The New Bhuz Weigh In - August Edition

kina · 08-14-2007, 07:36 PM

Stupid scale is stuck again.

damiena · 08-14-2007, 07:55 PM

Since my Mom's passing, it has been a non-stop bad-food ride. French fries, pizza, cake, cookies, you name it. I only went to the gym once last week. I started up again with my hardcore gym routine yesterday and will be going in about 15-20 minutes to get on the elliptical, but for dinner I had a Greek salad with feta...and french fries.

We have to go food shopping, which is a big part of it right now. I am not beating myself up though, it has been a rough week and if french fries help me get through it, then so be it. I think I may have gained a pound or two, but I am not getting on the scale until I have a full week's worth of gymtime under my belt.

danidance · 08-14-2007, 08:38 PM

Isn't it sweet, we're renewing our vows......

Lilladancer · 08-14-2007, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by damiena

Since my Mom's passing, it has been a non-stop bad-food ride. French fries, pizza, cake, cookies, you name it. I only went to the gym once last week. I started up again with my hardcore gym routine yesterday and will be going in about 15-20 minutes to get on the elliptical, but for dinner I had a Greek salad with feta...and french fries.

We have to go food shopping, which is a big part of it right now. I am not beating myself up though, it has been a rough week and if french fries help me get through it, then so be it. I think I may have gained a pound or two, but I am not getting on the scale until I have a full week's worth of gymtime under my belt.

Damiena, I'm sure you know to go easy on yourself right now. Losing a parent is huge, and I think a few french fries and some cookies for a short while should be guilt-free. If it helps you feel more in control, maybe you can set a date for yourself, sort of a "I will give myself a little more leeway until September XX," or something like that.

Interestingly, though, I found that it helped me deal with losing my mom and my dad to keep with my regular routines. I had always envisioned being a basket case, taking time off, etc. but I found it more calming not to change too many things at those times. But cutting oneself a little slack is definitely in order!

CharlotteDesorgher · 08-15-2007, 09:44 AM

Damiena

I agree. There's so much more to life than losing weight. And you should be looking after yourself right now and not loading more on yourself.

As Lilla says, set a time limit to it, but I think you should allow yourself some comfort eating right now.

CharlotteDesorgher · 08-15-2007, 09:47 AM

Oh I'm so fed up!

Sorry, I feel so shallow saying I'm fed up when Damiena has just lost her mum, but I can't help it - it's pouring with rain here. Again. It's done nothing but rain all summer here in the UK - we've had even had major floods with people losing their homes and possessions. It's like October right now and we've only had about a week of decent weather all summer

And I've been strict with myself for nearly two weeks and haven't lost an ounce. And now my husband's so fed up with the damn weather he wants to take me out to dinner tonight. And I said 'I can't, I'm on a diet' and so he's p***ed off with me....

danidance · 08-15-2007, 09:59 AM

Sunshine,

You could have the reverse situation - it's so dry here in Southern California that more fires are a huge worry. We haven't had a drop of rain for a year it seems. It's going to be in the 100F degrees today and we're heading into our hottest time of year - it will not be pretty.

Hope that makes you feel a tad bit better.

As far as stuck scales - I'm on week three of no budging but a lot of that is my own fault for taking a mini-break & going out to dinner 3 times. I'm not sorry I did, I needed the de-focus for a change. I am dealing with the ramifications of course - but again - if you set a long range goal for yourself, you can absorb the little "up-ticks" and still remain on your plan.

Just join me and Lauren with our end of the year goal and settle in with long term plans.

Souzan · 08-15-2007, 10:31 AM

I am hereby renewing my vows with an end-of-the-year goal of losing 30 lbs. Here's what has happened since the challenge started:

Doc put me on metformin which has been shown to result in average 5 lb weight loss for pre-diabetics (which I am at this point). Immediately lost 8 lbs without effort.

Put 8 lbs plus 3 more back on after a couple of stressful weeks.

After 3 months on metformin, keeping food log and exercise log net weight change was +2 lbs on my doctor's scale. Yikes! Time to regroup.

Started a formal weight loss program sponsored by my HMO this week. First was evaluation by a nutritionist. I am not eating enough calories per day, particularly from protein and need to increase daily food intake by about 300 cal/day. Hmmm, maybe some low fat, no-sugar added frozen yogurt?

Tomorrow I go to the weight loss group's orientation program and then weekly behavior modification sessions. Fortunately this is all free through my HMO.

Thanks Dani and Lauren for this place where we can all vent our frustrations and celebrate achievements! Hopefully I'll be in the latter group soon!

Souzan

Lauren_ · 08-15-2007, 11:16 AM

Souzan, sounds like a rough roller coaster ride. But now you get to increase your calories, that's easier.

If you don't mind my asking, how many calories were you consuming? I ask because I think I cross that 'not enough' line sometimes, but then people will post about numbers like 1200 and I start thinking I must be wrong.

CharlotteDesorgher · 08-15-2007, 11:22 AM

Well, hubby just came back with some gorgeous diver-caught scallops for supper rather than going out - so I get a treat AND I can just flash them in the grill and be jolly healthy too (hey, we need a lip-licking smilie!)

I just have to be strong when he gets out the champagne, which knowing my husband when he's feeling a bit down is a definite possibility

And yes, I'll join you in an end of year goal.

I will lose seven pounds (half a UK stone) by the end of the year.

But Dani, would you like some of our rain? There's loads spare....

CharlotteDesorgher · 08-15-2007, 11:31 AM

Souzan and Lauren

I weigh 170 pounds and when I went on a really strict diet a few years ago and lost a load of weight for my wedding, the nutritionist I saw then said I should eat an absolute minimum of 1700 calories a day. Any less and my body would cope by lowering my metabolism

My mother's been on a diet all her life - never eaten a potato that I've seen - and now she puts on weight if she eats 800 calories. So I think there is something in what they say about making sure you eat enough.

danidance · 08-15-2007, 11:31 AM

Scallops - mmmmmmmmmm---- even if you toss in some white wine and a wee bit of olive oil, it'd be okay. We don't have to suffer needlessly! Shellfish is my favorite "decadent" treat. Such good calorie value.

Have a glass of champagne, but just one, and sip it. Then, in the future, ask hubby if he can buy the single serving/split size of champers so you can enjoy a "bottle" of it but the proportion is proper. That's my favorite new trick!

ssipes · 08-15-2007, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Souzan, sounds like a rough roller coaster ride. But now you get to increase your calories, that's easier.

If you don't mind my asking, how many calories were you consuming? I ask because I think I cross that 'not enough' line sometimes, but then people will post about numbers like 1200 and I start thinking I must be wrong.

Lauren, for $37 bucks you can come over to SIUC and have a metabolism test, that way you'll really know where the 'not enough' line is. If you're interested we can talk saturday.

Sedonia

Souzan · 08-15-2007, 11:49 AM

Lauren,

For my activity level to lose at 2 lbs/week at my age and weight I am supposed to eat 2100 calories per day. But the nutritionist suggested that for healthy people with fairly high activity to go with guidelies for the lowest activity level so that if you have a slip-up you are still in the 'zone'.

For the low activity level to lose 2 lbs per week it is 1750 calories per day. I am averaging around 1400-1500 per day. Some days I go up to 1800 or 2000 but that is still below what I am supposed to be able to lose weight at.

According to fitday my calories expended range between 2700 and 3000 per day depending on my exercise schedule.

Does that help?

Souzan

For my

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauren_

Souzan, sounds like a rough roller coaster ride. But now you get to increase your calories, that's easier.

If you don't mind my asking, how many calories were you consuming? I ask because I think I cross that 'not enough' line sometimes, but then people will post about numbers like 1200 and I start thinking I must be wrong.

Souzan · 08-15-2007, 11:57 AM

Oh, one more thing. Lean Cuisine has put out some really different new entrees that are preservative free and low sodium. Last night I was running behind schedule and hubby and I had the new whole wheat ravioli stuffed with herbed butternut squash instead of meat. Light garlic sauce over veggies. Added green salad with balsamic vinegar and some fresh peaches for desert and it was spectacular!

Souzan

danidance · 08-15-2007, 11:58 AM

The problem with "ranges" for intake, IMO, is that we all judge our activity levels inaccurately.

That's not our fault really - I think the activity charts are just not right. There are too many variables. I can do a cardio class or spend an hour on a machine, but my pacing, little breaks, etc. means that a formulaic calories burned ratio is not going to be 100% right.

Overall, I think we misgauge portions and activity. I suspect for most of us, when we think we are eating 1200 a day - we are eating more than that.

Souzan · 08-15-2007, 12:04 PM

My cardio is usually in the form of something measurable like walking, cycling, etc. I use a heart-rate monitor to keep me in the right zone. In dance classes when we stop moving for a bit I usually keep a shimmy going to keep my heart rate up. So I think that helps keep me on track. I think the perceived activity level may be the best way to look at it as long as you are honest with yourself--low activity, moderate, active, very active, professional athelete.

Souzan

Quote:

Originally Posted by danidance

The problem with "ranges" for intake, IMO, is that we all judge our activity levels inaccurately.

That's not our fault really - I think the activity charts are just not right. There are too many variables. I can do a cardio class or spend an hour on a machine, but my pacing, little breaks, etc. means that a formulaic calories burned ratio is not going to be 100% right.

Overall, I think we misgauge portions and activity. I suspect for most of us, when we think we are eating 1200 a day - we are eating more than that.

danidance · 08-15-2007, 12:10 PM

Souzan,

I don't mean to sound negative at all. I just think that we get frustrated because things tell us what we should be doing based on variable factors. Thus, our frustration is based on some degree of un-reality.

When I think back to my cycling days during my week-long pedal down the coast, I was riding 8-10 hours a day. You'd think I would have lost weight, right? nope. I gained weight and so did my companion. We were pedaling slowly and were eating power bars and whatever we wanted basically during 3 meals a day. Not that the food was super caloric - it was all healthy.

I'll bet that in truth - we shouldn't have been eating more than 1800 calories per day just to maintain or lose a bit.

Lauren_ · 08-15-2007, 02:06 PM

That does help, Souzan, those are right about where my fitday numbers are, and my experience has been that I need to be 1000 calories below my fitday numbers (rather than the 500 I was shooting for) in order to lose weight (about a pound a week.) So according to fitday, I have a 7000 calorie-per-week deficit, but my body is reflecting a 3500 calorie-per-week deficit (3500 calories = one pound).

Regardless, I suspect if I drop below about 1500 I'm slowing my metabolism. I sometimes question myself, when everyone goes on about 1200 calories per day, but those are 140 pound women who go to dance class once a week, not 160-pounders who go twice a day!

OK, I feel better. I've definitely noticed that if I eat a bit more I lose weight faster.

Just read an old copy of Time magazine at my son's orthodontist today with a a great article about science of appetite. One great tidbit -- apple-shaped people most definitely lost weight faster by reducing their refined carbs , low-fat diets just didn't work as well for them. Pear-shaped people did equally well on low-carb or low-fat diets.

Interesting! Goes along with my personal observation that now that I'm older, my body processes carbs differently AND I pack on pounds around the middle instead of the hips.

Lilladancer · 08-15-2007, 05:07 PM

Well, I don't really want to start a new thread just out of excitement for MY new Eman, but some of you may have seen that I was selling a few for a friend who had brought back too many, but they were too small for me. Turns out she had one that was custom made for Lorinda but Lorinda wasn't happy with it, a