Posts by isabella353

Welcome mjbilly. We all feel discouraged at times, the important thing is not to give up. Every day is a new opportunity. I have found that eating more protein has really helped me reduce the cravings and feel less hungry. I take a multi-vitamin every day and a chromium supplement. I swear it helps--read my previous post. Also, the longer I went without sweets/chips, the less I wanted them. The first week is the hardest. Probably a lot like you've seen with quitting smoking, which btw is HUGE accomplishment that has already helped your health.

Wow blondemama you have a lot going on. Your roof work must have been a great work-out!

I have been back to teaching this week, and just like I knew would happen, my exercise program has gone out the window. I managed to get to an exercise class yesterday. But I really miss my daily walks. So far, the scale has stayed the same and I am thankful for that.

Welcome Lynn!  Your loss is inspiring!  You're already a pound below my goal weight!

More tips:

I responded to a posting about not eating in the evenings and I thought I would share the same info here. One of Bob Greene's (Oprah's trainer) number 1 tips is to stop eating 3 hours before bedtime and it really works. When you sleep, your metabolism slows down so your body can't burn what you recently ate as efficiently. Carbs are especially bad in the evenings as they are slower to metabolize anyways. I used to have a bowl of healthy cereal in the evenings thinking it was better than ice cream, but when I started following the 3 hour rule, I saw a big change.

His other "biggie" is to exercise first thing in the morning before you eat. That way your body has to access its fat stores for energy rather than the food you just ate. This one also works wonders for me when I can do it. When school starts, I won't be able to anymore. He says you should do "whatever it takes" to work-out in the a.m. but I am not getting up at 4:30!

Also, chromium is a nutrient that helps keep sugary cravings away. If you're not getting enough in your diet, you might want to try a supplement. I copied this from another site:

"Chromium is known to enhance the action of insulin [1-3], a hormone critical to the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat, and protein in the body [4]. In 1957, a compound in brewers' yeast was found to prevent an age-related decline in the ability of rats to maintain normal levels of sugar (glucose) in their blood [3]. Chromium was identified as the active ingredient in this so-called "glucose tolerance factor"

I'm not a doctor and this is not medical advice, but my friends/family with T2 diabetes or insulin resistance, have seen improvements with chromium supplements. Broccoli is a good source, but most of us don't get enough in our foods.

Stopping eating 3 hours before bedtime is one of Bob Greene's (Oprah's trainer) #1 tips and it does work and it does make a difference for the reasons that bleversedge stated. I used to have an evening snack of a bowl of healthy cereal not long before bed, telling myself it was better than ice cream or other bad choices. Just making that one change made a huge difference. It only takes a few days and you get out of the habit of having that "little something".

Anyone want to do a weekly optional weigh in? List starting weight, current weight, goal weight? Anyone have a preference for a day of the week?

Blondemama, I know you aren't weighing yourself yet--it can be optional. I think (hope) the accountability might help keep me on track. BTW, when I started, I did not know my exact weight either and did not want to know. Now I kind of wish I would have noted my exact weight, just so I could see how far I've come. Just something to think about...

OMG, I am SOOO worried about the same thing. I have lost over 20 lbs this summer and it has been fairly easy compared to what I know it will be like when school is back in session (2 weeks). I need to eat a lot of protein to keep cravings away, so I am going to keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge for a quick breakfast, and have almonds and protein shakes in my desk for snacks. You are SO lucky you can have a free salad every day. I wish I could do that! It sounds so lazy, but at the end of the evening when I get home from my kids' activities and still have to pack backpacks and make their lunches for the next day, the last thing I feel like doing is making myself a salad for tomorrow's lunch. But I am resolving to do it. I also worry about the lack of sleep I get in the fall--maybe 6 hours and having less time to exercise, and just the sheer exhaustion of teaching all day, my own kids' stuff in the evenings and maintaining a household, etc. I don't want to lose all of the progress I've made this summer!

I have similar stats and would love a support buddy! This site tells me I need to lose exactly 100 lbs. I'd be happy with 70 (very happy!). I'm a mom too---2 kids. I am new to this site and message boards in general, so I am still learning to navigate. I am starting my healthier eating tomorrow--Jan 2nd. I am going to keep it natural--fruits, veggies, chicken, fish, etc. My obstacles will be 1) getting hungry at work throughout the day 2) I am very hungry in the 1 hour I have between the time I get home from work and my kids get home from school 3) I have not exercised regularly in a long time. 4) Eating on the go/going out to eat.

I do have that 1 hour to myself at least 3 days/week and instead of exercising, I have been eating and watching TV. I have good intentions, but by the time I get home, I am exhausted having been up since 5:30 am and I know that will be the only time of the day I can get a break. But I have to convince myself that exercising during that time is a much better treat for myself.