Posts by longwaytogo

Penny told me about this forum thread and I am coming on over.

I am 52, 248 and struggling struggling struggling - as of July 1 I was 243 but hit a plateau the entire month of Jun and left for awhile and gained back 5.  Ready to recommit to trying to get this burden off of me - when I joined the calorie count this Spring I was at 263 - so about 14 lbs lost total so far, not much to sing about but better than gaining or staying the same............

It will take a few days to get back into the swing of things [recording food, weighing, excercising, etc]  Looking forward to meeting some new friends and keeping up with the old ones

Nancy

I would sure try to figure out why you have such an aversion to pooping.

It is such a normal natural body function.  I think most people feel good after a nice trip to the bathroom  If you have stuff sitting in your system for that long a time too you are probably setting yourself up for colon cancer in the future. 

High fiber, regular trips - it has an odor for sure but not really all that offensive. Now, when I eat a lot of meat. Ick. But I would rather have that out of me than in me!!!!

A half cup of fiber one and a cup of coffee - almost always results afterwards.  If you start adding fiber as you should - go slowly - until your body gets used to it because it will make you feel bloated and by all means drink a lot of water. The colon absorbs water and the longer that sits in there the harder it gets.

All the fiber in the world can work against you if you don't go when the urge comes and don't drink a lot of water.

We have all the same in the woods in the Carolinas [also Coyotes] and poisonous snakes.  and not to far south we have gators. ....

I had never heard of the magic grapes! LOL. Hey that sounds better for the baby too. And, of course, congrats again.

I am back after a weekend certification testing with my dog [where we got a national police certification for cadaver detection]  followed by a business trip to washington d.c. - major storms there last week so the walking was kind of cut and I ate wrong and I gained about  - I was doing good the first day I walked 4 miles after work [ around GWU and down to the Lincoln Memorial and back] 

Gained 2.5lbs....................sigh ............but back on track. Walked this morniing - can't walk at night - code orange ozone days and all that.

Hang in there everyone. Nobody said this would be easy and we are all in it together!

Hello, I have lost about 17lbs in the past 2 months using the burn meter and my calorie intake - I really am finding that I really am loosing close to 1lb for every 3500 calories defecit so it works for me.

You may consider, if you loose weight too fast, upping your meter to a little bit more activity. I have taught and my recollection is use are on your feet a lot more than you are sitting.  That said you may actually be burning more than sedentary. 

I think the setting adjusts your basic calories and it uses an algortihm so if you are on a higher activity level, it won't go up as much for, say walking, as it would if you were on a lower level because the base value is already higher. It actually seems quite intellegent - for example if I walk 30 minutes, it says I burn 188 calories but it does NOT add 188 calories to my burn meter because I already burn some of those calories just by living.

The biggest thing I have seen with younger folks, and it never worked in the long run for me, was trying to loose too much too fast.  Too fast seems to burn muscle too, then you need fewer calories to exist, and it creates a vicious cycle requiring fewer and fewer calories ---- I have lost and relost much weight this way only to gain it back.  65lbs - you could loose in less than a year!  That is not too long.  [of course the older you get the less time is in a year, if you know what I mean] 

jerichocheyenne - "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" great book - I am rereading it right now.  At your age it would be a classic - at my age - well I read it after I got out of college and was on a bicycle trip acress Oregon - changed my life. 

A quote.

"Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you’re no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top. Here’s where things grow.

But of course, without the top you can’t have any sides. It’s the top that defines the sides. So on we go—we have a long way—no hurry—just one step after the next—with a little Chautauqua for entertainment -- .Mental reflection is so much more interesting than TV it’s a shame more people don’t switch over to it. They probably think what they hear is unimportant but it never is."

http://www.design.caltech.edu/Misc/pirsig.htm l

Carpe minutam !

I have basically been doing well with a loss of 15.6 lbs since April 2nd.

I have learned some things though this week.

Sodium - well I knew about sodium but this is a good article I thought I would share - thought about it this weekend when I had a day with nearly 5000mg and was surprised at how hungry I felt [dehydration?] and bloated.  I had not felt this kind of hunger since I started ---- did not give in and I had also had a lot of water to compensate but it was powerful.

http://www.healthvitaminsguide.com/minerals/s odium.htm

Menopause - really does make it harder to loose weight - the fat cells produce estrogen and the body wants to conserve them . Does not make it and excuse, but does make it an explanation.

I also had the 'duh" lightbulb come on, the more I loose the fewer calories I need and the fewer calories I burn when I do the same excercise - so to maintain the same weight loss rate the excercise must go up or food go down. Food can only go so low and be safe.  Maybe I am stating the obvious but it kind of hit me when I redid my calculations [after seeing the burn meter drop for the same excercise]

I am postmenopausal 52 year old woman started at 261 on April 2nd and have lost 16lbs since then. I am also 2 inches taller than you.  I mention postmenopuase becase that makes it harder so I wonder if maybe your calories are too high?. 

I have not started strenth training yet - wanted to solidly establish cardio first so am walking about 60 minutes a day. Strength will come at about 20lbs.

I am eating around 1400-1500 per day. Shooting for an average defecit of 1000-1100 calories per day between burn meter and input.

Yes, I have even put fiber one on my salads instead of croutons!

I think the thing about fiber is you MUST drink lots of water to go with it or you will make cement blocks for poops. [not like swimming in water but you definitely need to remember] - and -

give your body time to get use to it or you will get real bloated and gassy - so maybe build up. 

Right now I am pretty consistently getting around 35 grams a day by using my half cup of fiber one plus the natural vegetable fiber in the foods I eat.

I just came back and found this post - thanks [delayed thank you!]

Hi, don't have a lot of time now but will come back later to talk more - None of these articles are an excuse - we need to overcome this but they sure do explain a lot and make us appreciate the difficulty of the challenge.

Since I just decided to go on estrogen cream today due to vaginal tenderness [ah the joys of getting older] I did some research too.

I did not know at all about the body conserving fat to keep estrogen but found and article explaining some of this [the site wants to sell you a service but it looked like decent info]

http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweigh tloss/menopauseweightgain.aspx

Menopause can make you fat

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/ 070820145348.htm

http://ezinearticles.com/?Possible-Connection -Between-Decreasing-Levels-of-Estrogen-and-We ight-Gain&id=347519

Your are doing a great job! I have a similar journey so I know you have worked very hard to get this far.

Original Post by ohio45:

I grew up on cold cereal for breakfast during the week and still like it.  I don't eat Fiber One after leaning it has Aspartame in it, but I do stick to lower calories, high fiber choices.  Kashi Golean and this week bought Shredded Wheat for a change.

yes, it makes a nice evening snack.

 Damn! You are right - I was wondering why it was so sweet!  For now I will use it but will be looking for alternatives.  I may just make my own whole grain cereal and see how that goes.  It really helps keep up the fiber.