new to dieting, need help and support! (sorta long)

Hi Folks--

Like the subject says, I'm new to formally dieting--this is the first time
in my life that I've been heavy enough that I've felt I needed to do
something. After being in the 120's 2 years ago, I've gained 40 lbs since
then, and I'm 160 to 163, depending on the time of day, etc. During that 2
years I was on Effexor XR, which I've been off for about a month. I've also
been on Depo-Provera shots since last March, and I think have gained the
last 10 pounds since then. My BP was getting too high and so I had to
discontinue my BC pills, and so I started with the Depo shots. I have not
seen any weight loss at all yet as a result of discontinuing the Effexor
last month.

I *started* the South Beach Diet back in early September, but I've been too
undisciplined so far to really follow it--what got me off base almost
immediately was trying to eat up everything in my freezer because of having
the power out for a week due to Hurricane Isabel--and afterwards I never
really got back on the program. However, I'm still enrolled on their
website, but I have yet to go back there and *restart* my program at my new
weight ( I weighed 154 before the hurricane).

I was moderately active (mostly jogging) before I fell off my bike in July
and had elbow surgery and the resulting hand/arm rehabilitation. I will
admit that I've been less active since the accident, but I also had a calf
pull (still have) that adversely affects my running--I can't run more than 5
minutes or so right now, even after warming up sufficiently, before having
the calf tighten up. I've had this checked out by Drs. and PT's and they
say I have a pulled/particially torn calf muscle--and coming back to my
running very slowly is the only way to recover from this type of injury.

My long term goal is to get back to 120 lbs, which I think is reasonable for
me, since I weighed that 2 summers ago. I weighed 93 lbs when I graduated
from HS and never weighed over 100 lbs until I joined the Army at age 25. I
was between 105 to 113 lbs the next 8 years, and only went over 120 lbs for
the first time in 1989, at age 34. I want to emphasize that I've never had
any sort of eating disorder--I simply was small in my younger years, and
even now I would say I have a small to medium bone structure at best. I'm
also 5' 2 1/2" tall, and that 's another reason I think that getting back to
120 lbs is appropriate for me.

My mother gained a lot of weight in her late 40's and later, so perhaps some
of my present weight problem is hereditary--but still, I want to nip it in
the bud now, before things start getting really out of control.

My friends and acquaintances (to include my BF) are in the local running
community, and although I couldn't keep up with them before, I'm less able
to now--other than the weight loss, I'd also like to get back to running
more in the next months, and be able to compete in the local running races
(and do well for me) like I did previously. I really feel the extra weight
I'm carrying when I exercise, especially when I try to run.

I hope some of you here can give me some tips and encouragement. I realize
that 40 lbs extra is not much weight to lose to many of you, but to me, it
could be 100 lbs, since I've had little success so far. It's frustrating
not being able to lose weight easily, especially when so many of my friends
seem to fight to keep weight on!

Thanks in advance,

Jean in VA
163/163/120



--
"If you are going through hell, keep going."

Winston Churchill

"Jean S. Barto" wrote
Hi Folks--

Like the subject says, I'm new to formally dieting--this is the first time
in my life that I've been heavy enough that I've felt I needed to do
something.
snip

I hope some of you here can give me some tips and encouragement. I
realize
that 40 lbs extra is not much weight to lose to many of you, but to me, it
could be 100 lbs, since I've had little success so far. It's frustrating
not being able to lose weight easily, especially when so many of my
friends
seem to fight to keep weight on!

Thanks in advance,

Jean in VA
163/163/120

Hi back!

Losing 40 pounds is a nice project for you. You'll have a real sense of
accomplishment when you get done losing and start maintaining it thereafter.
I don't have any experience with the meds you mention but I do know that
anything you can do to speed up your metabolism will help you lose weight.
So run if you love it - I found I love to walk and that's how I lost my
weight - and do it as often as you can. For me it's important to walk every
day. Whatever weight loss plan you choose - stick to it. Let it work for
you.

Hang out here and post - we're all losers ;-)

--
Walking on . . .
Laurie in Maine
207/110 60 inches of attitude!
Start: 2/02 Maintained since 2/03

"Jean S. Barto" wrote:

Hi Folks--

Like the subject says, I'm new to formally dieting--this is the first time
in my life that I've been heavy enough that I've felt I needed to do
something. After being in the 120's 2 years ago, I've gained 40 lbs since
then, and I'm 160 to 163, depending on the time of day, etc. During that 2
years I was on Effexor XR, which I've been off for about a month. I've also
been on Depo-Provera shots since last March, and I think have gained the
last 10 pounds since then. My BP was getting too high and so I had to
discontinue my BC pills, and so I started with the Depo shots. I have not
seen any weight loss at all yet as a result of discontinuing the Effexor
last month.

I *started* the South Beach Diet back in early September, but I've been too
undisciplined so far to really follow it--what got me off base almost
immediately was trying to eat up everything in my freezer because of having
the power out for a week due to Hurricane Isabel--and afterwards I never
really got back on the program. However, I'm still enrolled on their
website, but I have yet to go back there and *restart* my program at my new
weight ( I weighed 154 before the hurricane).

I was moderately active (mostly jogging) before I fell off my bike in July
and had elbow surgery and the resulting hand/arm rehabilitation. I will
admit that I've been less active since the accident, but I also had a calf
pull (still have) that adversely affects my running--I can't run more than 5
minutes or so right now, even after warming up sufficiently, before having
the calf tighten up. I've had this checked out by Drs. and PT's and they
say I have a pulled/particially torn calf muscle--and coming back to my
running very slowly is the only way to recover from this type of injury.

My long term goal is to get back to 120 lbs, which I think is reasonable for
me, since I weighed that 2 summers ago. I weighed 93 lbs when I graduated
from HS and never weighed over 100 lbs until I joined the Army at age 25. I
was between 105 to 113 lbs the next 8 years, and only went over 120 lbs for
the first time in 1989, at age 34. I want to emphasize that I've never had
any sort of eating disorder--I simply was small in my younger years, and
even now I would say I have a small to medium bone structure at best. I'm
also 5' 2 1/2" tall, and that 's another reason I think that getting back to
120 lbs is appropriate for me.

My mother gained a lot of weight in her late 40's and later, so perhaps some
of my present weight problem is hereditary--but still, I want to nip it in
the bud now, before things start getting really out of control.

My friends and acquaintances (to include my BF) are in the local running
community, and although I couldn't keep up with them before, I'm less able
to now--other than the weight loss, I'd also like to get back to running
more in the next months, and be able to compete in the local running races
(and do well for me) like I did previously. I really feel the extra weight
I'm carrying when I exercise, especially when I try to run.

I hope some of you here can give me some tips and encouragement. I realize
that 40 lbs extra is not much weight to lose to many of you, but to me, it
could be 100 lbs, since I've had little success so far. It's frustrating
not being able to lose weight easily, especially when so many of my friends
seem to fight to keep weight on!

Thanks in advance,

Jean in VA
163/163/120

Welcome from another Jean. I, too, have what seems like little to
lose, but since I am only 5'1", the 30 or so (could even be 40)
pounds that I have to lose are A LOT. I have lost 15-16 of those
pounds now, and it has been pretty slow--or it seems that way
anyway. But that is better than putting more weight on or even
just staying at the same weight.

--
Jean B.

In article EEXpb.4682$j_4.1305@lakeread05, says...
Like the subject says, I'm new to formally dieting--this is the first time
in my life that I've been heavy enough that I've felt I needed to do
something. After being in the 120's 2 years ago, I've gained 40 lbs since
then, and I'm 160 to 163, depending on the time of day, etc. During that 2

Hi Jean, welcome to the group!

My long term goal is to get back to 120 lbs, which I think is reasonable for
me, since I weighed that 2 summers ago. I weighed 93 lbs when I graduated
from HS and never weighed over 100 lbs until I joined the Army at age 25. I
was between 105 to 113 lbs the next 8 years, and only went over 120 lbs for
the first time in 1989, at age 34. I want to emphasize that I've never had
any sort of eating disorder--I simply was small in my younger years, and
even now I would say I have a small to medium bone structure at best. I'm
also 5' 2 1/2" tall, and that 's another reason I think that getting back to
120 lbs is appropriate for me.

You are I are about the same height (and age). 120 sounds about right. I'm
shooting for 125 myself, but I haven't seen that since about 1989, so who knows
how it will feel on me THIS time around -- it looked pretty good on me THEN :-)

My mother gained a lot of weight in her late 40's and later, so perhaps some
of my present weight problem is hereditary--but still, I want to nip it in
the bud now, before things start getting really out of control.

Good idea -- I got to about 205 before *I* did anything about it.

I hope some of you here can give me some tips and encouragement. I realize
that 40 lbs extra is not much weight to lose to many of you, but to me, it
could be 100 lbs, since I've had little success so far. It's frustrating
not being able to lose weight easily, especially when so many of my friends
seem to fight to keep weight on!

Different people have different rates of weight loss. It's been very slow for
me, but it IS coming off. The important thing is to stay the course, even when
you aren't seeing results in the short term. It DOES pay off. This is a GREAT
group for support, info and inspiration! Keep reading and posting. You'll find
a LOT of great recipes, tips and advice. You'll also find some assholes, but it
doesn't take long to figure out who they are and filter them out.

--
Saffire
205/184/125
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333

Forget the south beach diet. Start walking. Also get into
other stuff like weights and yoga, each has different benefits.
Exercise every day -- pure exercise, not just running errands or
moving around the office.

"Jean S. Barto" wrote:

Hi Folks--

Like the subject says, I'm new to formally dieting--this is the first time
in my life that I've been heavy enough that I've felt I needed to do
something. After being in the 120's 2 years ago, I've gained 40 lbs since
then, and I'm 160 to 163, depending on the time of day, etc. During that 2
years I was on Effexor XR, which I've been off for about a month. I've also
been on Depo-Provera shots since last March, and I think have gained the
last 10 pounds since then. My BP was getting too high and so I had to
discontinue my BC pills, and so I started with the Depo shots. I have not
seen any weight loss at all yet as a result of discontinuing the Effexor
last month.

I *started* the South Beach Diet back in early September, but I've been too
undisciplined so far to really follow it--what got me off base almost
immediately was trying to eat up everything in my freezer because of having
the power out for a week due to Hurricane Isabel--and afterwards I never
really got back on the program. However, I'm still enrolled on their
website, but I have yet to go back there and *restart* my program at my new
weight ( I weighed 154 before the hurricane).

I was moderately active (mostly jogging) before I fell off my bike in July
and had elbow surgery and the resulting hand/arm rehabilitation. I will
admit that I've been less active since the accident, but I also had a calf
pull (still have) that adversely affects my running--I can't run more than 5
minutes or so right now, even after warming up sufficiently, before having
the calf tighten up. I've had this checked out by Drs. and PT's and they
say I have a pulled/particially torn calf muscle--and coming back to my
running very slowly is the only way to recover from this type of injury.

My long term goal is to get back to 120 lbs, which I think is reasonable for
me, since I weighed that 2 summers ago. I weighed 93 lbs when I graduated
from HS and never weighed over 100 lbs until I joined the Army at age 25. I
was between 105 to 113 lbs the next 8 years, and only went over 120 lbs for
the first time in 1989, at age 34. I want to emphasize that I've never had
any sort of eating disorder--I simply was small in my younger years, and
even now I would say I have a small to medium bone structure at best. I'm
also 5' 2 1/2" tall, and that 's another reason I think that getting back to
120 lbs is appropriate for me.

My mother gained a lot of weight in her late 40's and later, so perhaps some
of my present weight problem is hereditary--but still, I want to nip it in
the bud now, before things start getting really out of control.

My friends and acquaintances (to include my BF) are in the local running
community, and although I couldn't keep up with them before, I'm less able
to now--other than the weight loss, I'd also like to get back to running
more in the next months, and be able to compete in the local running races
(and do well for me) like I did previously. I really feel the extra weight
I'm carrying when I exercise, especially when I try to run.

I hope some of you here can give me some tips and encouragement. I realize
that 40 lbs extra is not much weight to lose to many of you, but to me, it
could be 100 lbs, since I've had little success so far. It's frustrating
not being able to lose weight easily, especially when so many of my friends
seem to fight to keep weight on!

Thanks in advance,

Jean in VA
163/163/120

--
"If you are going through hell, keep going."

Winston Churchill

In alt.support.diet Patricia Heil wrote:
Forget the south beach diet. Start walking. Also get into
other stuff like weights and yoga, each has different benefits.
Exercise every day -- pure exercise, not just running errands or
moving around the office.

I'll chime in here to say the opposite of Patricia, as usual. Learn more
about how to feed your body so that you're sated on the calorie budget
that is appropriate for you. South Beach and the Zone both have
reasonable approaches that pay attention to the difference between healthy
fats and unhealthy fats and the difference between healthy carbs and
unhealthy carbs. If you learn those two lessons you'll be better off.

You may find that the Body for Life program is a good fit for you. I've
been doing it for a year and lost 55 pounds so far. It's a great program
for people who tend to be athletically inclined. There's a lot of support
on the Guestbook of the website and enough incentives so it keeps people
going on a 12 week challenge (which is just enough time to start to change
some habits.) The eating portion is pretty similar to South Beach and
Zone or a cleaned-up Atkins (after the induction crap).

Check out the book by Bill Phillips or the website www.bodyforlife.com
and good luck in your transformation! (And welcome to the group.)

Wendy

Hey! I'll hang my post here on the post Jean S. Barto sent:

Hi Folks--

I was moderately active (mostly jogging) before I fell off my bike in
July and had elbow surgery and the resulting hand/arm rehabilitation.
I will admit that I've been less active since the accident, but I
also had a calf pull (still have) that adversely affects my
running--I can't run more than 5 minutes or so right now, even after
warming up sufficiently, before having the calf tighten up. I've had
this checked out by Drs. and PT's and they say I have a
pulled/partially torn calf muscle--and coming back to my running
very slowly is the only way to recover from this type of injury.

Water workouts? (running motions in the swimming pool) Part of the
problem with a torn muscle or ligament is the tension spike the impact
between the foot & pavement produces. The water workout lets you do the
resistance part without the impact. It may be enough of a difference to
keep your leg from tightening up.


My friends and acquaintances (to include my BF) are in the local
running community, and although I couldn't keep up with them before,
I'm less able to now--other than the weight loss, I'd also like to
get back to running more in the next months, and be able to compete
in the local running races (and do well for me) like I did
previously. I really feel the extra weight I'm carrying when I
exercise, especially when I try to run.

Resistance training should keep your muscles toned while letting the
pull/tear heal. Getting back into running will then be much easier.

I hope some of you here can give me some tips and encouragement. I
realize that 40 lbs. extra is not much weight to lose to many of you,
but to me, it could be 100 lbs., since I've had little success so far.
It's frustrating not being able to lose weight easily, especially
when so many of my friends seem to fight to keep weight on!

It might help to also think of weight loss in terms of percentages. For
me 40 lbs. is 12%, for you 40 lbs. is 24%. You probably have a lot more
work to do to lose 24% than I have to lose 12%.

Thanks in advance,

Jean in VA
163/163/120

Good luck.
--
Stephen S.
331/307/220
-------------------------

On 11/4/2003 7:39 PM, Jean S. Barto wrote:
Hi Folks--

Like the subject says, I'm new to formally dieting

Welcome to the newsgroup!

--
jmk in NC