Weight Loss Group

[NutMeg]

Hey guys, I can finally access the site again and I missed you all so much! I've been doing well as far as my eating, but very badly with exercise. Most of my daily step counts are over 5 km, but I haven't been doing pilates. I just bought heavier free weights, so I want to do that today. I've had a headache on and off for about a week which is usually a good sign that I need to get my ass in gear.

bebs: Be careful ok? I think you might want to talk to a doctor about your weight loss goals and mention your previous anorexia, because the extreme calorie control and weighing in multiple times a day is a concern.

 

[Nzsallyb]

hello everyone im back finally! hope everyone had a great holiday.

ive been doing ok lately, but getting my lazy ass to exercise is hard work!
Im starting a new pill, as i cannot afford my current one (its not subsidised by the NZ government), so feeling a bit nervous about side effects!

Bebs: please please please be careful. i really think that you should talk to someone about how you are feeling. we all want you to be healthy and happy

 

[Shimmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bebs okay.. well just checking in.. I'm not really the happiest at the moment with my self, I've been limiting my cardio to about 42 minutes (I let my self watch mindless tv well doing it, 1 show) most every day, free weights.. i'm on 5 pounds and I'm going to pick the 10 pound ones up at the store later on today. I do a lot of other exercises every other day to give my body time to heal, and I can tell the strength training is working (I have to lift and carry things at work from time to time) and its getting a lot easier to carry them. however.. I have been limiting my cal. its about 1000 - 1200 a day I believe.. I am slightly pushing it to be that high and its hard for me to do that much as it is without feeling sick (without counting I was at about 700 - 800 a day, which I know is really bad and I'm trying to do something about it before it impacts me to much) now my problem is.. it seems I'm gaining.. I know lean muscle takes up less space than than fat and what not.. and I can tell my stomach is going down majorly as well as the rest of my body (I was a size 14) and am now at a size 11, which is really good, however I really want to be at about a size 6 or 8, my weight hasn't really been going down.. only slightly up in the past few days (I know its slightly cause I uped my cal. most probably) I used to struggle with anorexia, and right now I'm slightly depressed about a few major things, as well as my mom says I'm still ocd about the scale (I try to only weigh my self once a day, however it normally ends up being 3 or 4 times a day) which I am going to be working on as well these next few days now with keeping the cals. up and working out I'm pretty sure it will still take my body what it is 5 - 7 days to get used to it, so should I not expect weight loss until the end of that time, or during it I'm really trying to make my goal (size 6 - 8) by april and I know I'm well on my way.. I just would like some advice on what else I could do to well speed the process along thanks so much everybody for advice and even reading my rambling.

You need to eat more. Your metabolism is slowing down because yourbody is going into starvation mode.

 

[Karen_B]

Can I join, but keep the focus on health and not weight loss?

My problem is this: I used to exercise a LOT, like 5 or 6 times a day, and was very fit and slim but not happy about myself. I obsessed over what I ate and how much I exercised and felt fat although I had a 28-29 in waist (I am 5'7''). Then I was diagnosed with clinical depression, and was put on anti-depressants which caused me to gain 40 lbs. I also overate as a form of comfort, and was too apathetic to do any exercise. After I switched meds and started a holistic pilates/yoga exercise programme with a coach, I lost about 20 lbs and felt lots better.

Now: The coach was expensive, so I couldn't afford to go to her forever. I do have a good base knowledge for doing strength training exercises though. My back and shoulders are troublesome, so functional training using a fitball and such is the best way for me to train. I love running and swimming, so that's what I do for cardio.
I have a huge sweet tooth and can eat copious amounts of sugar. As far as food is concerned, I went from being over obsessed to not caring very much at all, which means I can eat yogurt and cereal all day long just because I can't be bothered. This doesn't fill me up properly, which means I eat sweets to compensate, and don't have energy to exercise...

What I want to do is the following:
* Exercise for health and mental well being. NOT have a focus on looking like a super model or Hollywood actress. It's not realistic for me. For a start, I'll do strength once a week and cardio twice a week as a form of minimum. Later, I can up that to strengthX2, etc.
* Eat healthy, cooked meals twice a day, apart from breakfast. As far as possible avoid eating cereal for lunch and dinner (let's face it, sometimes cooking feels worse than death).
* Give myself credit for what I do. I am very critical of myself - like, if I go running for 35 minutes I can beat myself up for not being out for 40. Really, what's up with that.

So, those are my goals for now. Wish me luck!

 

[NutMeg]

Ok, I didn't work out yesterday. I got a brutal headache and was in bed for most of the day. I just did 40 minutes of pilates today so I'm happy about that. I had pancakes for breakfast and I'm just making some baked fries right now. I want to have a bunch of veggies today too. I'll do some cardio tomorrow, but I don't think I'll have time for pilates on Tuesday... I'll see if I can fit it in.

 

[Willa]

Welcome to our group Karen!

I did good this weekend
We went at my parent's place saturday for a diner, and I didnt eat too much. Actually, I wasnt hungry at all after eating the entrées I have made. It was very salty, so I passed on diner. But I ate cake... maybe too much of it

Yesterday I ate a good shish taouk, but it stayed on my stomach all afternoon. I sometimes have heartburn, Tums are welcome when it happens
For diner I tried a recipe I found in my new Food Network magazine. My bf always checks on my portions because I overeat, but I had a normal sized portion.

At first, he said that I took too much, but that's before he realized that I already served him a plate and it was waiting on the table... he also served himself a plate. So there was 3 portions missing and we were 2

he said sorry... hahaha

I'm a good girl now!!! I don't serve myself big portions and I don't go for a second plate

I checked my weight again saturday, 1 pound less again
Feels gooooooooood

 

[Karen_B]

Thanks Will, and congrats on the weight loss!

I have been doing good today and yesterday. Yesterday I went for a run for about 40 minutes and this morning I went on the rowing machine for 20, and then did some stretching exercises for my back and shoulders.

As for food, I had omelette for lunch yesterday and veggie chili for dinner (which also made today's lunch!) and now I am cooking a nice tomato soup.
Go me!

 

[NutMeg]

Hey guys! Welcome to all the new people.

So today I've had an 3 egg omelet with green pepper, mushrooms, a bit of onion, and cheddar cheese. I plan on having an avocado wrap for lunch, chuck some yummy veggies in there, maybe a balsamic vinegar dressing. For supper I have a bean soup going in the crockpot.

As far as exercise, I've done a bunch of housework this morning so my house is clean and I got moving around. I'm going to do some cardio as soon as my belly feels less full from breakfast.

 

[TISH1124]

Just checking in on you ladies...Keep up the good work!!!

Shimmer: I just want you to know and I know you will be smiling...I have had no soda...diet or otherwise since the day after Thanksgiving!! I tried to take a sip of a sprite last week because I had a upset tummy and it make me want to puke more!! I think I am finally soda free...
I drink only tea and water ...not even coffee or juice

 

[Shoegal-fr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TISH1127 Just checking in on you ladies...Keep up the good work!!! Shimmer: I just want you to know and I know you will be smiling...I have had no soda...diet or otherwise since the day after Thanksgiving!! I tried to take a sip of a sprite last week because I had a upset tummy and it make me want to puke more!! I think I am finally soda free... I drink only tea and water ...not even coffee or juice

Isn't that amazing?? When you stop drinking soda for a while and then just want to taste it again... you think "how the hell was i drinking THIS???!!!"

Good luck everybody !!

 

[NutMeg]

On another note, I started doing a food journal again. It makes me feel very accountable for everything I put in my mouth.

I'm getting another headache so I think I'm going to skip cardio today. I'll do 50 minutes of pilates tomorrow on my lunch break.

 

[Nzsallyb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NutMeg On another note, I started doing a food journal again. It makes me feel very accountable for everything I put in my mouth. I'm getting another headache so I think I'm going to skip cardio today. I'll do 50 minutes of pilates tomorrow on my lunch break.

a food diary is great isnt it?

bebs: i hope that you are doing ok, PM me if you are having any troubles, i want to see you happy!

 

[User49]

Stats:

Height 5ft6"1/2
Weight 11 and a half stone
Started eating healthy jan 6 have kept up with it so far
Mainly eating fruit and veg and lots of em!
What my downfall could be: pizza ooohhh sweet yummy cheesey pizza

how i miss you so


Okay I think I will have to join this as well. Here's my little story.

I've never been one to worry about what I eat or drink or if I do or don't exersize. I don't eat red meat (pork, beef, or anything like that), but happily eat chicken and fish. Rarely.

When I was around 20yrs old I was a size small uk 12 and didn't take care of myself very much. I suffered badly with IBS and anxiety which effected what I ate. I often skipped out on food if I knew some even was coming up.

So now I'm a bit older, happier in myself, anxiety/ibs is gone, however do have anemia as I don't eat a lot of meat. Until about two weeks ago I would eat a lot of carbs, sweets, whenever whatever. I have put on wieght, and am a UK size 14, but in some shops that's a squeeze.

Weight was never really an issue until two weeks ago when I was at work, a customer said "wow your really coming along, how long is it now?!" and I was just a bit shocked to be honest. I often look quite bloated do to the ibs/eating bread/pasta thing but I NEVER would have thought I looked far along in pregnancy or somethign!

Basically ever since this incident I have decided to be healthy. My diet has changed dramatically and I don't know how I feel about it all.

Typical meal before :

Breakfast: Two Slice of White Toast with marmite and butter and 1 cup of coffee with two sugars and whole milk.
Lunch: Pasta dish with small salad and crisps or jacket potatoe with tuna mayo cucumber and small slice of cake.
Dinner: Large plate of Pasta or fishcakes with potatoes, carrots and baked beans. Chococlate biscuit or sweet like snack.

NOW:

Breakfast: same
Lunch: small salad with piece of fruit and vitamine tablet
Dinner: small salad with fruit
or bowl of soup with fruit or
jacket potato (with no mayo, butter or chese) with baked beans and salad.
Snacks: fruit, 'go ahead' bars, low fat yogurt with grapes or other fruit.

Now I have been doing this for TWO weeks> I haven't had any cake, hardly any pasta, no sweets or biscuits.

I have also started a fitness journal online. I'm not exersizing anymore than i normally do. I haven't weighed myself to see what i was or what I am.

I just want to be healthy. My moods flucuate. But there is definitly TWO things I notice a massive change in! One- i don't feel bloated and energyless anymore and TWO- ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS FOOD!!!!!

Literally I never used to think about food. It's like I'm obsessed. I think about food and not eating bad food, and then how nice eating bad food would be, and then how nice having a slim trim happy figure would be versus eating food that i want and being happy. I just can't stop talking about food, or thinking about what I'm having for lunch. Trying not to slip up and eat junk.


Does anyone know how to stop thinking about it? Is it like when a smoker gives up cigs and can't stop thinkign about it? Is this normal?

And when do you start to notice the weight drop off??? xx

 

[NutMeg]

Tish, congrats on no sodas, it's a huge step.

Nzsallyb: Yeah, the food diary is part of my healthy mind set now. When I start doing it again, my attitude shifts.

glitternmyveins: No idea how to stop the obsessive thinking, but congrats on taking the first steps.

Ok, breakfast was a scrambled egg wrap for my morning protein, and now I'm having a bowl of cream of veg soup. I made it myself, so it's more veg than cream.

I just did 40 minutes of pilates and man I kicked my own ass. Especially on arms/shoulders, which is where I need the most work.

On another note, Shimmer? Do you happen to know a good exercise for working lats with just free weights?

Good luck guys!

 

[Girl about town]

Glittermyveins the most important thing is not to eat too little and damage your metabolism, i was eating 1000 to 1200 kcals per day and not shifting an ounce and since june i have went from a large size 12 (uk) to a uk 10 by making sure i eat at least 1500kcals and weight training, i also eat calories back if i lose them through exercise and eat 6 times a day, im slimmer than ever and feel like im eating more.

It took me a good 2 to 3 months to notice a major difference obviously my metabolism was wrecked!!! i find if i don't eat enough i crave food!!!! there is no reason to go hungry just eat good foods and lots of them!!!

 

[User49]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Girl about town Glittermyveins the most important thing is not to eat too little and damage your metabolism, i was eating 1000 to 1200 kcals per day and not shifting an ounce and since june i have went from a large size 12 (uk) to a uk 10 by making sure i eat at least 1500kcals and weight training, i also eat calories back if i lose them through exercise and eat 6 times a day, im slimmer than ever and feel like im eating more. It took me a good 2 to 3 months to notice a major difference obviously my metabolism was wrecked!!! i find if i don't eat enough i crave food!!!! there is no reason to go hungry just eat good foods and lots of them!!!

Thanks. The thing is I don't exersize at all. I live an hour from where I work so I have to take a train journey in and a train journey home. I get up at 530, leave at 7, get in at 9, work till 530, get a train at 6 and home at 715 and have dinner quite late. I have been having up to 1,600 calories most days and only get a 15 min walk to and from work so I feel like I need to cut out a lot to see a difference. I do feel SUPER hungry and think that I haven't had a difference yet. I wonder if I should eat more protein to make a difference? I just think that i wont be fitting exersize into my lifestyle so i should compensate by eating less carbs/fat and more veg/fruit...?

 

[Karen_B]

Glitternmyveins, if you are super hungry, no wonder you can't stop thinking about food! If you are hungry, eat, as simple as that. Try to experiment and see if certain foods are better for filling you up than others. For example, I need to have balanced meals with fat, carbs and protein, or I am hungry within the hour. Eating only carbs or only proteins at a meal doesn't work for me.

Also, as someone who used to obsess about food a LOT, what worked for me was realizing I had a problem with it. I mean, really emotionally understand it. For this I needed professional help, and I had also been in therapy due to my depression, so I think I was "ready". And then to try and shift focus. Although I needed to lose weight, I had to get away from that type of thinking, where the main thing was weight loss. This of course isn't easy and I still struggle with it. But I try now to see my body and my health as a whole, not just a measurement or a surface or a number on a scale. I need to keep not just my body but my mind healthy. It's give and take. For example, is a certain waist measurement worth not being able to go for lattes and a cinnamon bun with my friends, or do I need to change my priorities in order to not feel like my life sucks? Or, is the tub of B&J's nice enough to make up for whatever feelings of anxiety I get after I eat it?
Like I said above, I no longer try to cook meals with a certain ratio of macronutrients or count carbs or whatever. I try to eat homecooked, balanced meals that taste good and not be so hung up on the details.
This is just what has worked for me. I obsess less about food, and therefore, don't binge as much as I used to when all I did was count carb grams per day and weigh chicken breasts (that i forced myself to eat although I don't believe in eating meat).
And like I say, some of the weight has come off, but it's not really my primary goal anymore. And I feel better for it!

 

[User49]

Thanks for the advice peeps! Well I agree that it shouldn't be soley about getting that perfect figure. I am doing this because I do have lots of problems with being bloated due to ibs. I tend to eat a lot of pasta, bread ect and it makes me feel really sluggish. I think I just need to do a bit more research and maybe eat a little bit of variety instead of all these salads!!

I'm going to go for a bowl of pilau rice today with some fruit and a yogurt bar. If the girl in our canteen sits down with another cheese scone in front of me I might cry!!! Thanks for the support Karen B and Girl About Town

 

[Girl about town]

Try upping your protein intake sometimes jiggling things about gets better effects, I use a website called The daily plate to track food and it gives you pie charts on carbs, protein and fat, its free as well, its really helped me!!!! i try to go for 40 carbs 30 protein and 30 fat, i find with the extra protein im not as ravenous all the time, i also take protein shakes to try and net over 100g of protein per day.loads of fruit and veg and low GI carbs everything wholemeal.

I believe anyone can exercise, do some more walking or running get some 10lb weights or a resistance band, every little helps!!! even some dvds are good.
As long as you create a slight calorie deficit and exercsie a little to boost your metabolism over time you will defo lose some weight. If you want i can send you examples of my menus.
I Think that as long as you think about it being for health reasons and not about numbers on a scale its so much better for your mental health.

 

[Willa]

Ha maaaannn...
I've been bad, soooo bad today
Relapse.
Enought said