Dieting Club: 50 - 100 Lbs Community

Lorrie, Sounds like you are on the right track to a healthy lifestyle. Make little changes, make them permanent, and the make some more. Bite off too much at a time leads to frustration and failure. Keep up the good work.

I just know what arthritis pain can do to hamper our goals so I have gone in search of options to try. I'm very glad that these are working out so well for you.
I have to say this, watch your calories Lorrie. You need to take in around 1200 to lose healthfully. Don't cut yourself short. Just sitting around doing nothing but breathing, and I mean NOTHING.... your body will burn between 550-600 calories a day. That's just to run the "machine" that is our body. Any exerted effort, from lifting a gallon of milk to walking to the fridge will burn a couple of calories ... and so on. You absolutely MUST feed your body to accommodate your daily output or your body will begin to eat itself. I mean this. Your body is set to store fat because it serves as "instant" energy for emergencies and it is also a great insulater from heat and cold, so the body likes to keep it around. Muscle is the first thing a body thinks is "extra baggage". If you aren't feeding your body enough calories, it will "eat" muscle before it eats its fat stores. THEN, once it has gone through the muscle, it'll actually begin to break down your vital organ tissues, before it'll go for the fats.... That's why it's imperitive to eat to feed your body to lose weight.
Don't over exercise unless you plan on feeding yourself enough to do that and to just survive.
Truly, if you aim for somewhere between 1100 and 1300 calories a day, get in all of your water, and do the recommended amount of exercise, you WILL lose weight. Slowly? yes. And that , my dear, is the best way to lose weight. If you did like those ppl who have the stomach surgeries and dropped 100 lbs in 3 months, it sounds good, but your skin can't keep up. Losing weight slowly allows your skin to kind of "reshape" and come back into true form around your muscles. True, it'll never be the tight stuff it once was, but you won't have huge flaps to worry about if you lose around the 5-8 lbs a month that is recommended.
Plus you're gonna learn as you go.
It's a long journey, it's forever and you will be better prepared to know how to MAINTAIN once you have lost all of your weight because you will have learned how to eat right for your daily lifestyle along the way.
huggs
k

Thank you Kim and you are right! It has to be a healthy choice and giving your body what it needs. My menu's are made up of solid nutritional food. I agree as well it's a long haul, not a quick fix. I don't find I'm wanting for anything, other than the evening movie watching where I want to stuff my face while enjoying the movie. This week I am going to try that spicy cheese popcorn recipe .. lol Sounds wonderful!

After this week, if I find my body requires further sustenance, I can adjust my menu. As of this week-end though so far so good. Again, this is a short term approach to get my body metabolism going. There is no earthy reason I would continue this routine past a few weeks!!

Lorrie

Hi Marybeth and very nice to meet you Thank you for your support and warning. I too agree that adding to much and not being able to follow through could be a killer. This weekend, Kim posted some videos of chair exercises that I actually love and can do anytime So, with the new information as ammunition in this fight, I created a routine I hope I can incorporate daily for the rest of my life. It is not time consuming and I feel good completing my workout. Frustration can be a killjoy if we let it, so that is why I posted my question this morning. Maintaining the exercise routine and walking time allotted but changing the menu as I increase the calories I am burning after a short period of time I think isn't so bad.

lorrie

Lorrie, Good to see you are doing things that work for your body. That is the way to start and go on this healthy journey. Just remember it is your journey and I think that is the most important thought. Your life is different from anyone's just like all the board buddies here. The two things we do do share is the struggle and the support.

Keep up the good work!

BTW, I was busy with a funeral (DH's God Mother 87 yrs. old) and that involved alot of eating on the run and the wake spread. The wake was at an Italian restaurant. Lots of tempting bread, etc.. I really had to do the Judy "self talk" thingy to get my mind programmed. For the most part I made low-carb choices. That is the thing, too, we will always have social events that could get us off track and back to old eating habits.......when I saw the bread basket I almost cried, but I know I can't have that, it just would be the beginning of the end. So I did have a bit of the pasta w/marinara and a tiny, tiny slice of the thin crust pizza. The choices I did make I really savored. I packed on the salad, too.

We can do this!!!

Barb

Sounds like you're off to great start! You go!

Barb,

Sorry about the loss but great on the choices made at the wake.

Thanks Amber.

Barb

Good morning Barb,

Ohhh nnoooo I am so sorry to learn about losing someone. I know they are in a much better place however! You're in my prayers.

Thank you for sharing your struggle with bread. I do enjoy my muffins and banana bread. That is the glitch in this "diet" for me. As you say, it's a journey, I've been looking down many other avenues to make better food choices. Changing as much as I can or learning to limit other things.

I've changed all purpose flour to whole wheat flour and use flaxseed and bran in recipes, using molasses and honey for sweeteners and in all honesty.. I have to say... I still use butter! I trust nature not chemists. As long as I limit my intake, I see no harm. It is on my list of frequent foods, so when I have banana bread or oatmeal, yes the 204 calories for adding my butter is there.. I don't care. All these preservatives can't be good for us. Pioneers made it and worked off their fat by Making the butter It's sad that our society has become a disposable one and everything is "drive thru" convenience. That's another discussion however. Salads are always wonderful! Your choices were great Barb!! Woot! Grats!

This morning, as I woke and rolled out of bed literally, my body is screaming at me. The exercises are working and I'm using muscles I haven't used in a long time! Wooohoooo! So shuffling down the hallway to get my coffee, I had to smile at myself and pat myself on the back .. it's working!! Eat healthier and make better choices... I am looking forward to this week THANK YOU.. All of YOU so much for the encouragement and ideas

Lorrie

LORRIE, I think we have to find our "formula" for how we are going to live our healthy lives. My Dad lived to 101 yrs.. He was into Nature but did eat a variety of foods like cookies (just a few). He was very thin and ACTIVE. Always had a garden, grew grapes, had apple trees, mushroom picked, hunted....into the seasonal changes.

Keep up your good work YOUR way!

It really is about doing good things for our bodies, even in small ways each day. Even if we aren't "perfect" each day, we can still be positive in our head about ourselves.

Happy Wednesday!

Barb

Hi Barb,

Thanks I listen to my body, but for now I'm telling it to shut up and trying to move as much as possible I love the exercises even with the pain, it tells me I am doing it right and over the long term, it will be ok!

lorrie

Great outlook!

Weigh in update:

The last time I weighed myself was Sept. 4th when I went to the Dr. office. I weighed in today and.. Ta Da I am down to 268!!!!!! I was astounded! I made the nurse check it twice, it couldn't possibly be correct! I told Jennifer about the changes I had been making; the change in nutrition, exercises and I received a hug

I love hugs!! I doubt the smile leaves my face for a few days.

Lorrie

thats awsome Lorrie you are down 22 pounds wow thats great progress I am so happy for you !!!
Hugs Judy:)