Food n Fitness Thread #9837483

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by skcin

^ Just read an article that said it takes at least 6 - 9 months to really make a permanent change in your life, esp. as far as diet & exercise go. Thinking that you'll be successful right away & be able to maintain it without any problem is just setting yourself up to fail. It was a really good article, I'll try to transcribe some of it this weekend if I have time.

I lost about 1/2 pound since last week - not to shabby, considering my Toronto trip & Easter were within days of eachother.

Nicely done. That timeframe makes sense. It took me so long to get used to the weight training and stop hating it. I'm at 147 which is down a pound for a total of -15 from when I started over a year ago. This is within the healthy weight range for me and I feel great about that. I just had my driver's license pic redone too and I look YOUNGER now than I did in the pic like 7 years ago or whenever. I love being a gym rat!

Now all that said, I just had a Big Mac for dinner. Yep. So markolas, it's not all or nothing, it's just baby steps until you make it.

[skcin]

Anyone still here? I'm hanging in there. Had another challenging weekend with my birthday, a baby shower, an anniversary brunch, etc. But I've kept up with the workouts & haven't gained anything. The weather's finally improving, so I've been on a couple bike rides & I hope to restart the "couch to 5K" running plan again. Also got the "Biggest Loser" workout DVD per Jaz's recommendation & it is awesome. You can customize your own workout each time - I did the warm up, advanced cardio, strength training & the cool down & I was beat!


I found this on CNN, thought I'd share. Great tips.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/diet....cks/index.html

Sneaky little slim-down tricks
(Health.com) -- Health magazine went to the top weight-control experts for their No. 1 tips to get the weight off now. Take a look.

Start smart
Begin lunch and dinner with a veggie-rich salad or broth-based soup, says Pennsylvania State University satiety expert Barbara Rolls, author of "The Volumetrics Eating Plan." "That lets you fill up first on a big volume of low-calorie food and ends up displacing some of the foods you'll eat next -- the choices that are usually higher in calories."

Here's a good salad recipe: Mix 1½ cups of salad greens with ¾ cup of raw veggies like onions, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, or cucumbers; drizzle with 2 tablespoons of low-cal bottled dressing.

Sneak a snack
"Ten minutes before each meal, eat some healthy fat (around 70 calories or fewer): a handful of nuts, a few slices of avocado, or a spoonful of peanut butter, for example. That helps activate ghrelin, a hormone that lets you know you're full," says Michael Roizin, MD, co-author with Mehmet Oz, MD, of "You on a Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management."

Try the 3-hour rule
"The secret to losing weight comes down to keeping your metabolism alive and active," according to fitness guru Jorge Cruise, author of "The 3-Hour Diet." How do you do that? By eating every 3 hours, give or take 10 to 20 minutes, he says, which translates to three moderate meals with three snacks (100 calories each) between meals.

Though other experts say there's nothing magic about 3-hour intervals, eating small, frequent, portion-controlled meals and snacks can keep your blood sugar level steady, your energy up, and keep you from overindulging.

Have liquid assets
"If you're going to drink anything with calories (i.e., fruit juice, soda, sweetened coffee and tea, or alcohol), you need to consciously adjust your diet to accommodate those extra calories," says Purdue University nutrition researcher Richard Mattes, PhD. His research shows that people typically make adjustments to eat fewer calories over the course of a day after eating a solid food like jelly beans, but not after drinking the same amount of calories in a glass of soda.

And if you want to replace sweetened drinks with their calorie-free counterparts, rethink it. Some research suggests that people who drink no- or low-calorie drinks might actually end up eating more, Mattes says. The best thirst quencher -- and a dieter's best friend -- is still plain old H2O.

Cut out this combo
Skip those munchies made with white flour and sugar, like white bread, cookies, and pretzels, says integrative medicine guru Andrew Weil, MD. They signal the body to produce more insulin and set the stage for turning calories to fat, fat, and more fat.

Choose your pals
Studies show that most of us base how much we eat on what others around us eat, says University of Toronto psychologist Peter Herman, PhD. So steer clear of the big eaters in your social circle, at least when food is around. Sashay over and make small talk at parties with the folks who aren't hovering near the food table.

"Marching to your own caloric drummer requires some independent thought and calculation," Herman says.

Pare portions
Everything from beverages to bagels is two to five times bigger today than in the 1970s, says New York University nutrition professor Lisa Young, PhD, author of "Portion Teller" and who has studied the servings dished up in restaurants and by food companies.

"So if you grab a bagel or eat out, chances are you'll be served double what you need," she says. Her advice: Start leaving just a little bit on your plate or, if you can, cut the amount you eat in half. She also suggests that you "use your hand as a portion guide -- 3 ounces of meat fits into your palm, 1 cup of potatoes looks like a fist."

Be an early bird
Eat the most food earlier in the day, says Elisabetta Politi, nutrition manager at Duke Diet and Fitness Center, Duke University's successful weight-management center.

"Many dieters try to trim calories from their break-fast and lunch and then get hungry," she says. "Research shows the calories you eat earlier in the day help you eat less at night" -- a good idea since you probably won't be active after an evening meal.

Step it up
"Get a pedometer and start walking," says University of Colorado obesity expert James Hill, author of "The Step Diet." To keep the weight off forever, the goal is to take 11,000 to 12,000 steps (around 90 minutes) a day.

"You don't need to do it all at once," Hill explains. Start with 2,000 steps a day, or about 15 minutes of walking. Add another 5 minutes (500 steps) each week. You can find supercheap pedometers at drugstores and big-box retailers to help you keep count. There are lots of other sneaky little ways to add more steps to your day, too: Use a cordless phone and walk while you talk, or get up and walk during TV commercials. (Strategies to rack up more steps)

Think thin
"Seeing is believing," says Janice Taylor, weight-loss coach and author of "Our Lady of Weight Loss." "You have to picture yourself thin if you want to become thin." Visualize what you're wearing, where you are, who you are with, and how you feel. "The more vivid the picture, the more real it will feel to you," Taylor says, "and the more likely it will take form."

Shula Lazarus, PhD, a psychotherapist at the North Carolina-based weight-management program Structure House, agrees, though the method isn't clinically proven. "We use it to help dieters visualize a healthy eating pattern and the right portions on their plate. It can't hurt, and it might help."

Fill up on fiber
Crowd out calorie-dense foods by ratcheting up on fruits and veggies. "Start by eating one more serving of fruit and one more vegetable a day," says Donald Hensrud, MD, a Mayo Clinic nutrition specialist. Hitting that midafternoon slump? Reach for carrots -- the carbs will give you a lift. Not only does munching on nature's bounty become a good habit, but it'll also help you tap into dozens of disease-fighting phytochemicals and vitamins. The biggest fiber bulker-upper: beans. Just a cup of black beans nets you nearly 15 grams of filling fiber.

Brush your teeth
Sometimes the best advice comes from your best friend or, in this case, a fellow Health magazine reader. Barbara Haug of Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, says she brushes her teeth right after dinner instead of at bedtime. "I can be a compulsive snacker in the evening," she says, "but I don't like messing up freshly brushed teeth."

That last one sounds silly, but it works for me. I also try to do my strength training/weight exercises in the evening while I watch TV - it prevents me from snacking & actually makes me less hungry.

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally Posted by skcin

That last one sounds silly, but it works for me. I also try to do my strength training/weight exercises in the evening while I watch TV - it prevents me from snacking & actually makes me less hungry.

It may sound silly but it works for me as well. I can't eat after brushing my teeth, so I've found it is a good way to curb snacking. I hadn't thought about doing strenght training etc in the evenings though - I may have to try that. I'm a horrible evening snacker....!

I'm still doing well though...it's been a hard week because it's pledge drive time which means we have chips, candy, soda, cookies and various other forms of crap lying around all week....it's just there for the taking. So I've probably had too much candy already...but I'm exercising so I'm not hard on myself about it.

[AliceLover]

Originally Posted by skcin

Anyone still here? I'm hanging in there. Had another challenging weekend with my birthday, a baby shower, an anniversary brunch, etc. But I've kept up with the workouts & haven't gained anything. The weather's finally improving, so I've been on a couple bike rides & I hope to restart the "couch to 5K" running plan again. Also got the "Biggest Loser" workout DVD per Jaz's recommendation & it is awesome. You can customize your own workout each time - I did the warm up, advanced cardio, strength training & the cool down & I was beat!


I found this on CNN, thought I'd share. Great tips.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/diet....cks/index.html





That last one sounds silly, but it works for me. I also try to do my strength training/weight exercises in the evening while I watch TV - it prevents me from snacking & actually makes me less hungry.

Hey Paula,

Thanks for the article. It was definitely an interesting read. Isn't it so hard when you have those events where its so hard to resist those foods you love?

I just finished the first week of the Couch potato - 5k Program. I found it interesting that by the third workout, I was beating my time from the previous nights. I could really tell that my speed was improving.

The one thing that is a pain about this program is keeping the time straight. I don't have a stop watch, so Ive been just using my cell phone.

[skcin]

^ That's too funny! I use my cell too. I'm going to invest in a stopwatch though, it's a real pain in the ass to juggle the phone & reprogram the time during the workout.

And yes, big events are the hardest for me. I do not deny myself anything, but I do portion in out on a plate rather than stand in front of the giant dish & continuously help myself.

[JazmenFlowers]

I think I was the first here to use the Couch to 5K back last summer and I knew it worked cause it totally jumpstarted my loss. I am in the best shape of my life, srsly. I may not be at the exact weight I want to be at, but my waist is unbelievably smaller and I'm more flexible (no jokes please) and just all round better health. I'm still doing cardio 4 times a week and strength training 2 times a week with a day or two off. diet is going fine. I'm losing about a pound or so a week. I have about 8 pounds to my goal and I'm determined to get there. I just bought a jacket this weekend that was a small. it is snug, but I wanted it that way. hello...it's a ****ing small and I can zip it and look decent so you know my ass bought it. lol.

June 1 will be 1 year that I've been on this diet/exercise routine and I've done so much and come so far...it's really amazing. I really have the itch to help someone else do it.

[skcin]

^ Persistence really does pay off. Losing weight & improving health is not easy, it's not quick, but it can be done. Good for you hon.

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by skcin

^ Persistence really does pay off. Losing weight & improving health is not easy, it's not quick, but it can be done. Good for you hon.

yep. and so easy to get discouraged. this thread has really helped me and I'm sure it's helped a lot of "guests" too...

oh...and don't you love The Biggest Loser dvd?! I do. I could stare at Bob all day.

[AliceLover]

Originally Posted by skcin

^ That's too funny! I use my cell too. I'm going to invest in a stopwatch though, it's a real pain in the ass to juggle the phone & reprogram the time during the workout.

And yes, big events are the hardest for me. I do not deny myself anything, but I do portion in out on a plate rather than stand in front of the giant dish & continuously help myself.

Honestly, I think the cell is the easiest way to go. Its hard when you have to count down 30 seconds and then count down the next 60 seconds in your head while running, but it generally works out. I just did my first workout for week 2. Getting tougher!

Jaz...Im so happy for you. It must be the best feeling in the world!

[markolas]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

So markolas, it's not all or nothing, it's just baby steps until you make it.

Oh, I haven't even been trying since the last time I posted in this thread.

I'm still at 174, which is where I've been for several months now. I guess if it took you a year to lose 15 lbs, I shouldn't expect much.

Maybe I ought to start trying one thing at a time (either exercising regularly or radically changing my eating habits) instead of going so gung-ho into it for a week or two and then getting burned out.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by markolas

Oh, I haven't even been trying since the last time I posted in this thread.

I'm still at 174, which is where I've been for several months now. I guess if it took you a year to lose 15 lbs, I shouldn't expect much.

Maybe I ought to start trying one thing at a time (either exercising regularly or radically changing my eating habits) instead of going so gung-ho into it for a week or two and then getting burned out.

Am I going to have to haul down there and spank you?

into shape that is

Seriously, start by eating half of what you are given and walk around the block a couple of times in the morning and the evening -- some push ups (15 to start with) in the morning and evening will also greatly accelerate the change. Anyone can do these little things. So, snap to it young man!

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by markolas

Maybe I ought to start trying one thing at a time (either exercising regularly or radically changing my eating habits) instead of going so gung-ho into it for a week or two and then getting burned out.

yep. if you are the type of person to feel overwhelmed and then just give up, it may be best to start with cutting back on your calories first and then incorporate an exercise routine.

[GODDESS6]

still wrking ot w/ gilad an hour a day 5 days a week, increased my weights for it to 8 lbs & i am feeling fine for the summer clothes & such~ it gived me so much energy for the day~

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by markolas

Oh, I haven't even been trying since the last time I posted in this thread.

I'm still at 174, which is where I've been for several months now. I guess if it took you a year to lose 15 lbs, I shouldn't expect much.

Maybe I ought to start trying one thing at a time (either exercising regularly or radically changing my eating habits) instead of going so gung-ho into it for a week or two and then getting burned out.

That is how I had to do it so I wouldn't quit. I started at 20 min of cardio 3x per week and nothing at all with the diet. I added something about every month or so, 10 minutes of cardio, light weights, whatever. Just ask yourself what small change you can make that you will be able to sustain. It takes about 30 days to create a new habit so cut yourself some slack!

[JazmenFlowers]

down another pound.

7 to go! woohoo.