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I HAVE to lose some weight.

Started by LaurieS, January 05, 2011, 11:01:54 AM

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LaurieS

I just ate an apple and looked up the calorie content 125 calories in an apple?  I've got to drop some weight, but darn it I'm hungry.. can women live on lemon water and popcorn alone?

Someone mentioned Curves.. I just found out that I have one down the street.. 2.5 years in this part of town and had never spotted it... I think that is selective sight.  Is that program pretty good... I don't want to go to a gym where girls like my daughter are there doing their 3 miles without breaking a sweat.

Pooh

I know nothing about Curves.  But I will tell you the one time I dieted and had success was because I happen to work with a nutrition guru who helped us.  He had us write down everything we ate for a week.  Everything you normally eat.  Then he added up our average carbs a day.  He then had us cut down by half the carbs.  Mostly that meant I had to do without bread, pasta and potatoes.  But, I was not hungry.  I could eat all day long as long as I didn't eat the big carb items.

It was the only thing that ever worked for me, and one I am getting ready to start again.  I lost 27 pounds in 3 months last time.  I can not diet if I am hungry.
We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. -
Joseph Campbell

Pooh

Oh and I forgot the best part.  You pick one day a week to have a day off and eat anything you want.  Just has to be the same day.  I picked Sundays and that way, I never felt deprived because if I wanted something, I knew I could have it on Sunday.
We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. -
Joseph Campbell

Scoop

Laurie, at one point Weight W@tchers had a point system where you did not have to count any points for any 'whole' foods.  So if you were eating fruits or veggies or meat, you didn't have to count ANY of it.  What you did have to count was the fats, oils, sauces, condiments ect.  And believe me, it adds up quick.  I loved that part of it, because I know it's not apples that are making me fat.

I also loved seeing the actual recommended portion sizes.  For meat, it's about the size of a deck of cards (so half of one of those big chicken breasts).  Also, a cup is about the size of your fist.

I've heard wonderful things about Curves.  My SIL lost a lot of weight and really strengthened up on it.  It's especially good for her because she has health problems with her spine and she could do traditional workouts and it really helped her to strengthen her core.

Good luck!

LaurieS

If I bite it I write it... it's the only way I can be honest with myself... carbs do seem to be our biggest enemy well besides DIL's (just kidding)  I came across a site called sparkpeople.com  and there is a on line tracker that is easy to use.. it will also keep up with carbs, fiber and a slew of other things.

Hmm how I love pasta.. why are the tasty things always the worse.  I'm going to pick up fish for dinner..hubby isn't wild about it but I love fish.. I was thinking tilapia with salsa and blackbeans.

LaurieS

Thanks Scoop.. I tried WW's a couple of years ago and the program does seem to work.. I priced it the other day and came to the conclusion that I had funds for the program or funds for exercise.  I'm going to try and call Curves this afternoon.

Pooh

I used one like that called www.myfitnesspal.com that was really good too.  It's free and I liked it because it had most of the dining out stuff in there too.
We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. -
Joseph Campbell

erma

hey Laurie
before you pay for a program with curves, see if they offer a 30 day free trail. i did that last year, curves offered a 30 day trail, and i took them up on it. the counselor said if i was strict of myself, and came in everyday for 30 days, watched what i ate and came to curves, i would lose at least 10 pounds.
well, i did excactly as she said, i DID NOT CHEAT, i went everyday to curves, for 30 days, same time, same bat channel, and guess what?????  i only lost 7 oz!!!!!!!!!!!!! i lost 1 inch around my waist and 1/4 inch around my thighs, nothing on my arms or butt!!
well to me it was a whole month wasted! when my counselor weighed and measured me at the end of my trail, she said" oh my, this has never happened before, have you been eating pizza everyday or something"?? no, i didn't even touch pizza the whole month! i think she believed i cheated on my diet, but i didn't, and curves didn't work for me.  i was just thankful i didn't pay for that whole experience!   nope, the only thing that ever worked for me is, weights, cardio, and eat  healthy. if you want to slim down, more cardio, less weights.   so in short, i didn't approve of curves.

kathleen

Laurie,

I got a treadmill in November and one month later I was ten pounds lighter, hardly trying to diet.  I put it in my house because I dislike health clubs and know I won't use them.  This is so convenient, plus I can watch TV while I do it, jump on and off and into my own (vinegar-clean) shower.  I live in a cold area with lots of flu, so a germy environment is an issue and lots of HC's aren't that clean.

I do think you also have to count calories and pretty much everything you eat.  I have discovered black rice and organic barley, both wonderfully nutritious that satisfy a lot of urges for bad carbs.  Cutting down on fats helps but I do include some butter almost daily.  Junk food is entirely out.

Cost of treadmill:  $600 with various deals from Sears, plus delivery, including a three-year extended warranty policy.  Figure out how much the health club costs and if it's worth it compared to having your own weight-bearing machine.  You don't get the other machines, but I don't need those.  I do yoga and other exercises for my joints.  I also heard Curves had some religious affiliation; maybe I'm wrong, or maybe you want that.  Not for me.

Long time ago I bought a cheap treadmill from Sears.  I used it constantly.  I faithfully had them come out and check it each year, according to the extended policy.  The week before the policy was up the guy came and put $500 worth of repairs and upgrades and it ran another five years.  Don't be fooled, you don't have to get a really expensive treadmill to get good results.  My new one has everything, all the bells and whistles including the incline and PS if you don't use the incline, you won't burn many calories or lose weight.  I go about 9.5 out of 10.  Using this, at three miles an hour you can burn 500 calories or more in about 45 minutes.  Compare that to ordinary walking.

Most times you don't need the extended warranty but in this case of a treadmill it's really worth it.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide to do,

Kathleen


LaurieS

Hmmm I was going to go out for a walk.. but now I have to sit and ponder all these wise words of advice :)  Actually I would love to have a treadmill here at the house or maybe an elliptical.. I'll have to start saving my pennies 

MrsKitty

Hi Laurie-
This month Self Magazine has some good day-to-day (easy) recipes from the trainer from the Biggest Loser. Also, I have the Slim in 6 videos--they really work but are total killers! Good luck!

LaurieS

Thanks.. I'll look for that magazine at the grocery store

kathleen

Laurie, I had a shoulder injury last year so my doc/specialist advised against elliptical.  Check this out with your doctor or physical therapist before investing to see if it's safe for you.  (I also sadly had to stop lifting weights.  Another hub cap off.) 

One very important thing is to analyze what you would really like to do.  If you hate it, you won't stick with it.  I have always loved to speed walk and to break out a good sweat.  That's why my tread works for me.  I feel so great after I'm done.

Kathleen

LaurieS

I use to really enjoy hiking.. I found out that when you had to carry everything you were going to eat on your back.. you found out that you didn't need to eat as much

kathleen

Laurie,

If you enjoy hiking, this may be the way to go.  For one thing it's free, and you live in a warm area, I take it, where you could more or less do this all year round.  Maybe you could start with this and work up to a treadmill via saving for it, as you said.

If you can hike up a steep hill for 30 minutes at a pretty good clip, it's the same as the incline on the tread.  Just don't take breaks.

My endocrinologist gave me these specs and he was right.  I'm like you and love to walk outside, but frankly, even an hour walk around town on flat sidewalks just doesn't cut the weight down.  I have to get on that tread and work it off.

The tread has the same effect as your backpacking all your food.  When you've been working hard for ten minutes just to get to that 100 calories burned-up point, you realize you'd better pay attention next time to what you are eating, unless you want to get back on and work it off.  Really really helps to become aware.   Also I am just not as hungry after I exercise.  I ate far fewer cookies this year over Christmas.  I was satisfied with one or two rather than three or four (twice a day!)

Another thing, you will notice with a treadmill or serious walking that your shape also will change. I now look slimmer than before, even tho I haven't lost all that much weight (I didn't gain back the 10 lbs over Christmas, TG, but I sure didn't lose any more either.)  But I look better. 

My endocrinologist is trying to get me to stop thinking weight.  He says it's better to be a bit overweight and really fit than any weight and not fit.  When I'm on my tread now, I watch calories burned as the number one, then the distance.  The great thing about the tread is that you can see it all and manage just how much you want to do.  Also I only work out every other day; that's enough. 

But go for enjoyment and fitness, and not some idealized version of what other people think we should look like.  I've given up on that. 

PS Today TCM had on silent movies.  Perfect for the treadmill as I don't have to turn up the sound to deafening proportions on the TV.  Why didn't I think of that sooner???? 

Kathleen