Interest In Weightloss Support Topic Here?

[Safire1966]

Thats great news Holly. I am happy for you!

[rackey]

I too am happy for you, Holly! By the way, thanks for your comment about out-walking your daughter-in-law. - I love that! You always know how to keep up the pace.

[rackey]

I spoke to my friend tonight, and she is on a pre-diabetic diet, so she is avoiding sugars and certain carbohydrates. She had been doing very good, but she loves jelly beans and treated herself to sugar-free jellybeans. Unfortunately, they made her ill, and she learned aferward that sugar-free items can do that to certain people.

It makes you wonder what chemicals they substitute for sugar. So, anyone considering sugar-free candy for Easter or any day, please eat it in moderation until you know how it affects you.

[kat57]

Oh,yes,Maureen,I am one of those who cannot tolerate sugar substitutes! Too bad they 'act' on some people's digestive systems that way,if you know what I mean,but others seem to have no problems with it 'acting' on them...I cut way back on sweets a long time ago and after awhile you really don't miss them! My downfall is still salt on my foods-I don't cook with it,but add it afterwards-not a lot,now,but I know even a little is too much. And I still haven't felt up to walking. Maybe I need to get a Richard Simmons tape,Anja,if he really is that motivating! I'm proud of anyone here who's been successful this week and I haven't thrown in the towel yet!! I am making efforts to drink more water and less caffeine.

[havanaholly]

On one of my many pre-nursing school jobs one of my co-workers was a diabetic who was extremely careful to control his condition with diet and exercise; his doctor told him that sugar substitutes can also elevate serum glucose levels; nothing I learned in Nursing school or since has refuted that.

[Deb]

The other discouraging thing is the Lyrica that I am now taking for my Fibromyalgia has a side affect of weight gain! ugh. Welp- I'll just carry on and hope it is enough to stave off any additional weight gain!

Jackie, if the Lyrica is helping your Fibro at all, it's worth the weight gain. I've been on Lyrica for seven years and the initial weight gain, then a smaller one when my dosage was increased, totaled about 35 pounds. If you have a thyroid condition as well, it can increase the amount of weight gain, but when I compared the pros and cons of taking Lyrica versus the Fibro problems, the weight gain was a small enough price to pay for regaining some of the function I lost with Fibro. Being extra careful with carbs and sugar can keep the gain minimal and if you can do some walking to keep your metabolism up a little, that'll help too. The thing to remember is that you can lose the weight later when the Lyrica has gotten your Fibro under control.

On the subject of artificial sweeteners, I've got to add a word of caution for anyone with auto-immune disorders.......avoid them all like the plague! If you have thyroid disorders, diabetes, fibroymalgia, chronic fatigue, or neurological issues, that stuff is pure poison to your system. Quite literally in fact since your auto-immune system perceives it as a toxin and goes into overdrive to "kill" it which can trigger flares of other auto-immune disorders. Sugar is better for you than the artificial sweeteners in any form.

I'm still plugging away with making those little changes that will eventually add up. Maureen, I envy you your walks! Before I got sick I used to walk around 5 miles a day; walking to and from work plus walks around the neighborhood. Oh how I miss the feeling of stretching my legs with long strides and the whole Zen experience. However, as long as I can still get up on my feet and take steps, it's a good day and today I've been out puttering in the back yard for about 4 hours. I've been spraying weeds and have a pattern of spraying a section of the yard, then sitting down to rest so it takes awhile but today not only did I do the gravel, but I did the grass too! That's the whole back yard in one day when it usually takes two! I also dusted for bugs (because the lizards are taking over) which would normally be a third day so I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. I use a motorized sprayer so it's just a matter of walking around the whole area but today was an equivilent of about two and a half times over the entire yard. Yay!! I got some exercise and got rid of weeds and bugs at the same time. That's a win-win!

Aja, salads are my best friend! I can do a lot of the preparation early in the day and put the chopped veggies/other ingredients into zip lock baggies back in the fridge so if I'm tired at dinner time, all I have to do is put the baggies out and we have an instant salad bar. Tonight's dinner is going to be taco salad. I'm using ground turkey with taco seasoning and I'll saute it this afternoon, then drain off any extra fat and pop it into the fridge to be warmed up in the microwave when it's dinner time. With a bed of mixed greens (iceberg, baby spinach, and romaine hearts) plus green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, ground turkey, a handful of crushed nacho cheese Doritos, and picante sauce instead of salad dressing, it makes an excellent meal. I like to add a dollop of fat free sour cream or greek yogurt and you can add other things like whole kernel corn, sliced black olives, peppers (bell or otherwise), and black beans for variety so it's never the same salad twice. Sometimes I use leftover chicken breasts, chopped and lightly browned in a skillet with a teeny bit of canola oil and some taco seasoning instead of ground turkey or beef. I think it's one of my favorite salads because it has so much flavor and it's reeeeally filling.

The lady doing the exercises in this video tries to be super enthusiastic which is kind of annoying but she demonstrates the exercises well.

hehehehehehe Selkie, it's no wonder I love you so much. We have the same outlook about so many things. Thanks for the info about exercise and the links. Your explanation about batwings made perfect sense to me too. I thought about the daily activities that men do the most and how it's so true that they make more pushing motions with their upper arms. All we need to do now is figure out how to make a work out video for "remote control clicking" that includes that little push that guys do without it seeming sexist and we'd make a fortune!!!

[rackey]

On the subject of artificial sweeteners, I've got to add a word of caution for anyone with auto-immune disorders.......avoid them all like the plague! If you have thyroid disorders, diabetes, fibroymalgia, chronic fatigue, or neurological issues, that stuff is pure poison to your system. Quite literally in fact since your auto-immune system perceives it as a toxin and goes into overdrive to "kill" it which can trigger flares of other auto-immune disorders. Sugar is better for you than the artificial sweeteners in any form.

Thank you for posting this, Deb. My friend who got sick from eating the sugar-free jelly beans is pre-disposed to lupus, meaning she doesn't actually have it, but certain enzyme levels are high and she can experience occassional symptoms. Unfortunately, she is also pre-diabetic, which is why she is avoiding sugar to begin with. In spite of all her efforts, her insulin level was still elevated, so her doctor told her to increase her medication. It seems like we all have our challenges, which is why support groups can be so important. At least now I can tell her why the jelly beans made her ill.

[havanaholly]

Some sugars metabolize better than others. We have avoided the "high fructose corn syrup" sweeteners in so many processed foods (we don't buy those) and instead of corn or cane syrup we have discovered agave nectar, which takes a fraction of the same amount of cane sugar to sweeten things.

[Safire1966]

Hello ladies.

I am amazed that artificial sweetner can make people so sick and I am glad I am not bothered by that but than again I dont use it hardly at all. Deb I love salads too and once in awhile I make a taco salad it is real good and your right you can use so much variations in it thats the great part about it.

I am sorry I havent been writing so much and I wont in the next few days eighter but I am not ignoring you all and I am still on my diet at least till sunday than I will definatly have my day off. Just been busy and getting stuff done. I weighed myself yesterday I did not loose any weight but I did not gain any and thats more important. The weather is supose to get better starting saturday and staying that way. Which means I be back bikeriding. I am looking forward to it. We got wonderful biking ways around here and my goal is to drive to Venlo Netherland and have a coffee there and than drive back. One way is about 25 km so that would be 50 all together so I hope in a few weeks I be ready to ride that far. It is a fantastic exercise for my knie cause there is no weight on it and I move it which is important with arthritis.

Anyways I want to wish you all a wonderful easter with friends family or whatever you are doing.

[havanaholly]

Even though this is a weight loss topic, I hope all of you can bear to tear yourselves away from those scales and only do a weigh in once a week or so. That is a more accurate estimation of overall weight status.

[Safire1966]

Here is something I call motivating to exercise

Hope I dont offend anybody I thought it was cute. Have a great day.

[KathieB]

What fun! I want one of those!

Edit: No, no! The exercise bike, not the guy! :lol:

[Anna]

What fun! I want one of those!

Edit: No, no! The exercise bike, not the guy! :lol:

:lol: so what if you allready have the guy AND the gyu?!? :whistle: just wondering....

Hugs

[Minis Over The Hill]

Selkie, thank you for those videos, they were helpful and Deb, for the info on artificial sweeteners, I had no idea.

[rackey]

Anja, I am deeply offended. That video was absolutely appalling because I wasn't in it, and God knows I could benefit from that type of motivation. - Ha, ha.

Don't mind me, Anja. The video was cute, and I hope you know I am kidding, except for the part about needing motivation. I was quite serious about that.

I am debating when to walk to my brother's house to pick up his mail, as he and my sister-in-law left for Florida today. If I go before the mailman arrives, I will have to make a second trip. I should welcome the opportunity to take a walk, but I don't feel like going out. I'd rather stay in and make sweet potatoes to set aside for Easter.

[Safire1966]

I know your kidding and guess what I be sitting right next to you biking my butt off. lol Maybe you do the sweetpotatoes and than you go later or you go tomorow. I dont think the mailbox be overflowing with mail.

[rackey]

I went to pick up my brother's mail, and there wasn't any, which meant I would have had to go back had my father not gone for me. So tomorrow I will know to go for the mail about an hour later.

Anja, your bicycle plans sound wonderful. Here in New Jersey we have what we call the towpath that goes from South Bound Brook to Princeton. It is a beautiful walk, which is mainly a dirt path along the Raritan and Delaware Canals,. It is roughly 30 miles long, and it is closed to motor vehicles.

Along the way there are numerous picnic areas, so people can get on the towpath on various points. A lot of people take their bikes, but I like to walk it. I've only walked in various sections, but I knew of somebody who hiked the entire path in two days.

Your biking plans made me think of this path. I am very confident you will be in shape for this ride and that a nice cup of coffee will be waiting for you.

[Minis Over The Hill]

I've been eating healthier and conscious of what I put in my mouth thanks to this group. For lunch I had a nice piece of salmon flaked over a bed of red leaf lettuce, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and green olives. That sweet taste and the crunch made it so enjoyable!

[Safire1966]

Maureen you did it you went anyways even though your motivation wasnt so good yesterday. Of course the down part that the mail was not there yet. I also think thats so great that your dad went later on. It sounds like a neat path to go to Princeton. I lived in Jersey but I never heard of that Path actually I did mostly go to manhatten in my free time.

30 miles is a long way to walk but it sounds great. I will do my best cause right now I can do about 30 km but than my knee and my behind hurts so much that I am happy to be back home. lol

But I do believe if I work on driving further every day a little bit more I can do it. We got picknic tables on the way too so I can rest and have a drink of water and a little break in between. I will keep you posted.

Joane I am happy that you enjoy the healthy food and find it good and most important you feel good about it.

I wish everybody a great day and keep going. Your all doing great

[Deb]

What fun! I want one of those!

Edit: No, no! The exercise bike, not the guy! :lol:

<putting hand over mouth to keep from commenting> <pulling hand away> I can't help it! I want the bike *and* the guy!!!! (and another guy to do the pedaling for me coz I can't keep up!) I loved it when one woman realized the guy was a stripper and kicked off her shoes to pedal harder. Yep, that's exactly what I'd be doing. LOL!! Now all they have to do is figure out how to combine a gym with a strip club and they might be onto the next greatest exercise fad! I have a cup holder on my treadmill that would hold a roll of dollar bills nicely. hehehehehehe

Anja, thank you for brightening up my day so well! That was a great laugh and I truly believe that the best exercise is a good, strong, laugh.

[Safire1966]

Now all they have to do is figure out how to combine a gym with a strip club and they might be onto the next greatest exercise fad! I have a cup holder on my treadmill that would hold a roll of dollar bills nicely. hehehehehehe

What a great marketing idea!!! I think that might work and the cupholder thing be a definate must have. lol Glad that I could brighten up your day. :yes:

[rackey]

Okay, get ready for my confession. Today when I was out and about my mouth was dry and I felt like having something sweet, even though I really haven't been missing sweets all that much. So I went to Rita's and got a mint chocolate chip cream ice. It was not sugar-free, and I got the small size, but not the child size, like I should have.

I didn't even feel guilty about the ice because when I got home I thought I could get back in the salad mode. Instead I had a piece of wheat pie that I got from the bakery. I figured it was Easter, so instead of indulging on Sunday, I could make today, Good Friday, my day off, even though I still plan on having a thin slice of cheesecake on Sunday.

I guess it could have been worse. I could have had frozen custard or a milkshake at Rita's, and I could have eaten a larger slice of pie, but I know I will pay for this on the scale Monday morning. That's okay because I more or less expected days and weeks like this, as I want to be realistic, while at the same time staying on track. I am more focused on the long-term goal than immediate, short-term success. Still, I felt the need to divulge my indiscretion.

[Safire1966]

Maureen it is easter all bets are off anyways. lol I am glad you enjoyed your ice cream and think it is quiet normal to have certain things once in awhile. Today and tomorow (we have two easter holidays) I have my days off. I wont eat sweets but I am having prime rib and twice backed potatoe its about a million calories but I dont care and I am looking forward to it,. Mr. Scale will be totally ignored this week for sure. lol

I wish everybody a wonderful easter with your families and friends and dont sweat it with what and how much you eat. I think its just important to get back on track after the holidays.

Have a great day everybody

[rackey]

Thanks, Anja. Last night I saw that the popsicles I have been buying are only 60 calories each. I couldn't believe it because they are creamsicles, meaning they have vanilla ice cream inside a coating of orange ice. They are both naturally and artificially flavored, but they are not labeled as sugar-free, so this was a surprise.

This is good news because the next time I have to have a treat or something cold, I can resort to these pops. At 60 calories that is less than an apple, although the apple is more nutritious. I know better than to make it a daily habit of eating them, but the 60 calories was a nice surprise.

[kat57]

I used to not eat a bite all day up to the holiday meal,then of course I would gorge myself! Today I did like I've been trying to do on holidays for awhile now. Our family gathering was for supper,so I purposely ate a late lunch-a couple of scrambled eggs and some smoked sausage,lots of filling protein-even if not exactly low fat,I guess. But then I ate a much smaller plate of food at supper than I used to. I still got to enjoy my mother's cooking,but less of it.

And afterwards my little grand niece,who is almost 4,and I ran all around the yard playing for about 30 minutes at least. I will hurt tomorrow,I guess,but that was so good for my soul! We were also having a late celebration of her father's birthday,but I only had a tiny slice of cake and no ice cream. At home afterwards I had a sugar free jello cup and a banana blended together with some juice for a light refreshing frothy smoothie. This morning I worked in my yard for awhile,picking up remnants of the wreck that happened there and raking leaves into several piles. I bet I will sleep better tonight,after all that activity!!