New Year, New Diet...

[thetreble 19]

Not very many people have mentioned that counting calories and cooking take time. I wake up at 4:45am every day. After my sometimes 1.30 drive, I'm at work until 3:30 or 4:00pm...by the time I get home its almost 6 pm. I am in bed by 9. I don't have a lot of time. Maybe that is a really silly excuse but I used to be an all season athlete who did cardio for sometimes 4 or 5 hours a day. In University, I didn't have a car so I walked and took the bus everywhere.

Now, I work so many hours and spend so many hours just commuting to work, that I don't have the time to count calories and do stuff like that. I've joined WW twice and after a month couldn't do it any more because I don't have time to think about points. Do I have the time to exercise? Of course! That is part of my problem I'm sure. I have just become pathetically tired and lazy after working long, hard hours. I don't even take al unch break at work because I'm always busy.

However, I do want to feel better about myself and the way that I feel! Eating less is probably a great start. My biggest problem is sweets. I love chocolate, especially. It's always been my biggest weakness.lol

Any way-lots of good suggestions in here and I will make sure to note all of them. I don't think I will do any of the expensive plans but hopefully the lean cuisines and the small breakfasts and dinners will sort of push me along to losing some much needed pounds.

[xtinab 0]

Another great website is Sparkpeople.com They've got a food tracker, a recipe website, a section for fitness which includes exercise videos etc, and tons of articles on everything from nutrition and wellness to motivation. The message boards are pretty good too! I find that it's working for me.

Sparkpeople

a friend emailed this to me today - I have already signed up - tho probably won't start until tomorrow with it as I am gong out to a bday dinner tonight - YAY for bellini's

I checked this site out yesterday and I'm definitely liking it!

[Travis & Kim 0]

ooops, totaly missed someone already linked this....sorry!

[TheATeam 0]

I didn't link it, so thanks Travis&Kim! One other thing I've learned, and it sounds so simple, is to eat slowly. We've all heard it but it really works. I slow down, chew each bite slowly, and stop when I'm full. That's the hard part for me. I hate to stop eating when there's still food left and it's SO yummy. I have to tell myself to put it in the fridge and I can eat it later! I also heard somewhere that you need to learn to just love the food and savor it, not love the act of eating. I realized that more than I liked the food I was eating was that I just love to eat period, it doesn't really matter what it is! Concentrating on my food and being mindful can help too, I know it's helped me!

It's often the simplest things that work best I have found.

[Emancipation 2]

I didn't link it, so thanks Travis&Kim! One other thing I've learned, and it sounds so simple, is to eat slowly. We've all heard it but it really works. I slow down, chew each bite slowly, and stop when I'm full. That's the hard part for me. I hate to stop eating when there's still food left and it's SO yummy. I have to tell myself to put it in the fridge and I can eat it later! I also heard somewhere that you need to learn to just love the food and savor it, not love the act of eating. I realized that more than I liked the food I was eating was that I just love to eat period, it doesn't really matter what it is! Concentrating on my food and being mindful can help too, I know it's helped me!

It's often the simplest things that work best I have found.

I agree with this.. someone very wise told me to 1/2 the portions you usually serve.. and to chew slowly, drink only water and stop when you are full..

remember that more often than not when you think you are hungry.. you are actually thirsty.. having water on hand helps.. if you drink more water your hunger is more often than not curbed.

[TheATeam 0]

I totally agree Emancipation. I always drink some cold water first to see if I'm really hungry. If I can feel that cold water in my stomach I know that it's usually empty and I'm probably actually hungry, not craving something else entirely!

Holistic Health/Ayurveda This website, and ayurveda in general, provides some really great tips for just being healthy and in balance and that includes weight loss if you need it. Also, the things that they suggest don't take much time and aren't expensive. Even if you do just a few of them, like making sure you're sitting down while you eat, it can make a big difference!

[Sprailenes 47]

I have faith in whatever choice you make Amander Commander (ya I made that name up for you). You're a tough cookie. You're gonna have abs of steel by the time summer rolls around.

[SapphireDreams 71]

I actually don't count my calories or take the time to write everything down. I don't find it makes a difference because in my head I know that if I eat a cookie or a chocolate bar, I'm going to go over so I shouldn't bother. It's all about moderation and portion control if you ask me, which doesn't really take that much time or effort. I eas an avid junk food eater. Now, I let myself have 1 treat 1 day a week. I used to eat candy and chocolate a lot and now I don't even really want it anymore.

I don't think it's realistic to say I want to lose weight, but I don't have any time to do it. It's all about making time. I also have a very intense job with a long commute. I wake up at 6 a.m., commute an hour and 15-30 minutes to work, work from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. and then commute another hour and bit home. One thing I've done to maximize my time is that I joined a gym that is located between my work and home. I also force myself to bring my gym clothes to work and then go directly to the gym. I save myself the time it would take me to go home, change and go to the gym. I also keep my momentum and don't loose steam. I eat a CLIF bar on my way so I have some energy. It works out well. I still don't get home until around 8 p.m. and I get in bed around 9:30-10 p.m., so I pretty much have no life during the week but I don't mind. I feel like it's better than just sitting at home or shopping or going out for dinner, which is what I was doing before. Sure I don't really hang out with my friends or talk very long with my fiance but I've recognized that I need to be selfish and take care of myself and stay motivated.

One or two nights a week, I spend about 30-40 minutes preparing lunches. I make enough to last me at least 3-4 days so that I get it all over with. I don't cook, I make salads and will eventually add sandwiches to the mix.

I'll admit that I'm usually exhausted at the end of it all, but its not the same exhaustion I feel before my workout. I wake up in the morning really happy that I have my lunch sitting in my fridge waiting for me. It's just one less thing to stress about.

Another thing that has really been a turning point for me is that I don't need to stuff myself every single meal. I am an over-eater. I can eat and and eat and eat until I'm sick and did. Now, I eat what I have and don't expect to feel full, just not hungry anymore. I'm trying to train my brain to know that sometimes it's okay to not feel full or for my stomach to runble a little bit. I'll survive. It's definitely challenging. My stomach is rumbling as we speak. But I am determined.

For me its all about my willpower. I don't have it. It's like I'm missing that part of the brain. So I feel like I'm literally forcing myself - almost like poking my eyes out doing this.

You can definitely do it. You may need to invest some time in the beginning to figure out how you can make it fit into your lifestyle. I have faith in you!!

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Oh by the way, I forgot to also mention about weight loss (which other VJers mentioned too):

-Drink lots of water and have plenty of fluids, to keep the body full, healthy, and hydrated. About 8-10 glasses of water a day should do the trick...

Lol...Even though I'm not losing weight now, I'm still a lot of water to stay healthy and hydrated. Heck, I'm even having more water than usual compared to when I was trying to lose weight...And yes, even if it means going to the bathroom a million times a day/night and at all hours...so be it...

Good luck Everyone, on your "New Year, New Diet" resolutions too!

Ant (New Year= New Weight Gain Diet...)

P.S. Another tip: -Eat smaller and more frequent meals, instead of bigger and lesser meals. This way, the body's metabolism works better too, and hence, makes you lose weight quicker. Lol...at this point, I have no choice but to that, as that's the only way I can eat without getting sick as often (though it doesn't help with my reverse weight gain diet...rofl...)

Edited January 6, 2009 by AntandD

[Reba 2]

I was diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic on October 1st of last year. I'm on medication and a low carb diet. I've lost 23 pounds, my blood sugars are wonderful now, and I'm finally not starving all of the time. I've been walking every day about 2 miles. I'm taking Tai Chi now, I take an aerobic water fitness class on Fridays. Gene bought me a bike last fall, and I was riding 3 times a week for a total of 12 miles. A local church about 2 miles from me has a fitness centre, and you don't have to be a member to use it. It's free. Indoor track, cardio equipment etc. so I'm going to check them out this week. We geocache, so in the nice weather when we're caching, we're hiking about 2-3 miles at a time. I got an MP3 player for Christmas, so I'm really enjoying the walking with music. I just uploaded an audiobook onto my player as well, so I'm looking forward to that.

In the past 25 years, I've tried WW, not NutriSystem( too expensive), the Grapefruit diet, you name it, I did it. I always lost weight quickly, which was a real motivator, but it never stayed off because most of the diets I tried weren't lifestyle changes, it was a lifestyle change only as long as I was on the diet. A really important thing for me, is that how I'm eating now, doesn't preclude me from enjoying anything I really love. I just can't eat it all the time, and I only have a taste. I'm like a child in that if someone tells me I can't eat something, it only makes me want to eat it more. I rebel. Of course the only person I hurt is myself then. However, my diet now, allows me to have the occassional sweet (I'm not a huge fan of sweets), or an extra portion of something if I'm really craving it. It's about moderation, smaller portions, and it HAS to include my exercise.

So now I'm changing so many things about my life. Increasing fibre, exercising, eating smaller portions, watching carbs, and the weight is coming off, slowly. I'm not so anxious now about how fast it's coming off. That's the only way it's going to stay off, slowly but surely. I'm living and eating like I will be able to for many many years to come, not just to "take off some weight".

I've a long way to go, but I've never been more positive than I have been in the last three months. It was a horrible wake-up call to do something to have been diagnosed with Type2, but I'm looking at it as an opportunity to use this call as the beginning to a whole new way of living.

WOW, good for you Carla! That's awesome. Rotten though that you had to be diagnosed DT2 If you stick with the low carbin' though, you should be able to stear clear of meds, and for good!

That link I posted earlier you and anyone else with diabetes would be especially interested in. I'm serious, that book really is an eye opener about the Western diet and how its killing us all slowly, and how the health departments for decades have been telling us to eat the wrong stuff!

I cut the carbs out just before thanksgiving, and I tell ya, I have not felt better since I was in highschool or before probably! (which was some time ago ) And I'm never hungry. I like that part especially! Dieting sux. Eating good wholesome healthy foods is so much better!

[Carlawarla 1]

I was diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic on October 1st of last year. I'm on medication and a low carb diet. I've lost 23 pounds, my blood sugars are wonderful now, and I'm finally not starving all of the time. I've been walking every day about 2 miles. I'm taking Tai Chi now, I take an aerobic water fitness class on Fridays. Gene bought me a bike last fall, and I was riding 3 times a week for a total of 12 miles. A local church about 2 miles from me has a fitness centre, and you don't have to be a member to use it. It's free. Indoor track, cardio equipment etc. so I'm going to check them out this week. We geocache, so in the nice weather when we're caching, we're hiking about 2-3 miles at a time. I got an MP3 player for Christmas, so I'm really enjoying the walking with music. I just uploaded an audiobook onto my player as well, so I'm looking forward to that.

In the past 25 years, I've tried WW, not NutriSystem( too expensive), the Grapefruit diet, you name it, I did it. I always lost weight quickly, which was a real motivator, but it never stayed off because most of the diets I tried weren't lifestyle changes, it was a lifestyle change only as long as I was on the diet. A really important thing for me, is that how I'm eating now, doesn't preclude me from enjoying anything I really love. I just can't eat it all the time, and I only have a taste. I'm like a child in that if someone tells me I can't eat something, it only makes me want to eat it more. I rebel. Of course the only person I hurt is myself then. However, my diet now, allows me to have the occassional sweet (I'm not a huge fan of sweets), or an extra portion of something if I'm really craving it. It's about moderation, smaller portions, and it HAS to include my exercise.

So now I'm changing so many things about my life. Increasing fibre, exercising, eating smaller portions, watching carbs, and the weight is coming off, slowly. I'm not so anxious now about how fast it's coming off. That's the only way it's going to stay off, slowly but surely. I'm living and eating like I will be able to for many many years to come, not just to "take off some weight".

I've a long way to go, but I've never been more positive than I have been in the last three months. It was a horrible wake-up call to do something to have been diagnosed with Type2, but I'm looking at it as an opportunity to use this call as the beginning to a whole new way of living.

WOW, good for you Carla! That's awesome. Rotten though that you had to be diagnosed DT2 If you stick with the low carbin' though, you should be able to stear clear of meds, and for good!

That link I posted earlier you and anyone else with diabetes would be especially interested in. I'm serious, that book really is an eye opener about the Western diet and how its killing us all slowly, and how the health departments for decades have been telling us to eat the wrong stuff!

I cut the carbs out just before thanksgiving, and I tell ya, I have not felt better since I was in highschool or before probably! (which was some time ago ) And I'm never hungry. I like that part especially! Dieting sux. Eating good wholesome healthy foods is so much better!

Thanks Reba! Yes, not good that I was diagnosed, but nothing can change that now except how I accept the challenge! My Dr. has not been very supportive, actually she's a B*tch with a capital B. I see a new Dr. next Tuesday that I hope will be supportive and helpful. I'm driving this manageability, not the Dr.'s. I did enjoy the article you linked to. I've met with a dietician though, and I think I'm on the right track. No one I have spoken to has suggested no carbs at all. I know when I have a day of very very low carbs, it impacts on my mental functioning, but I do believe we all have to and can eat less of them. Good wholesome food is the way to go...with occassional treats of course.

[trailmix 77]

Not very many people have mentioned that counting calories and cooking take time. I wake up at 4:45am every day. After my sometimes 1.30 drive, I'm at work until 3:30 or 4:00pm...by the time I get home its almost 6 pm. I am in bed by 9. I don't have a lot of time. Maybe that is a really silly excuse but I used to be an all season athlete who did cardio for sometimes 4 or 5 hours a day. In University, I didn't have a car so I walked and took the bus everywhere.

Now, I work so many hours and spend so many hours just commuting to work, that I don't have the time to count calories and do stuff like that. I've joined WW twice and after a month couldn't do it any more because I don't have time to think about points. Do I have the time to exercise? Of course! That is part of my problem I'm sure. I have just become pathetically tired and lazy after working long, hard hours. I don't even take al unch break at work because I'm always busy.

However, I do want to feel better about myself and the way that I feel! Eating less is probably a great start. My biggest problem is sweets. I love chocolate, especially. It's always been my biggest weakness.lol

Any way-lots of good suggestions in here and I will make sure to note all of them. I don't think I will do any of the expensive plans but hopefully the lean cuisines and the small breakfasts and dinners will sort of push me along to losing some much needed pounds.

I hear you !

If eating Lean cuisine is what is achievable at this point then I wish you luck in the frozen foods section (and I mean that sincerely because I really do understand).

As for drinking so much water every day, I do believe it has been proven that you should drink when you are....thirsty

[thetreble 19]

Yes water is essential, although a few months ago they came out with studies saying that many people are drinking unnecessary amounts of water that can actually lead to weight gain or even health problems because of the dilution of nutrients in the body or something like that.

Sapphire, you do have to make time in your day to make the right decisions, this is true. As I said before I am well aware on how to eat healthy and be healthy. I played competitive volleyball, soccer, ringette and highschool badminton for years and years. I spent most of my time not at school playing sports. In actuality I didn't even realize how thin I was then.

Any ways, my tummy has been grumbling the past few days which is a good sign haha.

[Reba 2]

Thanks Reba! Yes, not good that I was diagnosed, but nothing can change that now except how I accept the challenge! My Dr. has not been very supportive, actually she's a B*tch with a capital B. I see a new Dr. next Tuesday that I hope will be supportive and helpful. I'm driving this manageability, not the Dr.'s. I did enjoy the article you linked to. I've met with a dietician though, and I think I'm on the right track. No one I have spoken to has suggested no carbs at all. I know when I have a day of very very low carbs, it impacts on my mental functioning, but I do believe we all have to and can eat less of them. Good wholesome food is the way to go...with occassional treats of course.

Who said anything about "no" carbs? Certainly not me, and not the article either. Carbs are essential to health, just as protien and fats are. Just in moderation, and in significantly lower portions and servings than the current Western diet includes, and in significantly lower portions and servings than even the USDA and Health Canada food pyramid suggests. The pyramid is upsidedown basically. If you eat fat and protien, you have fat and protien to burn, you lose weight, and you lower your blood sugars. If you eat more carbs than fat and protien, (which is the most common Western diet, and most often recommended by doctors ) you only have sugar to burn. You store what little fat is consumed, and your blood sugars rise and you end up with diabetes and on meds and overweight. And probably with high cholesterol and triglycerides to boot.

Over 100 years of anthropological, nutrition and food research proves this, and yet doctors and the USDA et al are still for some reason stuck on high-carb, low fat diets. And the populace keeps getting fatter and fatter on their "diets".

All last year I tried everything. I tried the grapefruit diet, I tried counting points with Weight Watchers, I tried low fat, Lean Cuisine, packaged Nutrisystem mixes and etc etc etc...I just kept getting fatter. Then one day when my jeans nearly snapped me in half, and litterally bruised my thighs, I said "that's it, all that's left is Atkins". And I must say, it's the only thing that's worked. There's a guy on the Atkins message forum who started out over 400 pounds, server diabetes and after 2 weeks he's down 24.5 pounds and has been able to reduce his meds. In 2 weeks!

[Sprailenes 47]

Sex is also a great way to burn off the calories...