Weight Loss and Getting in Shape

[Hyzenthlay]

I'm feeling really motivated, too. Considering starting a health-and-exercise journal. Like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diet-Fitness-Journal-Personal-Exercise/dp/1593596707/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325702331&sr=1-2

[pontalba]

I'm feeling really motivated, too. Considering starting a health-and-exercise journal. Like this: http://www.amazon.co...25702331&sr=1-2

That looks interesting.

At present we each keep a sort of journal for everything and are adding what progress we make, and number of reps per exercise, minutes on treadmill, etc.

[Hyzenthlay]

I just found an amazing website: http://myfitnesspal.com

 

It creates a diet depending on how much you want to gain/maintain/lose, and allows you to track your calories. It lets you plot in your exercise, and subtracts it. It gives you long-term goals etc, AND it has an ipod/ipad app! Brilliant! Someone join so we can be MFP-friends!

Edited January 5, 2012 by Hyzenthlay

[Nollaig]

I'm going attempting this again, ugh. I CANNOT do it healthily. I just can't. I need to see instant results. So what I'm going to try doing this time is crash-dieting for 7 days with the 'cabbage-soup diet' and then transfer to healthy eating. Apparently that diet yields visible results for a lot of people, and once you do maintain healthy eating and exercise after the seven days (as well as stuffing yourself with the allowed foods each day) it can actually work as an okay kickstart to a more healthy, rounded diet. Fingers crossed, because I'm at my wits end! I know myself if I SEE a result, I'll be so terrified of gaining the weight back that it'll shock me into eating healthily. And I just bought a blender for making healthy soups and shakes, as I'm a terror for grabbing something quick instead of preparing proper meals, so hopefully that will help too.

 

Good luck to everyone following different weight loss and fitness plans at the moment

[dawnbirduk]

I just found an amazing website: http://myfitnesspal.com

 

It creates a diet depending on how much you want to gain/maintain/lose, and allows you to track your calories. It lets you plot in your exercise, and subtracts it. It gives you long-term goals etc, AND it has an ipod/ipad app! Brilliant! Someone join so we can be MFP-friends!

 

I use MFP it is very good, well worth a shot

 

I'm going attempting this again, ugh. I CANNOT do it healthily. I just can't. I need to see instant results. So what I'm going to try doing this time is crash-dieting for 7 days with the 'cabbage-soup diet' and then transfer to healthy eating. Apparently that diet yields visible results for a lot of people, and once you do maintain healthy eating and exercise after the seven days (as well as stuffing yourself with the allowed foods each day) it can actually work as an okay kickstart to a more healthy, rounded diet. Fingers crossed, because I'm at my wits end! I know myself if I SEE a result, I'll be so terrified of gaining the weight back that it'll shock me into eating healthily. And I just bought a blender for making healthy soups and shakes, as I'm a terror for grabbing something quick instead of preparing proper meals, so hopefully that will help too.

 

Good luck to everyone following different weight loss and fitness plans at the moment

 

Oh dear, cabbage soup diet, been there got the t shirt, the thing I remember most is the smell in my kitchen ugh

[Hyzenthlay]

You aren't tempted to do the http://myfitnesspal.com with me Nollaig? I feel like it's so much easier to be healthy when you keep track of everything you do. There's a pretty graph that plots your weight loss over time, so you can watch it slope downwards.

[dawnbirduk]

Well, I have had a birthday, christmas and new year has been and gone, time to get back on track, so weighed myself on the Wii this morning, yikes I gained 9lb, time to really get working on it now.......

[Talisman]

For me it is more about losing inches than it is weight - mostly around the middle and the bum ! I have an active job, so do burn off quite a few calories that way, it is not all about calories though but more about the type of food that you eat. I do try and eat healthily, but with the hours that I do - starting early in the morning at 7am and finishing at 2pm with only a 20 minute tea break, it isn't always easy - I try and eat at least a small salad though every day with my rice cakes or gluten free bread.

 

Lately in the mornings I have been trying to eat a lot more fruit rather than stodgy cereals - I don't have time to make juice in th mornings, so just take a big bag of fruit with me and leave it in the laundry room, so that I can have a nibble every time I go out there to fold some sheets or whatever. The way I look at is it that if some of the carers can keep popping out for a cigarette, then I can keep popping out for an apple ! I certainly do feel better for it, and a lot less bloated.

Edited January 6, 2012 by Talisman

[Nollaig]

You aren't tempted to do the http://myfitnesspal.com with me Nollaig? I feel like it's so much easier to be healthy when you keep track of everything you do. There's a pretty graph that plots your weight loss over time, so you can watch it slope downwards.

 

I had thought about it, but to be honest I know myself I won't stick to it if I'm monitoring everything I'm eating and doing. I've tried those healthy methods millions of times before, and all that would happen is I'd start out with great intentions, and then fall off the bandwagon. You'd really be better off finding someone who has the willpower to keep doing it with you.

 

Dawn, did the diet do anything for you other than offend your nose?

[dawnbirduk]

 

Dawn, did the diet do anything for you other than offend your nose?

 

I did lose weight yes, but problem is you can't shouldn't stick to it because long term it is unhealthy as it isn't balanced, and then same old same old, you come off it, revert back to normal eating habits and pounds go back on, or it did for me, but it is a good way of detoxing and kick starting a diet routine for 3-4 days ( a week at the most I would say), if you are strict with yourself and have a regime in place for when you come off.

[Nollaig]

I did lose weight yes, but problem is you can't shouldn't stick to it because long term it is unhealthy as it isn't balanced, and then same old same old, you come off it, revert back to normal eating habits and pounds go back on, or it did for me, but it is a good way of detoxing and kick starting a diet routine for 3-4 days ( a week at the most I would say), if you are strict with yourself and have a regime in place for when you come off.

 

Yeah that's pretty much what everyone says. I am using it only as a kickstart, not as a solution in and of itself.

[chaliepud]

This was an interesting discussion on the BBC re New Year detoxing -

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16390190

[pontalba]

This was an interesting discussion on the BBC re New Year detoxing -

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk...health-16390190

I just listened to the video, thanks for posting.

The nutritionist said what a problem it was to give up bread etc, but really, I've found that it is the best route, for me at least, to lose weight. Even before Atkins was around, if I cut the bread out of my diet, I lost weight.

She goes on about how it is hard on the family, and I can see her point in a way. But. if something is helping one lose weight, go for it. IMO

 

I still am a bit skeptical about detoxing, and haven't done it. I do however suspect that at some point I'll try it. It makes sense to me on a cerebral level.

Edited January 6, 2012 by pontalba

[Hyzenthlay]

I tried the master cleanse once... have any of you done it? It was horrid! You're supposed to do it for a whole week, where you're only allowed to drink a mixture of lemon water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. I lasted three days and fell off the wagon.

 

It did, however, drop 2kgs off of me. And they've stayed off, too. But still! So, so awful.

[chaliepud]

I don't think there is anything healthier than a balanced diet and exercise, and dogs! I wouldn't walk every day, in all weathers, if I didn't have the dogs, in fact they should be available on prescription!! I'm forever getting friends calling or texting me to ask if they can join me on a walk, or borrow a dog!!!

[Hyzenthlay]

I just don't think crash diets are for me really. They aren't what I want, I'm more concerned with just being healthy overall than with necessarily losing a lot of weight. I don't think my boyfriend would be terribly pleased if I did another master cleanse, to put it mildly (!). Although he himself of course doesn't carry a gram of fat on him.

 

The thing is, I worry sometimes, because when I was 16 and moved to England I gained about 20kg. And it wasn't very flattering on a girl my height (short). It took a while to lose it and I don't ever want to go back there again.

[Weave]

Hi Everyone, how are you all doing?

 

I've tried so many diets over the years and none of them have worked, I've lost a few pounds at most and then unfortunately I would lost spirit over it, I lost two stone on reductil a few years ago but it was taken off the market. I started weight watchers last August and I've lost 39 lbs Weight watchers has really worked for me which has surprised me no end.

[Nollaig]

I tried the master cleanse once... have any of you done it? It was horrid! You're supposed to do it for a whole week, where you're only allowed to drink a mixture of lemon water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. I lasted three days and fell off the wagon.

 

It did, however, drop 2kgs off of me. And they've stayed off, too. But still! So, so awful.

 

I've read about this Hyzenthlay, I've read about pretty much every diet out there - though if I recall this is a genuine cleanse, not just a temporary fad diet. I've heard the side effects include headaches, serious bathroom trips, nausea, even fainting, but that the effect it has on cleaning out your body is great. I can't believe you lost over four pounds in three days on it! That's amazing.

 

I too would like to generally just be healthier overall - my weight and bad eating is taking a toll on my body (I get headaches, don't sleep, have sugar highs and crashes, I PROBABLY have diabetes but I'm too scared to get it confirmed, and the fact that I have all this excess weight on my stomach means my back gets strained and I can't walk long distances. I'd also wager my breathing issues are related to it too. All that said, my first goal is to actually lose some weight.

 

I gave up on the cabbage soup diet. It was DISGUSTING, I felt physically sick after drinking it. I then remembered just how much I actually LOVE Slimfast chocolate shakes, and that I can snack and eat proper dinners while doing Slimfast! So, since I had an unopened tin of shake powder in my cupboard from months ago, I'm slim-fasting until the tin runs out, and possibly beyond. At the same time, I'm researching low fat snacks and easily-made dinners that will allow me to realistically keep up the healthy eating when I transfer from shakes back to proper breakfasts and lunches.

 

I'm on day 2 now, and I've overcome two big obstacles - late night munchies (my second biggest downfall) and impulse buying of chocolate at the checkout (my biggest downfall, because I do it without thinking and once I've purchased it, there's no binning it I'm afraid!)

Last night I resisted the urge to go to the shop for chocolate, and today I stared down two boxes of Malteasers Rabbits and Mint Aero Sheep at a checkout.

 

Stared them down and WON by god. Take that, Nestle.

 

Anyway, as per usual, good luck to everyone on diets and stuff. Tips and support is always welcome.

 

Also, want to give a special congratulations to Weave - I haven't commented on your Facebook posts and stuff much, but I have been following your progress, and I have to say I'm both in awe of your weight loss and absolutely thrilled for you. It CAN be done! You're proving it to everyone, especially me, because seeing someone else really do it has boosted my motivation. So congratulations, and thank you. x

[pontalba]

For me the Atkins Diet works best. I think there are many misconceptions about Atkins, and that's a pity as it is both sensible and productive. We eat chicken, turkey, fish, all grilled in a little olive oil. Eggs fixed in any manner, we buy the Eggland's Best. They are lower in cholesterol than most, and cheese. There are two pages of vegetables that are available. Today we bought a lovely eggplant, and salad fixings. There are No Carb dressings for the salad that are quite satisfying.

No bread, no pasta, no rice, no oatmeal, or any sort of grain, or sugar. Atkins allows certain sweeteners in your coffee or tea. I've now lost 6 pounds in a week. I know it won't continue at this rate, but I feel good. Yes, I miss toasted bread, and so forth, but it's worth it. I know it's not forever, I'll be able to resume some later down the road.

 

It is a balanced diet, the above is for the two week induction period. There are more vegetables and a few grains added in later periods.

 

I'm not trying to "sell" Atkins to anyone, it's just that the misconceptions begin to annoy me sometimes, and I'd like to set the record straight.

[Hyzenthlay]

I'm on my 6th day of a 1400-1600 cal diet. It's going good, thanks to myfitnesspal.com <3 my new favourite website after BCF

 

Nollaig, it IS pretty genius, the master cleanse. Cayenne speeds up your metabolism and maple syrup provides your brain with glucose. I didn't have any of the side effects you mentioned aside from nausea (from hunger probably) and extreme crankiness.

 

Pontalba: can you explain atkins to me? What is it you do on it?

Edited January 10, 2012 by Hyzenthlay

[pontalba]

I'm on my 6th day of a 1400-1500 cal diet. It's going pretty okay, thanks to myfitnesspal.com <3 my new favourite website after BCF

 

Nollaig, it IS pretty genius, the master cleanse. Cayenne speeds up your metabolism and maple syrup provides your brain with glucose. I didn't have any of the side effects you mentioned aside from nausea (from hunger probably) and extreme crankiness.

 

Pontalba: can you explain atkins to me? What is it you do on it?

 

First, if you can lose on that number of calories a day, it's great! I never could.

 

Re Atkins, all you do is eat the foods I mention above. Protein, some vegetables, No sugar or grains. Count carbohydrates instead of calories. When you start checking out the number of carbs in food, it's amazingly high. On what Atkins calls the Induction Phase, you can only have 20 carbs a day. that only lasts two weeks though. There are some in-between phases, then finally the Maintaince Phase. In the end, it's really about letting go of sugars. In their Maintaince Phase, there are plenty of complex carbs like good grain breads, whole wheat pasta, stuff like that, just not the simple sugars, like cake and ice cream.

 

It isn't for everyone, and everyone can't do it. It's a good idea to check with your doctor about any diet. If you have any medical conditions, that can affect your decisions about any diet as well. I'm pretty much healthy as a horse, and will be more so after I lose the next 40 pounds.

Edited January 10, 2012 by pontalba

[Talisman]

Atkins would never work for me, as with the emphasis so much on protein, it just isn't suitable for vegetarians at all - personally I don't think it's healthy to eat all that protein anyway, most people eat way too much of the stuff as it is - all we need is about 2 ounces a day, but most people I know eat about three times this amount - no wonder they are so sluggish and bloated. As for cutting out bread - well if you are wheat free as I am, then you pretty much do this anyway, as gluten free bread is just too expensive to buy on a regular basis. The trouble is that the alternatives are not nearly as filling, so you end up snacking on junk. Despite the expense then, Coran and I have reluctantly begun to buy bread again, and I have found that far from adding to my weight, it has had the opposite effect. Cutting out other grains such as rice just wouldn't work for me either, as half my diet consists of rice - when you are a wheat free veggie it tends to go with everything - apart from anything else, you need the fibre anyway !

 

I don't go a bundle on diets overall, but one that does work for me is the Hay diet, which is basically food combining. The idea is that proteins and carbohydrates need different digestive juices to break them down, protein acid, and carbs alkali, so when you eat them together the two neutralise each other, making it extremely difficult to get the nutrients that you need. This means that you can't for example have egg on toast, or a roast dinner (meat based) with potatoes - this is not a hardship for me, since I don't eat meat anyway. It also says that the digestive system works according to a cycle of elimination and digestion, and that the elimination cycle is from late evening through to about midday - during this time you should eat only fruit, as it is pure glucose (in oiher words brain food) which goes through the digestive system to be utlised by the body in less than 20 minutes. Fruit is the one thing that you cannot overeat unlike most other foods and like our own body, is mostly water. Most of us don't eat nearly enough raw foods, in the form of fruit and veg and this way of eatting encourages you to make sure that at least 50 percent of the foods that you eat are like this - it is not difficult at all, but just needs a little thought - fruit throughout the morning, and a large salad at least once a day, or lightly steamed vegetables.

 

I just know that when I eat like this, I feel a lot more energised with less bloat, and for that reason, I am sticking to it.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Talisman

[pontalba]

I just know that when I eat like this, I feel a lot more energised with less bloat, and for that reason, I am sticking to it.

 

That is what it comes down to in the end Talisman, what our bodies tolerate, and what works for us, individually.

I have heard of the Hay diet, or it's close sibling many years ago. I tried it, not for long granted, but it didn't have any effect on my weight.

[BookGeek20]

Wow congratulations everyone so far on your diets and whatnot

 

As for me this year I aim to eat healthier and exercise more therefore losing weight? I plan to walk to and home from work instead of walking to work and then getting the bus home. (it's a good 1.5 to 2 mile walk to work so therfore hoping to walk 4 miles per day) and tonight I am starting Zumba classes with my mum and step sister.

 

Once I can afford to, I intend to start going to the gym at least three times a week.

 

As for my diet I don't drink fizzy drinks anymore at all, I drink water, tea, squash. (tea with no sugar of course)

As for breakfast its special K cereal or porridge or fruit.

As for lunch its salad with tuna which I had today with low fat dressing or a sandwich made with wholemeal bread and a yoghurt and fruit.

As for dinner its soup or stew or chicken etc. (Whatever my family cooks as dinner is my main meal of the day)

 

My downfall is snacking between lunch and dinner, although I do eat fruit in between or two large snack a jack rice cakes which I ate today. I've cut out chocolate, crisps and takeaway food completely and I am replacing things like white bread with wholemeal bread and eating ryvita's and soup and more fruit and veg and more lean meats like fish and chicken. I'm finding it's all about replacing things for others that are the better option and learning to say no and resist temptations! Like today at work at snack time I would normally have a biscuit or two but I didn't today and I am proud of myself for that!

 

Keep it up everyone!

[Timmo]

I started eating healthyish (Watching sugar and saturated fat contents) and going to the gym three times a week in Oct 2010, I was 15t 6lbs. I stuck to this and allow my self the occasional treat and I am now 11st 10lbs