New here...where to start?

Hi,

I just subscribed to this and dont know how yall do things..do I tell you
about me ...or just say

I'm fat...I don't want to be fat!?!?

Amber

"Amber" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I just subscribed to this and dont know how yall do things..do I tell you
about me ...or just say

I'm fat...I don't want to be fat!?!?

That's a good start. There are no "rules" really. Generally, what you're
going to find here, is most of us subscribe to the "eat less, exercise more"
plan. That is, we're all doing things a little different, but generally
without pills or gimmicks or anything. When you ask for advice, expect to
get it. Sometimes bluntly, but honest and down to the point.

So, feel free to share whenever you're comfortable, and ask questions too.

Welcome!

"Amber" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I just subscribed to this and dont know how yall do things..do I tell you
about me ...or just say

I'm fat...I don't want to be fat!?!?

Amber



Most of us are looking at it as a two-prong thing. You can be thin and not
be healthy. My dad is an example. He died at 57 of a heart attack because
he didn't take care of himself.

You have to exercise to be healthy. Start a mild exercise program now. For
the first month, keep track of what you eat. Then look at sites on eating
right, and start making SMALL changes to how you eat. But for starters.

1. Cut back on caffeine. This means sodas as well as coffee or tea. Most
sodas contain caffeine.
2. Cut back on sodas. Non-diet sodas have something like 9 teaspoons of
sugar equivalent. Diet sodas leach calcium from your bones.
3. Drink more water, low-fat milk, and juice. NOT juice cocktails; they
are mostly sugar. Real juice. The extra fluids will cut some hunger pangs
because hunger is sometimes a disguise for thirst, since most food has lots
of water in it.
4. EAT BREAKFAST. Clinical studies show that people who binge at night
stop when they eat breakfast.
5. GET YOUR SLEEP. If you don't get 8 hours a night, your body produces
more ghrelin which makes you hungry, and not enough leptin which suppresses
appetite.

Patricia Heil wrote:

Most of us are looking at it as a two-prong thing. You can be thin and not
be healthy. My dad is an example. He died at 57 of a heart attack because
he didn't take care of himself.

You have to exercise to be healthy. Start a mild exercise program now. For
the first month, keep track of what you eat. Then look at sites on eating
right, and start making SMALL changes to how you eat. But for starters.


Here we go

1. Cut back on caffeine. This means sodas as well as coffee or tea. Most
sodas contain caffeine.
2. Cut back on sodas. Non-diet sodas have something like 9 teaspoons of
sugar equivalent. Diet sodas leach calcium from your bones.

I've yet to see any compelling evidence about this. I really think it's
just another food scare and someone will be profitting from it and
propergating the myth.

3. Drink more water, low-fat milk, and juice. NOT juice cocktails; they
are mostly sugar. Real juice. The extra fluids will cut some hunger pangs
because hunger is sometimes a disguise for thirst, since most food has lots
of water in it.
4. EAT BREAKFAST. Clinical studies show that people who binge at night
stop when they eat breakfast.

Or, alternatively, cut out breakfast and eat a good meal in the
evening. It works for me - I think you need to do whatever is best for
you. I mean, really, is this whole "must eat breakfast" mantra any less
of a gimmick than "must eat grapefruit" or "must drink 2 litres of pure
water" or any other diet warcry?

5. GET YOUR SLEEP. If you don't get 8 hours a night, your body produces
more ghrelin which makes you hungry, and not enough leptin which suppresses
appetite.

Your body adjusts. Sleep is good, but I can't remember the last 8 hour
sleep I had. 6 hours is fine for me.


So, what I'm saying I guess is never just accept any advice or "facts"
- always question it until you're convinced.

5. GET YOUR SLEEP. If you don't get 8 hours a night, your body produces
more ghrelin which makes you hungry, and not enough leptin which suppresses
appetite.

Your body adjusts. Sleep is good, but I can't remember the last 8 hour
sleep I had. 6 hours is fine for me.

Me either, I get 5-6 hours a night. When you have small children, a
big house with housework to do and exercise to fit in as well, it is
hard to fit everything into a 16 hour day! I'm losing weight and don't
overeat, well except for 1 or 2 days a month... b

KR

On 21 Sep 2006 03:28:27 -0700, "Ade" wrote:

2. Cut back on sodas. Non-diet sodas have something like 9 teaspoons of
sugar equivalent. Diet sodas leach calcium from your bones.

I've yet to see any compelling evidence about this. I really think it's
just another food scare and someone will be profitting from it and
propergating the myth.

I've also not been convinced about this one. I certainly don't worry
about it. I drink vast amounts of Diet Pepsi and have, apparently,
extremely strong bones. On a bone density test last year, my numbers
were well over the average for a 30-year-old woman (which is the
standard from which bone density in women is measured), and I'm 58.
This was an initial test for a trial for an anti-osteoporosis drug,
and I was disqualified for having too high bone density. They said it
was the highest of the 200-some women (all in their 50s) whom they'd
tested so far.

Chris
262/130s/130s
started dieting July 2002, maintaining since June 2004

Ok here goes a little about me...even though there is a lot of me. I am 41,
5'10" and 223 lbs...that sounds more like a linebacker than a woman doesn't
it?

I have virtually NO support around me so motivation is hard to come by. I
dont eat during the day, and never even really feel hungry during the
day...then supper time comes, I eat with my family. After they all go to
bed I find myself looking for something to do and ending up in the kitchen
mostly eating out of boredom.

I drink coffee...lots and lots of coffee(about 3 pots a day), so giving up
the caffiene is going to be hard for me. I live in the South and my family
expects lots of breads, fried foods, and gravies. I do love vegetables...I
just like them battered and fried best.

But at 41, I find my chest hurting, and my breath short, so I was searching
online for the support I dont really find here at home...and found yall. So
today I begin..I am going to try doing a food journal..and my plan is to try
and walk to the store once a day to start, as it is about 1/4 a mile from
here...there and back would be a half mile, if that doesnt kill me, I'll try
to go further each day.


"Chris Braun" wrote in message
...
On 21 Sep 2006 03:28:27 -0700, "Ade" wrote:

2. Cut back on sodas. Non-diet sodas have something like 9 teaspoons
of
sugar equivalent. Diet sodas leach calcium from your bones.

I've yet to see any compelling evidence about this. I really think it's
just another food scare and someone will be profitting from it and
propergating the myth.

I've also not been convinced about this one. I certainly don't worry
about it. I drink vast amounts of Diet Pepsi and have, apparently,
extremely strong bones. On a bone density test last year, my numbers
were well over the average for a 30-year-old woman (which is the
standard from which bone density in women is measured), and I'm 58.
This was an initial test for a trial for an anti-osteoporosis drug,
and I was disqualified for having too high bone density. They said it
was the highest of the 200-some women (all in their 50s) whom they'd
tested so far.

Chris
262/130s/130s
started dieting July 2002, maintaining since June 2004

Amber wrote:

Ok here goes a little about me...even though there is a lot of me. I am 41,
5'10" and 223 lbs...that sounds more like a linebacker than a woman doesn't
it?

I have virtually NO support around me so motivation is hard to come by.

Well, you're here so you know you've got a problem and that it's down
to you to resolve it, so you've already made a good start.

Losing weight is 50% mental and 50% psychological

I
dont eat during the day, and never even really feel hungry during the
day

Really? Nothing? Not one tiny morsel? Absolute zero? I'm not saying
you're lying, but it's easy to kid yourself and, to be fair, it's not
easy to become fat if you really only eat one meal.

...then supper time comes, I eat with my family. After they all go to
bed I find myself looking for something to do and ending up in the kitchen
mostly eating out of boredom.

This sounds like the perfect time to exercise. Whether it's on an
excerise bike in front of the TV or aerobics, whatever. Get yourself
into a routine and make it enjoyable. I record films on the PVR and
watch them when I'm exercising. I also play on the Xbox sometimes
whilst on the exercise bike.


I drink coffee...lots and lots of coffee(about 3 pots a day), so giving up
the caffiene is going to be hard for me.

If you don't want to give up caffeine, well, don't. It won't make an
ounce of difference. However, if you've got milk and sugar in your
coffee, then perhaps you need to reduce or substitute your intake. I've
replaced 2+ litres of tea (with milk and sugar) per day with Pepsi Max
and that's knocked more than 500 calories PER DAY off my intake,
equating to more than 50lbs per year.

I live in the South and my family
expects lots of breads, fried foods, and gravies. I do love vegetables...I
just like them battered and fried best.

LOL, it wouldn't hurt to find a low-carb veg you can enjoy (or at least
tolerate) to make the bulk of your meal and have the other bits almost
as a garnish. I eat a huge amount of spinach, cabbage, leeks, brocolli
these days and even a mega portion contains next to no calories but
will, if you eat enough, fill you up. Where once I'd have eaten almost
no greens but a huge desert, I can now really settle for a spoonful
taste of the desert. But ease yourself into this if it helps - don't
want to put yourself off straight away.

But at 41, I find my chest hurting, and my breath short, so I was searching
online for the support I dont really find here at home...and found yall.

You need exercise, probably much more than diet. Walking, cycling, etc,
do as much aerobic exercise as you can. Start with small goals and up
them every day, but make sure you stick to them. At the beginning of
June, I couldn't run 100 yards, but now I can run 5+ miles without
pausing. It won't take long, as long as you're determined and honest
with yourself.

So
today I begin..I am going to try doing a food journal..and my plan is to try
and walk to the store once a day to start, as it is about 1/4 a mile from
here...there and back would be a half mile, if that doesnt kill me, I'll try
to go further each day.

That's the spirit. Before you know it, the only limit on how far you
walk will be the time you have. Best of luck.

"KR" wrote in message
ups.com...
5. GET YOUR SLEEP. If you don't get 8 hours a night, your body
produces
more ghrelin which makes you hungry, and not enough leptin which
suppresses
appetite.

Your body adjusts. Sleep is good, but I can't remember the last 8 hour
sleep I had. 6 hours is fine for me.

Me either, I get 5-6 hours a night. When you have small children, a
big house with housework to do and exercise to fit in as well, it is
hard to fit everything into a 16 hour day! I'm losing weight and don't
overeat, well except for 1 or 2 days a month... b

KR

And I'm one of those people who turn into a total grump on less than 8
hrs... I like naps once in awhile too!

"Amber" wrote in message
...
Ok here goes a little about me...even though there is a lot of me. I am
41,
5'10" and 223 lbs...that sounds more like a linebacker than a woman
doesn't
it?

So, you need to lose 50-75 lbs, is that about what you are thinking?


I have virtually NO support around me so motivation is hard to come by. I
dont eat during the day, and never even really feel hungry during the
day...then supper time comes, I eat with my family. After they all go to
bed I find myself looking for something to do and ending up in the kitchen
mostly eating out of boredom.

No support sucks, but I've never had a ton of support on any of my diets, so
I had to make it my personal vendetta. It's all about determination...
When you're bored, you need to find something to occupy your body or mind,
NOT your mouth!


I drink coffee...lots and lots of coffee(about 3 pots a day), so giving up
the caffiene is going to be hard for me. I live in the South and my family
expects lots of breads, fried foods, and gravies. I do love
vegetables...I
just like them battered and fried best.

Well, that's alot of coffee. As already mentioned, do you drink it black?
Living in the south is no excuse for not eating healthy. Even if your
family EXPECTS certain things, you do the cooking, so it's really up to you,
right? If they don't like it, let them cook. And on days you decide to
cook something that won't fit your woe, you'll have to learn willpower, and
not eat it.


But at 41, I find my chest hurting, and my breath short, so I was
searching
online for the support I dont really find here at home...and found yall.
So
today I begin..I am going to try doing a food journal..and my plan is to
try
and walk to the store once a day to start, as it is about 1/4 a mile from
here...there and back would be a half mile, if that doesnt kill me, I'll
try
to go further each day.

You have all the reasons to lose the weight, you just need to stick to it
and make it happen. Walking is great. Slowly build up to 2 miles per day.
When that gets easy, and it will before you know it if you do it regularly,
add some sprints here and there to your walk. Make sure you have
comfortable shoes. Reward yourself with a diet soda or something at the
store. Exercise needs to become a habit like brushing your teeth. You
don't have to love it, but it has to be something that if you don't do it
you feel guilty. It took me about 2 months of doing it 5-6 days a week
before I felt this way.

Could you list a typical day's eating? Even if it's just a bite or nibble
of something here and there.

Eating small meals throughout the day will help kick start your metabolism,
keep you from overeating at dinner, and ultimately burn more calories.



"Chris Braun" wrote in message
...
On 21 Sep 2006 03:28:27 -0700, "Ade" wrote:

2. Cut back on sodas. Non-diet sodas have something like 9
teaspoons
of
sugar equivalent. Diet sodas leach calcium from your bones.

I've yet to see any compelling evidence about this. I really think it's
just another food scare and someone will be profitting from it and
propergating the myth.

I've also not been convinced about this one. I certainly don't worry
about it. I drink vast amounts of Diet Pepsi and have, apparently,
extremely strong bones. On a bone density test last year, my numbers
were well over the average for a 30-year-old woman (which is the
standard from which bone density in women is measured), and I'm 58.
This was an initial test for a trial for an anti-osteoporosis drug,
and I was disqualified for having too high bone density. They said it
was the highest of the 200-some women (all in their 50s) whom they'd
tested so far.

Chris
262/130s/130s
started dieting July 2002, maintaining since June 2004