Weight Loss for Dummies

Parent Cafe
741

<p>Speaking of technology, I am sure there are good apps out there to help us know what we are eating, especially when dining out. I know WW use to have a book with calories and points for restaurant food, listed by restaurant. I would assume there is an app that is more hands on.</p>

<p>What apps have you found that help you keep track of what you eat? When I was watching my weight years ago to lose the baby weight gain, I kept a notepad in my purse and wrote down everything I ate. It really helped me to see it in writing; didn’t realize I consumed as many calories as I did. I also thought twice about that dessert or extra glass of wine when I had to write it down!</p>

742

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<p>Kate, for me, the former was the main reason for starting exercise and changing my eating habits - the number naturally followed. Two years ago I, a former cross country runner, could not run a couple of hundred yards without wheezing and panting, and just a few weeks ago I ran a half at about 7:55 pace for the first time in my life. My heart is stronger, my muscles are more endurant, and I have the will power to eat just a couple of bites of a sweet treat and toss the rest.</p>

743

<p>BB that sounds just wonderful. Especially the few bites and toss. That’s how I know I’m on track, when my eating behavior follows the “Only what I really want” model.</p>

744

<p>Bunsen:</p>

<p>The thing about exercise is that the more you do it, the more “fun” it gets. The first workout is the worst – well, actually, just thinking about the first workout is the worst. But, then a crazy thing happens and, after forcing yourself to do it a few times, you start to get a little more fit, and then you “enjoy” getting more fit, day by day.</p>

<p>Rather than saying, “I can’t do that” or “I hate doing that”, just do something and look for ways to build on that something as your body allows. A lot of us got a pleasant surprise and found out that it was kinda “fun” in its own diabolical way.</p>

745

<p>Hi, folks! [Waves.] Boy, this thread moves fast! I decided to join you. So much has changed since I joined WW more than 30 years ago after trying and hating Atkins. Like cpt, I don’t need to lose weight so much as lose those inches around the middle, but since she says she’s pretty firm (and I will confess that I’m fluffy) I hope to have more success. . .Due to an autoimmune condition, my GI tract doesn’t function as well at it used to (pain wakes me up at night so I have to knead things along), so the low carb diet has me a bit worried. . . .I’m up for trying anyway, since I have my 40th HS reunion next month and want to look good! </p>

<p>For those who hate to <em>exercise</em>: I walk at a track every day. It is easier on my knees than a sidewalk, and it is safe since I don’t have to pay attention to traffic. I try to keep up my pace, but I often use the time to think, work out problems, etc., but basically use it as <em>me</em> time. Hmmm, maybe at least until the reunion, I should try intervals to up the intensity. I started walking the fall after our family had been eating Haagen Daz every night all summer. No way you can be post-menopausal and keep from gaining weight! I think if I didn’t walk and if I didn’t have Reynaud’s in my fingers, I would ice skate.</p>

<p>Off to check out those cauliflower recipes mentioned earlier and that LiveStrong web site. Probably says I have to eat 400 calories/day if I want to lose .008 lb./wk.</p>

746

<p>Yup, I just took a few bites out of and thrown away a good chunk of a heavenly Danish pastry, made with real cream, butter and chocolate.</p>

<p>I do not count calories religiously or track my weight (other than weighing myself before and after long-ish runs to judge the amount of hydration I need during my next run); some knowledge of biochemistry and my somewhat athletic past help me keep things in check, but I should say that calorie tracking *during exercise *makes one realize how much effort it takes to work off that tempting sweet morsel. :)</p>

747

<p>If you are trying to get fit you have to move your body and raise your HR… a lot! Plain and simple, nothing hardcore about that. If you are trying to lose weight you have to cut portions, pay attention to the quality of what you are putting in your mouth and move your body…a lot! Pick your poison…walking, running, biking, swimming, elliptical, weight training, etc. and as the famous Nike saying goes…JUST DO IT!!! :slight_smile: It truly is all about the cumulative choices we make every day.</p>

748

<p>I vote for not restricting the thread to those who want to actually lose weight, but including those who only want to improve heath habits, tone up, etc. And I certainly don’t think weighing should be a requirement. As pugmakate said, for many people, especially women, focusing on weight is counterproductive.</p>

<p>There was a suggestion early on about tracking waist size, as well as weight. I consider this a more relevant metric, because that is the area where my excess weight is. I have to find that measuring tape. </p>

<p>The only way for me to change my habits is gradually. I am not able to suddenly start eating and exercising perfectly. Fortunately, because I have more than a few pounds to lose, my calorie goal at the moment is quite reasonable, requiring significant changes from the way I eat when not paying attention, but not too difficult for me to manage. By the time I need to lower it in order to continue losing weight, I am sure that I will be ready to make more changes.</p>

<p>I have found that, for me, sugar and white carbs are poison. If I am eating them, I crave more and am often hungry. I’ve reduced them to the point that the cravings are pretty much gone. The only overt sugar I take in is from 8 oz of Coke every morning, and I plan to gradually wean myself off of that. That Danish would not even tempt me. In the past, when I’ve gotten off sugar, and I’ve been able to eliminate it completely, including Coke, I could bake chocolate chip cookies and have no desire to eat so much as a crumb. It’s not a matter of willpower, when sugar is completely out of my diet I find it repulsive.</p>

<p>I’ve also learned this week that increasing protein and fat is probably the way I will have to go. I’ve increased them somewhat, reduced the carbs, and almost eliminated empty carbs. I find that I am never hungry between meals and have no trouble sticking to my allowed 500 calories/meal. I can also sense that my metabolism is revved up. Empty carbs make me feel sluggish and slow. I’m having some trouble accepting this new “right” way of eating. I am horrified when I see on the Livestrong pie chart that I’ve eaten 30-40% of my calories in fat. The no-fat dogma is really ingrained.</p>

<p>My goal for the next week is to get into the exercise habit. I actually like the treadmill, the elliptical, weight machines, Pilates, yoga. I love swimming more than anything, but don’t have a place to swim. I’ve found that if I get in the habit of exercising almost every day, it is easy to keep doing it. I’ve been out of the habit for too long.</p>

749

<p>NYMom, you are totally on the right track!</p>

<p>Can you see the pattern here with the women - and for that matter, the men - and the thick waist?</p>

750

<p>It is definitely a middle-aged thing. I’m sure that if we were a bunch of 20 or 30 yo, we’d be complaining about our hips.</p>

751

<p>Okay! So…as the OP I declare this thread fit for anyone who wants to get healthy or lose weight or (hopefully) both! The focus should be goals! In my case, I want to loose about 8 lbs but truly I want to change my eating habits. A weight loss is inevitable if I do that. There is NO REQUIREMENT to weigh in if you don’t want to! I DO want to because it gives me focus and incentive. There is room for everyone here who has motivation to make changes for the good.</p>

752

<p>“That Danish would not even tempt me.”</p>

<p>Are you serious? No one could resist The Potato :wink: Of course, if you have never tried one, you may not want to, because it looks ugly. LOL!
I have not declared a jihad on carbs, but I certainly limit them in my diet, so if I have to eat any, they’d rather come as rye bread, buckwheat pilaf, corn chowder, real European sweets, etc., all in reasonable amounts.</p>

753

<p>mmmmm…European chocolates.</p>

<p>Sorry…weak moment.</p>

754

<p>Yes, I am serious. I am already free enough of sugar that I would not be tempted by a Danish, a cookie, a piece of cake, ice cream. I would be tempted by potato chips and pretzels, though! It is taking willpower not to eat vast quantities of those things. And I am someone who could eat sugar all day long if got started.</p>

<p>The thing is, eating sugar makes my brain kind of jazzed up. If I get off sugar, I go into a serene state that is really wonderful. I know that putting sugar into my body will shatter it, so I find the idea repulsive. I am not in this state yet, because it requires a few days of absolutely no sugar. But I am already far enough in that sugar in non-Coke form does not appeal.</p>

<p>I learned a lot from Kathryn DesMaisons’ sugar addiction book (radiantrecovery.com). But I believe that only a small fraction of the population are, like me, sugar addicts.</p>

755

<p>I have been doing this for a little over a week and I am surprised that I don’t really miss the carbs! I went out to dinner with H and my sister and BIL and they brought a basket of the most lovely bruschetta. I didn’t even want it very much. No problem passing it up. But now I’m home and there are brownies in the Fridge and I want one so badly. The chocolate cravings are killing me!</p>

756

<p>EPTR - Please try my smoothie recipe. The vanilla soy milk makes it so creamy, the frozen bananas give it substance and sweetness and the HERSHEY’S COCOA (baking powder) satisfies your chocolate craving - all without added sugar or a sugar rush!!!</p>

757

<p>^^^
Did you post it? I ate a bite of brownie and had a K-cup hot chocolate (7 carbs, I think, 90 cal. 1g fat)</p>

<p>I feel better…and worse.</p>

758

<p>Pugmadkate- I’m not lecturing you. I actually don’t give a cr@p if you are an unfit fatty or not! </p>

<p>I’ve been involved in health and fitness my entire adult life in a way that went way beyond my competitive running. This is a message board, and I have as much right to express my opinion as anyone else. Go start a private group if you don’t like it.</p>

<p>You can start slowly, delude yourself, do whatever you want, BUT if your goal is to be healthy you need to get your heart rate up and build muscle, and if you want to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you consume. The key to ANY of it- whether it is Weight Watchers, low carb, no sugar, vegan, weight training, etc is discipline and commitment. I get the message that you don’t want to hear that from me, but I’m saying it anyway.</p>

<p>My sister was where some of you are now. She started WW in January. She just hit her goal and has lost 25 pounds. She doesn’t exercise much, but she was really good at tracking her points and figuring out what she could do without and what she needed to keep in her eating plan. She has a demanding job, eldercare responsibilities and she travels. Somehow she made it all work. It has allowed her to get off of several meds and she has much more energy. I also no longer freeze in her house! </p>

<p>So good luck in whatever path you take.</p>

759

<p>I was catching up on old New York Times Magazines at the gym and finally got around to finishing the one with articles about the evils of sugar, what’s the best exercise (many nominees, but no definitive answer), but my favorite article was about a study where they gave everybody they were testing an extra 1000 calories a day and tried to figure out why some gained weight and others didn’t. Basically it turned out that those who didn’t gain weight jiggled more (they weren’t allowed to actually exercise more). <a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17sitting-t.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=April%2017%202011%20&st=cse[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17sitting-t.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=April%2017%202011%20&st=cse&lt;/a&gt; In that spirit (and because sitting hurts) I’ve converted my desk to standing. Should burn off a few extra calories.</p>

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My husband brought back a box of chocolate truffles from a recent trip to Switzerland. I’ve only eaten one or two a day, but boy are they good! I think if you crave chocolate you should eat it, but figure out how much you can allow in your diet.</p>

760

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<p>A lot of people are overly obsessed with scale weight, even though it is not the best measure of health or body fat.</p>

<p>Waistline at navel is probably a better proxy for body fat (especially the abdominal body fat that is associated with greater health risks) than scale weight, since scale weight does not tell you muscle versus fat weight.</p>

<p>A muscular athlete may be “overweight” by BMI, but be lean and not have any obesity related health risks. But a “normal weight” by BMI person may have too little muscle and too much body fat; this is called “normal weight obesity” or “skinny fat” and is associated with obesity related health risks. (The latter condition is more common among those who lose weight by dieting without exercise.)</p>