SHIP OF FOOLS SISTERHOOD - Strong & Healthy in 2005!!!

[Lisa F]

Does anyone else have a notation at the bottom of their typing box for posting that says "increase size" and "decrease size"? How very appropriate!

Ha, if only it were that easy!

After 3 years of trying and not losing anything, I realize that even 1 lb a week would be a tremendous accomplishment for me. I'm a little afraid that it can't happen given my past experience but I am trying to have faith in my endocrinologist. Of course this is the same 5 lbs that I played with for that whole 3 years but I never had a 5 lb swing in one week! If I actually lose more next week I will be doing the banana happy dance because I have not been able to get below the weight I am now in the past several years.

Lisa

 

[invaderzim]

Lisa: I can relate totally! I kept telling my doctor I swore there was something wrong because I would diet, cut out sweets, etc., walk, do steps (instead of elevator) and still not lose -- or even go up. I have accepted the fact that it is the dreaded menopause and I may be stuck with this weight for a while. But I still try -- thinking one day I will wake up and the scale will actually go down for once! Then I, too, would be doing the happy banana dance.

Good luck and don't get frustrated. If you are like me, you get frustrated and then say, oh heck with it -- and eat! It is truly a vicious circle.

 

[Lisa F]

invaderzim, have they done a thyroid test for you? Most progressive endocrinologists are using a TSH of 3.0 as the line for hypothyroidism nowadays rather than the traditonal 5.5 (in Europe I think the number is even lower). My endo said that most people feel best with a TSH of around 1 or so. Mine was just a tad over 3 so under the radar for anyone who isn't reading the latest journals (ie the 3 doctors I saw before I found one to take me seriously). Honestly, I was feeling so bad for so long (and blaming my lack of energy, inability to concentrate, loss of hair etc on my weight and stress) that I didn't even know what it felt like to NOT feel that way. About 6 weeks after I started on synthroid I woke up one day and felt GREAT and realized just how crappy I had been feeling before. Hypothyroidism is more common than many doctors think and it's especially prevalent in women as they age. It might be worth a looksie, get a copy of your labs though because most labs use the old scale and not the new one. If nothing else, at least I feel like a new person on my synthroid, but now I hope to be a new woman of approximately half the size of the old one!

 

[Denine]

Lisa: You are doing great! You will lose, just keep thinking positively.

I weigh in tomorrow. I will find out how well I actually did on vacation last week.

I used to do Sweatin' to the Oldies so much that I am sick of it. I can't even hear those songs without the moves coming back to me. I didn't lose any weight though.

Barbara: Interesting articles. Unfortunately, the calorie burner list doesn't include just standing. I don't get to sit much with a 2 year old. I stand to read the paper and other things.

 

[RobinMarie]

invaderzim, have they done a thyroid test for you? Most progressive endocrinologists are using a TSH of 3.0 as the line for hypothyroidism nowadays rather than the traditonal 5.5 (in Europe I think the number is even lower). My endo said that most people feel best with a TSH of around 1 or so. Mine was just a tad over 3 so under the radar for anyone who isn't reading the latest journals (ie the 3 doctors I saw before I found one to take me seriously). Honestly, I was feeling so bad for so long (and blaming my lack of energy, inability to concentrate, loss of hair etc on my weight and stress) that I didn't even know what it felt like to NOT feel that way. About 6 weeks after I started on synthroid I woke up one day and felt GREAT and realized just how crappy I had been feeling before. Hypothyroidism is more common than many doctors think and it's especially prevalent in women as they age. It might be worth a looksie, get a copy of your labs though because most labs use the old scale and not the new one. If nothing else, at least I feel like a new person on my synthroid, but now I hope to be a new woman of approximately half the size of the old one!

Lisa, I felt your story was inspirational. Thyroid is difficult enough to diagnose, and even more frustrating when your know-it-all endocrinologist doesn't keep up with the latest news!

 

[Lisa F]

Lisa, I felt your story was inspirational. Thyroid is difficult enough to diagnose, and even more frustrating when your know-it-all endocrinologist doesn't keep up with the latest news!

Actually, just to be clear, it's not my endo who was the problem... it was getting in to see one that was. I went to 3 different doctors. The first after a 2 year plateau who told me that I really couldn't be being honest with myself if I was eating what I said I was eating and exercising because I would be losing. She did do a thyroid test and said it was normal (this was before I did my own research). She wanted to prescribe prozac. I wasn't depressed before I had this whole conversation with her but after the appointment I sure was. She told me that swimming and biking weren't "real" exercise and that I could do those for "fun" but that I should join Curves for a "real" workout.

I sort of gave up for a while and put all of my previous loss back on with interest really quickly (took me a year to lose 45 lbs and I put it back on in about 4 months) and decided to try WW and curves. I joined and spent another 6 months or so trying to lose weight and nothing came off. Not an ounce. A couple of inches but even that stalled after the first month. My pants felt exactly the same. I have so much to lose and I kept feeling like that shouldn't be happening. Again off to a doctor I go and THIS one tells me that curves is the wrong exercise, I should walk. When I walk I should go at a pace where my heart feels like it is going to pound out of my chest. Hello, have you ever heard of target heart ranges? She also told me that I was eating the wrong oatmeal (I make quaker non-instant most of the time) and that was my problem. Oh and I had a slow metabolism (ya think?) I asked for a referral to an endo (by now had done research and realized I had so many other symptoms) and she told me this story of a fat woman who is her patient who always blamed everyone else for her weight and how much time and money she wasted having all kinds of tests done and they never found anything. I left there in tears.

Finally my sister convinced me to see her doctor, who is a women's health specialist. I didn't want to but I gave her a try. She said "I am going to take blood and send you to our Diabetes center to see an endocrinologist." I told her what other doctors had said about curves, no curves etc and she said "that's the most stupid thing I have ever heard in my life, exercise is exercise." The diabetes center is also for metabolic disorders so I went. I didn't want to see the nutrtionist because I've been on every diet out there and I didn't think she'd tell me anything I didn't know. See my above post for all sorts of stuff I didn't know. They were wonderful and supportive there.

So the moral of the story is that if your doctor won't tell you what you think you should be hearing, keep trying. These people are not gods, they are just people, and by being just people there are some good ones and bad ones, and the bad ones have the same narrowminded biases that other people who judge a book by its cover have. You wouldn't think so but it's true.

 

[gaba2de]

Hi Ladies,

I was hoping I could jump in here too. I don't post often on the other thread but I have read every single page. I have read every page of this thread as well.

I have steadly been gaining weight since the birth of my son 3 1/2 years ago. I saw a picture of myself at Christmas time and could barely look at it. I looked terrible! I couldn't believe that that person in the picture was me! And as you all know, this cruise is a great motivator. I would like to be able to put on a swim suit and not feel too terrible about it.

So I decided to do something about it. I stopped drinking Pepsi's, which I drank daily like they were coffee. And I joined Jenny Craig. I also started more excercising, walking for 30 minutes 3 times a week. I have been doing Curves since last April, but I was loosing absolutely no weight. I finally figured out that I need to do more, hence the Jenny Craig and walking. And I still do the Curves. I figure it can't hurt.

My first two weeks I lost 5 pounds! I was really excited. But then the third week I lost nothing. Boy, did that bring me down really quick! And then this past weekend I had a bad weekend. It has made me pretty depressed, and I think to myself, why can't you even stay on a diet for 3 weeks? Pretty pathetic!

I go to the weekly meeting with my Jenny Craig consultant but was hoping I could stop in here every once in awhile for some extra added support. If there is one thing I do know it is that you can't do something like this alone.

Thanks for listening to my sob story! And congratulations to all of you who are trying to do something better for yourselves! Your stories are inspiring me to get back out there after my bad weekend and just keep trying.



Gabrielle

 

[mississaugamom]

Gabrielle - Welcome!

We're glad you're here. This thread is an opportunity for all of us to share; both the victories and the struggles along the way.

Never let a "bad weekend" derail your efforts. I'm someone who needs to lose a LOT of weight, but struggles to lose any. (Thank you, Lisa, for the suggestions about many small meals during the day rather than one or two larger ones.)

Yesterday was a "crash" day for me. After not losing any weight AGAIN this week, I was feeling bad about myself. When my DD wanted to stop at McDonalds for dinner last night I said OK. We went to the drive through and ordered a hamburger happy meal for her and a McGrill chicken with side salad for me. However, when we got home, my bag contained a BIG MAC AND FRIES!!!!! (Whoever ordered it was gonna be pretty disappointed in my dinner!) Did I drive back to return it? NO - I ATE IT!!! Feeling even worse about myself, I watched TV with my husband last night and "helped" him eat a large bag of my favourite "salt 'n malt" potato chips! We followed that up with a dish of "Rolo" ice cream.

I can only hope I got it all out of my system yesterday. Today's a new day and I started out with two slices of Canadian Bacon for breakfast. I have a low-fat cheese string for morning snack, and I'll pick up a salad for lunch. I can't change yesterday, but I can get back on track today and KEEP ON TRYING!!!

We all need support and motivation from each other, no matter what program we're trying. It's not only about posting "good" news. Keep coming here whenever you can, Gabrielle. We want to hear how you're doing.

Arlene

 

[Lisa F]

My first two weeks I lost 5 pounds! I was really excited. But then the third week I lost nothing. Boy, did that bring me down really quick! And then this past weekend I had a bad weekend. It has made me pretty depressed, and I think to myself, why can't you even stay on a diet for 3 weeks? Pretty pathetic!

It's not pathetic, it's totally normal. The first two weeks you are still in the "honeymoon phase" where water weight is coming off and you have having a great loss and you're not tired of eating the same things over and over again (which is what most people do when they go on a "diet"). The third week is generally where things slow down (and sometimes stop, totally normal, while your body adjusts to the fact that it is losing weight) and it's the most crucial week. BUT you didn't totally fall off the wagon... you had a bad weekend. When I did WW, the leader would always use this anaology:

If you drop an egg on the floor, do you then go and throw the rest of the dozen on the floor? No, you clean it up and move on because there are more eggs where that came from. One "dropped egg" does not make a diet blown. If you are going to change your way of eating for the rest of your life (the only way to be successful) then you have to realize there will be days when you eat too much or the "wrong" things. People who are successful for the long term are successful not because they are perfect but because they don't use the excuse of one bad weekend to throw up their hands and say screw it all.

It may be a small thing but I firmly believe that this attitude is what has led me to not put on more weight than I have. I have yoyo dieted for a while always putting on 30-50 lbs more than I lost but this time I stopped the madness. I have been struggling to stay on since November, honestly having more "off" days than "on" ones but I'm proud that I didn't put on any MORE weight because the second I saw a 1-2 lb rise in the scale it made me serious enough to take it off. Don't get me wrong, I still gained back 45 lbs I had lost, but at least it's not 75 lbs or 100 lbs. I guess this may be what maintaining my goal weight will be like for me so it's good practice. Being healthy is not all or nothing, just do the best you can do and don't beat yourself up over it.

The other thing that seems to make me fall off is getting bored with food. I get into a rut, same thing for breakfast, same thing for lunch, 3-4 different dinners for the week, same snacks. It's enough to make a girl want to go out and have a party with her best friends, ben & jerry! I've found that if I make sure to maintain enough variety so that I don't get to the point where I can't stand the thought of yet another grilled chicken on a salad for lunch I am much more likely to say "screw it, I need something GOOD" and hit a drive thu.

 

[pampat]

Ladies, so much good motivation and encouragement.

I'd just like to share something that was once told to me. When you have a bad day, forgive yourself and get back on the programme. It's the forgiving that is so important. We are human therefore we err. To forgive is divine and that's what we are!

 

[gaba2de]

Thanks everybody for the words of encouragement!

I like the analogy about the eggs. However, sometimes when you do screw up it starts something like an avalanche. You figure, well, I already screwed it up, so what is the sense of continuing? And since I already have eaten one cookie, why not one more? In my head I know this is wrong, but sometimes when you are down it makes it even harder to get back up.

I was back to eating just the Jenny Craig diet yesterday and am doing well so far today. I agree that you just need to pull yourself back up and start again. I need to realize that I will probably have more of these "bad weekends" but that ultimately what I am doing is better for me and will lead to more weight loss as I go. Taking it day by day I guess is the best remedy.

I go to my weigh in on Thrusday so I will let everyone know how I do.

Thanks again everybody. I think I am going to like it here!

 

[RobinMarie]

Actually, just to be clear, it's not my endo who was the problem... it was getting in to see one that was.

I was referring to MY endo!

 

[Lisa F]

Oops, sorry! Sounds like it might be time to find a new endo though. There has got to be one who believes in reading current journals rather than golfing!

 

[Denine]

Welcome Gabrielle!

I lost 2 pounds this week, even with vacation!

This is what I do: I make out 2 weeks of menu's, including side dishes and any dessert I am planning. They are all from WW cookbooks or diet cook books. I try a bunch of new stuff or new ways of doing stuff, so I am not stuck with grilled chicken. I do my shopping. I save 3 points at the end of the day for a skinny cow ice cream sandwich, so I get my sweet fix. I keep low-point snacks in the house.
I walk 30 minutes on the treadmill at least 5 times a week.

It took 5 weeks on WW before I lost any weight. Now that was disappointing!

We will all do it!

February weight loss total: 4 pounds!

 

[Debbie7452]

Hello, I have read a lot of this thread and Wow! I found some very good information. I posted first on the "Take the Wish Challenge" thread. Thank you to those folks who posted in detail about Hypothyroidism. I have had this for a few years and did not understand quite how my body was reacting to it. I would skip breakfast (not hungry) and sometimes lunch too (forgot to eat) and then feel I deserved to splurge at dinner w/dessert because I had "saved" all those calories. Then come to find out my clothes are getting tighter and tighter!

I am being treated for it and my energy is better but I still have about 1/2 the metabolism I used to have. I was so blessed before being a tall girl. I am going to plan my food intake carefully and see if spacing out the calories really helps. I had no idea that it mattered...

I have about 15 pounds to lose and a lot of jiggly stuff that needs to firm up before I am finished.

 

[winotracy]

Core Plan:

Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Any foods not listed on the Core Food List must count for points. You have 35 points per week.

Vegetables: Fresh, frozen or canned (without added sauce, fat or sugar), tomato paste, puree and sauce. Vegetable juice is not core.

Fruits: Fresh, frozen or canned fruits (without added sugar). Canned must be packed in water or juice and drained before eating. Unsweetened applesauce is core. Dried fruits and fruit juices are not core.

Soups: fresh, canned, frozen or homemade soups made only with core foods, bean soup, bouillon, broth-based soup, tomato soup (creamed soups are not core)

Starches, grains and cereals: Whole-wheat pasta or brown rice or potatoes is limited to one meal a day. Barley, buckweat, bulgur, polenta, cornmeal, couscous, kasha, popcorn (air popped or 94% fat-free micro), quinoa, rolled oats, starchy veggies, cooked hot cereal (any plain variety that does not contain added sugar). Puffed wheat, puffed rice, shredded wheat, and 100% bran cereals that do not contain added sugar are limited to one meal a day and must be eated with fat-free milk or fat-free plain yogurt.

Lean Meats, Poultry, Fish, Meat Substitutes and Egg Products: Beef (bottom and top round roast, Bottom and top sirloin steak, eye round roast, flank steak, filet mignon, organ meats, round steak, round tip steak and roast, sirloin steak, t-bone steak, tenderloin roast and steak, top loin steak, top sirloin roast), Lamb (leg roast, loin chop or roast, organ meats, sirloin chop), Pork (Canadian-style bacon, ham, loin chop or roast, organ meats, sirloin chop, sirloin cutlet, tenderloin roast), Veal (cutlet, loin chop or roast, organ meats, round steak, sirloin steak), Chicken and Turkey (fresh, frozen or canned, organ meats)

Trim all visible fat before preparing and remove skin before eating on poultry

Fish and Shellfish (fresh, frozen or canned, any variety (canned must be packed in water, broth or tomato juice)

Substitutes:dried beans and lentils, tofu, any type, vegetarian burgers, frozen

Egg Products: Egg, whole, egg substitutes, egg whites

Milk Products and Dairy Substitutes: Fat-free cheese, fat-free cottage cheese, fat-free milk, fat-free, sugar-free pudding, fat-free sour cream, fat-free plain yogurt, soy milk, soy cheese, soy yogurt (plain).

WW smoothies or fat-free sugar-free instant hot cocoa or reduced calorie dairy shakes is limited to once a day.

(1 cup of milk, pudding, yogurt, smoothie or dairy shakes counts as one serving of milk products).

Oils: fat-free salad dressings, fat-free margarine, fat-free mayonnaise, nonstick cooking or baking spray. Include 2 teaspoons of olive, canola, safflower, sunflower or flaxseed oil each day.

Condiments: Baking powder, baking soda, capers, cocktail sauce, extracts, flavorings, herbs, hot sauce, ketchup, lemon juice, unsweetened lime juice, mustard, salsa, soy sauce, spices, steak sauce, sugar substitutes, taco sauce, teriyaki sauce, vinegar, worcestershire sauce

Extras: Gelatin (unflavored and sugar-free flavored)

Beverages: Coffee (without sugar), tea (without sugar), diet soft drinks, club soda, seltzer (plain or unsweetened flavored), water. Note: Beverages containing alcohol are not core foods.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I have been MIA for awhile and boy, did this thread ever take off. Welcome to the new and sorry for the medical problems of the others. I cannot blame my weight on anyone but ME. My story? I didn't eat until 1 or 2 and then it was never "good" food. Had dinner around 5 that consisted of casseroles (I hate meat). And then it was plop down in front of the TV and have popcorn. I am addicted to diet coke and I know that doesn't help.

My new eating habits consist of a small protein and a diet bread for breakfast, within one hour of waking. Mid-morning I have watermelon and a soy protein based snack, lunch is a green vegetable and a protein. Then a mid afternoon snack like the morning. Dinner is a protein, starch (usually diet bread), green veggie and milk. In between I drink lots and lots of water. 96 oz to be exact. Of course, I work in a couple of diet cokes in there somewhere. So far I have lost 38.2 pounds. 2.2 this past week. I have 11 to goal but might want to add another 10. I know my water intake needs to go down now that I have lost so much. I don't want to get water intoxication. Our friend had a heart attack because of it.

My problem is my SKIN! Saggy and dimply. VERY, very noticeable. We do pilates and yoga for an hour about 5 times a week. Will that help tighten things up? Want a laugh? Last time we did yoga I looked down at my thighs and I looked like one of those "wrinkle" dogs. Oh my gosh, I need help!!

Diabetes is a huge factor in my family as close as my mom but so many others in my family have had it. I found out this past October that my cholesterol is high. I am trying to bring it down via the diet. That reminds me, I need to go in and have it checked. BP is perfect.

 

[Denine]

When I saw the list of core foods in the book, I knew I couldn't do that program. I love the flex program. I like using points.

Debbie: Are you sailing with us in August or just stopping by to say Hi? You are welcome to join our little group.

 

[Debbie7452]

Wow am I dumb! I did not know you were all cruising together. I started the thread at the end and went backwards. I thought a lot of you seemed to cruise a lot!

Still...it was so helpful to me. I am already starting to lose and it's only been three days so far. Getting started is definitely the hard part and I think I'm on my way.

Sigh...I have never been on a cruise of any kind but it is a dream of mine one day. The Disney cruise would definitely be my first choice !

Anyway...thank you for the chance to pop (barge ) in and join the conversation. You all sound like a wonderful and really fun group. I wish you joy and success!

 

[winotracy]

You're more than welcome to hang around here! We got lots of great people all trying to do the same things!