Who's Trying to Lose Weight?

[Treklady]

I no longer feel the need to 'lose' weight. What I try to do now is just eat healthy. Does that mean I have totally given up on the foods I love? No way Jose.

The big things that I think have helped our family do better is to no longer eat out. And I mean not eat out at all. And we have let go of any processed foods what so ever. My husband still purchases dressings for his salads for work, but other than that we have let it go.

That means we do nearly all of our cooking from scratch. It wasn't a big leap for us, for we were nearly doing that already. But man do we enjoy eating better, plus the benefits have been well worth the effort.

We did not do it all at once. I chose one thing at a time within our home to redo and the first thing was boxed cereal. That was the first thing to go. Then I slowly but sure decided what it was I knew we needed to let go of, and Viola! were are just about where I think we are comfortable.

No sodas
No refined sugar
No processed foods

To me, those are the big ones.

 

[luvs]

i've taken to a healthy diet. i snack mainly, & without being hungry, i've lost 14.5 lbs.. 30 more to lose. i eat lite proteins & carbs balanced together at meals. & i allot myself 2 12-ounce regular pops to drink for breakfast. (a large from mc. & a can. i still unwind with a drink or 2 if i want to. i don't count calories, just inherently know what to consume. tuna, lite tofu, salads with lite catalina or my own blend, my own soups, chix, meatballs last nite, rice cakes with sugarless jelly or tuna, veggies, cottage cheese, string cheese, diet ricotta on toast, soy yogurt, puffed rice cereal with lite vanilla soumilk, especially french-cut grn. beans, lite bread, beans, sugarless jell-o, etcetera.

 

[shubh]

We are what we eat. Eating healthy food promotes good health and unhealthy food habits lead to a diseased body. A nutritious diet while ensuring overall well being, helps to maintain a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI), reduces the risk of several debilitating diseases like cancer, cardiovascular ailments, diabetes, osteoporosis and stroke. here are five main food groups, they are:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Cereals and Pulses
• Dairy
• Poultry, Fish and Meat products

 

[Wyogal]

What are "pulses?"

 

[NZDoug]

A really good thing to help cut down on eating is accurate scales.
We got one thats battery powered and is accurate.
Stuff weighed at the shop, like say, 927 gms of mince, weighs 927 grams on the scale at home, so you know your not getting ripped off.
Now I usually buy a kilo of mince and have the butcher put it into three bags of approx. 333gms in each so I can put them in the freezer and pull them when needed.
We normally make 3 burgers with 333 gms of mince, 2 for me,and one for the wife.
Noew I get 4 bags of 250gms insatead of 3 at 333.
So I chop up an union and mix in some bread crumbs and some of my home made tobasco sauce and that gets it back up to 333 from the 250gms.
So we eat less meat and thats gotta be a good thing.
Also, the scales are fun to play with.
I weigh everything now. Cereal, dog food, meat balls, fun WOW!

 

[dave the baker]

Pulses don't sound too edible, whatever they are. Back from cruise, now on diet again. Lots of veggies, fruits, decaf ice tea. Start the day with oatmeal and skim (no fat) milk. No salt, sugar, etc. For a sweetener I use Splenda. For supper I make up a veggie combo (12+ different veggies), steam it in the micro, sometimes add cooked white chicken chunks, use a low cal stir fry sauce to wet it down a bit. Also do broc or caulif in the micro and use a very low fat cheese sauce. For lunch celery and carrot sticks, grapes, fresh pineapple. Diet works but get boring after a while.

 

[shirl2009]

Count me in.
I am trying to lose weight. I am Just cutting back on servings. Eating on a smaller plate. Being on the computer helps as i am home all day, when i am not doing errands.
I have had so far, an egg and raisin bread.
Salad for lunch
Salmon, salad and a small baked potato for dinner, may not have the potato, only with a little lite sour cream on it if I do. Hubby loves choc so may baked choc chip cookies, but not my fave so probably won't eat any. I am a salty person, like chips, don't dare buy them.

 

[infokid]

Everyone I know is looking to loose weight. I'm all up for this.

 

[dave the baker]

Count me in.
I am trying to lose weight. I am Just cutting back on servings. Eating on a smaller plate. Being on the computer helps as i am home all day, when i am not doing errands.
I have had so far, an egg and raisin bread.
Salad for lunch
Salmon, salad and a small baked potato for dinner, may not have the potato, only with a little lite sour cream on it if I do. Hubby loves choc so may baked choc chip cookies, but not my fave so probably won't eat any. I am a salty person, like chips, don't dare buy them.

Cut out the salt entirely! I'm a "salt person" too but after going without for a couple of weeks I don't miss it anymore; actually some things taste salty without adding more!

Instead of "light" sour cream, etc. use Fleischman's margerine; much better for your blood pressure and other stuff your doctor will yell at your about. Trust me on that.

 

[abbychoice]

I guess all women go through that period at least once (or one million times) in their life!

But I believe that if we follow some basic rules, it doesn't become hard. These are the most important, I think:

1 - Reduce / cut sweets
2 - Don't eat right before meals
3 - Move it!
4 - Eat several small meals even if you are not hungry - so that you really won't be
5 - Always have your breakfast
6 - Keep motivated!


i hope it helped!

 

[dave the baker]

Excellent advice - - - and for persons of the male persuasion, too.

 

[shirl2009]

I am giving this a try. I read about drinking some low sodium vegie juice, like v8 before meals and it helps you to not be so hungry, also good for you. And to follow the dash diet as close as possible, that cuts out the salt, to use Mrs.Dash instead of salt.

 

[dave the baker]

You can also use (get) a salt substitute made of Potassium Chloride which works quite well; just in case you get a "salt craving". Nu-Salt is one brand; Morton also put out one.

 

[abbychoice]

Excellent advice - - - and for persons of the male persuasion, too.

Thank you, dave the backer!

I am glad it was helpful!

Be well,
Abby

 

[In the Kitchen]

how can you maintain good weight when doc prescribes pills that may increase appetite? What is the reason for this? First they tell you to get weight off and then prescribe medication that makes you gain?

 

[dave the baker]

Change to a doc that listens

 

[abbychoice]

Appetite pills

how can you maintain good weight when doc prescribes pills that may increase appetite? What is the reason for this? First they tell you to get weight off and then prescribe medication that makes you gain?

Hello!
In the first place, I guess it depends on what are the reason for that prescription. If the pills are vital to treat or cure a certain condition, you should just measure the pros and cons... Also, take into account if that effect is permanent or temporary, as it may wear off.

Try to talk to your doctor about it and explain to him/her how important to you it is to maintain your weight - maybe you'll have a second choice of pills.

If there is no other choice but to take the pills, you can find a strategy to maintain your weight - try maybe to talk to a nutritionist!!


I understand how frustrating it may be, but sometimes you just have to be a little McGiver

Good luck! There is always a solution!

 

[In the Kitchen]

Thanks! I always feel of some importance when people respond so quickly. I am just starting on antidepressants and it seems more people are taking them. The doctor is kind of losing patience w/me due to the fact my body seems to have reaction to them. I sure wish I had guts to tell him I don't need them. When discussing antidepressants w/others seems like they respond that it is 'norm' and I am not. I often feel life is one big rock and we need all help we can get.

Thanks again and I want to say I feel like I am starving. Sure something I don't want to do is keep eating quick 'fillers'. I ate bag of chips yesterday and that wasn't good!

 

[abbychoice]

Antidepressants

Thanks! I always feel of some importance when people respond so quickly. I am just starting on antidepressants and it seems more people are taking them. The doctor is kind of losing patience w/me due to the fact my body seems to have reaction to them. I sure wish I had guts to tell him I don't need them. When discussing antidepressants w/others seems like they respond that it is 'norm' and I am not. I often feel life is one big rock and we need all help we can get.

Thanks again and I want to say I feel like I am starving. Sure something I don't want to do is keep eating quick 'fillers'. I ate bag of chips yesterday and that wasn't good!

Hello,
I don't know why you started the antidepressants - if it really is for a depressive mood or for any medical condition which can be treated or relieved by the effects of antidepressants. Anyway, you should talk to your doctor and if you feel like he/she doesn't care about your concerns, you really should change doctor. The doctor/patient relashionship is, itself, therapeutic, and if that fails then you are already in a tortuous path.

Antidepressants do have that side effect, among others. I can advise you 2 things:
1 - When you crave and must eat something, try to avoid those killing foods - chips, sweets, fast-food... try to have fruits and vegetables. I know you must think "easy for you to say", but you might feel worse after that...

2 - Try to make some more exercise, as it releases endorphins in your organism, they are natural antidepressants. Exercise also has a cathartic effect, the same as food cravings, and so you will be distracted from eating.

I really recommend you expose your feelings to your doctor!

Good luck, hang in there!!

 

[navywife]

ITK, I've Pm'd you....

I'm trying to lose weight, and I also decided to go veggie. It's made a big difference for me personally.
I managed to talk my carnivore DH into trying a vegetarian diet (i hate that word) for a month, to see hoe we feel. The only reason he agreed was because of his confidence in my cooking skills. (isn't he a sweetie?)
On January 1, 2009, I quit all soda, coffee, and meat of any kind.
I read a book, and it kind of opened my eyes about how my food gets to my plate, and I didn't like it.
So I buy as much local fresh produce as I can afford, I joined the local Co-Op (not just for hippies any more! ), and I've cut down on a whole lot of processed foods. I also try to watch my sugar and fat intake.

So far it's working. My energy level has increased, and my sugar cravings are nowhere as bad as they used to be, with that mothly exception. My skin has cleared up, and my body has lost that feeling I can only describe as "congested".
I've eaten meat here and there since then, I'm not being militant or difficult, but by and large, no meat has made a big difference.

Just my 2 cents. To each his own, to be sure. This is just what seems to be working for me.