# The 2006 Weight loss club **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 30, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789 "2005-12-30T23:04:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/81 "2006-01-05T01:08:36Z")
272/226/160 I’m in! I think I’ve signed up in one (or two) previous year’s threads, but didn’t actually do anything those times. This last April (nine months ago) something finally snapped in my brain and I decided to do something about my weight that had been gradually accumulating. I started using [www.fitday.com](http://www.fitday.com) to track everything I consume, and set a goal of losing 1.5lbs per week (calorie deficit of 750kcal per day). So far I’ve lost 46lbs (BMI 45.3 to 37.6), and that’s through diet only. I’ve been starting to plateau a little lately - the rate of weight loss is decreasing even though I’m still having the same calorie deficit each day. I figure this is because I haven’t been exercising. So my goal this year is to continue the weight loss, and add exercise. I bought some basic home exercise equipment (light free weight, pilates mat and ball, exercise bands) and a few workout DVDs (pilates and tae-bo). I plan to add outdoor walking/jogging/cycling once it warms up in the spring (Canadian winters - brrrr!). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/82 "2006-01-05T01:12:17Z")
> [@Batsinma Belfry](#): > > It was Tea! Or rather my habit of drinking 5 cups a day, with 3 tsps. of sugar in each one. :eek: I use half a packet of Splenda in my breakfast tea. Three spoons of sugar! I wouldn’t be able to drink it! You might try Earl Grey tea, which tastes good without sugar. I didn’t exercise today. I had errands to run. Besides, I’ve exercised seven days straight and I thought one day of rest wouldn’t be bad. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/83 "2006-01-05T02:56:17Z")
My original post way back at the beginning of this thread was not informative or joinative, so: I would like to participate. I have lost 125 pounds in the past 6 months, and I am on track to lose the last 40 by my target date of April 1. That will take me from 333 to 168 or so. Me: 56 year old male, 6’2". Formerly sedentary, still bone lazy. Started putting on weight 17 years ago and never looked back (well, a couple of times I tried, and gave up). Up to then I was always skinny. Method: doctor-supervised, high protein liquid diet (manufactured meal replacements that the program sells us). Ostensibly 500 calories a day, usually more like 600-700. Plus increasing exercise - walking a lot, plus gym 4 times a week now (aerobics and weights). Plus weekly meetings with tons of nutritional education that I didn’t have before, plus developing a plan for maintenance. I really recommend this type of program for serious weight loss, and it’s much less drastic than surgery, but it needs to be a well-developed plan with all these elements, not just the liquid diet by itself. If you live in SF and are interested, I can point you to the program I’m on. I learned about it from a co-worker. Water or non-caffeinated liquids: about 3 liters a day, up to 4 liters. I use food and exercise logging software called Diet Power. It’s $50 one time (instead of the monthly charge) and it calculates your metabolism, allows you to enter quick foods (just the nutritional info) or entire recipes and figures out the nutrition for you, etc. It can help with maintenance or weight loss or whatever weight goal you might have. I recommend it. Cheers! Time for another delicious chocolate shake. RF ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/84 "2006-01-05T03:01:30Z")
I’m in. I joined WW on 11/9/05 Weighing 370.4. Most of the weeks have been good with one bad week. The first week I was on WW I lost 4.2 pounds and they kept comming off until I weighed myself on the 27th. In one week I gained 5.4 pounds ☹ I knew I was going to gain because I didn’t stick with my program but not as much. This week I kept myself on track and lost an amazing 13.6 pounds! I am now 25 pounds lighter then I was when I started the program 🙂 I have not kept track of my food intake and this is my bad habits. I know that. What I have done is given up most Fast Food. No more KFC. McDonalds or Burger King for me. I like the Grilled Chicken at Wendys or their baked potato with a small chil. I do eat a small Nathan’s Fry every two or three weeks. I need to start a walking program and I will when I kick this Strep. 1st week 11/09/05 370.4 lbs – 0.0 lbs 2nd week 11/16/05 366.2 lbs -4.2 lbs - 4.2 lbs 3rd week 11/23/05 362.4 lbs -3.8 lbs - 8.0 lbs 4th week 11/29/05 360.0 lbs -2.4 lbs -10.4 lbs 5th week 12/07/05 359.4 lbs -0.6 lbs -11.0 lbs 6th week 12/13/05 354.8 lbs -4.6 lbs -15.6 lbs 7th week 12/20/05 353.6 lbs -1.2 lbs -16.8 lbs 8th week 12/27/05 359.0 lbs 5.4 lbs -11.4 lbs 9th week 01/04/06 345.4 lbs -13.6 lbs -25.0 lbs ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/85 "2006-01-05T03:45:59Z")
Good job to you who have lost! Keep it up! I track my weight through Weight Commander, a shareware program available online. You can track your weight, measurements, and all sorts of other stuff. I liked it enough to pay for it. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/86 "2006-01-05T05:37:48Z")
> [@Roderick Femm](#): > > My original post way back at the beginning of this thread was not informative or joinative, so: > > I would like to participate. I have lost 125 pounds in the past 6 months, and I am on track to lose the last 40 by my target date of April 1. That will take me from 333 to 168 or so. > > Me: 56 year old male, 6’2". Formerly sedentary, still bone lazy. Started putting on weight 17 years ago and never looked back (well, a couple of times I tried, and gave up). Up to then I was always skinny. > > Method: doctor-supervised, high protein liquid diet (manufactured meal replacements that the program sells us). Ostensibly 500 calories a day, usually more like 600-700. Plus increasing exercise - walking a lot, plus gym 4 times a week now (aerobics and weights). Plus weekly meetings with tons of nutritional education that I didn’t have before, plus developing a plan for maintenance. I really recommend this type of program for serious weight loss, and it’s much less drastic than surgery, but it needs to be a well-developed plan with all these elements, not just the liquid diet by itself. If you live in SF and are interested, I can point you to the program I’m on. I learned about it from a co-worker… > > Cheers! Time for another delicious chocolate shake. > > RF Is that the HMR Program, **Roderick Femm**? I’m starting that January 25. Great results and attitude! It’ll probably take me six months to lose my 40. I’d like to talk to you about it, if you want to email me. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/87 "2006-01-05T06:14:27Z")
> [@brightpenny](#): > > Is that the HMR Program, **Roderick Femm**? I’m starting that January 25. Great results and attitude! It’ll probably take me six months to lose my 40. I’d like to talk to you about it, if you want to email me. Thanks, **brightpenny**. Email on its way to you. Good luck with your new program! Roddy ---
**Author:** ![TygerDralion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@TygerDralion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TygerDralion)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/88 "2006-01-05T06:56:59Z")
Don’t know how long I’ll stay with you all, with school starting back on the 17th and my love/hate relationship with the internet, but I’ll go ahead and post what my goals and methods are. 1. I’ve dropped all sodas from my diet, save for an occasional sip. 2. My weakness is sweet tea. I can’t stand the taste with fake sweeteners, including Splenda. 3. My dietary weakness is the Mexican restaurant down the street. I’ll try to eat fewer chips and less cheesy entrees. 4. I will NOT ban anything from my diet, as that is the surest way for me to crave it and thus break my plan. 5. I will try to eat smaller portions, and not eat soon before going to bed, as I tend to stay up longer when my tummy’s full. 6. I hope to start working out when the school’s gym reopens. My school and work schedule this semester will allow at least a tuesday and thursday afternoon workout. 198 / 190.5 / 145 ~TygerD ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/89 "2006-01-05T19:08:56Z")
I did HMR a few years ago, and it worked great, but I wasn’t able to stick with it. I had WLS in August, and I’ve been doing just fine on that. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/90 "2006-01-05T19:37:30Z")
Sigh. It’s depressing to be a perennial in these threads, but here I am again. Short history: Got fed up when I was up to 160, joined WW online, down to 145, balooned up to 180 in a bad period (ie, last year). I biked a lot over the summer, down to 175-ish, and then joined WW meetings where I go to school, and I’ve lost roughly another 5 in the three or so months I’ve been there, which is not the pace at which I’d like to be going. I’ll post more exact numbers after my next WW meeting. Here are some short-term goals: 1. Use the elliptical machine in my complex at least twice a week and figure out a regular exercise plan. 2. Cook, portion and freeze food for easy dinners and lunches at school - with points values pre-determined. 3. When I need to snack, snack on no-cal things, like diet soda and coffee with skim milk and sweetener, and veggies. I’m not actually hungry, I just need something to keep me entertained. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/91 "2006-01-05T21:25:19Z")
Count me in. I lost nearly 50 pounds with Weight Watchers, then plateaued for a long time. Over the holidays, a few pounds snuck back. So I’m headed back, starting tomorrow, with a goal of losing 25 pounds by the beginning of June. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/92 "2006-01-05T22:38:27Z")
I’m in too. Mrs. dewgrrl and I are working on improved eating and excersize habits together. Our specific challenges are our differing schedules. I have a predictable 9ish-7ish schedule, weekends off. She has a different schedule every 2 weeks, sometimes starting at 5:30am, sometimes ending at 10pm with two random days off each week. We’re taking weekly turns doing the shopping and cooking dinners. We’re on the honor system for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I’m leaning heavily on slimfast shakes and nonfat yogurt smoothies for breakfast, and low-calorie frozen entrees for lunch. Sometimes I mix it up with Kashi Go-lean cereal for breakfast or 6 inch “6 grams of fat or less” subway sandwich for lunch. We also drink lots of water, gatoraid, and fruit juices. Just cutting out fast food and sodas and increasing our activity levels alone would result in significant improvements, so hopefully the other eating changes will be stuck to and we’ll really see some improvements quickly. We are allowing ourselves one “relaxed” day each week, when things like pizza or a burger (not fast food though) will be relished. Excersize wise, we’re going to have to excersize individually on our own most of the time, mostly just walking the dogs, with some hiking together on the weekend days that we’re both off. We both enjoy riding bikes, but neither of us owns a bike right now and we’re trying to save our $$ for some other things. I insist on higher end bikes, so it might be a while before we’re doing more than just walking and hiking. I’m 6" taller and have a good deal more weight to lose compared to Mrs. dewgrrl, and I really enjoy lifting freeweights, so I’m going to be concentrating on both slimming down with aerobic excersize and increasing muscle mass with weight training. Underneath my extra weight, I’m already pretty muscley, but I’m looking forward to some definition in my upper and lower body. I’ve always been way on the heavy and tall end of all of the standardized BMI/bodyfat approximations, so weight isn’t really my goal. I have my eyes on the decreased inches and increased energy and vitality prizes instead. The key thing for me, I think, will be increasing my activity level. When I was in college, I once lost 60 lbs in 3 months because of my very active job of milking cows. I’ve always been able to maintain a much healthier weight (and mindset)when doing demanding manual labor, but the pay for such jobs really sucks. I’ve been sitting at a computer for the past 7 years making good money, and my waistline and stress level proves it. Over the next couple of years I endeavor to not only slim down significantly, and keep it off, but I’m also going to be doing a series of zookeeper internships in preparation for a much anticipated career-hop from the corporate zoo to the real zoo. Physical, emotional, and intellectual stimulation on the job that pays decently…I can’t wait. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/93 "2006-01-05T23:21:28Z")
Well, there’s always the “Nasty Intestinal Bug” way of losing weight. Ugh. I caught something, and haven’t been able to keep anything down (or in) for about 3 or 4 days. I didn’t eat anything at all since about noon on Tuesday, other than sips of water. Today I had some tea and dry toast, and now I’m sipping a glass of milk (yeah, it might seem gross, but it’s what sounded good, and I’m dehydrated and weak). Bleaaagh. Definitely not recommended. On the plus side, I’ve lost five pounds. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/94 "2006-01-06T03:03:05Z")
**honeydewgrrl** , much to my chagrin, fruit juices are mostly empty calories, as are drinks like gatorate. And a lot of calories, too. Good for a once-in-a-while treat, but not great for drinking in volume. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/95 "2006-01-06T03:17:54Z")
> [@Helen's Eidolon](#): > > **honeydewgrrl** , much to my chagrin, fruit juices are mostly empty calories, as are drinks like gatorate. And a lot of calories, too. Good for a once-in-a-while treat, but not great for drinking in volume. Ditto. I like to chew my points. 2 points for one cup of orange juice, or a whole orange for 1 point? I’ll take the fruit every time. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/96 "2006-01-06T03:45:31Z")
> [@GingerOfTheNorth](#): > > Ditto. I like to chew my points. 2 points for one cup of orange juice, or a whole orange for 1 point? I’ll take the fruit every time. Ditto that Ditto. The first thing I did when I started calorie counting was measure the volume of my various cups/bowls, and how much one cup of food looked like on my plates. One cup of juice might be smaller than you think it is. All of my (not very huge) glasses/cups told two cups of liquid _or more_. That was a huge eye opener for me. Now my “bulk liquids” are only water, tea or diet soda. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/97 "2006-01-06T03:46:54Z")
_must preview_ All of my (not very huge) glasses/cups **h** old two cups of liquid _or more_. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/98 "2006-01-06T03:52:13Z")
Actually, I absolutely adore juice. My boyfriend once accused me of loving apple juice more than him. However, like many things, I find it better to just have half a cup once in a while, making it a special treat all on it’s own, than drinking cups and cups with dinner, for example. By the by, I really like the new low-cal lemonades they’ve come out with. A cup is 0 WW points (although more than one cup would start to accrue points) so I often have a cup with breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/99 "2006-01-06T04:14:34Z")
> [@](#): > > We also drink lots of water, gatoraid, and fruit juices. It is definitely in that order. We don’t drink full potency gatoraid but the higher water content, less caloric versions, and maybe a glass of juice or juice-based smoothies every couple of days. You can call juice calories empty all you want, but it is still a step in the right direction from Mountain Dew. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789/100 "2006-01-06T04:41:54Z")
Oh, trust me. I’ve got nothing against occasional empty calories, especially when they involve apple-y goodness. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2006-weight-loss-club/337789.md?page=6)