Aguecheek, that’s a pretty good idea. I do always have lots of reading to do. I’ll test it out, but I’m worried that I won’t be able to concentrate enough to do my reading properly.
I’ve become an expert at reading on the treadmill at 3 mph, no “hills.” It makes my highlighting pretty wobbly, though!
I’m a bit off track, up about 10# from my low weight–our cruise was followed by a lot of planning meetings, student orientations, and a program accreditation visit. I can’t wait for next week when I resumen my merely crushing teaching load, which will seem cushy by comparison and which I can actually structure so I can eat a good lunch, go for a walk, etc.!
Good luck, Shoshana! I think the key is to not just get frustrated and give up if you re-gain a little of the weight. It’s important to keep in mind that you’re still lighter, and a lot healthier than when you started!
Oh yay! I re-balanced my scale this morning, and I am a solid 46 lbs down. It’s been bouncing a bit higher the last week or so (time o’ the month) so I’m back on track.
Also, everyone MUST know of Breyer’s 98% fat free Vanilla ice cream. 90 calories, 4g of fibre, 1.5 g fat per serving. That works out to 1 point if you’re following WW. It’s a bit sweeter than normal - unless I’ve just lost my sweet tooth.
By comparison: Regular Breyer’s is 4 points per serving.
I’ve tried Breyer’s fat free, and personally, I found it kind of icky.
What I have fallen in love with is Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches and fudgsicles. Taste just like the real things and they’re only 2 points. Num.
I used to get Skinny Cow yummies all the time, but I found them awfully expensive around the old place - I’ll have a look for them here. They have PEANUT BUTTER ones! Yay!
Aguecheek - I’m not sure I look all that much different. Guys’ clothes being what they are, we can hide a lot of weight pretty easily. But I’ve gone down a waist size. 
Gingy - cool! I happen to love Breyers’ vanilla ice cream with the little flecks of vanilla nut. (So I’m careful not to buy it too often!) I’ll have to track down the 98% fat-free version, and see what I think.
Hi everyone and congrats to all you LOSERS :)!
Thought I’d join up here and give my story. Sorry if its long, I just think its good to show how we get where we are…
15-20 y.- started at 117, did a liquid diet that got me down to 105 then after going off it I balooned to 140 or so.
20-24 y (college years)- went on extreme low fat diet- got down to 115, started gym- was faithful for a year or so. Then got a little too much into partying with friends- one summer we drank every single night - young and no hangovers yet so I had no problem eating to soak in the next nights party. Got back up - this time to 150
25-28 y- went back on a more moderate low fat diet- lost 25 lbs in a very short time, had a great time for a couple of years- got flirty and lots of attention from guys- was confident in my weight for the first time- wish I had extended that period before getting into a serious relationship.
28- present- Serious relationship became the most destructive thing I’ve ever done to myself, for several reasons that won’t go into here except to say I was living with an alcoholic speed freak.
My self esteem plummeted in direct relationship to my weight sky-rocketing- up to 185 lbs!!! I was numbing my feelings of despair with alcohol and food- some very devastating things happened to me during that time. A friend gave me an out about a year and a half ago- I left my boyfriend and moved out on my own. I still was dealing with feelings of guilt (ex was not a bad guy, but I could not help him and no longer loved him) and for the first time when I thought I was fat- I really REALLY was. I finally decided I couldn’t stand the thought of being 30, single and HUGE so I started Atkins on 12/27/03.
My stats:
Height: 5 foot 1 in
Start weight- 185
Current weight-145 (as of this morning! down another lb- YEAH!)
Goal weight- 125-130 (could go lower according to weight charts, but when I see pics of me lower than that I’ve got saggy boobs- willing to have the extra 5 lbs and keep the nice boobs )
This morning I did a closet clean up- had a large pile of size 18-20 jeans to give to Goodwill (I WILL NEVER NEVER NEED THEM AGAIN) and tried on a few things I had kept from my skinny days. I’m pleased to report that I fit into (albeit a bit tight- maybe 5 lbs to go on these) size 8 relaxed fit Levis, got on and zipped up size 9 reg. 501s (probably 10 lbs from being comfortable in that). I felt so good about that I went through and washed my size 7 Levis so they could be ready when I get there :).
And… I put on my favorite little blue/wh sleeveless dress- it FIT - its a little short so I need to do my yoga tapes and get my legs in better shape before going out in public in it but it fit easily.
Jaime
Las Vegas, NV
Okay, I’ll weigh in (nyuk, nyuk). I was diagnosed with type II diabetes back in April, the result of a combination of bad genes, age, recent sedentary lifestyle, high cholesterol and weight gain.
The doc put me on a couple of meds and gave me “the lecture”, which I took to heart. My brother has barely controlled diabetes and loss of circulation in both legs, resulting in stents being put in.
I don’t believe in diet programs and never have. They are generally doomed to failure. However, I did start to change my lifestyle, which is ultimately going to be successful. I began restricting the quantities of carbs and other sugars in my food, particularly the high glycemic foods such as rice and potatoes, and reducing the quantities of food on my plate to normal portion sizes.
After about a week, this became routine and more food than that portion was more than I could eat. I have snacks at set times during the day to stave off hunger pangs, normally a Nature Valley bar or some such. While it spikes the glucose, it’s satisfying. I also try to take a walk around the nearby lake several times a week and on weekends.
If I crave something, I eat it. Denying yourself only leads to binging. The key to that is: eat some, get it out of your head, move on.
So now here it is five months later and I’m down 25 pounds. I don’t weigh myself every day or even every week, because I think that can be too discouraging when there is a temporary gain. When I start noticing my clothes getting looser, I check in with the scale. So I’ve gone from a 46 waist to a 42 (sounds awful, I know, but I’m a big guy with broad shoulders and substantial muscle mass).
Good luck to all. I hope to be down another 25 in another five months, but I suspect that I’ll plateau unless I kick up the exercise a notch.
Third week weigh in tonight. I gained .6 of a pound.
Grr.
I started at 302 w/50.5" waist at about june 15th. Now its september 25th, i’m 264 with a 44" waist. I have more muscle so its easier for me to lose weight and my frame doesn’t look as bad with 60 pounds of fat on it. My goal is 230, i would be at about 13% bodyfat at that weight.
Im doing a low fat diet, 20/25/55 p/f/c, eating about 2800 calories a day (i need about 3700 a day to maintain if i don’t exercise), and doing 45 minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week and lifting weights as well.
So far no hunger pains, and the weight loss is easy. this was a mild lifestyle change. No starvation and i only feel mildly deprived. I still eat about 20% of my weekly calories in ‘crap’ (pizza, tacos, anything high fat).
Don’t worry about it, Fiz. You’re a girl. Sometimes, you’re gonna gain a bit of water weight - it’ll be gone next week.
Congrats to Chefguy, Wesley Clark, and Smokinbjc for your accomplishments!
Thanks. my 3 fears are
- i will hit a weight loss plateau
- my body will start fighting back hard to make me regain the weight (increased appetite, lowered metabolism, etc)
- i will lose interest in weight loss and gain it all back
I have a friend who is trying to lose weight but he’s taking a more drastic route (cutting calories to about 40% of maintenance), and when he eats whatever he wants he ends up eating 6000 calories a day in high fat foods. i’m terrified of ending up like that. So far i’ve found that if i eat up to 1/3 my calories in high fat (1000 calories) my daily intake stays the same @ 2800. if i go over 1000 it goes up a bit. I guess i’m worried my body will increase my appetite. Losing weight w/o hunger is so much easier than the alternative.
As i said, so far its been more or less effortless. Even if i had the choice of eating high fat 24/7 i wouldn’t take it, i’d rather eat enough fatty foods to feel satiated then eat granola, pasta, pop tarts, OJ, etc the rest of the time.
I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t hit a plateau at some point or another. I was stuck for about three weeks, but I got through it. That’s after 40 lbs, and I still have another 40 to go.
I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t hit a plateau at some point or another. I was stuck for about three weeks, but I got through it. That’s after 40 lbs, and I still have another 40 to go.
Thanks for the congrats Ginger, and good work Chefguy and Wesley.
Yeah, plateaus happen- I think our bodies have to adjust to our new weights AND we have to adjust to the fact that smaller bodies don’t lose weight as easily. Although if you are exercising that may not be true- muscle does burn more than fat. Thats my big handicap- I really hate official exercise- I do fine if I’m interested in something but I get bored to death exercising.
I had a two month stall in April/May- figured out that the cream in my coffee (legal for Atkins) was the culprit- cut that down and started losing again. Will probably have to make some sort of adjustment every 5-10 lbs but its worth it to feel great.
Chefguy, you and I could be brothers. Our stories and philosophies sound similiar. One of the reasons i started (among several) was because everyone but 1 person on my dads side of the family has type 2 diabetes. Him, 3 of his 4 siblings and both his parents.
OK. I am of strict Scottish-Canadian Presbyterian upbringing. One never brags, draws attention to oneself, self-praises, etc.
However. As of this morning, I have lost 110 pounds since February 10th. Atkins and walking.
I have always been extremely skeptical of what I perceived as “fad” diets, and never tried anything like them. But having been diagnosed as Type II diabetic (and turned 41), it was time to do something. Also, my doctor weighed me (I didn’t own a scale)–I had assumed I was about 260-270. No, Bubba. 320! Pick up your bib overall and banjo from the desk as you leave.
So, time to do something. My very conservative, no-nonsense doctor recommended the Atkins plan, along with moderate exercise (I suggested increasingly brisk and lengthening walks); along with some medication (blood pressure, novo-metformin and topomax). I was still skeptical (especially with the topomax–I mean it’s for epilepsy symptom control!). However, you can’t argue with results.
I’ve gone from a 50" waist down to 39," and just last night finally went through all the cupboards and drawers and filled five huge garden size garbage bags full of shirts and pants that are no longer of any use to me; these will be taken to Women In Need, which run shelters for women and children, supported by thrift shops. I’ve spent a small fortune on new clothes (at least the government supplies new uniforms free!), and on alterations during the “interim” period; but it’s worth it.
Best of all, yesterday I went into the office of the property management firm that runs the apartment I live in, to drop off a new supply of post-dated rent cheques. Hadn’t been in for about 6 months or so. The cashier (who has known me for about 15 years) asked if I was Rodd Hill’s brother. I am an only child. That felt good. I actually got flirted with (I think–I am notoriously dense at picking up signals) by a woman in another store.
I haven’t been on a date in 10 years. I have another 20 pounds to go to reach the “ideal” weight (yeah, yeah, whatever that means); I made myself a promise that if I was able to reach 200 pounds I would sign onto nerve.com or lavalife, or something similar and now it looks like I may have to actually live up to that promise. Eep.
Jeez, I have never written so much about myself to anyone. This is turning into the freakin’ Oprah show.
Brag over.
Wow, Rodd Hill. Congratulations! 110 lbs since FEBRUARY? Son of a bitch. That’s amazing. I’ve been dieting the same length of time, but I’m only down 46. Are the medications he gave you for weight-loss?
Nice, thats almost 3.4 lbs a week Hill. not bad if your main source of exercise was walking.
However losing the weight is only the start, keeping it off is whats really important. I plan to keep mine off by keeping a food journal listing when i ate, what it was and the calories, keeping up exercising, trying to keep calories in a certain set perameter and using OTC drugs for lypolysis & metabolism.