January/February weight management challenge

[Susan Otcenas]

What made me nervous (for myself based on past history) was the idea in general of "I can't eat such and such, I'm not like other people." Not what you meant, but dieting is not always rational for me.

Agreed!

I've tried that type of restrictiveness, and while it often works over a 3-4 week period, it usually just ends up making me feel resentful of everything I *do* put in my mouth. Then I rebound way off in the opposite direction. Bad news.

So, now, nothing is entirely off-limits. But there are, like nuts, definitely things that I am better served by eating only under particular circumstances (like nuts on a salad at a restaurant) or as special occasion "treats". Alcohol is a good example of that. I haven't had any since New Year's Eve and don't plan to have any until I reach my goal weight, except during just a few very specific upcoming special events and even then in moderation. Jeff and I used to toss back a few bottles of good wine a week. I like good wine (especially a nice bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir...MMmmm) but during this time period, I'm choosing to partake just a little and to savor every drop!

[Crankin]

OK, interesting discussion. It shows we all are different. I basically don't keep any sweets or junk food in my house, so it's been ages since I regularly craved that stuff. I've never "binged" on anything. But, I do crave weird things like whole wheat bagels and Luna Bars. I just love to eat and go out a lot, so it all has to be tempered with moderation. And, yes, nothing is prohibited except for right now, to jump start myself. The one time I had to lose 25+ lbs. I did it just by eating healthy, no junk, little meat, etc., but it took me almost a year. Of course, i hardly exercised then.

todays weight: 106.6
Mr. Crankin 151.8

[ny biker]

142.0 this morning.

The Christmas cookies that my mother sent back with me are all gone, in the sense that there are no more in the kitchen because I finished the last one a couple of days ago.

However they are still here, in the sense that I can see them on the scale.

They are the best cookies ever in the history of all Christmas cookies that any mother ever baked, so I have no regrets.

[DonnaS]

135.4 this am with a goal of 129.

[emily_in_nc]

107.5 today. Wrong direction! Strange too, because the previous two days I weighed 105.5 and didn't eat an extreme amount yesterday, plus was pretty active. Hopefully it's just salt/water weight as I did eat lunch out yesterday and chili (low fat, high veg) for dinner last night.

I will have a better number next week. <--- power of positive thinking!

[five one]

137 this morning.

Too soon to tell if this is real weight loss or water weight fluctuation, but I'll take it. If I can lose one lb. per week during this challenge, I'll be happy. Once I can tell the difference in the fit of my clothing, I'll be even happier.

I suppose I can call the way I eat modified Paleo. No wheat, pasta, white rice, etc., but I am eating steel cut oats, quinoa, and some dairy. Lots of veggies, some fruit. I'm back to measuring and weighing the foods I bring to work for breakfast and lunch. I track those calories, so at the end of the day, I know what's left for dinner. Then I kind of wing it. Portion control is what will be key for me as far as diet goes.

This has been a very interesting discussion.

[tealtreak]

142.0 this morning.

The Christmas cookies that my mother sent back with me are all gone, in the sense that there are no more in the kitchen because I finished the last one a couple of days ago.

However they are still here, in the sense that I can see them on the scale.

They are the best cookies ever in the history of all Christmas cookies that any mother ever baked, so I have no regrets.

Does your Mom want to adopt me?! (:

[klesko]

I was 145 this morning. I am glad to be back participating in this forum. I try to eat about 1700 calories a day to lose weight slowly - if I eat any less I am starving! I have found that if I do not write down everything I eat (and use my food scale religiously) I will naturally eat 2300-2500 calories a day and my weight will drift up, even when I am exercising a lot. I average less than 30% fat and less than 7% saturated fat. I keep alcohol (wine) intake to less than 5% of total calories but only eat about 15% protein. I need to eat more protein while still keeping my fiber intake over 30 grams a day.

[Jones]

I am currently not in the weight management challenge although weight management is a huge challenge for me. I just wanted to say I have really enjoyed reading the conversation so far. I am surprised at how many people have to weigh every bit they take, it makes me believe that is were I am going wrong. I lose weight and then gain it all back because I don't think I have to count, weigh, measure anymore. I guess I need to realize it is a life time of counting calories or a life time of being fat. The chose is mine.

[ny biker]

I am currently not in the weight management challenge although weight management is a huge challenge for me. I just wanted to say I have really enjoyed reading the conversation so far. I am surprised at how many people have to weigh every bit they take, it makes me believe that is were I am going wrong. I lose weight and then gain it all back because I don't think I have to count, weigh, measure anymore. I guess I need to realize it is a life time of counting calories or a life time of being fat. The chose is mine.

I know one adult who is thin and does not need to watch his diet everyday in order to remain that way. He has that body type that struggles to gain weight (ectomorph? endomorph? I can never remember).

Every other adult I know who is not overweight watches his or her diet carefully. They may not measure and weigh all their food, but they make choices at every meal to make sure they're not consuming too many calories and too much unhealthy food.

(And that one naturally thin guy has to watch his diet anyway, because he has very high blood pressure.)

So I think it's a daily effort for many people, in one way or another.

[Susan Otcenas]

I lose weight and then gain it all back because I don't think I have to count, weigh, measure anymore. I guess I need to realize it is a life time of counting calories or a life time of being fat.

Many many people have this experience. If you haven't read this NY Times article yet, it's a good read.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/ma...-fat-trap.html

[goldfinch]

I am currently not in the weight management challenge although weight management is a huge challenge for me. I just wanted to say I have really enjoyed reading the conversation so far. I am surprised at how many people have to weigh every bit they take, it makes me believe that is were I am going wrong. I lose weight and then gain it all back because I don't think I have to count, weigh, measure anymore. I guess I need to realize it is a life time of counting calories or a life time of being fat. The chose is mine.

I learned a lot reading about the people who are on the National Weight Control Registry. The people who are on this registry have lost at least 30 pounds and have kept it off for at least one year. A number of kept it off for years. I am hoping to join some day and provide data.

There is variety in how NWCR members keep the weight off. Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity.

78% eat breakfast every day.
75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.


http://www.nwcr.ws/

Here is some information they have culled out on those who regain weight:

Risk factors for weight regain included more recent weight losses (less than 2 years vs. 2 years or more), larger weight losses (greater than 30% of maximum weight vs. less than 30%), and higher levels of depression, dietary disinhibition, and binge eating levels at entry into the registry. Over the year of follow-up, gainers reported greater decreases in energy expenditure and greater increases in percentage of calories from fat. Gainers also reported greater decreases in restraint and increases in hunger, dietary disinhibition, and binge eating. This study suggests that several years of successful weight maintenance increase the probability of future weight maintenance and that weight regain is due at least in part to failure to maintain behavior changes.

I keep wondering about the fat calories because my diet is much fattier than it was before I started losing weight. I got fat eating a vegetarian diet that was pretty low fat. It is hard to know from this information if carbs also increased with the fat or was it fat alone that increased.

[tealtreak]

Agreed!

I've tried that type of restrictiveness, and while it often works over a 3-4 week period, it usually just ends up making me feel resentful of everything I *do* put in my mouth. Then I rebound way off in the opposite direction. Bad news.

So, now, nothing is entirely off-limits. But there are, like nuts, definitely things that I am better served by eating only under particular circumstances (like nuts on a salad at a restaurant) or as special occasion "treats". Alcohol is a good example of that. I haven't had any since New Year's Eve and don't plan to have any until I reach my goal weight, except during just a few very specific upcoming special events and even then in moderation. Jeff and I used to toss back a few bottles of good wine a week. I like good wine (especially a nice bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir...MMmmm) but during this time period, I'm choosing to partake just a little and to savor every drop!

HELP!!glad to read this post- since i turned 50- coinciding with more outdoor MT bike mileage- my weight is up 4 lbs.............(or 5) I have been trying to decide problem y/n? lose y/n? I am vegan with an addiction to my garden, mass quantities of veggies and berries...........my main vice being Chardonnay! yikes! Wondering if I should cut it out..............can't really afford a dietitian/coach and actually no particular training goals other than 5-8 times a year I ride Mt bike with my son (19- yes I die, but it is a blast at the time.....) I have not even really posted yet cuz i am not sure if i need to lose weight......... happy for any advice..........

[shootingstar]

I guess I should weigh myself after not doing it since Christmas. The only mitigating factors against a noticeable tighter waistband: has been cycling (short distances) for past few weeks due to lack of snow (which is returning again in a few days) and snowshoeing in mountains in past few days.

It is often underlying vigilance/mindfulness at the very least for me, when I eat.

I have never counted calories yet - but instead in a haphazard way take notice of the fats, sugars and volume of food in my mouth. Sometimes I'm better discplined than other times.

One thing I have noticed in the past few years, is if my body/palate finds a type of healthy food enjoyable, I will want to have it regularily: lots of fruit, even a bowl of cornflakes late in the day (if there's nothing at home to "snack"), etc.

[Crankin]

NY Biker, I totally agree with the response article from the Atlantic.
I am one of those people.
I lost 25 lbs. when I was 25 years old and I never regained it, even after being pregnant; I lost the pregnancy weight in 4 months, both times. And I did this by exactly what the article described. Losing weight at a glacial pace ( a year), changing my eating habits for good, and starting to exercise regularly.
When I started gaining again in my mid forties, I got disgusted with myself and I was bored with my exercise. That's when I started cycling and it didn't take me more than a year to get back to a reasonable weight for my size. While I didn't look as "big" as I did when I had to lose the weight the first time, because I was exercising, albeit, in a half-assed way, there is a picture of the 4 of us, about 2 years before DH started cycling and maybe 3 or 4 years before I did, that scares the crap out of both of us. We take it out as a reminder about why we have to be diligent. I will post it here if I can find it.