I committing myself! HELP! HELP! HELP!

[lmariana]

Okay, I have been wishy-washy about this whole weight loss thing for the past 8 months, and in that time I have managed to GAIN more weight. So, with Gabriel's first birthday a couple of months away, I want to get on the right track!

I've realized that whenever I spend a lot of time on a certain board, I end up craving whatever the hot item is at that time. Well, logically, if I spend enough time on this board, maybe I'll get my mind back in "weight loss mode"!

Here's what I need...
What diet should I start? I've heard a ton about the SBD, Atkins, WW, etc., but I just don't know what's right for me. I'm a SAHM who LOVES to cook, and my sweet tooth is the size of Canada, which is undoubtedly my downfall. I've never successfully lost weight in my life...ever, and I've always been overweight, so I don't even know how fun it can be to be thinner!

So, any suggestions on how to get my butt in gear? Any one want to be my weight loss buddy???

Thanks!

Mariana
www.heinzandmariana.com
Mother of Gabriel, 08/14/2003

[JulieL]

Hello Mariana,
First of all congradulations on taking the first step to a healthier lifestyle which will ultimatley trickle down to your family as well!
It sounds like you kinda know what things you need to get rid of. I personally never did a real diet and I don't recommend them. They only work for the amount of time you stay faithful to them. Most people don't get passed the second week of a diet because they are hard to follow, and frustrating. I am an advocate of healthy reasonable eating. The majority of the American population has problems with overeating, eating fat & grease as well as a ton of sugar. Here are some suggestions I have for you to getting to a healty eating style.
First of all here is a link to an article by the Mayo Clinic on the serving amounts we should eat. What we are actually consuming is horrifing. You can't lose weight when you are consuming way more calories in a week than what you are burning off. You need to get rid of most of the fatty food you eat (not all of it cause your body believe it or not, does need some fat). If you eat a lot of sweets either keep small amounts around the house (hershey kisses for instance) and only indulge a few a day. Or if that is to hard for you just toss all sweets out of the house and don't stock your home with them. I eat sweets but I don't buy already made sweets (unless it's a special occasion). If I want something sweet I have to make it (cookies, brownies and so on). I find that the idea of taking the time to make the sweets is usually enough for me just to pass on it all together. Get rid of soda and either drink diet or if you can pass on it and grab water instead. If you don't like water you can flavor it with fresh lemons, limes, and even pineapple. Become a detective when you shop for your foods. See how many calories are in a serving and pick the healthiest choice available. The main thing I recommend being very observant about is the amount of sugar that is in a serving. It's shocking how much sugar are in normal products. I was beyond shocked how much sugar yogurts have in them. I became smart and started checking the sugar amount in EVERYTHING. One teaspoon of sugar equals four grams, so keep a watch out! Also this is an obvious thing as well, increase the amount of veggies and fruits you eat as well. Here is that link:

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/NU/00199.html

I lost a lot of weight after I stopped BFing just by cutting down my eating portions to reasonable sizes. If you do these above things I promise you will lose weight just from that! If you enjoy cooking there are lots of cookbooks out there that show healthy ways to cook. Here are a couple links to some. Also pick up a Cooking Light Magazine. They have wonderful articles on cooking tips and are packed with receipes.

This is my personal favorite:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001V03YQ/qid=1086789114/sr=8-4/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i4_xgl14/103-7205480-3122257?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

Here is one by Weight Watchers:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764544799/qid=1086789203/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_2/103-7205480-3122257

You don't need to go on a diet, just incorporate the above info to your eating habits and you will see changes and you will feel better! If you have to go on a diet I recommend WW. I personally have never done it but people say it's not to bad to follow. And it's not so hard to keep up for life unlike other diets. If you had to pick between SBD and Akins most doctors will tell you that SBD is the healthier choice. I personally think diets are frustrating and to restricting. People make the wrong assumption that going on a diet for a little while is enough. It's not, you have to make your eating changes a life change. If you stop a certain diet you will gain a certain amount of the weight you lost back. That's why I say eat smart and healthy in the right amounts. That is a much easier change to make for a life time! Also on top of eating right I highly recommend you get some kind of activity in every day. Try walking for 30 min a day. If you can work up to that add some cardio 2 times a week and then increase it to 3 times a week. When you get there add weight training 1 time a week then work up to 2 times a week. But do what you can maintain and keep it up! There is no right amount to do. What ever you can manange is better than none at all! Join us on mondays when we post our exercise and eating accomplishments for the previous week! I am so glad you came to chat with us!!!

[alkagift]

Mariana,
I struggled with my weight on and off and finally had success with Weight Watchers because of the accountability and positive reinforcement. I'm not a "joiner" at all and I was nervous to go but I liked it ok and I went with friends. I am also super organized and love charts, graphs, and stuff like that so it fed into my data-driven personality! Writing everything down that I ate, down to GUM, was also KEY.

The thing I realized that was SUCH a huge surprise was what Julie mentioned--portion size. I was completely fooling myself about how much ice cream I could pack into a tea cup--I could get a cup or a cup and a half in there and a serving is 1/2 a cup! I also like sweets and so ended up buying things that were portioned for me or not buying them at all--like pudding or fruit in cups. I also eat dessert immediately after a meal instead of waiting like I did when I was growing up to have dessert a couple of hours later, when you can eat more--that kept the calories down. So did WATER, which I thought was more tolerable with slices of lime. Weight Watchers points system is really an easy way of communicating portions, but don't worry if you don't want to spend the money on that, go to the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Planner and you'll get a TON of info there.

Oh, and by the way, if I was really struggling with the sweet tooth in the middle of the day I would brush my teeth. I read somewhere that's a French way of avoiding calories and it seemed to work with me--something about the taste of toothpaste.

Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, 5/19/03

[egoldber]

Congrats on taking the first step!!! I was where you are in November and I have lost 25 pounds since then. :)

I agree with 99.999% with what Julie said. I have been following the South Beach Diet, and for me, it has been a great fit. I KNEW I needed to change my eating habits, but I didn't really know where to start. The SBD gave me the guidelines I needed to do it. I guess I just needed an extra helping hand, and the SBD was that for me. Many people have great success with WW, but personally I find the point counting to be too tedious.

However, I will say that I do not think of the SBD as a "diet". I do not plan to go "off" of it once I reach my goal. I think of it is a guide to how I should be eating all the time. The basic principles are simple:

1) Eat your full daily recommended amount of vegetables (5-7) servings)
2) Choose lean proteins over non-lean options and watch your portion sizes
3) Choose whole grains over processed grains, and control your portion sizes (for example, a serving of rice or pasta is a half cup, a serving of bread is one slice)
4) Choose foods low in natural sugars and with little to no added sugar
5) Avoid all trans fats (hydrogenated vegetable proteins, linked to heart disease, etc.) and choose monounsaturated fats whenever possible (like olive oil, canola oil, etc.)

I do not find this to be hard or limiting at all. It is, however, very different from how I used to eat. I would say that most likely the things that have made the biggest difference for me has been increasing the amount of vegetables I eat everyday and in controlling my portion sizes for grains. No more "plates of spaghetti" for a meal, like we used to do. Ugh.

I also agree about purging your pantry and refrigerator of foods that you binge on. Some people can have a bag of candy in the house and eat only 1-2 pieces a day, but I am not one of them! I could seriously sit down and eat a whole bag at one sitting. I do still occasionally have sweets, but it is now a special occasion thing, not an everyday thing. We also only eat out 1-2 times a week now, as opposed to 4-5 times a weeks. And when we do go out, I now make better choices, although I do indulge at times for special occasions.

I also started working out on a regular basis for the first time ever. I started with 2 cardio work outs a week. After I got into that routine, I added in some weight training 1-2 times a week. I now also try to do yoga 1-2 times a week as well. But it has taken me several months to get to this point. I would not try to do it all at once. Ease into things gradually.

Good luck! We're here to cheer you on!!!

[zuzu]

You've gotten some great encouragement and advice!

I'd love to be your weight loss buddy and cheer you on. Although I weigh less than I did PP, I still need to lose a bunch more. I did well last fall and over the winter (and lost about 15-20 pounds), but have stalled the past couple of months, and have even gained back five pounds or so. Ugh. I've a lot of weight twice so I know that regular exercise is key for me, but I haven't made the time for that lately. (And by lately, I mean in the past few years. ;-)) I keep going back an forth about trying WW or South Beach. (Beth's SB posts are so inspiring.) Most of the time I eat things that are pretty healthful but I just eat too darn much.

I've got to leave work soon for the day, but would love to tackle this together and make it happen once and for all. I try to get by the boards daily, but it depends on how busy work is. Email would work for me too.

My first step will be to go back to drinking all the water I know I need. So, I'll do that beginning tomorrow. (I'd start now, but the traffic-filled commute home would not be very pleasant with a full bladder. ;))

Good luck to both of us!!

Melissa, mom to Sarah (5.10.03)

[jk3]

I would definitely recommend South Beach. The first two weeks aren't the easiest but the results are almost immediate. In addition to weight loss benefits, I think it has helped me become healthier all around. If you love to cook, there are a lot of recipes to try and you can also purchase the companion cookbook. I'm not so into cooking but I can still follow this diet. I've also modified here + there + it's still working for me.

I would also recommend some kind of exercise routine. At this point I haven't been to the gym in a while but I try to walk for at least 40 minutes a day, 4 times a week. Exercise helps tremendously.

I'm not at my prepregnancy weight. I gained 50+ pounds + I'm short so I had a lot to lose. I probably have about 5-10 pounds left to go + the SBD + exercise has helped!

Good luck!

Jenn
DS 6/3/03

[lmariana]

Thank you everyone for all your advice and support!!!! I knew you guys would help get me motivated. :)

I've decided that my first step is to write down everything I eat, so I can really see what's going on here. In the meantime, I'll also be making deliberate, healthy choices. I might also check out the South Beach, and see if I can can get hubby on board with me. :)

Melissa, thank you so much! I've always wanted a weight loss buddy!

Mariana
www.heinzandmariana.com
Mother of Gabriel, 08/14/2003

[zuzu]

It's amazing how much we can eat without thinking about it. Every little bite of this and that throughout the day really adds up. I hope keeping track helps you to identify some areas to work on.

Melissa, mom to Sarah (5.10.03)

[lmariana]

Well, things have been going well for me. I've definitely been watching my intake, and have stopped baking. :) I've also been super good about my water, and I think that has actually helped to cut the cravings.

I haven't gotten exercise into the plan though (other than vacuuming), so I think that will be my next task...maybe my goal for next week?

It amazing. I'm much more of a "grazer" than I ever thought I was! I realized that I was eating tons of snacks a day, and not very well balanced meals...which lead to more snacking. I'm also very anti-diet drinks, but I've added a diet Coke a day, and that's helped the post-dinner sweets cravings.

I'm thinking I need a more structured diet plan though, so I might be jumping on the South Beach bandwagon. :)

Again, thanks to everyone for the awesome support!

Mariana
www.heinzandmariana.com
Mother of Gabriel, 08/14/2003

[zuzu]

Haven't been able to get by since last week, but I'm glad to hear you're doing well. :) Sounds like you're making some great progress with increasing the water and decreasing the sweets! I'm glad to hear the diet soda helps you with the cravings. All the fruit coming into season now might help too. Peaches and berries are great ways to beat cravings if you freeze them for a little first.

Exercise is the hardest thing for me too. Is there any way you could get out to walk? I find that's the easiest thing for me to do, and something I enjoy when it's not 80 or 90 degrees. Even a half hour early in the morning or after dinner helps. Now I just need to practice what I preach! ;)

I was doing better until yesterday when I ate a bit too much at a lunch meeting and then mindlessly followed up with a second cookie later in the afternoon. I brought some more healthful snacks to have today if I'm stuck working late, so that should help. I feel like I generally do well until things get stressful. I know I need to find another outlet. I also noticed last night that I tend to finish food my DD doesn't eat, even when I'm not hungry. I hate to throw food away, but will have to get over that because I don't need those extra calories.

Anyway, hope your week is going well, and that you're managing to fit in some exercise.

Melissa, mom to Sarah (5.10.03)

[workaholic]

I'm feelin ya sweety.

I myself like salty, greasy foods. Sweets not my thing.
Sister-In-Law has been going to LA Weight Loss and is losing. She's been so big for so long. She's a gorgeous woman and before long she'll have a body to match. We just need more inspiration.

Anyone have before after pictures...

P.S. I visited your website and notice you went to BERRY. I'm an alumni C'00. Small world...

Aimee Larsen
Momma to Cooper
Crossing fingers for another...
Owner: Ella-Bags

[lmariana]

I love walking around the neighborhood, until June. :) Here in GA it hits the 80's too early in the day. Factor in the 90% humidity, and it's not a pretty site. That, and I'm a total whimp when it comes to heat! So, we got a treadmill, and I'm pretty good about using it, but I try to walk during Gabe's naps, and then I'm paranoid that I'm going to wake him up! Oh, I always have an excuse for not exercising!

I've been keeping up with my plans. I think the whole not baking things that are bad for me thing is key. Hubby and I went to Sonic last night for a dessert treat, so that's my splurge for the week! Other than that, we've been enjoying a lot of grilled or broiled fish, steamed veggies, etc.

Thanks for the tips on the frozen fruits! I'll definitely pick some up. Hope your week is going well too! Don't fret about the work lunch!

Mariana
www.heinzandmariana.com
Mother of Gabriel, 08/14/2003

[lmariana]

Wow! I'm class of '99. :) I knew loads of people in '00 too. I'm sure I'd know your face, since Berry was such a small school you pretty much see everyone at one point. What was your major? I was Biology. I also lived on campus all four years...half at Ford and the other half as an RA in Lemley. Gosh, I'm getting nostalgic again...

My sister in law went to Berry too ('98), but she was a total recluse. We actually lived next door to each other my freshman year and still never met until my [now] hubby introduced us 5 years later.

Yay! I always love meeting another alum! Hey, are you on the BBB GA Yahoo group?

Mariana
www.heinzandmariana.com
Mother of Gabriel, 08/14/2003

[workaholic]

I was an education major so I'm not sure if we had classes. I knew you looked so familiar. I lived off campus in an apartment but worked on campus in Student Center and at Oak Hill.

Ohhh, there was a girl I graduated with who was a Biology major and I can't think of her name. I'm terrible with names. Christy Lawson. That's her name...We had alot of A.P. classes together in high school. I'm not sure what she went on to be. Did you go alumni week at Berry this year? It always seems to slip by me. I also made a pledge to them this year and still haven't made the check out.

I've got my Log Cabin year book from 1999 and of course you're in it. I knew alot of people you graduated with but I'm not sure if we ever met. Since I lived off campus, I missed out on alot, even pictures.

So what do you do now? Are you staying at home with your little one. Did your husband attend Berry?

E-mail me at work sometime and we'll see if we can make a connection. I'm sure there's one.



Aimee Larsen
Momma to Cooper
Crossing fingers for another...
Owner: Ella-Bags

[zuzu]

It's hot here in the DC area, but not as hot as by you. We're heading down to Alpharetta on Saturday, so I'll get to experience the lovely GA heat soon myself. :)

Hopefully you'll start seeing/feeling some progress soon--it looks like on you're on the right track!

Melissa, mom to Sarah (5.10.03)