<p>Okay, so I am letting the cat out of the bag. I am overweight. I have been almost all of my life. Once upon a time I was in great health, even if overweight, (normal blood pressure, normal cholesterol, physically active, etc.). Well, age, time, and a more sedenary lifestyle, and IMHO it’s not so anymore. I will be going to the doctor in order to get a full physical, (and I will not be leaving the doctor’s office until they schedule everything I think I should get, bloodwork, nutrition advice, pre menopause, etc.). I say this because I have been a quiet patient in the past. I am not interested in any type of surgery. I want to increase physical activity. I want to choose the right foods and eat them in the correct way, (watching serving sizes, etc.). I was wondering if anyone here has lost weight, or been concerned with weight gain? What have you done to stay in good health?</p>
<p>Five years ago I was inspired to lose weight by a male co-worker: he lost TWO HUNDRED pounds on Weight Watchers, and has kept it off! (Took almost 2 years, I think). I only had to lose 35, but I did Weight Watchers online (I hate going to meetings, so went out and bought a good scale to start) and joined the message boards too, which were very helpful, and learned there about other websites for support. I dropped the 35 lbs in 4 months, I was 48 and had never dieted before except for just after having my kids, and that was more or less just exercising. I’ve kept most of it off, as that diet changed my eating habits entirely and was also a good influence on my then-15 yr old daughter. In addition to following their eating program, I walked for exercise (have dogs, so that helped), and still walk at least 5 days per week. With WW you get credits for exercise too. Several other people I work with were also inspired to lose weight using WW by this one man’s success, and have kept it off.</p>
<p>With WW, you can eat anything but have to account for it and work within their point ranges.</p>
<p>I’m sure there are other diets that work, but I’ve observed friends trying other ones with no noticeable weight loss. You also have to have the willpower to do it, but that 200 lb loss was certainly an inspiration! </p>
<p>Good luck with whatever program you decide to use!</p>
<p>I started working seriously on weight loss last September after a visit to the doctor in which my glucose was borderline high and my good cholesterol was borderline low. (My BMI was not looking good either.) My husband and I have walked together for years, but it had been just occasionally. After the doctor’s visit, I started walking daily for about 45 minutes. When it was nasty out, I would ride the exercycle. (I find the exercycle extremely boring, but found if I rode while watching tv, I could handle it. The challenge has been to find programs interesting enough that I actually feel like watching them!)</p>
<p>I have also started watching what I eat. I started figuring out calories, which caused me to make changes such as cutting out seconds, decreasing the amount of margarine, mayo, etc. that I use, increasing fruits and vegetables, because you can eat lots of them without going over the daily goal. I use a goal setting feature that my HMO has on its website and keep track of weekly calories and exercise. At first I did a lot of looking up calories, but now I estimate more, now that I have a pretty good idea about most foods. I have also tried to add more whole grains to the diet, and now that our son is at college, we eat a lot of vegetarian meals.</p>
<p>In the first six months, I lost 25 pounds, which is a comfortable rate for me. Now I have been on a plateau for quite a while, whic can be discouraging, so I plan to take advice given in another thread and change my exercise habits, or try spreading out my meals into smaller ones to see if that helps. I may need to lower my calorie goal, too, since I need fewer now than I did when I started.</p>
<p>I don’t belong to any program, but keeping my stats online helps keep me on track. And, after losing a few pounds, I feel and look so much better that I have motivation to keep it up.</p>
<p>Good luck to you!</p>
<p>I’ve looked at a lot of diet plans and the South Beach diet seems like a really good one. It has a 2 week low carbo phase and then gradually adds more fruits and whole grains. It’s easy to learn the system and can be easily used traveling. It never lets you go hungry. My sister lost 30 lbs on it and I lost 15. Different diets seem to work better for different people. This one seems healthy and easy to use. It is supposed to really help with adult-onset diabetes too. Good luck!</p>
<p>South Beach jumpstarted me a few years ago. I don’t follow it formally now, but I have lost my craving for a lot of junk-carb foods because of it, which is helping me eat more healthfully overall.</p>
<p>Too quick tips–writing down everything you eat, and step-counting. Both keep my awareness level high, so I make good eating choices, and keep moving every day.</p>
<p>Two years ago, my BMI was just over 25% and my blood pressure was consistently high. I had also stopped exercising. Realizing that I was slowly killing myself I started looking at my daily calorie intake. I bought the Weight Watchers food in the supermarket which helped me control my portion size and I lost 24 lbs in 6 months.</p>
<p>Since then I have maintained a healthy weight and blood pressure. I do lapse on my exercise routine (3 times a week of taebo) from time to time but my healthy eating habits have remained consistent. I do not crave for chocolate and ice cream anymore and I feel full after small portions of food.</p>
<p>I think any one of those diets that teaches you portion control will work – the French already know this.</p>
<p>I’ve been following WW online for 4 months. Lost 27 lb so far . I exercise 4-5 times a week at the gym and also use any opportunity to walk( to work, to the store and so on) instead of driving.</p>
<p>Try playing DDR, adults as well as kids have fun playing it, and it logs (to a degree of error) how many calories you’ve lost.</p>
<p>One of the thing we have adopted in the last few years is that we don’t eat a big meal after a certain time, like 7 P.M, if we are hungry after that time, we have a small bowl of cereal with milk (yes breakfast cereal) and a fruit.
I drink plenty of tea and red wine, eat mostly vegetables and meat(kind of like Atkin diet, but we are not dieting), stay away from starchy food.</p>
<p>For exercise, I take Yoga, pilates, gyrokinesis at the community college. On top of it, my husband and I walk everynight to the supermarket.</p>
<p>I think stress sometimes does cause people to eat more than they should. I go for weekly or bi-weekly massage, an occasional acupunture here and there to help me relax, it also serves to stimulate my immune system without any side effect.</p>
<p>I have maintain the constant weight, not having to take any medicine of anykind yet, same with my husband. I know a lot of people at work who are a lot younger than us have to rely on pills.</p>
<p>When I was in my 20’s I did the whole yo-yo dieting thing and ended up getting really BIG. My 10th college reunion was looming and I was damned if I was going to back looking that way. I went to Weight Watchers and lost close to 40 pounds and have kept it off for almost 20 years now. I highly recommend the program. Sound nutritional advice, and support which is so important. Good luck!! Your health is at stake, and I’m sure you’re worth it!</p>
<p>The secret is eating less and exercising more. Most of us have a mistaken idea of what portion sizes should be. Remember when colas came in tiny bottles? Meat should be a pack of cards. Cut way back on carbohydrates and high fat high calorie foods like cheese.</p>
<p>Use Alli, but remember, wear those dark pants!</p>
<p>I gained weight in junior year when I was injured during pre-season for sports. I was eating the same, but I lost that 2 hours of intense activity each day (replaced with sitting with ice and heating pads and gentle stretches!). </p>
<p>I do like Weight Watchers because it involves keeping track of food, looking at portion sizes, making food choices (two beers with dinner is a lot of wasted points for the day), getting activity in, and making a lifestyle change. I lost 15 pounds the summer after junior year on it. I went to one or two meetings summer after senior year and lost another 5 (and then ran out of time!). I started going again last week–I did gain that “freshman 15.” The program really teaches you how to eat well for life, which I think is very important.</p>
<p>I also try to work out 3-5 days a week. I see a trainer at my gym twice a week. She also works with or has worked with my parents and some friends. Then I do that workout once a week, and try to get some form of activity in another day or two a week (jogging, ride one of the bikes at the gym, or even just walking a few miles). I think it will work well this summer, but incorporating these changes into a busy schedule at school with a dining hall will not be easy.</p>
<p>First let me say that I am not a good dieter. Mention the word diet, and I’ll bake brownies. I have a horrible sweet tooth, love my carbs, and salty snacks. I’ve been able to get away with it through regular exercise (used to be distance running, now dog walking). Largely I credit good genes and a good metabolism. </p>
<p>My H on the other hand is not as fortunate. His father died of heart disease at 42, and his brother is a diabetic and had a massive heart attack at 43. My H gets regular check ups with his cardiologist, exercises, and at this point is in good health with the exception of about 30+ lbs. </p>
<p>When [this</a> news](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/06/AR2007030601166_pf.html]this”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/06/AR2007030601166_pf.html) came out in the Spring, I decided to try the Atkins diet to help my H jump start his effort to lose weight. His doctor thought the diet was a fine start—the important thing being to lose weight. (I’m not making any claims about the validity of the research, just providing my basis.)</p>
<p>The results have been amazing. So far he’s lost 25 lbs with ease. As a matter of personal preference, we never went big for the high fat content allowed in the Atkins. I don’t do any kind of serious counting of calories or carbs or measuring for portion control. We just stick to the foods that are okay. Lots of lean meat, salads, and vegetables till full. I do read labels for carb content. Most surprising, I have lost all my cravings and don’t feel hungry. I credit the clear no carb start.</p>
<p>We are now doing a modified version that is something like a diabetic diet or a South Beach diet. Low or good carbs being key. I add in rice, pasta, or bread for our S still at home, and he and I drink milk. </p>
<p>After watching Michael Moore’s Sicko, we are taking a long view approach. We don’t always make the right choices on some days, so the next day we make better choices. I try to keep it that simple. All or nothing dieting doesn’t work for me. We regularly walk together with the dog on a four mile loop.</p>
<p>Good luck quopoe.</p>
<p>I have very little knowledge of the medical basis of such things, but do know that in the 2 years since our physician told H to take fish oil supplements (Fisol), his bad cholesterol has lowered almost 50 points, and his good cholesterol is now in the correct range. As far as I can tell, he hasn’t made any other changes, and is at about the same weight as before - maybe 5 lbs less. Anyone else ever hear of this?
It’s frustrating, because I exercise and eat much more healthfully than he does, yet still have higher cholesterol. Am wondering if I should try it too, though the doctor didn’t recommend it to me (maybe he just likes H. better :()</p>
<p>I think exercise is key and finding something you enjoy doing. For me exercising with others helps. As I’ve stated in another thread, I started biking and cutting back what I was eating the end of April. We joined a local bike club and I try to go on group rides at least two times a week. I’ve also tried nordic walking, basically walking with ski poles, which burns 40% more calories than walking with no real extra effort. I try to do something most days. I’ve lost 30 pounds. My BMI put me in the obesse catagory when I started, but I’m now just over weight. I need to lose another 20-25 lbs to be at a healthy weight. I’m already starting to plan for what exercise activities, I’ll do in the winter.</p>
<p><a href=“http://walking.about.com/cs/poles/a/nordicwalking.htm[/url]”>http://walking.about.com/cs/poles/a/nordicwalking.htm</a></p>
<p>On New Year’s Day of 2006 H & I decided to tackle the creeping middle aged spread and went on South Beach together. It’s been a year and a half now-- I lost about 15 lbs. and have kept it off. It has completely changed the way I eat and I cannot say that I feel very deprived at all-- I still allow myself the occasional treat. It just feels like a way of life now, not a diet.</p>
<p>At about the same time, I really cranked up the exercise and go to the gym 3-4 times per week, whether I feel like it or not. Again, it has jusst become what I do, wo I don’t need to have a daily debate with myself about whether or not I am “in the mood”.</p>
<p>I would recommend South Beach. It’s really only rough the first couple of weeks and it really helps if you can do it along with someone else.</p>