Weight Loss and Diet Support Group

[Draka]

As I have had a hard time losing the weight I gained during pregnancy, which with my past ones I had no problem at all (it just slipped right off after pregnancy), I have started to make a more conscience effort to diet and exercise. I figured that I can't possibly be the only one here who has weight issues that would benefit from support and suggestions. I know this isn't "Weight Watchers" or "Jenny", but I figured that with the community we have here and the amount of caring and support seen here, that this might be a good idea for some. A place to share our low fat recipes, diet ideas, exercise suggestions, and weight loss triumphs.

If there is anyone out there who would find this helpful or interesting please speak up and let the support group begin.

Request: if there is adequate interest in this I would appreciate it being made a sticky for easy access and noticability.

 

[michel]

As I have had a hard time losing the weight I gained during pregnancy, which with my past ones I had no problem at all (it just slipped right off after pregnancy), I have started to make a more conscience effort to diet and exercise. I figured that I can't possibly be the only one here who has weight issues that would benefit from support and suggestions. I know this isn't "Weight Watchers" or "Jenny", but I figured that with the community we have here and the amount of caring and support seen here, that this might be a good idea for some. A place to share our low fat recipes, diet ideas, exercise suggestions, and weight loss triumphs.

If there is anyone out there who would find this helpful or interesting please speak up and let the support group begin.

Request: if there is adequate interest in this I would appreciate it being made a sticky for easy access and noticability.

I haven't your excuse for having put weight on (although a few months ago, my son was asking me when I was due):cover:

My problem is not being able to do much more than a little walking - and I am slow with that.

To be frank, I find with dieting that the whole thing is a mathematical equation; calories in - calories out (ie in excercise) = weight loss.

If the calories in exceed the calories out, you've got a problem.

I have had to lose weigh (however difficult that is), because with Arthritis, osteoporosis, and a bad back (+ dodgy hip joints - one plastic one), weight was making the problem worse. What is more I'll need to have the other hip done soon, and the lighter I am for the op the better.

I came to the conclusion that the only thing I could do was to change my diet completely.

Good breakfast, main meal at lunch, and a small snack in the evening (that way, the calories in have a better chance of being burned off).

I love cheese (especially full fat cheese); I have taken that out of my diet completely, and I don't even use spread on my toast (or bread) anymore. cutting down on everything, skimmed milk (takes some getting used to), and replacing bags of crisps as snacks when feeling peckish with an apple. Biscuits need to be off the diet too.....but that is difficult.

Alcohol is off as well (which is not a bad idea considering I am a latent alcoholic); I do drink when my son comes home for the week end - we take him to a bar acrosss the road, but that's two pints of beer, which I know I will have to pay for by cutting down more on the intake the following week.

Being a continental European, I was brought up to "Live to Eat"; I have had to change that to "Eat to live".........shame really, it was my last bastion of "treats"........

 

[standing_alone]

Oooh, I'm working on losing weight in hopes of joining the military some day. I don't think I have much to contribute to this thread, but I'm definately interested in it.

 

[Draka]

Cheese is certainly my downfall. I love cheese. I have, however, made some changes to my diet and have started to see some results. I've cut out soda, sweets, fried foods, and red meat. I started that on April 1st and about 2 weeks later the scale read about 11 lbs lighter. I've just bought a stationary air bike, one with those handle bars that move back and forth as you peddle. I find this to be handy when I can't get out too easily with the baby. I can just ride the bike in front of the tv when I watch my soaps and Jamie takes a nap. I'm trying to do at least 20 minutes a day, at least every other day.

One thing I find annoying is the plateau thing. I lost steadily for 2 weeks and nothing the third week. Which is why the starting of the extra exercise. Apparently chasing Jamie everywhere and lugging him on my hip isn't quite enough .

 

[Bishka]

Juice and chocolate are my downfall. I LOVE juice. I'm not a huge water or milk drinker.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I just went back on the Stackers yesterday.

My biggest downfalls are cheese, pizza, and a few XXL cans of Monster a day. I also have urges to munch all day. I've heard several times that it somehow becomes common amoung people who have quit smoking though. Might buy a pack of gum to see if that helps.

 

[Hema]

Cheese is certainly my downfall. I love cheese. I have, however, made some changes to my diet and have started to see some results. I've cut out soda, sweets, fried foods, and red meat.

Me too! Of couse being veggie I eat rennet free cheese. I have mostly cut out cheese, oily foods, soda and snacks with a lot of saturated fat. I lost some weight this year and I'm happy with my size now but I wish that my tummy was more toned. Also, I do not eat late at nights. Food when eaten late might not digest well and the body can store it as fat. I'm also watching my sugar intake. I sometimes try to eat soup at nights.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

I had no problem with weight till my mid sixties. Now I have to watch what I eat.
It is partly because I was on the go, all the time I was working and cold eat what I liked,
However I had far less time to eat and never ate between meals.... nothing at all, just drank tea.

Now if I go back to that routine of no eating between meals and more exercise. I lose up to 7 lbs a week.
I am sure snacking and lack of exercise is the main problem for most people.
The other thing is you should always feel you could eat some more when you get up from the table.

 

[Truth_Faith13]

I am only 21, and have never really known what it is like to not be overweight or mainly obese. I had a period of about three months (when I was 17) after losing 4stone where I was normal weight but I soon piled it back on!!! I have yoyoed all my life! and have recenttly managed to put a stone on in a month! I have decided to do the cambridge diet (although I am struggling to get on it). I wish everyone who has problems with their weight luck in achieveing what they want to achieve!!!

PS although its not really a religious topic. Cool idea for setting it up!!!

 

[Ðanisty]

Oh yes...stickying this one! It looks like there is some interest and I know I could use a support group...lol.

I have been overweight my whole life. There was one period of time for maybe about a year that I had lost a lot of weight and was almost where I should be. Now, I have diabetes, so I'm trying to get the weight back off and for good this time. I have a lot to lose too...over 100 lbs.

 

[Draka]

I would like to get back down to at least my pre-pregnancy weight of 150 to 155. I'd love to hit 135 to 140 though. I think that's probably my ideal weight. I'm currently sitting at 185. This is the most I've ever really weighed in my life (counting 2 previous pregnancies too ). Pre-pregnancy this time I was wearing a size 10 in jeans and dresses. The jeans I currently have on are a 16. I also went from a 38C bra size to a 42D. We'll not even get into hip and waist measurements. I had a c-section, and it has not been a full year even since I had it and am still nervous about doing anything abdominally that might damage something in that area. On the other hand though, I just feel flabby there now and wonder what I can really get back to when it comes to my tummy. So any suggestions or advice in that area are entirely welcome.

I can say what has worked for me so far and if anyone wants to try it then good luck, and if anyone has anything to offer on their end...please do.

As I said, I've cut out soda (not even drinking diet, just water, milk, tea, and natural juices), no sweets (the most I might allow myself is a popsicle from time to time), no fried foods, and no red meat (bendable if you get the extremely lean ground beef and make sure you cook all the remaining grease and fat away - steaming is best). I watch my caloric and fat intake on what I do eat.

I have the feeling that I'm going to have to cut out more though, but I'm hoping the increased exercise helps to make up for that.

 

[jacquie4000]

Cheese is certainly my downfall. I love cheese. I have, however, made some changes to my diet and have started to see some results. I've cut out soda, sweets, fried foods, and red meat. I started that on April 1st and about 2 weeks later the scale read about 11 lbs lighter. I've just bought a stationary air bike, one with those handle bars that move back and forth as you peddle. I find this to be handy when I can't get out too easily with the baby. I can just ride the bike in front of the tv when I watch my soaps and Jamie takes a nap. I'm trying to do at least 20 minutes a day, at least every other day.

One thing I find annoying is the plateau thing. I lost steadily for 2 weeks and nothing the third week. Which is why the starting of the extra exercise. Apparently chasing Jamie everywhere and lugging him on my hip isn't quite enough .

The first two weeks usually are bigger weight loss weeks due to excess water weight you lose. But actually losing the fat is a little slower. Try to cut back on some carbs, not all because it is not healthy. Cutting Soda is a great start. Cut back white flour products and white surgar, white rice, etc. And drink lots of water and moderate exercise. Once I hit 35 the weight was harder to get off. And no yo-yo diet because it is even harder to get back off. I just hit 40 yrs old and it is more of a challange to lose the weight. I just started back to the gym after a break. Cardeo is always the most important then circut training is fine to tone everything else.

 

[Ðanisty]

I've cut out all sugar pop (soda for those those of you who don't speak yankee...and yes, I know I'm in the south...lol) and any other obvious sugar. No cookies, cakes, ice cream, etc. White rice and potatoes are just aweful, aweful things that I've tried my best to get rid of. Pasta is actually better than rice. I'm also drinking more water than I used to.

I've been concentrating on changes that I know I can make permanently. By eliminating one thing at a time, I've had the ability to get used to not having it. One thing that I've noticed is that if you haven't been eating anything sweet and you taste something sugary...just, wow! That is really, really sweet. We've developed a tolerance to sugar that's just scary.

Being as heavy as I am, exercise is very difficult because it just causes too much pain in my feet and knees. I was living a nearly sedentary life, so just cleaning and packing has been exercise for me....lol. My parents have a weight-lifting machine that I'm thinking about trying out. They're also getting a swimming pool, so if I'm still living here this summer, I'll probably try to get in some exercise in the pool since it doesn't hurt.

 

[jacquie4000]

Note.....Being short like me five foot nothing doesn't help either every pound shows.........lol:yes:

 

[Booko]

I have, however, made some changes to my diet and have started to see some results. I've cut out soda, sweets, fried foods, and red meat. I started that on April 1st and about 2 weeks later the scale read about 11 lbs lighter.

That's a great start! Really read the labels, though. You'll be surprised how much sugar you're still eating even after you think you've cut out the sugar.

The two other factors that add to weight gain, aside from diet, are insufficient sleep and stress.

Which of course having small kids is going to subtract from the sleep and add to the stress!

But cut out things in your life that aren't essential to the welfare of you and your family, and that will help a lot.

My mom did a bang-up job after I had the kids teaching me to say "No, I not able to do that at this time." She had an uphill battle with me, but she eventually won.

 

[dawny0826]

I have over 100 lbs. to lose as well. You can totally count me in.

 

[jacquie4000]

The two other factors that add to weight gain, aside from diet, are insufficient sleep and stress.

I agree my stress levels have been up and sleep is hard for me. Don't go to the gym at night if you can help it. You really stayed keyed up then. At least I do. I try to always go in the morning. Just three times a week seems to do the trick if I am consistant.

 

[Booko]

I've been concentrating on changes that I know I can make permanently. By eliminating one thing at a time, I've had the ability to get used to not having it. One thing that I've noticed is that if you haven't been eating anything sweet and you taste something sugary...just, wow! That is really, really sweet. We've developed a tolerance to sugar that's just scary.

I never even ate the usual sugary American diet, but was astounded to find out how much sugar I was still eating. And you're so right -- even before I *really* cut out sugar I was unable to eat things like Prego spaghetti sauce. It tastes like a tomato Hershey bar! blech!

It only takes a couple of months for the taste buds to change. So for anyone making a change, hang in there.

I also cut out the "white foods": white sugar, white rice, white flour, and white potatoes. Wow -- what a difference that made.

I really hate white rice now. It tastes like so much lumpy wallpaper paste compared to the "real" thing. And I never imagined that sweet potatoes are a lower GI food than Irish potatoes. I always like sweet potatoes better anyway. Irish potatoes are, well...boring.

Check out the GI index of foods. High GI foods often have more to do with putting on weight than fat does.

And eat your non-starchy veggies. LOTS of veggies!

 

[jacquie4000]

Check out the GI index of foods. High GI foods often have more to do with putting on weight than fat does.

I have not checked out the GI index yet. How much are we supossed to have what is considered high. Do you have any good info on this?

 

[Draka]

Hmmm, let's see...stress and lack of sleep. Well, how about three pretty much nocturnal cats who rip through the house using the furniture and the carpet as scratching posts and attacking points all through the night and a 10 month old baby who is very mommy clingy now? I don't even exercise with my arms really, yet they are always sore from the constant up and down and carrying of the kid everywhere because he screams bloody murder if I put him down when he's in his tempermental bouts. And he's having more and more tempermental bouts lately. I certainly hope this is just a phase :help: . One moment he's fine and smiley and just hunky-dory and the next he's acting like the world is coming to an abrupt end. I just don't recall Dani ever being like this when she was this little.

And I do pay attention to the labels for sugar and trans fat and all that. Those Weight Watchers Smart Ones meals are actually quite good by the way.