January/February weight management challenge

[GLC1968]

No change for me, again. 147...I'm starting to hate that number!

[Maye]

Can I still join the challenge?
Today(2/18/12): 153.6 (sigh). Last night I ate pizza and drank 2 Cosmopolitan's. Hall of shame!!
Goal weight by March the 2nd: 149.9

I used to be 145 almost all the time...I have been behaving really bad lately.

[Catrin]

135.2....still and again.

Thankfully the body fat loss challenge at my gym starts Tuesday so hopefully this will give me what I need to start improving. I am not so concerned about my weight but about my body fat and losing more of my "apple". My core is really the only place where I still carry it.

[Gypsy]

Today, the freaking scale read 162.8 lbs -- it do this back on Friday?!?!

[azfiddle]

Gypsy, if I wasn't getting a lot of exercise, I would be gaining weight on 1300 calories a day, much less something over 1500.

[Becky]

The exchange thing is using diabetic exchanges to eat, and it divides the food world into starches, proteins, vegetables, fruits, fats, milk/dairy.

I don't know any diabetics who use the exchange system anymore (though I'm sure there are a few). Most of us have switched over to counting carbohydrates for insulin purposes.

Has your nutritionist explained why he/she doesn't want you to count calories?

On a more personal note, I need to get my body fat measured. I know it's winter, but 137 is not an acceptable number to see on the scale. I'll be jumping in for the March/April challenge!

[Gypsy]

Gypsy, if I wasn't getting a lot of exercise, I would be gaining weight on 1300 calories a day, much less something over 1500.

Thanks. I have to find the perfect amount to lose weight and not feel like I'm starving. I think it's around 1500, eating well (not junk). I think I can lose on that, but I'm not sure yet, no confirmations, because my weight doesn't go down steadily.

I don't know any diabetics who use the exchange system anymore (though I'm sure there are a few). Most of us have switched over to counting carbohydrates for insulin purposes.

Has your nutritionist explained why he/she doesn't want you to count calories?

No, I have an appointment with her a couple of weeks, so I'll ask then. I'm not diabetic, but I have PCOS/IR, so I don't know if it has to do with that. I have a friend who is diabetic (and family members too) and it's a mixed bag. She does count carbs and has an insulin pump, my closest family member doesn't have/do either and manages his insulin/sugar levels through food and exercise.

[shootingstar]

The exchange thing is using diabetic exchanges to eat, and it divides the food world into starches, proteins, vegetables, fruits, fats, milk/dairy. I'm supposed to eat a combination of these foods every day. Each "exchange" is equal to a portion sized amount of a food (for example 1 oz of chicken breast is considered 1 lean meat). But this is a really difficult way of eating unless you eat a lot of processed foods (the boxes come with the exchanges listed on the side for the most part). It kind of works out to be just under about 100 calories for a starch exchange, for example. It's not really direct and it varies when you combine food. For example, it's bizarre to me that hummus is considered 1 lean meat and 1 fat. I'm sure there's logic to it, but it's very strange.

Anyway, I am thinking of lowering 200 calories and kind of "cheating" on the exchanges (eating less). I'm eating right now about 1800 calories, even though the nutritionist told me the exchanges should equal 1650 (it doesn't! add up to that...).

I'll reduce it and just eat less of the starches.

What is "but I have PCOS/IR" that you mentioned later in this thread?

Anyway, how confusing this exchange way of eating. I am not diabetic but I did have a close blood sugar test reading to diabetes 2.

Though not life threatening, I eliminated white rice from my diet in last 2-3 yrs. (I do have sushi and sashimi 2-3 times per yr.) and cut back eating bread by 80%. I don't get high glycemic/sugar crashes as much. It's just that I know now if I eat these foods I don't feel well...ie. exhausted.

Now drinking white wine has more of a negative effect on me compared to a decade ago.

There are certain natural fruits that are much higher in natural sugars for you to just be moderate in intake: grape, pineapple, watermelon.

But then I don't know what your medical issues are. So I'm just relaying my experience (and I have to combine diet with daily exercise) and a sister of mine who lost 50 lbs. by reducing high glycemic food intake. (there are books on high glycemic foods). I don't count calories, I stick to whole foods --real produce. The most processed foods (some aren't truly that processed at all), I have in the cupboard is...soy sauce, cornflakes, yogurt, chili paste, chili soy bean paste, tinned salmon and tuna. I guess some light pasta counts too. Hummus is great...for me in smaller amounts before I go overboard.

[Becky]

No, I have an appointment with her a couple of weeks, so I'll ask then. I'm not diabetic, but I have PCOS/IR, so I don't know if it has to do with that. .

Ahh....I'll bet that it is the PCOS & IR. Good luck at your next appointment!

[Gypsy]

What is "but I have PCOS/IR" that you mentioned later in this thread?

Anyway, how confusing this exchange way of eating. I am not diabetic but I did have a close blood sugar test reading to diabetes 2.

Though not life threatening, I eliminated white rice from my diet in last 2-3 yrs. (I do have sushi and sashimi 2-3 times per yr.) and cut back eating bread by 80%. I don't get high glycemic/sugar crashes as much. It's just that I know now if I eat these foods I don't feel well...ie. exhausted.

Now drinking white wine has more of a negative effect on me compared to a decade ago.

There are certain natural fruits that are much higher in natural sugars for you to just be moderate in intake: grape, pineapple, watermelon.

But then I don't know what your medical issues are. So I'm just relaying my experience (and I have to combine diet with daily exercise) and a sister of mine who lost 50 lbs. by reducing high glycemic food intake. (there are books on high glycemic foods). I don't count calories, I stick to whole foods --real produce. The most processed foods (some aren't truly that processed at all), I have in the cupboard is...soy sauce, cornflakes, yogurt, chili paste, chili soy bean paste, tinned salmon and tuna. I guess some light pasta counts too. Hummus is great...for me in smaller amounts before I go overboard.

Thanks. PCOS is Polysystic Ovarian Syndrome, which is a combination of different symptoms (hence the syndrome part of the name), that results in a variety of different things that go medically wrong with you -- from cystic ovaries (from the name) all the way to insulin resistance (IR) which one of the many things I have as well.

I overhauled my way of eating two and half years ago and I went with a whole foods, macrobiotic style way of eating, which, because of the IR, I've had to rethink a year or so later and I've added more protein to my diet than before. It's made a significant difference.

The issue is now that I'm riding longer distances, I've been struggling to eat well enough to lose weight, but still eat enough not to bonk out or be haggard the rest of the day/week.

I still need to lose weight, about 13ish pounds for my doctor, 23 for my own thoughts on how I think my body will be like (140 is my goal).

Ahh....I'll bet that it is the PCOS & IR. Good luck at your next appointment!

Yeah, it's been tricky trying to find the right combination of what I'm eating... then sticking to it!

[Becky]

Gypsy, there have been some good discussions here at TE about adding extra complex carbs on ride days. I've also found some good info at Diabetes Forums.

It can be tough to find health care team members that understand the unique needs of athletes with chronic conditions (BTDT!!). Don't give up and don't be afraid to speak up- it's worth it in the end. You'll be alright

[Catrin]

134.6

I will take ANY sign of downward movement as a good one. Interestingly enough I've dropped my carbs a bit and raised my fat intake a bit...

[klesko]

148.8

[SAMbike]

114.2

[Crankin]

105.0
Yesterday, I was 104.4 . But, I resisted the urge to carbo load.
Mr. Crankin 147.2

He's driving me nuts. Rode to work in the rain and strong wind yesterday, so he could "get to my goal."
We are leaving for vacation in Vermont next Wednesday, so will report our final numbers on Wednesday. Not sure how I will handle vacation. Part of me wants to forget about any type of food restriction, but part wants to be "a little" good. We will be doing lots of x country skiing and snow shoeing, but we are staying at a really funky B and B where the owner is an awesome chef. Breakfast and dinner are included and he packs us lunches for the trail. I need to fuel differently for this type of intense exercise, but 5 days may be enough to push me right back to 110.