I waited and waited - but no one started one, so here it is.
My last weigh-in was static. I had neither gained nor lost. I suppose that isn’t so bad because of the holiday weekend two weekends ago - I over indulged. But disappointing none-the-less.
Here’s hoping this week I’m back on track!
-10 lbs. gone down to 210, going on 6 weeks now-hope to be at 200 by my vacation in late July (I’m 6’ 00" tall)-I was 240 2 1/2 years ago. Just avoiding heavy snacking, huge portions (willpower!), and am riding the stationary bike around 30 min a day at a very brisk pace-I hate it, but I’ve got to do it.
Weigh-in was today, down .5 lbs. I think the only thing that’s keeping it (slowly) going down is all the walking I do because I’m having a heck of a time staying within my points. But down is better than up.
I haven’t posted to a monthly weight loss thread for a few years now, but I’m trying to get back into a weight loss/health/workout routine. I’m a 32-year old female and right now I weight about 280lbs at 5’5" (size 22)
This whole post is probably TLDR, so feel free to skip the details below. The summary of my current situation/goals:
About 5-6 years ago, I started calorie-counting and portion control, and I lost about 65lbs (going from 270 to 210), but I got sick of the calorie-counting. I felt that it was pushing me into an unhealthy mentality that was almost anorexia-like. I found that all I was thinking about all day long was food, what I had for breakfast, what I planned to eat later, constantly keeping track in my food-log software program, then having to constantly readjust every time I accidentally had an extra half tbsp of mayonnaise on a sandwich, so I’ll have a little less rice with supper, then someone brought coffee to a meeting, so I should readjust my afternoon snack, always weighing and measuring every morsel, dreaming about food every night, etc, etc, etc… NOT good for my mental health. Also, I was calorie-counting and eating smaller portions of my usual food, but not really eating healthier food. And I wasn’t doing much exercise. So not really so good for my physical health either.
Anyways, long story short I lost 65lbs over about a year, and I thought I’d take a break from strict dieting and see if I could maintain my weight loss with sensible portion control and try to work out more often. My weight crept up to about 240-245 over two years. I wasn’t thrilled with that, but my weight was stable after that for several years so I figured at least I wasn’t gaining. And I kept planning to lose more weight eventually, I just never quite got around to it.
Then 3 1/2 years ago I started getting abdominal pain and frequent trips to the bathroom; turns out I have Crohn’s disease. And 3 years ago I went back to school to become a RN (4-year degree program, so I still have one year left to go). I tried to work out more when I went back to school (gym membership included in student fees), but I was anemic and weak and in a lot of pain from the Crohn’s, and I physically couldn’t work out - I could barely make it through the school day and then go home and nap for a couple hours, eat supper and study, and go to sleep. Wash, rinse, repeat. Little social life, and usually didn’t even have enough energy for a part-time job.
The Crohn’s got worse and worse for two years after the diagnosis and I tried different medications, and then I had surgery last summer (August 2010), and I’m feeling a lot better now but still not 100%.
Meanwhile over the last three years of Crohn’s and going to school, my weight was 245 a year ago, then quite quickly down to 220 in August 2010 (I was basically eating very little for two months prior to surgery since my Crohn’s was so bad). Then after the surgery I was able to eat again without pain, and being in school and working as well (since I had more energy now), I was really busy and eating lots of crappy food, and since last August I gained 60lbs and I’m now at 280lbs.
So just at the beginning of June I put my foot down and said 280lbs is ridiculous, I should know better since I have a lot of knowledge about exercise and nutrition, I’m just not using it like I should.
So I didn’t like calorie-counting the last time I tried it, but I can’t deny it’s definitely worked for me in the past. I looked and found a program that is easier to use than the last one I was using, and I started tracking my food a couple days ago. I also started weighing myself more often (since I found it’s easy for me to let weight creep up on me if I don’t weight myself for long periods of time).
Also, I think my approach this time will be better for my mental health if I have a general daily calorie target, but if I’m not super nitpicky about it. Ideally I would just use portion control, but I think I need to use calorie counting, at least at first. I also plan to work out more often since I’m feeling physically better now that my Crohn’s is under control.
I’m also trying to eat healthier, and not just smaller portions of not-so-great food, but I’m finding this difficult due to my Crohn’s. Since my surgery my symptoms are 98% improved, but it’s difficult to eat really healthy. If I try to eat foods that are generally healthier (most veggies, some fruit, anything high fiber), I find I can’t tolerate it very well. I don’t need to do a completely low residue diet, but I think I need to avoid things that are high residue. So I’m doing trial and error to find healthier food that doesn’t irritate me. As River Tam would say, “my food is problematic”.
Hopefully I’ll have a good update for next month’s thread.
I’m still following Atkins, around 25 grams carbs, eating leaner cuts of meat to satisfaction (not gorging, and not any more than I ever ate before), 3 cups of vegetables and enjoying coconut oil “bark” every night as a snack. Atkins allows up to four oz of cheese but I probably get in one, two at the most. I’ve had a bit of fruit too. Peaches are in season right now! Also had some melon for breakfast the other day. It’s pretty easy for me to live like this, although I do miss sandwiches and fries!
Since April 14th I’ve lost 24.5 inches total, with 9 of them around my waist, 6 from my hips, 3 from my chest and the rest from my legs and arms. I am not exercising yet but I am so full of energy I never stop moving for long.
What is this coconut oil “bark” of which you speak? Sounds interesting.
I lost 2.8 lbs. this week, for a total of 44.4 lbs. since January.
It helps that fruit is coming into season and it’s been so damn hot that I’ve been eating fat-free cottage cheese with no-sugar added applesauce for lunch. When the weather is tolerable, I walk outside, but I don’t have a good place to exercise indoors when it’s to hot to walk outside. I have to figure something else out, and I’m open to suggestions.
Are there stairs in your house or office building? Or would it be possible to walk the hallways in a circuit?
Good on those who have lost weight and encouragement to those who are starting out. I’m trying to get rid of the last 15 lbs or so. (and have been for the last 2 years - aargh!). Got leaner back then from Atkins, stalled at that point, and am now trying a Paleo-type plan. At my age, though (48) ya gotta cut calories and really bump up the inensity on the exercise, imho.
Had been doing weight training for years but got so stale and burned out on it it was practically useless. I had heard about Crossfit, which a lot of Paleo people like, but the website just confused me so I’v started doing Bodyrock workouts. Got a “you lost weight” comment today! Yay!
It’s a tasty little treat that satisfies a chocolate craving and acceptable on Atkins.
I get unrefined extra virgin coconut oil, mix about six T with a tsp. of peanut butter, a tsp. of vanilla,add some sweetener (I use EZ-Sweetz liquid sucralose) to taste and pop it in the freezer. Some stick it in ice trays but I just pour it into a few muffin cups.
It freezes hard and when you bite into it the texture is just like a candy bar.
Sometimes I crush nuts up in it too.
Dang it I forgot the most important part and it’s too late to edit.
Cocoa! Depending on how dark and chocolatey you like it. I use about 1.5 tablespoons.
There are other ways to make it too. Some don’t include peanut butter but add extracts or fruits. I’ve seen recipes that have cranberries and cocoa butter added for white chocolate.
I’m curious how stoid’s low carb diet is going.
Looks like I have finally reached the dreaded plateau. Although Sunday is the official weigh-in, I am stuck at 204 today…
I don’t mind too much - I took my belt in another notch this week, so I’ll take that as progress instead.
There are stairs at home, so I guess I can run up and down. I just don’t live in a big house and don’t work in an office building, so I don’t have hallways. My in-laws have a pool, so I guess I can swim.
I will be making that coconut bark soon – sounds right up my alley.
If you’re losing inches, you’re not at a plateau. You’re just, like, reconfiguring your mass. 
I weighed myself this morning and it displayed 155. That is the lowest I’ve weighed in over ten years, and I can now say without lying that I’ve lost 30 pounds since September. I have 10 more pounds to go before I am no longer overweight by BMI standards, and then I’d like to lose another 5-10 pounds. It took me 9 months to lose 30 pounds because of a six-month plateau. I don’t care if it takes me a year to lose the next 15-20 pounds, it will be done!
So I am down to 202.2 (I tend to just round to nearest and say 202.) I guess there is a reason I have an “official” weigh-in. Had I gone by Friday’s weight I would have been disappointed.
I am 12.2 away from my firm goal and 22.2 away from my soft.
IMO, I could easily lose 22 pounds and not be too thin, so I suspect that I will eventually make my soft goal a firm one.
We’ll see.
Excellent. I’ve lost 20 pounds (possibly more, I’m just sure about the 20. I think I might have been a little heavier at the very start than I was the first time I weighed.) I’m very comfortable, not struggling with cravings. I splurged on my birthday, enjoyed my own tollhouse nut cake (YUM!) and got back on track immediately, no problem.
It is a very easy way to eat and lose weight, very satisfying, and thanks to the lack of insulin insanity, I don’t really have any problem with hunger or cravings in general; I like my food when I’m hungry and ready to eat, but it’s not a major part of my day or my mental occupation.
And my blood pressure has dropped by about 10 points.
Actually, let me amend that, because I AM craving something: serious BBQ. Smoked brisket, ribs. Which are of course entirely “free” to eat for me, I just need to buy the meat and do the labor. I’m pretty sure I could happily spend the summer alternating between smoked brisket and strawberries and be perfectly content, and that’s pretty much the plan.
Awesome, congrats!
Today marks two months I’ve been following Atkins (not strictly; I eat nuts although I stay within induction levels most days) Still don’t have a scale but my results after two months can be seen with the tape measure in addition to my billowing shirts. I’ve lost 10 inches around my waist, 3 in my chest and hips, almost 4 in my thigh, and a few inches from my upper arm. I’ve even lost a half inch around my wrist.
I’m still very happy and very satisfied with the low carb life. The only problem has been cost. It’s a shame it costs so much for fresh meat and vegetables. Things are shifting now though. I’m not eating nearly as much as I was in the beginning so the cost will probably drop this month. I’ve cut out a lot of the dairy too. I don’t need the filling fat from cheeses and cream I needed early on because I don’t have that hungry feeling. Ever.
To me the most important thing has been the fact that I don’t binge. I don’t even want to binge. This is something I couldn’t even slow down with therapy and medication but since about a week in I have lost all desire to shovel food. I’m not sure what’s making the desire go away. I know I’m spending a lot more time writing in my journal and getting lots of support from the low carb/Atkins boards.
I still have a long way to go but I’m looking forward to coming back to the July thread with even lower numbers.