<p>Lunch - pizza and a chocolate chip cookie. Dinner - poached salmon and vegetables. Give a little, take a little:).</p>
<p>I think that will be the theme for the next few weeks!!!</p>
<p>Help!
I lost a lot of weight being ill, so of course lost muscle. I have been seeing A PT and she says i dont eat enough. I cant imagine that as i have gained weight. It seems like my body is reallyout of wack and doesnt know what is going on. I have been doing weights and cardio. However it is from a much reduced way as I recovering. However my body must thinkits running a marathon. Can you guys give me an idea on how many calories you think someone needs> ie women int heir 40-50’s etc… It is frustrating to not see the weight results. I was so sick i lost the weight, but dont want to put iot back on but it seems I am. despite my best efforts.</p>
<p>[How</a> Many Calories Does A Woman Need To Maintain Weight? | LIVESTRONG.COM](<a href=“http://www.livestrong.com/article/292748-how-many-calories-does-a-woman-need-to-maintain-weight/]How”>How to Lose 10 Pounds in Two Weeks With "30 Day Shred" | Healthfully)</p>
<p>Here’s the article from the Livestrong site about how many calories a woman needs to maintain weight. It seems a bit complicated, taking into account your present weight, your height, your age, and your daily activities.</p>
<p>As an example, I’m an overweight (hey, but NOT obese anymore) short, in-her-50s female. For purposes of this exercise, I figured that I would burn no calories in the day from my daily routine (just to make the calculations easier). </p>
<p>Calculation: 1400 calories to maintain my weight under these circumstances.</p>
<p>Since you’ve been ill, you may need to let your body get itself out of Defcon 1 mode before you can make a weight maintenance/loss plan. I’ve had good luck using the MyPlate section of the Livestrong site to track my calories. </p>
<p>Good luck and glad to hear that you are on the mend.</p>
<p>downtoearth - you may want to consult a nutritionist to help you figure out the best diet to maintain your health after your recovery from illness while limiting weight gain. You could also post on the “serious” thread since there are some extremely knowledgeable and experienced people on there. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/838576-diet-exercise-health-wellness-support-thread-924.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/838576-diet-exercise-health-wellness-support-thread-924.html</a></p>
<p>Friday bump to get off page 3 - is everyone out at holiday parties?! Down 1.3 lbs since last Friday. Better yet, was at the doctor and my AIC is down .2 from August (and still well within normal range) after switching from Avandamet to a higher dose of just Metformin. So yay! My next goal is to reduce or get off Diovan and Lipitor. Can anyone recommend a good home blood pressure gauge?</p>
<p>Also yay that I not only fit in my “vintage” blue sequin dress, but also the dress that I wore to DS’s Bar Mitvah - he who is almost 24. And I found a pair of low-priced dress heels at Payless that are truly comfortable. Between bunions and a hammertoe, that’s a miracle!</p>
<p>Have already been to TWO holiday parties! This is going to be a long season of temptation. But I’m holding strong…still on the downward trend after weighing myself this morning.</p>
<p>Marilyn, congrats! As far as BP measurement goes, any device you get needs to be brought to the doctor’s office and checked for accuracy/calibrated against their instruments.</p>
<p>I noticed people post weight loss here so I will add my quick story.</p>
<p>Just joined weight watchers</p>
<p>weight= 177.8
I don’t have a specific number as a goal yet but would like to be under 140. </p>
<p>I have been exercising really well for over a week now. Pre-exercise my blood pressure was 130/84 (around there for the last few months, so getting borderline HTN) last three measurements (I am a nurse and take them at work) have been:
122/78 on Tuesday,
114/69 Thursday and
133/77 today. Not sure what went wrong today, unless I psyched myself out about it as the systolic tends to go up with acute stress/pain. But happy to see the diastolic consistently under 80.</p>
<p>Resting pulse is between 72-76.
Fasting blood sugar was 95 </p>
<p>Not sure what my cholesterol is, I really need to get that checked. So far so good on my weight loss journey. I will step on the scale again December 15th. Hoping for at least -3lbs.</p>
<p>Wow - we have some impressive “losers” on this thread. Holidays - pssht! They will not be a problem for this group.</p>
<p>I am being tested. I can handle the holiday challenge, however, got my hands full with my folks and that can be my downfall. Dad was discharged a couple of weeks ago following a severe brain bleed - status = shaky. This week mom has been in the ER twice, actually admitted late last night because she is passing out. Anyway - not looking for any sympathy, so many of us have similar demands, just my own public statement that the coming days will test my resolve and i must take care of myself.</p>
<p>Definitely agree with the taking-car-of-yourself comment. Stress eating is one of my trouble spots and it looks like you’ve got stress in spades! Good luck and stay strong…</p>
<p>I am not a stress eater, but when you have late nights at the hospital with the elderly, the food choices are limited. I tend to hit the drive through on my way home and eat in the car as it is fast and easy. I need to learn that if I am going to eat the burger, I don’t have to get the fries; that said, I would much rather eat fries than the burger! </p>
<p>And while we are on the subject of fast food, why do they always offer to make my order the meal deal since it is the same price or cheaper? There is a reason I ordered the small fries; if I have the large fries I will eat every last one of them :(</p>
<p>Snowball - that is exactly how I am! It is no so much a stress eater, but just the grab and go food when you are tied up at the hospital which has some of the UNHEALTHIEST cafeteria food!</p>
<p>I am not a burger person (mostly vegetarian, with a dash of fish) but the other night when I dropped my mom and dad off after the first fun night in the ER, I ate not one, but TWO bags of Vick’s or something sea salt chips. Now, I will say it was pretty low sodium, but really? Two bags of chips for dinner? Last night, fortunately, I had just had stir-fry veggies with tofu before the call came in that mom was heading back to the hospital. Oh, and my coke addiction. I have pretty much in recovery, but I had a coke yesterday and you know where that can lead.</p>
<p>On the drive through, try ordering the kid’s meal if you’re not real hungry - they don’t have to know it’s not for a kid! Nowadays I think you can substitute fruit for the fries. Plus you get a toy in most areas - Hello Kitty right now ;). With burgers, I’ve basically been taking off the bottom bun and eating them open face; leaves room for a few fries.</p>
<p>You can have a little Japanese bento packed in the frig that you can grab on your way out to the hospital. </p>
<p>[Lunch</a> in a Box: Building a Better Bento](<a href=“http://lunchinabox.net/]Lunch”>http://lunchinabox.net/)</p>
<p>Oh, Worknprogress,
You may not be looking for sympathy but I do sympathize anyway. The holidays plus sick parents…wow.</p>
<p>Maybe you can make a goody bag to bring with you when you need to go to the hospital. Granola, fruit cups, etc. They aren’t really meals but will take the edge off so you will be less likely to overindulge at the hospital cafeteria. </p>
<p>Isn’t it ironic that hospitals have the most unhealthy food choices? What gives?</p>
<p>workinprogress- thinking of you. Hope both of your parents mend quickly. The last year of my Mom’s life was challenging for me in many ways. I remember many times leaving the hospital or her house and hitting the drive through window.
Those salt and vinegar chips are dangerous. I love potato chips.
I rarely have fast food anymore. Now I try hard to not let myself get to that hunger place where I want fast food. Because I love salty foods fast food is dangerous. I admit I love McDonalds fries if they are hot with lots of salt.I do make an exception for Chick Fila. Or however you spell it. We don’t have one anywhere nearby so if I am out of town I usually splurge. I try to keep a small bag of almonds in my car for those times when I am just starved. The almonds give my brain just enough fuel that I am able to make healthier decisions.
Weighed in this AM. I am staying steady. I figure if I can come out of this month at the same place I went in I am doing okay.</p>
<p>I’m with you, Mom60. Steady is fine with me. A treat here and there is made up for later. Seems to be working so far.</p>
<p>Today I am coming down with my third cold of the season. It becomes challenging to want to work out when I don’t feel well. I forced myself to go to the gym today and am glad I did. Will sleep in tomorrow.</p>
<p>It helps to have a stash of food for times when you can’t prepare.</p>
<p>I bought an 8-pack of glad plastic 1/2 containers and I usually have at least four filled with some kind of nuts. At the moment, most have pumpkin seeds but we have large bags of unshelled pistachios and my wife buys large bags of raw almonds and roasts them and puts them in a big jar. I can just grab a container already done or fill one with whatever nuts we have around. Sometimes it’s peanuts, sometimes sunflower seeds, pistachios and almonds. Most are from Trader Joes. I’d like to do it with Macadamia nuts but can’t swallow the price. Hazelnuts would be fun too.</p>
<p>I also like to keep a few boxes of cereal around too. I have GlassLock containers for cereal. My current favorites: Trader Joes Wheat Bites, Trader Joes Fiber Cereal, Trader Joes Organic Os, F-Factor Cereal (these taste horrible but have a ton of fiber and no sugar).</p>
<p>We have a large candy bowl (covered) and I put Luna bars (Coconut Chocolate is my favorite) and Clif Builder Bars. These have a fair amount of carbs and moderate sugar and I prefer to use them before a run if I didn’t have time to prepare outmeal or some other hot cereal.</p>
<p>If you need a bite and there’s a Wendy’s around, you could always go for their chili - protein, fat and fiber. You can get crispy strips at KFC - a fairly low-carb option. It’s usually better to roll your own but everyone has periods of time where you can’t prepare well or your supplies are low.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts and ideas. Taking some food with me is the only way to go - otherwise that whole ravenous thing takes over. I am going to use your ideas and fill baggies with something healthy. Some nuts, or dates, or string cheese. Anything is better than the cafeteria. Although with 210 mg of sodium for the original Vickies bag of chips, I could do a lot worse for a snack. </p>
<p>So far, I am holding or losing weight. That doesn’t always mean healthy, but at least I am not totally losing ground. </p>
<p>Dad is at home in their independent living apartment. I told him I would not be picking him up today to visit mom; ten miles to his place, ten miles to the hospital, ten back to his place, ten back to my home. I got home last night at 3:30 AM and so I will rally to visit her, but I said today was my brother’s. Unfortunately, he has a cold so he doesn’t want to go in to the hospital. Long story short, we got word that dad planned to take the public bus to go to the hospital. Picture Andy Rooney with a walker, shuffling and occasionally falling because his brain HAS NOT returned to normal since the bleed. So many things wrong with the plan. He has to cross a busy highway to catch the bus, the bus doesn’t go right by the hospital, the bus does not run that late on a Saturday. And this is all because he can ride free as a senior. Yes, we do have taxies here and the retirement village will transport for a small fee. </p>
<p>Fortunately, someone informed us of his plans. Dad does not have Alzheimers, he is just incredibly stubborn and contrary (think Andy Rooney/Carroll O’Connor) with an extra helping of brain damage. </p>
<p>If you are in the area and see the old coot out with his walker, tell him to get his A** home or you will be calling WNP. Just saw that AARP has shoes with gps. Xmas present?</p>