Posts by amocatte

Muppet - Congrats on having a super day so far!  Here's the hoping that the rest is great, too :-p

Dalma - I would totally do the martial arts thing!  I took a course with my brother several years back and totally loved it.  Tons of fun and a really great work out.

What do you guys usually do to work out?  There is a 24/7 gym up the road from me that is looking pretty good.  I've heard the staff there are very nice, not to mention, it's 24/7.  I have seen the inside, and they've got EVERYTHING.  But it's also, like $40 a month...  Thoughts?

I like treadmilling, but I'm worried about wearing out my knees.  Walking is cool, but I don't feel like I'm burning as much as I possibly can.  Is this where the interval training comes in?

Ok, so I have been reading through this thread, I cannot possibly tell you all how encouraging it is!!!  Other than my dad, I am the only person I know who needs to lose more than about 20 pounds.  Talk about discouraging! So, just knowing that I am not alone is amazing.

Some of my friends were complaining about the extra 5 they had put on over the winter and how they are so disgusted with themselves, blah blah blah.  And I'm thinking, shoot, I could put on five pounds with two meals, much less two months!

Anyway, I've been hovering around the 300 mark for a while and just got under it again this weekend at 297.5.  I've found that drinking fluids really helps with hunger pangs, so water is now my best friend :-p

I am looking forward to getting to know you ladies!!

Original Post by twt11:

I have put this 60 lbs on over the last 3 years so I am a new fatty.  Up until 3 years ago I had never had a weight problem.   The problem now is that I can't stick to a diet (lifestyle change) for an average of 3 days and then I go right back to not caring and eating whatever I want.    For the couple of days that I am 'being good' (usually Mon-Wed) I count calories and stick to around 1400 calories per day.   By Wednesday I start to fail and then I eat whatever I want which ranges between 2600-3600 per day.  

I have found that if I distract myself with other things, I will not eat as much.  Also, if you know that Wednesday will be your rough day, see if you and your girlfriend can go running or go shopping; doing something to get you distracted from the fridge and more active.

Also, just because you ate too much for one meal doesn't mean the whole day is wasted.  I have fallen into that trap waaay too often, and the next thing you know, it is another 6 months down the road and no weight loss.

Stay encouraged, darlin! Don't give up. 

Original Post by lisajancsar:

I was at a weight management lecture the other evening and they said that studies show that one group of people who drank diet sodas tended  to eat ( and gain more weight ) than those who did not.? They also tend to crave more.  Food for thought.

I have also heard this to be true.  I mean, how often do we see a "skinny" person drinking a diet coke? 

And all the stuff they put in a "Diet" anything to make it taste like real sugar can't be good for you.  Aspartame has been linked to memory loss and a bunch of other nasty stuff. 

I figure that water or a fruit juice is going to be more healthy than anythin man-made, but that's just me.

Hmm.  My mom experienced the same kind of thing when she had a hip surgery.

Focus on just your "problem" areas to get them limbered back up before going back to your regular routine.  Try sitting in a chair and straighten your leg (parallel to the floor) 5 times, 10 times, etc.  You could also try just rotating your foot in a circle slowly while at your desk or in bed. 

Spasming is frequently caused by dehydration or a mineral/vitamin deficiency, like magnesium, potassium or even Vitamin B.  You can buy "Colodial Minerals"  at WalMart, Costco, Sam's Club; CVS or Walgreens might even have it.  It is a liquid (much like Coca-Cola syrup) that is just chock full of minerals as well as vitamins.  I used to get terrible cramps in my legs and back from swimming practice, but when I would take this stuff I didn't get it.

Hope that helps!!

You do it, and you do it good!  Drinking water helps keep my mind off of what I THINK I really want. 

Chewing gum is also a great stimulant without giving too many calories, or any at all.

My grandfather, who also struggled greatly with weight (it ended up killing him), used to say that the food called to him, but now that I think about it, that "calling" is just an echo of us calling to it.

It's possible to talk yourself out of things, too.  The whole "A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips" thing?  Yea.  Totally true.

Stay strong, my friend!!  There will be other (pool!)parties, holidays and delightful delectables in your future.  Work before play.

Yep, definitely agree with Gi-Jane.  30lbs.  in a matter of weeks?  What part of that is healthy, exactly??  Don't think so.

Do it the right way, and when your friend can's afford the pills any more and balloons back up, you'll be glad you did it the right way. 

Lol, you girls sure are a chatty bunch!  Looks like I'll fit right in ;-)

I do have a question, though. 

Do you find it's easier/more beneficial to work out in the morning or in the evenings?  I have always abhorred getting up before 6am, and I have found that I usually have time in the evenings between work and dinner time.

I have heard it's better to work out in the mornings because it boosts the metabolism and keeps it going all day, etc.  However, I've also heard it is most effective to work out between 4pm and 6pm.

Your thoughts?

Agreed.  The last thing you want is for your body to go into starvation mode.  Chances are, you might already by there and your body is hanging on to everything it possibly can.

Also, what is your water intake?  Your body uses water to flush out the fat, but if you're dehydrated, it will hang on to all the water it can.

So, be sure you're drinking 1/2 - 1 gallon of water every day, and take another look at your calorie intake.  Good luck!!

I'd been told that I would naturally slim down after puberty, but it never happened.  Then, because I was a late bloomer in other things, I was told that I would slim down before I hit 20.  I just turned 21, and no slimming has happened.

I was a bridesmaid for my brother's wedding in August, and I was absolutely horrified at the pictures.  I'm not a small person to begin with (5'10 and large frame), and it certainly didn't help that most of the other bridesmaids were petite, but goodness gracious!  I decided that I would not and could not curse any of my friends or other siblings by looking that way in any of their weddings, much less my own.