Meridia/Wellbutrin/Slim-Fast progress

I'm a lurker. But I thought I should post my progress, because it's been
good. But I'm scared about losing it.

October 2002: I was originally about 182 lb, 5'5, Male, and I started taking
Meridia in Oct 02 to about December 2002 or a little later, maybe January
(10s and then 15s). I then tried Ionamin (Phentermine) for about a month. It
makes you sketchy. I believe I was hovering around 172 by this time. I was
eating quite a bit still, and not exercising regularly.

August 03: I then went on Wellbutrin in August of 03, and I was around 172
at the time. I also started Slim-Fast. I went to about 167 while on Wellby.

February 1, 04: Joined a gym, and was still on the Slim-Fast program, and
exercised 3x a week. Started at 167 and went down to 160.

February 19, 04: Started Meridia 10 and then went to 15mg. Was 160 lb.
Vigourous exercise 5 times a week for 30 minutes (cardio) or 20 minutes
cardio/20 minutes weights, keeping on Slim Fast and medium-carb/low-cal
diet. Heading toward 150 lb.

Today: 153.5 lb.

So that's about 30 lb in about a year.

Anyone got similar results? I think the commitment to exercise has made all
the difference. I was such a lazy ass before, but at some point, you just
have to say enough is enough, eh? Where will it get you if you don't, I
figure?

Also, anyone had any trouble getting their insurance companies to cover this
with the right paper work? My BMI was over 30 at the start of treatment, and
I have a family history of stroke, so I should be covered, but I'm waiting
to hear back on it.

Thanks all, and the best of luck to everyone's weight loss.

Mark wrote:

February 19, 04: Started Meridia 10 and then went to 15mg. Was 160 lb.
Vigourous exercise 5 times a week for 30 minutes (cardio) or 20 minutes
cardio/20 minutes weights, keeping on Slim Fast and medium-carb/low-cal
diet.

Imagine how much easier it would have been without sucking down all that
sugar in the Slim Fast. The stuff really isn't all they claim it to be.

--
Smokey
425/225/2??
-
Orwell and Roddenberry weren't just writers, they were prophets.
-
"A lie can go round the world before the truth has got its boots on."
Terry Pratchett
-
"Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for
survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution of a vegetarian
diet."
Albert Einstein

"Draebyerg" wrote in message
...
Mark wrote:

February 19, 04: Started Meridia 10 and then went to 15mg. Was 160 lb.
Vigourous exercise 5 times a week for 30 minutes (cardio) or 20 minutes
cardio/20 minutes weights, keeping on Slim Fast and medium-carb/low-cal
diet.

Imagine how much easier it would have been without sucking down all that
sugar in the Slim Fast. The stuff really isn't all they claim it to be.

No, but it does give me the energy with minimal (230) calories.

I'd certainly be willign to try another something-or-other, if you would be
kind enoguh to suggest it. But it has to be as easy as the Slim Fast...i.e.
being able to be purchased in a can and consumed immediately...I buy the
premixed stuff.

I don't liek the sugar factor either, because there is a lot, but, I don't
knwo anything that would be easier than that. Do you?

Mark wrote:

"Draebyerg" wrote in message
...
Mark wrote:

February 19, 04: Started Meridia 10 and then went to 15mg. Was 160 lb.
Vigourous exercise 5 times a week for 30 minutes (cardio) or 20 minutes
cardio/20 minutes weights, keeping on Slim Fast and medium-carb/low-cal
diet.

Imagine how much easier it would have been without sucking down all that
sugar in the Slim Fast. The stuff really isn't all they claim it to be.

No, but it does give me the energy with minimal (230) calories.

I'd certainly be willign to try another something-or-other, if you would be
kind enoguh to suggest it. But it has to be as easy as the Slim Fast...i.e.
being able to be purchased in a can and consumed immediately...I buy the
premixed stuff.

I don't liek the sugar factor either, because there is a lot, but, I don't
knwo anything that would be easier than that. Do you?

As for the nutritional aspect of it, try Carnation Instant Breakfast,
the no sugar added variety. It has about the same numbers as the Slim
Fast, but without the sugar overload, and a fraction of the calories. It
doesn't come in cans, but isn't your health and weight loss efforts
worth the 10 seconds or so that it takes to stir the powder into a glass
of milk?

--
Smokey
425/225/2??
-
Orwell and Roddenberry weren't just writers, they were prophets.
-
"A lie can go round the world before the truth has got its boots on."
Terry Pratchett
-
"Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for
survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution of a vegetarian
diet."
Albert Einstein

"Draebyerg" wrote in message
...
Mark wrote:

"Draebyerg" wrote in message
...
Mark wrote:

February 19, 04: Started Meridia 10 and then went to 15mg. Was 160
lb.
Vigourous exercise 5 times a week for 30 minutes (cardio) or 20
minutes
cardio/20 minutes weights, keeping on Slim Fast and
medium-carb/low-cal
diet.

Imagine how much easier it would have been without sucking down all
that
sugar in the Slim Fast. The stuff really isn't all they claim it to
be.

No, but it does give me the energy with minimal (230) calories.

I'd certainly be willign to try another something-or-other, if you would
be
kind enoguh to suggest it. But it has to be as easy as the Slim
Fast...i.e.
being able to be purchased in a can and consumed immediately...I buy the
premixed stuff.

I don't liek the sugar factor either, because there is a lot, but, I
don't
knwo anything that would be easier than that. Do you?

As for the nutritional aspect of it, try Carnation Instant Breakfast,
the no sugar added variety. It has about the same numbers as the Slim
Fast, but without the sugar overload, and a fraction of the calories. It
doesn't come in cans, but isn't your health and weight loss efforts
worth the 10 seconds or so that it takes to stir the powder into a glass
of milk?

--
Smokey
425/225/2??

If the whole Milk stirring thing really is overburdensome and money is not
an issue, some of the meal replacement supplements like Glucerna and Ensure
light are pretty good with Sugar.

j
-
Orwell and Roddenberry weren't just writers, they were prophets.
-
"A lie can go round the world before the truth has got its boots on."
Terry Pratchett
-
"Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for
survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution of a vegetarian
diet."
Albert Einstein

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jayjay"
Newsgroups: alt.support.diet,alt.support.diet.rx
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 9:25 AM
Subject: Meridia/Wellbutrin/Slim-Fast progress


Good for you for making a strong effort to lose the weight. Although
you took drugs to help, I am a strong believer that the drugs only
decrease your appetitie to help you stay in control. But the true
weight loss was thru your eating habits (or lack of eating in the case
of weight loss) and exercise.


To JAYJAY: I agree that the drugs are not the way to go. I'm 100% in
concordance. But the problem is how to change eating habits. In my
situation, it's a little bit different, because I don't live a 9-5
lifestyle, I live a 2-9 PM lifestyle, which leaves me at the gym around 11
PM at night. And that's where I think a lot of the problem is. It's hard to
adjust my eating habits accordingly, and I end up eating before bed, or,
waking up in the middle of the night, and eating carbs. I want to go to an
eating disorders group, but I'm not able to, because ... working 2-9 just
does not facilitate being able to go to group meetings and those sorts of
things.

I have no idea what I am going to do about going off Meridia, because I know
I will have to. I will go back on the Wellbutrin, which helps as well, but,
I don't know what to do in the future to keep in the 140s... (I'm trying to
get under 150, I'm 5'6, male, 25 yrs).

----- Original Message -----
From: "Julianne"
Newsgroups: alt.support.diet,alt.support.diet.rx
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 9:29 AM
Subject: Meridia/Wellbutrin/Slim-Fast progress


If the whole Milk stirring thing really is overburdensome and money is not
an issue, some of the meal replacement supplements like Glucerna and
Ensure
light are pretty good with Sugar.


Hey all, and I'd like to sincerely thank you all for your replies... I
appreciate them very much.

TO JULIANNE, JAYJAY and ALL: I'm inclined to go toward something like Ensure
instead. I'm looking for something in the 200-250 calorie range. My concern
is the amount of fat and carbs in the shakes. I'm wondering what type of
shake that I could have that will give me the satisfaction of Slim Fast and
the caloric energy, without being too high in fat or carbohydrates. There's
a number of different kinds of Ensure products around... What one do you
think would be the best to go with?

I'm a little scared that by giving up the Slim Fast, I'll start putting on
weight. But I guess it's all a marketing ploy, really, right? "Slim Fast" is
just the name...but I could be drinking anything with similar ingredients
and getting similar results, am I not correct?

I'm actually up in CANADA, and here we have a brand called Presidents'
Choice, and they a shake called "Ultra". Anyone tried this? It looks high in
calories, but it may be an option if anyone here has had good experiences
with it...

Also, Jayjay's idea of a Myoplex premixed shake might be good too. Is it
alright to get so much calories from protein and not carbs, though? Or will
I be too weak from the lack of sugars, if I go with those?

Or maybe a combination of 1 slim fast, 1 protein (Ensure HP or Myoplex)
might work?

The premixed factor is really important to me...I live in a pretty big city
with a fast lifestyle where I just don't have the time to do anything with a
blender just yet. Maybe when the sun starts coming up earlier and its
warmer, I'll be more inclined to get up and do those sorts of things, but I
just don't have the time now.

Mark wrote:
"Draebyerg" wrote in message
...

Imagine how much easier it would have been without sucking down all that
sugar in the Slim Fast. The stuff really isn't all they claim it to be.

That's what I was thinking. I've lost 60 pounds since Sept. of 2002 and
didn't drink any Slimfast.

No, but it does give me the energy with minimal (230) calories.

I eat four or five meals a day where some of those meals are planned 200
calorie snacks. (I just ate a balance bar, for example.) 230 calories
of sugar isn't enough benefit for the calories, IMO.

I'd certainly be willign to try another something-or-other, if you would be
kind enoguh to suggest it. But it has to be as easy as the Slim Fast...i.e.
being able to be purchased in a can and consumed immediately...I buy the
premixed stuff.

Myoplex Lite tastes pretty good - try the Cappacino Ice flavor. I buy
mine at www.vitaglo.com. I don't get it pre-mixed, though, as I'm
capable of adding milk and some ice cubes to a shaker.

I'm a bit interested in your philosophy: you want to lose weight but
don't want to bother doing it by learning how to feed your body
appropriately? Is there something WRONG with eating good foods?

Dally
244/179/170

"Jayjay" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 13:35:08 -0500, "Mark"
wrote:

Mark, which group are you reading and posting from. Julianne and I
are in ASD and if we can stop the crossposting, it would be nice.
Although the subject matter is pertanent to both groups, I hate to see
the thread drag on in a group that is not participating.

Hey. Thanks for letting me know. I'm going to keep it to ASD from now on,
there is more traffic here anyway, and more resourcefulness, it seems.

Anyhow. I hope I'm getting this straight.
1. you work a afternoon shift (2nd shift) of 2pm to 9pm.

Yep. Sun-Thurs.

2. you don't get up early enough for daylight hours to make a shake?

What I meant by this was that I get up around 1, so I don't have time to do
anything before I leave to work at 2. And right now, with the cold weather,
and snow, there's no motivation to wake up earlier, like, say, 11, and do
things like exercise or make shakes. Because it's so cold. But maybe when
the weather is better, I'll have the motivation to get up and exercise in
the mornings and make shakes.

3. you don't get to the gym till 11pm, so that puts your last meal of
the day at a late time frame. And you struggle with eating habits
due to your shiftwork hours.

Yep. I tend to have a shake at 2-3 PM, then another around 6 PM, as well as
a small snack with each of those (fruit or salad) and then dinner at 10 PM,
then gym, then a snack after that, and sleep around 2 AM.

4. you are male, 5'4" and w/ a goal of 140lbs.

About 5'5 145 is a reasonable goal.

5. you are doing a meal replacement (shake) to lose weight and if you
are using only this, then you are most likely consuming less than 1000
cals a day. That is a bit concerning

I've counted. I take in about 650 in shakes and snacks, and then about 600
from dinner and evening food, lots of protein (about 300 grams of chicken
breasts a day...thats about 2/3 of a pound) and 100 cal of soy protein
"veggie gruond beef".

6. you are trying to find a way to change your eating habits and
dealing with going off meds for weight loss.

Yep, because I don't want to be on meds forever...

You've come to the right place.

I can't believe the amount of help and support on here... I am so thankful
for it... I never though much about posting here before because I thought
there was too much traffic for anyone to notice.

Some things to consider.
1. Nutritional education. One thing that comes to mind is your
concern over protein vs. carbs.
[etc. etc. **snip**]
is trying to regain that "sugar high" and is craving foods. Generally
you crave more carby foods for the quick energy.

Well, I do know a little about that already, and as a result, I have cut
starchy carbs almost entirely out of my diet, except for 100 calories in
bread, and a banana a day. I cut out pasta entirely... (or mabye once a week
in a frozen meal for a treat or if I am in a rush). But are the Slim Fast
shakes a bad idea for my glycemic levels? If so, how bad?

Anyhow - if you regulate your sugar intake, increase your fiber,
increase your protein, you'll find you have the same energy, less food
cravings and can handle the odd work shifts.

I'm having trouble discerning the difference between fibre and starchy
carbs. Like, a lot of cereals are considered good sources of fibre...but
they also contain starch, don't they? I snack on a bowl of Special K these
days...how does that score for starchiness?

My dinner is the same every night... A Stir-fry: 2/3 a pound (300 grams)
chicken breasts (that's about 3 breasts), 4 cups of oriental veggies (total
of about 120 calories - mostly broccoli, but some mushrooms and onions), 1
to 1.5 cups of hot salsa, a cup of soy "veggie" ground beef protein (about
100 calories total), a teaspoon of cheeze whiz light (50 cal or so). And
half a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.

And if I'm still hungry, I have a chicken breast before bed, half a
grapefruit, and two slices of plain toast.

And throughout the day I drink all sugar-free drinks and crystal light at
night. No water ever...I hate it.

My exercise routine is ... as much as possible. Every day of the week pretty
much. either 30 minutes of cardio, with heart rate about 150-170, or a comb
of 20 minutes cardio and 20-30 minutes free weights. I heard keeping the
heart rate in the right zone is important, but I can't help it from pushing
160, and sweating a lot. It almost seems HARDER to keep it toned down in the
145-155 range.

Hopefully, I'm on the right track... Thanks again for all advice...

Mark wrote:

But the problem is how to change eating habits. In my
situation, it's a little bit different, because I don't live a 9-5
lifestyle, I live a 2-9 PM lifestyle, which leaves me at the gym around 11
PM at night. And that's where I think a lot of the problem is. It's hard to
adjust my eating habits accordingly, and I end up eating before bed, or,
waking up in the middle of the night, and eating carbs. I want to go to an
eating disorders group, but I'm not able to, because ... working 2-9 just
does not facilitate being able to go to group meetings and those sorts of
things.

These are all excuses. Bad ones, at that. Have you considered going to
bed after work (say, around 11 pm) and getting up at 7 am and doing all
sorts of things BEFORE work? That's what I did when I did shift work.
In fact, I work both shifts now and I *still* manage to get my workouts
in and eat healthy. And raise three children.

We've all got 24 hours. It's up to you to choose what to do with them.

Dally