Healthy Weight Loss

[JustJo]

Yay! I am so glad to have others to share this project with!

And yes on pedometers! My doctor told me to aim for 10,000 steps a day...challenging when I work from home and the furthest I go is the coffe pot.

I put the dog on leash and walked 2 miles today...first time in a long time (like over 4 months). Wow, I could feel it ...and so could he, poor thing...but it's good for both of us. I figure I'll start with 2 miles and work our way up. The doc said that doing 2 separate walks of 2 miles a day is even better because it keeps the metabolism fired up...so that's what I'm aiming for.

Tommi...I'm so glad you're seeing results. You definitely want to stay out of diabetic territory if you possibly can...it's no fun. I have damage to my eyes, and the nerves in my feet...scary stuff. And, oh yea, fast food is my mortal enemy. Periodically it lures me back (because I simply adore Big Macs)...but they really aren't worth what they do to me...or anyone for that matter!

Yay us!

[sylvie]

10,000 a day! seems like sooo much, hehe..
but, i bet they add up way quick, i am going to dig out my pedometer right now, actually and get the battery/radio situation figured out , and then use it tomorrow or sunday! just curious how many steps i would take in the run of a normal day, without an actual work out.. and then one with a work out.. heh

i'm really happy about this thread..
i was tested for diabetes not all that long ago actually, but results came back negative, thankfully.. i had a lot of the symptoms, especially the excessive thirst, i can't seem to quench it most times..

[lipstixgal]

I just shoveled not something I really want to do but does that count as an activity?? I also walked today too which should count as an activity also..whoo hoo

[katsarecool]

Shoveling does count!!!! Count me in!

[Gemme]

Just for kicks, I plugged my info into the points'ometer and came up with 24. I'm not sure what good that will do me, as I don't count points, but it's good to know, I guess.

*grin*

I use the website thedailyplate.com to log my daily food intake and exercise. You set up your free profile, with your age, activity level, et cetera and then, as you add food, it makes the adjustments necessary. When you add exercise or actitivies (shoveling, sex, even walking on crutches!), it makes the adjustments to your caloric limit, since an exercising and/or working hard body requires more fuel.

For me, it's helped a bit to remind myself that that's all food is. Fuel. Some days, usually about 10-14 days out of the month, I don't care what the Hell it is, I just WANT it, but the rest of the time, it helps. I don't put sugar or sand in my car. It would ruin my engine, so why do I put so much sugar and junk in my body? I've had to have some pretty heavy 'what is food to me' discussions with myself over the past few months.

On my better days, it's fuel for my body. On my less than stellar days, it's comfort to soothe sadness or hurt feelings, to alleviate boredom, or to fill a void of some kind that I'm just not ready to address.

I've actively been exercising and eating healthier for about 2.5 months now. I had the luxury of being able to spend a LOT of time at the gym (nearly every day for at least an hour) before I found my job. Now, I am going about 3 times a week for an hour and a half each time. Since I began doing all this, I've dropped about 15 pounds.

I still have a little ways to go before I am at my goal weight, but it's not just the number on the scale that I'm working towards. I'm slowing teaching myself that, while it's fine to indulge now and then and for special occasions, when I reach for something to eat, I want my first instinct to be something that is good for me. I am making progress, but it's definitely a journey that I've just begun.

[lipstixgal]

I had a WW meal and a salad maybe banana bread for dessert or just a yogurt as a snack because you need three milks for WW..I'm so glad this thread is here..Thanks Jo[/COLOR]

[Tommi]

Originally Posted by katsarecool

Shoveling does count!!!! Count me in!

Never gonna have snow here. BUT , I did trim a 15 foot high Bougainvillea bush, and raked eucalyptus and pepper tree debris from our 7 days of rain. Grass is still too mushy to mow today though.

So,if interested, here is a Body Mass Index Calculator . Here it is..

[betenoire]

I don't like the BMI thing at all. it doesn't take into account things like body type and muscle mass.

[Tommi]

Originally Posted by betenoire

I don't like the BMI thing at all. it doesn't take into account things like body type and muscle mass.

"Center for Disease Body Mass Index: FAQ link

""""CDC:Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person's weight and height. BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problem"

The better discriptors here

How reliable is BMI as an indicator of body fatness?
The correlation between the BMI number and body fatness is fairly strong; however the correlation varies by sex, race, and age. These variations include the following examples: 3, 4

At the same BMI, women tend to have more body fat than men.
At the same BMI, older people, on average, tend to have more body fat than younger adults.
Highly trained athletes may have a high BMI because of increased muscularity rather than increased body fatness.
It is also important to remember that BMI is only one factor related to risk for disease. For assessing someone's likelihood of developing overweight- or obesity-related diseases, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute guidelines recommend looking at two other predictors:

The individual's waist circumference (because abdominal fat is a predictor of risk for obesity-related diseases).
Other risk factors the individual has for diseases and conditions associated with obesity (for example, high blood pressure or physical inactivity).
For more information about the assessment of health risk for developing overweight- and obesity-related diseases, visit the following Web pages from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute:"""Assessing Your Risk
Body Mass Index Table
Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults

[ruffryder]

Hello everybody! I skimmed all of this thread! WOW! Alot of great information, tips, support, and recipes. There are some great success stories here.

I will be starting on a very strict diet within the next week. . It consists of 20 - 40 days of
7 ounces or 200 grams of lean meat (chicken breast, crab, lobster, shrimp, white fish),
coffee, tea (hot or iced), water and stevia can be used in any amount,
grissini breadstics, melba toast ( 2 per day),
2 cups of vegetables
2 cups of fruit.

I'm looking forward to starting this and losing 20 lbs at first then I will look at 20 lbs more.

I am one to drink pepsi in large amounts, drink beer, eat fatty foods (my favs include pizza, mexican, chinese, chocolate, desserts!) I like to lift weights and get a good workout on my abs and play basketball. My challenge with this diet is gonna be a huge change in healthy foods, no soda, no carbs, no sugars, no more of my favs! haha. I will have to watch my workouts as I will be eating less calories to start the first month and cannot overdue it due to less energy.

I do look forward to the challenge however and getting back to healthy eating and healthy living. My goal is to lose 20 lbs to start, lose weight, fat, and inches and gain muscle. I will keep a daily journal on weight and food intake, my feelings, etc.. I am not working right now so I am surprised I have stopped drinking soda and started 6 bottles of water already everyday!

Today I am going to the store to purchase a food scale, weight scale, small grill machine, cup measurement, a small blender, and a small cooler.

Have a great healthy day everyone!

[Zimmeh]

Thank you Tommi!!!

I just did the BMI calculation and my results did not please me. I am going to lose those last 30lbs.

Zimmy

Originally Posted by Tommi

Never gonna have snow here. BUT , I did trim a 15 foot high Bougainvillea bush, and raked eucalyptus and pepper tree debris from our 7 days of rain. Grass is still too mushy to mow today though.

So,if interested, here is a Body Mass Index Calculator . Here it is..

[Zimmeh]

Thank you Jo Jo for starting this thread!

Four years ago I put myself on a diet to lose the weight I had gained from being in college. My starting weight was 210lbs and I am 5'0 tall. I lost 60lbs and I have been able to keep 43lbs off.

I was drinking three 20oz bottles of coke a day. That was my first step, to give up soda. I did it cold turkey and I lost 35lbs in two months. I can powerwalk three miles a day and I try to do that atleast three times a week.

My goal is now to lose the last 30lbs to bring me down to 137lbs.

If you have an iPhone, the app I use is called LoseIt.

I'm subscribing!

Zimmy

[ahk]

My wife and I have been doing WW for about 6 months now-- and have lost about 40 lbs together. She has about 15 more pounds til she hits her goal and I have about 50-70 more pounds for my goal. Its slow, but it feels good-- to be lighter.

My one thing I am not good at is -- drum roll: exercise. Any suggestions on what to motivate someone?

[Gemme]

This morning, I stepped on the scale to find myself at the lowest weight I've been at since maybe a year ago if not longer.

155.0

Sweet! Now, I'm thinking that it's definitely time to get back into exercising. My gym membership is getting dusty and, while my clothes are fitting a little better, I'm still quite jiggly. I hate the jiggle.

Ahk, I'd love to give you pointers, but even in my most exercise-driven days, I can't really say I was motivated by exercise itself. What motivated me was the results, the compliments from said results (because I'm vain like that) and challenging myself to go harder and farther than the previous session/week/month.

I also enjoyed the cuter clothes. What's up with that? You can only have super cute workout clothes if you are a size itty bitty? Bah. Anywho......my point is maybe focus on the results end of it instead of the exercise part of it? So many days, I didn't want to go to the gym....it was cold/rainy/early/annoying....but I did and I got results. When I didn't go, I got less results.

*shrug*

Maybe engaging in sports that you enjoy? That way, you'll have positive movement and enjoy what you are doing, so it feels less like working out and more like recess. I never liked sports, so this mentality really never helped me.