Healthy Weight Loss

[Leigh]

Originally Posted by Lizzy

I have had some problems with my ankles swelling in the past and everytime it happend I got really scared.It wound up being connected to my thyroid but it was hard to figure out the root of the problem at first as many times it was in the summer after I had been out in the sun for a prolonged period of time.I would also get nausous and really dizzy with a lot of joint pain,muscle pain and stiffness and my ankles and sometimes my fingers would swell up pretty bad.I have an auto immune disorder called Hashimotos's.My body percieves my thyroid gland as an invader and it constantly attacks it so I will be on meds for the rest of my life and I have to be carefull about not having to much sun and I am sensative to the altitude as well.You should ask your doctor(if they haven't already ruled it out)to check your thyroid as some of your symptoms can be related to that.Just a thought.I hope you are feeling better soon.

I have been tested a few times in the past when it came to My thyroid, and it never seemed to be the problem. I know what My problems are, alot of it stems from My depression but it also stems from two other things ~ being teased and tormened in school growing up, and the mental/emotional abuse that I've endured at the hands of My father. That always caused Me to eat, food was always My comfort and it was like no one knew Me better than food did ~ and now looking back at it, its gotten Me to a point where I've let it get *WAY* too friggin far out of control. I may ask for another thyroid test next time I see My doctor, but for now I am going to work on losing weight and combatting My depression in healthy ways like exercising and such. I am feeling abit better tonight, thank you for asking ~ welcome to the thread, I know that you will meet SO many wonderful people :-)

Originally Posted by little_ms_sunshyne

Also, Matthew sending postive thoughts in your direction! Keep us posted.

Thank you for the positive thoughts Sunshyne, it was a trying time for Me today with not knowing what was happening but atleast I know now that its not serious but I *HAVE* to lose weight there is no ifs ands or buts about it

Originally Posted by sweetfemme247

just a update for everyone about matthew,

he is at urgent care waiting to be seen, it could be awhile since there is a few people ahead of him.

I really have to take a few minutes to thank sweetfemme for keeping in touch with Me the entire night, and for keeping everyone updated as best as she knew how. In many ways tonight she kept Me sane through this whole ordeal, knowing how nervous and scared I was she stuck by Me and it really helped a whole lot knowing she was texting Me and helping Me out ~ thank you hun for everything you've done for Me, your amazing and I'd be lost without having you as a part of My life ............ I'm definately blessed

For the update: I spent 2 1/2 hours in the waiting room and then got called in at 11:30 central time, waited like another half an hour and the male doctor that came in was in and out in like two minutes. Basically what he called it was a permanent adema I think was his exact wording; basically because I'm really overweight the veins in My legs and feet are being squished which is whats causing the swelling. His words were pretty much all I can do is take a diuretic to help with the water retention and lose weight ~ thats basically what it boils down to but yes the weight must GO!!!!

I know I can count on all of My friends here to help Me lose the weight ~ I can, and I *WILL* do this :-)

[Lizzy]

I can not stand doctors with no bed side manners.How insensative.When I was pregnant with my second son I had the worst craving for ice cold coke in the red can....it had to be in the can.Needless to say I gained a little more than just baby weight.On one of my visits to the Doctor my primary Doctor was not there and this older doctor saw me instead.He looks at my chart and then my weight and he just went off on me, he said I was much too petite to weigh so much.He told me I needed to move more and eat less.I needed to control myself.He walks me to the lobby and says nice and loud for everyone to hear..."Stop Snickerdoodeling or you will be on bedrest"....I was so embarresed and over a decade later I still remember him to this day.That Doctor needed to remember you went to urgent care because you were scared and concerned for your well being.Treating you as a whole person would have been kind.How do they think spending just a few minutes they have a definitive answer.I can relate to using food for comfort, it has been my "drug" of choice for years.My mother is an emotional eater as well.Medicating with food to relax and let go of her worries.I use to go to Weight Watchers and one of my leaders told us this story,she said her son who was about 4 was riding his bike and he fell and skinned his knee.He came running into the house crying his eyes out.Even after cleaning him up and giving him a bandaid he was still crying.So she gets him a cookie and says"here this will make you feel better"so what does he do.....he puts the cookie on his knee with this confused look on his face wondering why this cookie will help him.I often think of this story when I begin to eat because I am stressed out or upset and I am usually able to reign myself in.The emotional element of my weight problem is the biggest issue for me.I don't overeat because I am hungry or I don't know how to eat properly.I am hoping talking to other people and getting some new ideas will help so I can stay on track.I wish you the best and I hope your feeling better soon.

[Lizzy]

Sweet thank you for the signature pic.I am horrible with technical stuff.

[sweetfemme247]

glad I could help you dear

[Inked_Trinity]

GOOD LORD! Had a new instructor for a conditioning class last night...... I don't think he realizes that us old bastards just don't bend that way anymore! Don't get me wrong, it was a fantastic workout. But a few times I had to look at him and ask .....Are you friggin serious ?????? ( note to self... don't take the class from the Muay Thai fighter )

[sylvie]

i haven't had a weigh in this week, but i soooo want one...
Realistically, i've lost an amount of weight, but not because i've been eating healthy, mostly because i hadn't eaten much period... i had oral surgery last Monday, and of course the first few days i barely ate, and then my appetite diminished.. SO, working on building that back up, though i LOVE having no appetite, lol..it's not the healthy way to go about this.. SO, while doing so, scared i'll gain a few lbs back and don't want that disappointment..(i know i would obsess it, lots)

But ohhhh, sooooo want to weigh in, my clothes feel looser, and 'that' feels great.. But, i am getting back on track, forcing myself to eat and forcing myself to drink (i wasnt even drinking much sadly)..

SO, will report my updated weight loss next week!

[Dominique]

http://www.medicinenet.com/edema/article.htm

Hi Mathew.

The internet is a wonderful tool.

Glad you saw a Dr. yesterday. I hate that the Dr. was dismissive. Now it's up to you to educate yourself as it's *Not just edema*

Here's hoping you stay motivated to do the right things!

I made brown rice, refried beans and hot tomato's for lunch.......just sayin!

[Zimmeh]

Good Morning Sylvie,

Hope you get your appetite back and soon! Until then, try eating some pudding or jello and drink a lot of water.

How is your mouth feeling?

Have a good day,

Zimmy

Originally Posted by sylvie

i haven't had a weigh in this week, but i soooo want one...
Realistically, i've lost an amount of weight, but not because i've been eating healthy, mostly because i hadn't eaten much period... i had oral surgery last Monday, and of course the first few days i barely ate, and then my appetite diminished.. SO, working on building that back up, though i LOVE having no appetite, lol..it's not the healthy way to go about this.. SO, while doing so, scared i'll gain a few lbs back and don't want that disappointment..(i know i would obsess it, lots)

But ohhhh, sooooo want to weigh in, my clothes feel looser, and 'that' feels great.. But, i am getting back on track, forcing myself to eat and forcing myself to drink (i wasnt even drinking much sadly)..

SO, will report my updated weight loss next week!

[Lizzy]

Originally Posted by sylvie

i haven't had a weigh in this week, but i soooo want one...
Realistically, i've lost an amount of weight, but not because i've been eating healthy, mostly because i hadn't eaten much period... i had oral surgery last Monday, and of course the first few days i barely ate, and then my appetite diminished.. SO, working on building that back up, though i LOVE having no appetite, lol..it's not the healthy way to go about this.. SO, while doing so, scared i'll gain a few lbs back and don't want that disappointment..(i know i would obsess it, lots)

But ohhhh, sooooo want to weigh in, my clothes feel looser, and 'that' feels great.. But, i am getting back on track, forcing myself to eat and forcing myself to drink (i wasnt even drinking much sadly)..

SO, will report my updated weight loss next week!

I need to start weighing myself again.I have just been going by how my clothes feel but sometimes it takes a significant amount of weight for my clothes to actually feel tight as it usually goes straight to my chest and then to my butt.I get really bad backaches when my weight goes up.I got my genes from Dads side of the family.They are all Italians with a lot of "curves".My sister of course took after my mothers side of the family and has always been a size 0 or a 2.But I must admit she does have extremely healthy habits.She has never liked Soda,she doesn't like candy and she never eats fast food.She use to never have to work out but now she does yoga 7 days a week.So my goal this week is to put a battery in my scale and actually use it at least once a week.

[JustJo]

Good morning everyone

Matthew I'm glad you went in and were seen....I'm very frustrated with how you were treated though and the flippant response with no testing. Yikes.

So...again, one diabetic to another, you really really really need a good primary care doctor (or endocrinologist) to make sure that you have all the tests you need on a regular basis to manage your diabetes. Look at me....2 months late on my A1c test and advising Matthew....hmmmm.....obviously, it's tough enough to manage even with a good doctor...like the nice butch I have who is going to lecture me and give me that look...again...when I finally get my test done and get in there.

If you're only on metformin, chances are that your diabetes is not too advanced....or you're getting crappo treatment....and it's impossible for any of us to say which is which.

Like I said, I'm not a doctor or a nurse....I'm just a squeamish, struggling to be compliant diabetic. But I do know that you should be having quarterly blood tests that measure A1c, cholesterol, triglycerides, and kidney and liver function. You should also be seen annually by an opthamologist specializing in diabetes to keep an eye on your vision, and a podiatrist who treats diabetic patients to keep an eye on your feet.

That's the minimum of good care as I understand it as a patient.

I definitely am not trying to scare you. I just want to make sure that you get the care you need to keep you healthy and safe.

I totally and completely applaud your resolve to lose weight and be healthier. It's not easy...as all of us here can attest to...especially when you don't have support at home and lots of emotional stuff attached to food...but it's so, so important...especially for those of us who are diabetic.

I'm in your corner Matthew....keep pushing for the good care you deserve....and treat yourself with love and support as you start this journey. We're all here for you!



And....welcome to the thread Lizzy

Your skinned knee/cookie post made me shake my head and laugh to myself....can't tell you how many times I used food to soothe after injury, neglect, pain, sadness.....and can't tell you when it started...so chances are it was very young, and at the hands of others.

I'm still unlearning it.

I'm a craving snacks late at night person too....my new strategy for dealing with that generally involves going to bed! It works, because I can't eat while I'm sleeping....and I know more sleep helps me be healthier too.

[JustJo]

I knew that not getting enough sleep could make us more likely to reach for sugary stuff, caffeine or other comfort foods.....but there's actually a hormone issue that causes weight gain as well!

Check this out...

Sleep and Weight Gain - Will better sleep help you avoid extra pounds?
By Denise Mann

Think about it: If you’re feeling sleepy at work, you may be tempted to reach for a cup of coffee (or several cups) and a doughnut for a quick shot of energy. Later you may skip the gym and pick up takeout on your way home to your family -- no time to cook. When you finally find yourself back in your bed, you are too wound up to sleep.

It’s a vicious cycle, and eventually this sleep deprivation can sabotage your waistline and your health.

It starts out innocently enough. “When you have sleep deprivation and are running on low energy, you automatically go for a bag of potato chips or other comfort foods,” saysSusan Zafarlotfi, PhD, clinical director of the Institute for Sleep and Wake Disorders at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.

The immediate result? You may be able to fight off sleepiness. The ultimate result? Unwanted pounds as poor food choices coupled with lack of exercise set the stage for obesity and further sleep loss.

“Sleep debt is like credit card debt,” Zafarlotfi says. “If you keep accumulating credit card debt, you will pay high interest rates or your account will be shut down until you pay it all off. If you accumulate too much sleep debt, your body will crash.”

Not getting enough sleep is common -- even talked about with pride -- in the U.S. “We brag about an all-nighter, but we do pay a price for staying up late and getting up early,” says Mark Mahowald, MD, director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center in Hennepin County.

Understanding the Sleep-Diet Connection

The sleep-diet connection is regular fodder for diet books and magazine articles. Maybe you have even heard about the sleep diet, which suggests you can lose weight while you catch your ZZZs.

And it’s true, sort of.

“It’s not so much that if you sleep, you will lose weight, but if you are sleep-deprived, meaning that you are not getting enough minutes of sleep or good quality sleep, your metabolism will not function properly,” explains Michael Breus, PhD, author of Beauty Sleepand the clinical director of the sleep division for Arrowhead Health in Glendale, Ariz.

On average, we need about 7.5 hours of quality sleep per night, he says. “If you are getting this already, another half hour will not help you lose 10 pounds, but if you are a five-hour sleeper and start to sleep for seven hours a night, you will start dropping weight.”

Exactly how lack of sleep affects our ability to lose weight has a lot to do with our nightly hormones, explains Breus.

The two hormones that are key in this process are ghrelin and leptin. “Ghrelin is the ‘go’ hormone that tells you when to eat, and when you are sleep-deprived, you have more ghrelin,” Breus says. “Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating, and when you are sleep deprived, you have less leptin.”

More ghrelin plus less leptin equals weight gain.

“You are eating more, plus your metabolism is slower when you are sleep-deprived,” Breus says.

The Sleep-Weight Loss Solution - So what can you do about sleep deprivation?

A lot, says Breus. First, look at how much you sleep vs. how well you sleep. “Some people such as new moms may only get to sleep for a four-hour stretch. And there are some people who get 7.5 hours of sleep that is poor quality because of pain or an underlying sleep disorder, and this has the same effect as if they got less sleep,” he says.

Trouble-shoot both with improved sleep hygiene, he says.

For starters, avoid any caffeine in the afternoon because it will keep you in the lighter stages of sleep -- which are associated with poor sleep -- at night. Breus recommends only decaf from 2 p.m. on. Exercise also helps improve sleep quality. How soon before bed should you exercise? It depends -- everyone is different. It’s more important that you exercise than it is when you exercise. Breus says to be safe, don’t exercise right before going to bed. “But some people exercise better before bed and it doesn’t affect their sleep,” he says.

Watch what you eat before bedtime. “Pizza and beer before bedtime is not a good idea,” says Breus. “Neither is eating a big meal close to bedtime.” He suggests eating a few healthy snacks and then having a light meal -- like a bowl of cereal -- if you’re running close to bedtime. Heavy, rich meals before bed can also increase risk of heartburn, which will certainly keep you up all night.

What if you are getting enough hours of sleep but wake up and feel sleepy the next day? “Talk to your doctor about seeing a sleep specialist,” Breus says. After conducting a thorough evaluation and sleep study, in which you are monitored while sleeping, the sleep specialist can help identify any underlying problem. Together you can develop a treatment plan so that you get more high-quality sleep -- and maybe even slim down.

SOURCES:

Susan Zafarlotfi, PhD, clinical director, Institute for Sleep and Wake Disorders, Hackensack University Medical Center, New Jersey.

Michael Breus, PhD, clinical director, sleep division, Arrowhead Health, Glendale, Ariz.; author, Beauty Sleep.

Mark Mahowald, MD, director , Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center, Hennepin County.

Taheri, S. PLoS Medicine; December 2004, vol 1: pp 210-216.

Reviewed on January 19, 2010
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