to be able to run within the next couple weeks -- there's no doubt in my mind that I can lose this pinchable flab with a month-long running program, but dammit, I can't run!
Gah.
I could start the Costa Rica diet up again... Though now I'm actually feeling hunger pangs again. I wonder if they're real, or just learned from US schedules.
I'll start swimming this weekend, I guess. Anyone know how much I should swim if I really want a hard workout? In a lap-pool?
Yeah, I could use the tan anyway... I've spent two months indoors, and I'm as white as Americans believe Jesus was...
Posts: 641 | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
I've been avoid this thread! It depresses the hell out of me.
I realize that my insecurities are bumping up there...really bumping up.
I used to be so self-confident, had great self-esteem. I'm so down on this body of mine lately!
Everytime a Victoria Secret or any underwear commercial comes on it pisses me off. I think it's because I'm so down on my body. At least I hope that's why they bother me.
I read an article on Lauren Hutton yesterday. She's 60 and beautiful. I'm 36 and feeling dumpy and old.
Dr. Phil doesn't do a darn thing to motivate me. I'm not sure how he motivates anyone.
posted
Ayelar, not a chance in hell. That definitely ain't it.
I've maintained a pretty good balance while losing all the weight. I eat a lot of salads...good ones with spinach and green leafy lettuces (I don't eat iceburg at all), eggs, maybe chicken, with oil and vinegar or a bleu cheese dressing. And I've done lots of meats. Basically I tweaked my diet into a modified atkin's type diet. I cut out lots of carbs (mostly in the form of potatoes), but I have a fair amount of whole-grain stuff. And in recent months I've relaxed the No-Potatoes rule just a bit, since I don't need to keep losing weight. But I eat plenty of meat, and I've never made any attempt to cut cheese out of my diet simply because I love it too much.
Posts: 247 | Registered: May 2000
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posted
Ahhh! Help me! The only good food in my dorm is make your own pizza, which I've started doing twice a day! And now that it's cold and my bike is brokedn I don't get any excercise! Ahhh!
Lead, it may simply be a reaction to how long it's been since you had some of this stuff. I kow last year I sailed through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, resisting temptation and losing weight at a time when most people gain it. This year it's been much harder; while I have changed my eating habits and don't have cravings much in general, two years of depriving myself of these special treats is a bit much.
Aside from the holiday thing, I have occasionally over the last year gotten weird cravings that only last until I satisfy them once. (Several times it's been alcohol!) And whether it's physical or psychological, I think it's just that I've gone a very long time without having any of certain types of foods I used to like a lot, because they're so fattening, and once in a long while I need to indulge again. So every two or three months I find myself craving a steak; I have a steak and it's done. Monday night I was desperately craving Dunkin' Donuts. I didn't even like Dunkin' Donuts that much when I was fat(ter)! I always found them too yeasty and nauseating. But, whatever, I had a couple of donuts and now I'm fine.
For me, the whole thing that's made the difference this past year was moderation. I think people often fail because they try something too strict and they fall off the wagon, and I think people often fail because they tell themselves they're dieting in moderation but they fool themselves and really eat as much as they ever did. I've been keeping very close track of what I eat so I don't fool myself, but I've been pretty forgiving with myself when it comes to infrequent big indulgences (and frequent little indulgences!)
So, to make a long story short, I would not be too worried if I were you, as long as once you have satisfied your craving it's gone.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I never used to like Pop Tarts, but in the four months I've been on this program, I've twice had an irresistible urge to eat Pop Tarts. It happens.
Posts: 2220 | Registered: Jun 1999
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Eddie, It depends on how you swim. You should start out gradually, and I would try to swim at least 1000 yards or 800 meters. If you can do 1500 it would be even better.
Try to swim 200-300 yards as a warm up, slowly letting your muscles get used to the motion. Then do harder 100 yard sets. You could start out slow and then build speed to the end of the 100 so at the end you are going all out, or you could sprint the middle 50 yards or alternate for that matter. If you need a break in the middle, throw in maybe 150-200 yards of kicking with a kick board to strengthen that ankle. Then do another group of harder 100s and warm down with another 200 yards.
One of the greatest stomach strengthening excercise there is was called "gutbusters" by my swim coaches. You sit in the water, holding a kickboard sideways with your arms to keep you afloat. You then kick while holding that position. Since you are going backwards and looking at your feet you should try to kick hard enough to make the water "boil" but not splash. All while holding that sitting position. You will be surprised how quickly your stomach muscles start complaining but it is extremely good for them!
AJ
(also while swimming will strengthen that ankle I'd consider wearing a neoprene ankle brace at first to keep from overdoing)
I'm not sure where exactly my weight loss is. I refuse to get on a scale--the numbers are always depressing.
I think I'm neary to an 8...which would explain the baggy bum and hitching up of all my pants, now. *sigh* I really can't afford to keep buying pants!
Of course, my shirt size is basically the same--broad shoulders and long torso. But everything is nearly flat in my abdominal area.
But I want to tone. I'm a muscle freak or something. I really like muscle definition. Not BIG ones...definition. The Williams sisters are my gods. But I'll really have to work my ass off to get the kind of tone I want. I'd REALLY like a six-pack, but I don't think it's in my genes. My shoulders are really well defined (as jexx will tell you, over and over) and my arms are getting there. Apparently I have nice legs.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm developing some sort of disorder about all this stuff. Ela scolded me last night about working on calorie programs for losing the layer of fat that covers the muscles--so you GET that definition. But how else? Losing weight is a math game. Every pound is 3,500 calories. So, if you cut back 3,500 calories per week (for 1 lb per week loss) from the caloric intake needed to maintain your week, you can lose a pound a week.
posted
As I've mentioned before, without knowing your weight, BMI, or % body fat you don't even know if you need to lose any fat. Women are supposed to have some body fat, after all. Oh, and since you are working on getting your workouts more frequently and snowboarding lessons and all, the increased calories burned is equivalent to cutting back anyhow.
Posts: 1990 | Registered: Feb 2001
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quote:Women are supposed to have some body fat, after all.
Yes, I told her that, too. My opinion, Jamie, is with the amount you work out, you will get the muscle definition without counting calories and restricting to "no more than" a certain number of calories. I think that because when I worked out a lot, I had muscle definition, and I didn't make myself crazy about how many calories I was eating, I just tried to eat smart (cutting back sugar and fat).
In your case, with your meds and all, I would be more concerned with making sure you get enough calories so that you don't lose too much weight.
posted
FWIW mack, what you described is almost precisely what I'm doing (instead of cutting back 3500 per week, I'm cutting back 900 per day, but being a guy, I can do that).
I recall reading somewhere that a woman whould not have under 1100 calories a day or so.
As far as "making myself crazy," it's really very easy. It's the only effective way I've ever found to lose weight and keep it off.
For me, of course. Different people respond to different things.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
Icarus, most cravings I experience do go away once I've given into them (in moderation, of course). The chocolate craving, however, is not going away. I'm not sure what it is I need in order to satisfy it, and it's been hitting me for like the last 3 months now, getting progressively stronger.
You know, I don't call them calories . . . I call them "guilt points." As in, is the enjoyment I will get out of this chocolate bar worth the guilt I will feel later, and is it worth being able to eat less later or going over and feeling really guilty?
posted
About two months ago I quit caring. I just was at such a low supply of emotional energy I didn't think I had any to spare on what I weighed. To hell with it. I weigh what I weigh and I'm not going to keep judging myself for what I eat and don't eat and what exercise I do or don't do.
In two months I've lost about 20 pounds according to my doctor. I don't weigh myself, so I can't be certain. I know my clothes don't fit anymore, I had to wear a belt with jeans that two months ago when I got them fit snug.
*shrug* Can't explain it. I haven't been exercising, though I'm starting to get into a routine of walking now. I don't think I've really changed my eating habits all that much. It's weird. But I'm not going to complain.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Yeah, I know the meds I'm taking have weight loss as a side effect, it still seems as if there should have been some....well...EFFORT on my part to lose the weight. I mean, I know my appetite decreased but I still eat dinner with the family, grab lunch when I'm out, that kind of stuff.
I guess I just don't eat in the same quantity I used to. Or as often.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
One thing I know about food cravings or revulsions - pay attention to them! A lot of times, you get them because your body is deficient in something. There are even people who crave and eat dirt because their bodies are not getting or processing minerals properly.
This doesn't mean you have to eat what you crave, but you may want to check with your doctor to see what nutrients you may be missing. I know that I often crave salts and fats, and I'm healthier when I follow those cravings. Also, I avoid sugars, and have done so since I was a child. Turns out, too much sugar can really wipe me out.
So, listen to your body, and try to figure out what it's telling you with these cravings. If you crave fruits and veggies, by all means eat them! You are probably low on B and C vitamins. If you crave meat and dairy, you may not be getting enough protein, Vitamin D, or Vitamin B12. I'm no expert, so check with a nutritionist or Doctor.
Posts: 3141 | Registered: Apr 2000
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Perhaps you need more, um, artificial ingredients in your diet? More likely, there is an addictive food additive in the Tarts. Like Nicotine in cigarettes. The makers just want to keep selling Pop-Tarts. Perhaps you should try more healthful alternatives, such as Mom's Homemade Cherry Pie. Wean yourself away from the crap.
And practice saying, "No thank you, Mom, one piece is enough."
Posts: 3141 | Registered: Apr 2000
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posted
I bought Pop Tarts for my old dorm room once, thinking they could help me when I really really needed chocolate.
Ugh, I got sick of them in two days. Fat free pudding for me. Then again, I'm also really not sure if I should try to lose weight or not. But fat free pudding for chocolate cravings is great.
And Lead, you look great!
Posts: 9057 | Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
Are we far enough away from New Years to bring this thread out again? I don't know if any of you know the answer to this, but I've been walking and I know there are a lot of benefits (apart from weight loss, which isn't happening). For one thing, I'm not cold blooded anymore.
But I worry that walking in bitter cold (less than 20 degrees F) is having some kind of antagonistic effect. You know how they say swimming isn't as good because your body gets chilled. Meh. Just wondered if anyone knew anything about that.
Lead, are you still having craving problems?
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
argh.. I've posted this before and I guess I'm posting it again.
Need... to... start... excercising...
I haven't been getting sick like I was when my tonsils came out. But having warts removed from the bottom of your foot isn't condusive to being on a eliptical either.
Steve and I have been on a organizing and getting rid of stuff new yearsish kick. We bagged 5 bags of clothes from our closet for goodwill. Most of it was stuff we haven't worn in years, or excessive numbers of reptitive freebie t-shirts from college. Now our closets and dresser drawers are all at least half empty, some completely. This means that we can stop using the living room, where I fold wash, as our closet and can actually begin putting the clothes that we wear in our drawers.
It was discouraging though seeing what I couldn't wear any more that I knew I could fit into when I was 18. I'm trying to use that as motivation to start working out regularly. I pitched most of that sort of stuff because it is outdated, but my goal is to lose weight so I can go shopping and buy new clothes!
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