OK, once again I find that I need to lose some weight. Less than last year, more than I wish it were. So I’m inviting dopers to join me.
Most of my weight comes from processed sugar. Mostly candy but also other sweets. I am going to try to gradually give up processed sugar. Here is my plan - I may add to it if I don’t get results.
Substitute fruit for sweets. I have bought apples and the rule is, whenever I want to have a sweet, I have an apple. If the craving remains after that, I indulge. (So far I rarely still have the craving. I even have on occasion had a craving for an apple.)
Start the day with a protien/fruit smoothy. 1 scoop protien, 1 apple or bannana. Water and Ice. Blended. After that, whatever I wish that isn’t processed sugar. Often this is an apple. Sometimes it is a bagel.
Try to start working out. Before I was sick last year I was working out every day for 25-30 minutes. I must return to that. I will start slowly on Jan 1.
Read Change Your Life in 7 days by Paul McKenna, Ph.D. The first few chapters are facinating. I have seen most of it before, but it is still interesting.
Evening meal: protien/fruit smoothy. 1 scoop protien, 1 apple or bannana. Water and Ice. Blended. After that, whatever I wish that isn’t processed sugar.
Keep a food journal. I have become a journal fiend and find it helps in many areas of my life.
Due to some of what they did to fix me, I have to chew very carefully. This helps to not gorge.
C’mon dopers, lets slim down.
I seem to have lost some weight this way, but then Christmas hit. Now that the holidays are over, I will start checking weekly.
I’m in.
I lost about 75 pounds over the last 2 or so years, but I’ve stalled. I’ve been careful, but I still give in to cravings every now and then. I haven’t gained any back, but I need to lose a little more. I was on vacation all this week, and pretty much pigged out.
Like you, my extra weight comes from processed sugar. That and carbs. We had to go to the grocery store when we got home today, and I made sure I got plenty of stuff for me that’s good. Salad fixings and veggies, and lean meats.
Lots of lean protein and lots of veggies. Lots of water.
No candy, no sugar, no processed junk. No soda.
This is the one that makes the biggest difference, IMO. At least for many people, eating food without thinking about it or paying attention to it is the #1 reason for putting on weight after they lost it.
I’ve been losing serious weight since July, and I’ll be on the same program through March, and then on maintenance. More on this when I get closer to my goal.
Count me in. I’m far to ashamed to admit what my weight actually is, though.
I’d like to lose 10 kg this year. Would be a good start to a sensible long term weight loss plan. I’ve bought some Weight Watchers recipe books and am going to start planning my meals on a weekly basis - I think my biggest problem is going home from work and thinking ‘what am i gonna have for dinner’ and heading into the nearest fast food joint because i can’t be bothered cooking. But if I have meal plans set out and have bought the food, then I’ll head straight home and cook it.
Well, that’s the theory, anyways!
Will we do weekly reports or something? I’m a bit new round these parts…
I’m on my fourth day of daily workouts. I’m starting very slowly so that I don’t injure myself or become discouraged by over-exertion pain. Today:
15 push-ups
25 sit-ups
Jogging 5 minutes
Walking (cooling down) 5 minutes
10 kg (22.5 lb) hand weights, 40 reps
Walking round the block, 1.6 miles
Pretty pitiful, huh? But that’s five more push-ups than yesterday, and ten more than Tuesday. Five more sit-ups than yesterday, and ten more than Tuesday. Walking after jogging? Five minute more than any other day. Walk ‘around the block’? A mile and a half more than any of the other days. 40 reps with the dumb bells? Twice Monday’s count. So my endurance isn’t very high yet. But it’s becoming greater day by day.
Food is a problem, what with the holidays. I still have a slab of prime rib left from Christmas dinner in the fridge. It gets eaten tonight. New Year’s Day I always make ham hocks and black-eyed peas, ham hocks and collard greens, and cornbread. I can’t mess with tradition. But I’m aware of what I’m eating. Today I’ve had two Slim Fasts and a turkey sandwich. Yesterday I had two Slim Fasts, and tilapia cooked in olive oil, onion, tomato, garlic and capers. The leftovers will be gone soon, and I can freeze the New Year’s beans.
Fortunately I rarely eat sweets and rarely drink sodas. Water, tea and coffee is what I drink.
We can, if people think it will help. But we don’t have to, if it will be a detriment. Sometimes I think just putting the commitment down somewhere helps.
Let’s do this: Every Friday/Saturday we will report a progress report that at a minimum says we did well or poorly this week. Those who want to report more may do so. What do people think?
Let’s hope so! I’d like to lose about ten or fifteen pounds. I’m not overweight, but I feel my best when I’m near the lowest healthy weight for my height. I kind of wish I could say I’m doing it for my health as to not sound quite so…vain, but there it is. Maybe this little bit of commitment will encourage me?
This sounds great. I like the Weight Watchers program, but hate the meetings. So I’ll try using you guys instead of a meeting.
I would like to get down to 125 – I’ve been smaller, but at my age (45) I think 125 is acheivable and, most importantly, maintainable. I don’t know exactly how much that is to lose – I’m probably somewhere between 135 - 140 right now. I had gotten up to about 160 4 years ago (I’m short and that was an alltime high). With Weight Watchers, I lost 40 pounds. I gained 5 back almost right away (120 is just too low for me, I think), but maintained 125 until last Thanksgiving when my son left home… Since then, I’ve packed on that extra 10 - 15 pounds. I hate the idea of that slow creep back towards 160!
Anyway, I think I’ll go back to the WW program I used before – I liked it and it worked. What I didn’t do last time that I’d like to add this time is exercise. I really hate to exercise. But we’ve got a damned treadmill upstairs, so I can read while I walk. I’ll shoot for 4 hours a week on the thing…
I’ll participate, also. The band is working great, but these last few weeks, I’ve been “pushing my limits” (yes, I’m a baaaaaad girl) so having someone (or ones) to be accountable to who won’t judge me, is a good thing. Now, do we have to post our actual weight, or just what we’ve lost each week?
and I’ll be going “off” tomorrow (i’ve planned for it) so Sunday 1/1/06 is start date, right?
I’m in! I’m quitting smoking after the New Year and I’m already overweight. Last year’s resolutions were all about mental health for me, this year, it’s time to tackle the physical. Less beer, no smokes, good food and exercise and Mr. Bunny and I are going to take up some kind of martial arts!
I think that physicl activity and more time away from the screen here at night will help me a lot, with weight and drinking. Help me break some of those patterns I have developed.
I, too, quit smoking, but I have been using it as an excuse for almost two years now. Time to man up and take control back.
Okay, I’m in. I gained a whole bunch of weight when I quit smoking – but that was, good lord, almost seven years ago. I lost about 20 pounds last spring and summer, then stalled. And, as I mentioned in my “boo hoo poor me” thread, I’ve been eating nothing but crap for the last two or three weeks.
I’m not going to set up a strict plan, because I’m not a strict plan kind of gal – what works for me is to eat a little less and exercise a little more, and when I do need/want to snack, try to eat something a little healthier than straight sugar. Five pounds a month is doable without my getting cranky – at that rate I don’t feel deprived, but I maintain a pretty steady loss. If I could lose another 30 pounds, I could fit back into a lot of my “smoking era” clothes, which would quadruple my wardrobe (and leave me feeling pretty freaking svelte).
Sorry, I can’t. Started March at 265. Last week I weighed in at 198. Hope to weigh in at 195 next week.
My secret is no secret. I’ve been going to Weight Watchers meetings every week since the end of March. No special foods, no weird diets. Lots of awareness, new thinking, new habits, reinforcement and motivation from fellow weight losers.
Whatever works for you, go do it. All I’m saying is that WW is the first time in my life I’ve lost weight in a way that convinces me I’ll keep it off.
Some heuristics I’ve picked up:
[ol]
[li]Eat smaller portions[/li][li]Eat slowly, and stop before you seem to be full[/li][li]Don’t be afraid of fat/carbs/protein/whatever.[/li][li]Instead, be aware of what you’re eating and why.[/li][li]If you “blow it” at one meal, start again at the next meal.[/li][li]Get in with a group.[/li][li]Cook your own food.[/li][li]Shop from the “outside” of the supermarket.[/li][li]If you really like fast food, try to cut down to once a week. Then go enjoy it.[/li][li]Exercise moderately every day for about 30 minutes. 10 minutes 6 times a week is better than 2 hours once a week.[/li][li]Exercise in a group. BTW, I think Curves is the greatest breakthrough in strength training since the invention of the dumbbell.[/li][li]Get used to not eating what “everyone else” eats. Get into fresh fruits, veggies, home-cooked food, etc.[/li][/ol]
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