# Best tips



## Oregon1986

What are your best weight loss tips or advice that worked for you? Also any advice on how to kick the pop without the headaches?


----------



## 382695

My husband and I have been following the Fast Metabolism Diet program (book by Haylie Pomroy) for several months. We have both lost weight. It is a great plan, but not without time, attention to detail and lots of planning, grocery shopping and cooking at home. We follow it about 85% of the time and are very happy with the results.

I would add that headaches are a part of kicking the caffeine habit. Either go cold turkey and get it over with or phase it out over time to lessen the severity.


----------



## Oregon1986

cspvln said:


> My husband and I have been following the Fast Metabolism Diet program (book by Haylie Pomroy) for several months. We have both lost weight. It is a great plan, but not without time, attention to detail and lots of planning, grocery shopping and cooking at home. We follow it about 85% of the time and are very happy with the results.
> 
> I would add that headaches are a part of kicking the caffeine habit. Either go cold turkey and get it over with or phase it out over time to lessen the severity.


I'll have to check that out,thank you


----------



## Irish Pixie

Track everything you eat, including drinks. I use an app called Lose It! on my phone, the basic version is free. Invest in a food scale and weigh what you eat until you get an good idea of what a serving really looks like.


----------



## Oregon1986

Irish Pixie said:


> Track everything you eat, including drinks. I use an app called Lose It! on my phone, the basic version is free. Invest in a food scale and weigh what you eat until you get an good idea of what a serving really looks like.


It's amazing how fast drink calories add up


----------



## DryLandFish

The biggest deal for me was what I was eating. I found some food was a lot better at keeping me satisfied. And some choices completely took me off the rails. Everybody is likely a bit different. But for me, cutting out sugar and other high-glycemic carbohydrates was the thing that made it possible for me to stick to an effective plan long-term. I've come to believe cooking and eating for satiety is a big deal. And that a big causative factor with the trends toward weight-related disease is the ultra-processed stuff we have come to accept as staple foods now. 

My wife lost weight with me. She loved soda. These days she gets the unsweetened, flavored carbonated water (there are some great flavors) and adds a few drops of stevia. Cherry is our favorite.


----------



## Oregon1986

DryLandFish said:


> The biggest deal for me was what I was eating. I found some food was a lot better at keeping me satisfied. And some choices completely took me off the rails. Everybody is likely a bit different. But for me, cutting out sugar and other high-glycemic carbohydrates was the thing that made it possible for me to stick to an effective plan long-term. I've come to believe cooking and eating for satiety is a big deal. And that a big causative factor with the trends toward weight-related disease is the ultra-processed stuff we have come to accept as staple foods now.
> 
> My wife lost weight with me. She loved soda. These days she gets the unsweetened, flavored carbonated water (there are some great flavors) and adds a few drops of stevia. Cherry is our favorite.


I love carbonated water,great pop alternative


----------



## Rafter B

for me it has been cutting out the breads and potatoes. added to that, like I mentioned in someone else's thread, I have been doing a "crossfit" or cross training exercise. it is all body weight type stuff. I have become addicted to it. Which is what I need to do for my heart health. Take todays workout for example, tire flip, dips on the tire and push-ups, five sets of that. Then I did sets of 21,15, 9 and 5 of air squats and push-ups. it is suppose to be non stop, but haven't made it to that level yet, I have to take short breaks to catch my breath lol. but I love it so far. doing a workout that isn't a chore is the key to working out I think.


----------



## Oregon1986

Rafter B said:


> for me it has been cutting out the breads and potatoes. added to that, like I mentioned in someone else's thread, I have been doing a "crossfit" or cross training exercise. it is all body weight type stuff. I have become addicted to it. Which is what I need to do for my heart health. Take todays workout for example, tire flip, dips on the tire and push-ups, five sets of that. Then I did sets of 21,15, 9 and 5 of air squats and push-ups. it is suppose to be non stop, but haven't made it to that level yet, I have to take short breaks to catch my breath lol. but I love it so far. doing a workout that isn't a chore is the key to working out I think.


That is awesome,good job. Lol my exercise right now consists of chasing kids and cattle around


----------



## Rafter B

that is a lot of exercise chasing kids around, lol. a lot of cardio. Haven't had the chance to chase cattle around, but guessing that is good too. lol.


----------



## Oregon1986

Rafter B said:


> that is a lot of exercise chasing kids around, lol. a lot of cardio. Haven't had the chance to chase cattle around, but guessing that is good too. lol.


What's even better is chasing cattle with a toddler on your hip, woooweee what a workout


----------



## Rafter B

LOL I bet it is. And even better the older they get.


----------



## HoofPick

I second the Lose it! app. It is such an eye opener how quickly calories can add up. Incorporating more whole foods into your diet helps. Make all of your meals from scratch and decrease your use of premade/boxed meals if you haven't already. Drink a full glass of water before you eat any meal. It will help feel full faster. 

Try swapping half your soda for water. Either have 1 soda and then 1 glass of water or directly water down your soda. That will keep you hydrated and cut down on your caffeine intake. That will make it easier than just going cold turkey.


----------



## Oregon1986

I cut the pop cold turkey and first two days was pure poop with caffeine withdrawals


----------



## FarmerJoe

I drink ice tea for my caffeine fix. Now I sweeten it with stevia, but have even cut back on that. At one time I could drink a 12 pack of soda on a hot day. Every day. Cut back to once in the morning and one in the evening, at milking time. Then got it down to one a day, and eventually gave them up all together. Now I may have one when out to eat, but don't crave them anymore.


----------



## Oregon1986

FarmerJoe said:


> I drink ice tea for my caffeine fix. Now I sweeten it with stevia, but have even cut back on that. At one time I could drink a 12 pack of soda on a hot day. Every day. Cut back to once in the morning and one in the evening, at milking time. Then got it down to one a day, and eventually gave them up all together. Now I may have one when out to eat, but don't crave them anymore.


It's amazing how addictive pop can be. I was easily drinking a twelve pack a day


----------



## FarmerJoe

I use less sweetener in a gallon of tea than what is in a single can of pop.


----------



## Oregon1986

FarmerJoe said:


> I use less sweetener in a gallon of tea than what is in a single can of pop.


Isn't it insane how much sugar is in a pop


----------



## FarmerJoe

Agree... I don't think I could get that much to dissolve in a glass of water. lol


----------



## Oregon1986

When I think about how much sugar I consumed,it's really pretty disgusting


----------



## altair

I lost about 20 pounds taking up running. I was never a natural athlete so I basically used telephone poles as a guide and started off walking one, jogging one. Then gradually increased poles. I was up to running 2 miles a day, nothing spectacular, but it helped with calories and is good for the heart. I watched what I ate, but nothing strict. Kept a mental tally in my head as I don't have a phone or other fancy gadgets.

As for soda, gradually reduce what you consume. Try substituting for flavored seltzer water or something similar. You can do it


----------



## Oregon1986

altair said:


> I lost about 20 pounds taking up running. I was never a natural athlete so I basically used telephone poles as a guide and started off walking one, jogging one. Then gradually increased poles. I was up to running 2 miles a day, nothing spectacular, but it helped with calories and is good for the heart. I watched what I ate, but nothing strict. Kept a mental tally in my head as I don't have a phone or other fancy gadgets.
> 
> As for soda, gradually reduce what you consume. Try substituting for flavored seltzer water or something similar. You can do it


I cut off cold turkey from mountain dew and I'm filling it big time.


----------



## Bellyman

In no particular order...

Sugar has to go. That doesn't mean drinking only plain water. It could mean adding a bit of lemon only (I do this a lot). It could mean making an herbal tea that doesn't get any sugar added. Desserts... I don't do many anymore. (I've had a total of one over the past month. It was a treat. I don't need a treat every 20 minutes.)

For me, starches had to go. I learned how to make lasagna with wide, thin strips of zucchini instead of noodles. I learned how to make "potato-like cakes" out of cauliflower and radishes (they're really quite tasty). I learned to make muffins with almond flour (still working on that one). I learned to drink my coffee without sugar or bought creamer.

I don't deprive myself of food, even though there are things I just don't eat right now. I try to substitute things I can eat for things I cant. I don't go hungry. (Actually, there are times when I will only eat one meal a day because I'm really just not hungry. I'll just go until supper time before I eat a reasonable supper. I think they call that intermittent fasting.)

Do something that's at least moving. When you go to the store, park out away from the store so you have to walk to and from your car. Get a cart and walk down every aisle even though you don't need something from every aisle. Walk to the mailbox. Walk around the block after you drop the trash into the can outside even though you don't have to. Walk up the steps when you need to get up one or two floors even though there is an elevator. Run the vacuum cleaner a little more often. Wash the car by hand, wax the car by hand if you're brave. Give a room or two of your house, or your garage, a good cleaning. Mow a little more with the push mower and a little less with the riding mower. It's not so much "getting exercise", it's just "doing something". Be busy. (It also helps to think about something other than food.)

Be faithful to the diet you choose. I don't understand the whole idea of "cheat days". Either you're on a diet or you're not. If you're allowed to eat certain things, eat them. If you're not allowed to eat things, don't eat them. Plan your groceries around what you can eat, not what you can't. If you can't have soda, don't buy it. If you can't have pasta or potatoes, don't buy them. If you eat lots of salads, buy lots of salad stuff. If you eat lots of veggies, get plenty of broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and turnip/collard/mustard greens, spinach, mushrooms or whatever you are allowed to eat. If you eat eggs, get good quality eggs and eat them. I you eat meat or fish, get good quality meats and fish and eat them. Use seasonings like garlic and onion and pepper (of different kinds) and basil and sage and oregano and thyme and... Don't eat junk. If it comes from a box or a bag with ingredients you can't pronounce, it's a pretty good bet you probably shouldn't be eating or drinking it anyway.

I'm eating quite well. I don't go hungry. I don't go nuts with the exercise but I do try to be busy. And I really try to eat quality food. Sometimes, I will take some supplements but nothing specific to weight loss. As of this morning, I'm a little less than a month into it and am down 17 pounds. I'm only 6 pounds away from where I was 2-1/2 years ago when I broke my leg, that's my first goal. I like the progress and I want to keep going. For me, that's a Ketogenic diet though I have no idea if I'm in or near ketosis. I don't really care, actually. I'm trying to eat healthy food, the weight is coming down and I'm (hopefully) getting into different eating habits. And I feel good. Now, when I have to go looking for smaller pants in the "I have a dream collection" of the storage unit, THAT will be a huge reward!

Just the thoughts that come to mind.


----------



## moorethemerrier

Liquids!

I try to drink a gallon of water a day. I didn't realize this for years - most of the time I feel hungry, I'm not - I am actually thirsty. I do add flavored kombucha for flavor because I do not love the taste of our water (I miss well water.) 

I drink a small cup of coffee with honey and half and half once a day. Sometimes I just want another cup, so if I have had a couple quarts of water, I go for it.

I did have to cut out caffeine for a bit, so I have learned to love hot bone broth with seasonings and unsweetened herbal teas during the cooler seasons. 

I try to keep the calorie count low on my drinks.


----------



## Terri

Go ahead and buy the good stuff: you are less likely to feel deprived. Salmon is a perfectly good dinner, and while it is more expensive than catfish so what? Most people think it tastes better and you are WORTH it, and so is your health!


----------



## PrairieClover

I think most people don't know how to determine their serving size of most foods. This is where I was able to drop a few pounds over time. I used to tell myself that I liked a certain food and it was okay to have a second serving. It was not okay. 
Eat as much fruits and vegetables as you want, as long as they're not overcooked piles of mush covered in butter, gravy and salt. I've read that a serving of meat should be no larger than the palm of your hand, no thicker than your palm either. 
I do not use most dairy products, can't eat red meat, have cut way back on using flour products and am moving around a lot more than I used to and my job requires pushing and lifting up to 40 pounds. 
Stay regular by eating healthy fibrous foods.
The food pyramid is another one of the great American lies, so forget you ever saw it.


----------



## Oregon1986

PrairieClover said:


> I think most people don't know how to determine their serving size of most foods. This is where I was able to drop a few pounds over time. I used to tell myself that I liked a certain food and it was okay to have a second serving. It was not okay.
> Eat as much fruits and vegetables as you want, as long as they're not overcooked piles of mush covered in butter, gravy and salt. I've read that a serving of meat should be no larger than the palm of your hand, no thicker than your palm either.
> I do not use most dairy products, can't eat red meat, have cut way back on using flour products and am moving around a lot more than I used to and my job requires pushing and lifting up to 40 pounds.
> Stay regular by eating healthy fibrous foods.
> The food pyramid is another one of the great American lies, so forget you ever saw it.


Whoever created the food pyramid was probably a diabetic lol


----------



## Bellyman

Oregon1986 said:


> Whoever created the food pyramid was probably a diabetic lol


I would have said they were someone who hated diabetics... :/ 

FWIW, got on the scale this morning and I'm down 29 pounds. AARRGHH!!! My body has been fighting me. So close to 30 and yet so far. But I'm hanging in there. Actually, on a short fast at the moment. About 36 hours so far and honestly, I'm not hungry. Had I think two times when I felt just a little twinge and got a drink of water, twinge gone. May go 48 and have something to eat, don't know yet. No mandates or anything, I can do whatever I want or go as long as I want. Not feeling tired or weak or sick, feeling pretty good, actually. 

Oregon1986, I hope you decide to get back on the wagon again. The ride can be a little bumpy but I think it's worth it.


----------



## Terri

Oregon1986 said:


> Whoever created the food pyramid was probably a diabetic lol


No sane diabetic would follow that plan!

I am not gaining or losing, but that is OK. I am being more active, so I believe I am gaining muscle. That is my story and I am sticking to it. I may try to loose weight later this year, but right now I am good.


----------



## Elffriend

Bellyman said:


> I learned how to make "potato-like cakes" out of cauliflower and radishes (they're really quite tasty). I learned to make muffins with almond flour (still working on that one).


Got a recipe for those potato-like cakes?

This week I made an apple cake with almond meal and it turned out pretty good. I found the recipe here:
http://genaw.com/lowcarb/apple_cake.html

I am wondering if it would work for muffins? I am going to make it again, leaving out the apple and substituting pumpkin pie spice blend for the cinnamon.

I normally wouldn't eat apple, but apple cake is our traditional Rosh Hashanah dessert and I wasn't sure I could watch the rest of the family eating cake and not have some. A low carb version was the perfect compromise. I had one square each night and put the rest in the freezer.


----------



## PrairieClover

Ok, don't shoot me for spoiling a good cake.
I read that using almond products (almond flour, almond milk, almond butter, etc) instead of actually just eating the whole almonds is hard for the body to digest, assimilate, etc., if you're using a lot frequently. 
We wouldn't ordinarily eat that many almonds, but when they are ground up or made into milk we're eating a massive quantity of them. I don't know if it is true so I cautiously use almond milk. I use it to keep my cereal wet and might use it as a replacement for milk when baking. 
Using it occasionally is probably fine but I don't think I would eat things made from almonds every day even though if I have almonds I will eat them whole but not cup after cup.
Anyone here using the ancient grains/flours...amaranth, spelt and einkorn?


----------



## MoonRiver

I'm starting to think the answer is your genes. Supposedly you can override your genes (epigenetics), but I wonder if anyone really understands how. 

I did low carb for many years - lost 50 lbs in 1st 6 months and then a complete failure for the next 14 years. More carbs, less carbs, more fat, less fat, made no difference - I kept gaining and losing about 20 lbs +-. A couple of times I came real close to regaining the whole 50 lbs I had lost.

It wasn't until I ran my 23andme data through a new analysis tool that I learned my genes made it hard for me to digest and metabolize saturated fat. By minimizing sat fat and eating as much mono and polyunsaturated fat as I want, I have lost another 45 lbs, so 95 total. I'm having a hard time breaking through right now, but it is because I am not eating enough green veggies and fruit. Something will come along and get me going again and I will move the scale down another 10 lbs.

The biggest problem is you mostly have to figure this stuff out on your own. I have a relatively good, integrated doctor, but she misses a lot of stuff I think she should be picking up on. At least she is supportive when I tell her what new stuff I have learned.

If losing weight is really hard for you, chances are you are not eating the diet your genes want you to eat.


----------



## Bellyman

Elffriend said:


> Got a recipe for those potato-like cakes?


My apologies for taking so long to reply. I knew I read your question but couldn't find it again. Just stumbled on it again just now.

Not my recipe, really. But here's where I got it from: 






The recipe is not terribly picky and it's not hard to just throw it together without much measuring of anything. Hope you enjoy it, too.


----------



## Terri

Yeah....... MoonRiver I think you are right.

Apparently a LOT of people lose weight by going vegetarian, but vegetarian meals make my type 2 diabetes act up and then I GAIN weight. And, many people say that for them, no carb is the key but I always feel starved if I do not eat carbs. And, preferably the carbs that I eat are some kind of wheat.

I honestly do best if I eat the way my European ancestors did, with meat and vegetables and frequent but smallish amounts of bread.


----------



## MoonRiver

Terri said:


> Yeah....... MoonRiver I think you are right.
> 
> Apparently a LOT of people lose weight by going vegetarian, but vegetarian meals make my type 2 diabetes act up and then I GAIN weight. And, many people say that for them, no carb is the key but I always feel starved if I do not eat carbs. And, preferably the carbs that I eat are some kind of wheat.
> 
> I honestly do best if I eat the way my European ancestors did, with meat and vegetables and frequent but smallish amounts of bread.


And often, people (including me) don't realize how much they have been indoctrinated. I gave up milk and wheat, but maybe for the wrong reasons. Maybe it was just the saturated fat in dairy and wheat products that caused the problem for me. Just because a study says something is good (or bad) for people, doesn't necessarily mean it's good (or bad) for ALL people.

I've also found it difficult to figure out which foods are bad, because rarely does eating a food one time cause a problem. A doughnut won't cause any reaction, but eating 2 or 3 a day for a week will. Same with coffee, even decaf - 4 or 5 days in a row is OK, but at some point coffee starts causing extreme fatigue. Over the years I've learned how much and how often I can drink it.

Trying to figure out the OK foods, the OK in moderation foods, and the Don't Eat foods is a real challenge. If you look on the Internet, you can find enough expert information so that all foods are bad and should never be eaten.


----------



## Bellyman

I may step on some toes but I need to say something.

What diet s person is on has a big impact on what is good to eat and drink and what is not. 

If you are eating a diet with plenty of good carbohydrates, avoiding excess salt and drinking lots of water would be good advice. Avoiding an abundance of fats might be prudent as well. No argument with that. 

But for someone who's eating a ketogenic or very low carbohydrate diet, it really is not such good advice at all. For that person, their body has dumped a lot of salt already and telling them to avoid salt could be dangerous, they NEED salt. Their electrolytes can cause quite a lot of distress without the needed inputs and drinking too much water can make that worse. They are also well adapted to burning fat as a fuel source so good fat intake is important. Butter is good food to them.

People pick up snippets of heath nuggets that they apply to everyone and it just doesn't work that way. Picking and choosing a little from this diet and a little from that diet doesn't necessarily make for a healthy diet. 

That said, I do believe there are several different diets a person can eat to be healthy. Pick one that works for you and learn what is appropriate for good health in that context. One size doesn't fit all.


----------



## homesteadhoney5

Already gained ten pounds and it isn’t fully Christmas yet. I need help!!!


----------



## Terri

homesteadhoney5 said:


> Already gained ten pounds and it isn’t fully Christmas yet. I need help!!!


It helps me when I give myself permission to break my diet a bit once a month. That means I can say things like "I will eat candy, but not today"

We had Christmas a few days early (last night) because that is when my daughter and her husband could come. He is expected to work Christmas day. So, I planned that as my "cheat day" and I ate the dessert and some candy. HOWEVER now I will go back to eating sensibly, with the lean meats and such. I will probably have some shellfish on Christmas day, as a bit of a treat, but that is OK because my birthday is in January and I intend to have some cake.

For me, this works: between Thanksgiving and Christmas I only gained 2 pounds. (I am not perfect. I must live with that) What is good, is, I know there is cream pie in the fridge and I am OK with letting the rest of the family eat it before they leave today. In fact I may encourage it. Because while I do not intend to eat dessert today, I will eat dessert again in 3 weeks time.

For me, it works. By the time my birthday in January rolls around I hope to have lost the 2 pounds I have gained: I have an exercise bike but I have been too busy to use it. That can change starting tomorrow.


----------



## Fire-Man

Oregon1986 said:


> What are your best weight loss tips or advice that worked for you? Also any advice on how to kick the pop without the headaches?


Read my post below "I just noticed this Forum". Let me add--I was a Pepsi-A-Holic. I did not mention this but I started cutting back on the pepsi's to wean myself off them---I never had a headache that way. I even made sure all pepsi's were on ice and I would let them some-what water down some before I would drink them---worked Great. Read that Post.


----------



## Forcast

cspvln said:


> My husband and I have been following the Fast Metabolism Diet program (book by Haylie Pomroy) for several months. We have both lost weight. It is a great plan, but not without time, attention to detail and lots of planning, grocery shopping and cooking at home. We follow it about 85% of the time and are very happy with the results.
> 
> I would add that headaches are a part of kicking the caffeine habit. Either go cold turkey and get it over with or phase it out over time to lessen the severity.


*
For headache s try adding magnesium.


----------



## lmrose

I knew this weight loss forum was here but skipped over it . It reminded me I need to resolve to stick to a certain way of eating to lose weight. 
My story is I was an under nourished skinny kid growing up. I was married at 19 yr and had my first baby at 20 yr. Before being pregnant I weighed 120 lbs.. After the birth of my son I weighed 140 lbs. The next year I had a daughter and after she was born I weighed 160 lbs. The third year I had another daughter and after weighed 180 lbs. After the fourth time I weighed 200 lbs after my last daughter and last baby was born.I also nursed all my babies and ate well and gained more weight. Six years later when I married Bill I had dropped to 170 lbs. but gained the old weight back.
After kids I tried various diets to lose weight and a pattern of lose and gain was established over the next 40 years. I would lose but gain it back. We were farming and growing food so food is always present with me. I cooked and baked from scratch so we ate well. Also I and my husband both love good food. We enjoy the various natural flavors of organically home grown food.
The more time that passed the more I gained weight. My lucky husband can eat anything and his peak weight was 137 lbs! Life isn't fair and that is his body not mine and we were eating the same food!
Last year the veins in my legs started breaking from the stress of over weight. My arches had already fallen years ago for the same reason. I felt sluggish and tired. I have blood tests done every six months and one showed my bad cholesterol was up and good was way down plus I had too many triglycerides in my blood. That is the body's fatty trash that plugs arteries. My diet was good but I was eating too much and not getting enough exercise. 
I have a friend who used to go to Weight Watchers and had fallen off the wagon so to speak. She still had her information from their meetings so we decided to start the Weight Watchers diet based on the point system together. Since last fall when we began this journey I have lost 35 lbs! We talk once a week just to encourage each other and see how we are doing. We both still have a long ways to go.

I like the point system because it is easier to count points rather than calories. A chart tells you how many points to aim for according to your weight when you start the program. Since losing is hard for me I chose to go with less points from a lower weight category because that is what it takes for me to lose lbs. Everyone has a different body and has to determine what works for them. I'm just sorry I didn't take weight loss more seriously when I was younger. It may have been easier or then again knowing me; maybe not.


----------



## Oregon1986

lmrose said:


> I knew this weight loss forum was here but skipped over it . It reminded me I need to resolve to stick to a certain way of eating to lose weight.
> My story is I was an under nourished skinny kid growing up. I was married at 19 yr and had my first baby at 20 yr. Before being pregnant I weighed 120 lbs.. After the birth of my son I weighed 140 lbs. The next year I had a daughter and after she was born I weighed 160 lbs. The third year I had another daughter and after weighed 180 lbs. After the fourth time I weighed 200 lbs after my last daughter and last baby was born.I also nursed all my babies and ate well and gained more weight. Six years later when I married Bill I had dropped to 170 lbs. but gained the old weight back.
> After kids I tried various diets to lose weight and a pattern of lose and gain was established over the next 40 years. I would lose but gain it back. We were farming and growing food so food is always present with me. I cooked and baked from scratch so we ate well. Also I and my husband both love good food. We enjoy the various natural flavors of organically home grown food.
> The more time that passed the more I gained weight. My lucky husband can eat anything and his peak weight was 137 lbs! Life isn't fair and that is his body not mine and we were eating the same food!
> Last year the veins in my legs started breaking from the stress of over weight. My arches had already fallen years ago for the same reason. I felt sluggish and tired. I have blood tests done every six months and one showed my bad cholesterol was up and good was way down plus I had too many triglycerides in my blood. That is the body's fatty trash that plugs arteries. My diet was good but I was eating too much and not getting enough exercise.
> I have a friend who used to go to Weight Watchers and had fallen off the wagon so to speak. She still had her information from their meetings so we decided to start the Weight Watchers diet based on the point system together. Since last fall when we began this journey I have lost 35 lbs! We talk once a week just to encourage each other and see how we are doing. We both still have a long ways to go.
> 
> I like the point system because it is easier to count points rather than calories. A chart tells you how many points to aim for according to your weight when you start the program. Since losing is hard for me I chose to go with less points from a lower weight category because that is what it takes for me to lose lbs. Everyone has a different body and has to determine what works for them. I'm just sorry I didn't take weight loss more seriously when I was younger. It may have been easier or then again knowing me; maybe not.


Congrats on the 35 lbs,that is awesome


----------



## Terri

Imrose you can DO this! And you ARE doing this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Nsoitgoes

That is great! Congratulations on the 35 pounds. Keep your eye on the prize. 

I know how it is when the nearest and dearest stays skinny. My SO eats more for breakfast than I can eat in a couple of days. Then he has lunch and dinner! Lol. He weighs all of 125 soaking wet - on a good day. <sighs>


----------



## Oregon1986

Nsoitgoes said:


> That is great! Congratulations on the 35 pounds. Keep your eye on the prize.
> 
> I know how it is when the nearest and dearest stays skinny. My SO eats more for breakfast than I can eat in a couple of days. Then he has lunch and dinner! Lol. He weighs all of 125 soaking wet - on a good day. <sighs>


Lol,don't you hate that? I guess life would be boring if we were all built the same


----------



## lmrose

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words . I have struggled for so many years up and down. Even though I have a excellent diet as we grow our own food I have heredity problems. My liver makes bad cholesterol so I have to be very careful what I eat. I don't eat sugar, starches, white flour foods and white flour pasta and fatty foods or meat. I don't drink alcohol , pop, coffee ;only water, tea or milk. You would think I should lose weight easily but I don't.
What is really motivating me now to lose the excess pounds is I want to be healthy as I get older. I had a blood test two weeks ago as I do every six months to check my cholesterol and blood sugar. I feel good and expected good results. So when I was informed my bad cholesterol was way up I was shocked!! I felt like I had been hit with a 2x4 board in the head! I try really hard to resist eating things I shouldn't have then this happens. The only things different in my diet this winter living in town is we are buying eggs from the store and I have been eating cheese from the store. Normally we would only have eggs from our own hens and cheese I make from our goat's milk.
Unfortunately any animal products are only as healthy as what the animal is fed. Our hens were fed free ranged and from our garden with very little bought feed as was the goat. So I figure the eggs I bought and cheese were causing the change in my cholesterol and the reason I recently stopped losing lbs. . Commercial animals are raised mostly on commercial feed which would be very different than grass fed animals or free ranged hens. So I have dropped cheese and eggs from my diet until we have our own hens and bring the goat home this Spring. 
Every Spring and summer when the hens are laying the most I freeze the extra eggs. I beat up six at a time to freeze. I also freeze goats milk to make yogurt with later. This past year I didn't get much put up because we moved. This year will be different.
Since I dropped the eggs and cheese I am starting to lose again. Last week it was two lbs. This week none. I am also starting to use my stationery bike again which helps during the winter. 
Getting to a healthy weight to me is important to avoid other problems with joints and veins. After a very sick childhood and young adulthood I am looking forward to being a healthy old person who can contribute to the well being of others. But staying healthy is sure a lot harder than I reckoned on. Especially shedding half my body!


----------



## lmrose

Oregon1986 said:


> Lol,don't you hate that? I guess life would be boring if we were all built the same


Yes, life would be boring if we were all the same. My husband will be 73 yrs. this March. He does chin ups every morning on a pole he put diagonally across the bedroom and closet doors! I envy him because I can't even get myself up on the stool to reach the pole let alone do chin ups! If I ever get down to a weight that is right for me I may surprise him and do chin ups too!


----------



## Oregon1986

lmrose said:


> Yes, life would be boring if we were all the same. My husband will be 73 yrs. this March. He does chin ups every morning on a pole he put diagonally across the bedroom and closet doors! I envy him because I can't even get myself up on the stool to reach the pole let alone do chin ups! If I ever get down to a weight that is right for me I may surprise him and do chin ups too!


I bet he would love that


----------



## Pschmidt

Might I join in?

I've always been naturally adverse to fattier foods and dairy. Was skinny most of my life without trying, just ate different than others. Didn't have a sweet tooth and would have a soda maybe once a month or two months. Have 3 sisters and my mom who've had the bypass surgery, along with aunts, niece, and cousins. Some for health reasons, some with appearance reasons. I thought the connection was in what they were eating, I thought so then, I still think so. I mean, I got their genes for the most part.

Fast forward a few years, drank alcohol pretty heavily which curbed my appetite and was really thin for some years. After my late hubby passed, I went overboard and drank to excess every day, and just didn't care about anything, my husband was gone. This went on for 4 years. I called it grieving but I was addicted. And although I was thin I was pretty unhealthy. I didn't care about food and my calories came from alcohol sugars. Then a health scare happened with withdrawals, near death, it was time to get serious about the drinking. Have been sober 16 months now, for health reason, I can't ever drink another drop. I'm very good with that.

Was told in rehab to expect some severe sugar cravings and weight gain, it's just part of healing, and is what your body needs to recuperate. Boy, they weren't joking!! In the past 16 months I put on 35lbs, heaviest I've ever been in my life. I figured, meh, my body was just normalizing, and I'm catching up to family, just deal with it. 

Enter the boyfriend (now hubby) and stepson. They are big guys and we loved our food! Not to pat myself on the back (okay, maybe a bit) but I'm a pretty good cook.  Man did I have an appetite. Seconds, big meals, snacks, sweets, the whole thing.

In this time I got to watching what other people eat. Particularly, the family who've had bypass surgery. Even though they couldn't eat much in the amount of food they were eating, it was WHAT they were eating. And all still griping about their inability to get the weight off. That clicked big-time! Still eating the fried, fat loaded, dairy'd, sweet stuff. 

I've since lost most of the weird cravings. I was consuming a soda a day, quit that. Was feeling the need to have something sweet during the day or evening, quit that. Portions are getting smaller cause my body is telling me it's enough. I weighed myself around Thanksgiving, depressed a bit about it. I seriously considered going on a diet, but after years of watching my sisters and mom dieting and yo-yo'ing just told myself to let my body tell me what to do. I ask myself am I hungry or thirsty. I also started asking myself if I need more or am I satisfied. Weighed myself this morning and am down 8lbs from Thanksgiving. Would still like to lose at least 20lbs to get around what is comfortable on my body without being too thin. It may take a year doing these small changes, but I'm okay with that. 

For me, so far this works: no soda's, eating two meals a day, stay away from fried, fatty, dairy, and sweets, although on occasion is okay. I still love my coffee, will work on that over time.


----------



## Terri

What works for me when I diet is to eat generously of low-cal foods and lightly of high cal foods. For instance last night I had as much salmon as I wanted, only 3 frozen roll up Mexican things (I forget what they are called) and a half cup of peas. There were about 200 calories in the Mexican things- I pay attention to fatty foods- and I do not know how much was in the baked salmon because I do not care.I know it is low calorie.

Mind, I am losing weight very slowly- only 2 pounds in 2 weeks- but I figure I am in this as a life style change. Not really a diet.

That will not work on people who overeat on protein, of course, but I never have: it is carbs that are my weakness! And, as my body is getting used to this diet my carb cravings have thankfully been much reduced!


----------



## Oregon1986

So glad we have so many joining in on this. I'm having great success on Atkins and the weight continuing to drop has kept me going


----------



## Oregon1986

Pschmidt said:


> Might I join in?
> 
> I've always been naturally adverse to fattier foods and dairy. Was skinny most of my life without trying, just ate different than others. Didn't have a sweet tooth and would have a soda maybe once a month or two months. Have 3 sisters and my mom who've had the bypass surgery, along with aunts, niece, and cousins. Some for health reasons, some with appearance reasons. I thought the connection was in what they were eating, I thought so then, I still think so. I mean, I got their genes for the most part.
> 
> Fast forward a few years, drank alcohol pretty heavily which curbed my appetite and was really thin for some years. After my late hubby passed, I went overboard and drank to excess every day, and just didn't care about anything, my husband was gone. This went on for 4 years. I called it grieving but I was addicted. And although I was thin I was pretty unhealthy. I didn't care about food and my calories came from alcohol sugars. Then a health scare happened with withdrawals, near death, it was time to get serious about the drinking. Have been sober 16 months now, for health reason, I can't ever drink another drop. I'm very good with that.
> 
> Was told in rehab to expect some severe sugar cravings and weight gain, it's just part of healing, and is what your body needs to recuperate. Boy, they weren't joking!! In the past 16 months I put on 35lbs, heaviest I've ever been in my life. I figured, meh, my body was just normalizing, and I'm catching up to family, just deal with it.
> 
> Enter the boyfriend (now hubby) and stepson. They are big guys and we loved our food! Not to pat myself on the back (okay, maybe a bit) but I'm a pretty good cook.  Man did I have an appetite. Seconds, big meals, snacks, sweets, the whole thing.
> 
> In this time I got to watching what other people eat. Particularly, the family who've had bypass surgery. Even though they couldn't eat much in the amount of food they were eating, it was WHAT they were eating. And all still griping about their inability to get the weight off. That clicked big-time! Still eating the fried, fat loaded, dairy'd, sweet stuff.
> 
> I've since lost most of the weird cravings. I was consuming a soda a day, quit that. Was feeling the need to have something sweet during the day or evening, quit that. Portions are getting smaller cause my body is telling me it's enough. I weighed myself around Thanksgiving, depressed a bit about it. I seriously considered going on a diet, but after years of watching my sisters and mom dieting and yo-yo'ing just told myself to let my body tell me what to do. I ask myself am I hungry or thirsty. I also started asking myself if I need more or am I satisfied. Weighed myself this morning and am down 8lbs from Thanksgiving. Would still like to lose at least 20lbs to get around what is comfortable on my body without being too thin. It may take a year doing these small changes, but I'm okay with that.
> 
> For me, so far this works: no soda's, eating two meals a day, stay away from fried, fatty, dairy, and sweets, although on occasion is okay. I still love my coffee, will work on that over time.


It can be so hard to loose weight when you have hard eaters to cook for,my SO and 3 kids are the same way


----------



## Nsoitgoes

We are all different. What works for one person, can be a failure for someone else. We should all find out what works best for our body type, our lifestyle and our food preferences.

I, like Terri, am a type 2 diabetic. I basically follow what is popularly known as a ketogenic "LCHF" - low carb, high fat. I eat a sufficient amount of protein for my weight, which is around 50grams/day, I eat less than 20 grams of total carbs - which is 2-3 good helpings of low carb vegetables, and then I eat as much healthy, natural fat as I need to keep my appetite satiated. This keeps my blood sugars stable and the rest of my blood work satisfactory.

Many people are horrified by the "high fat" bit of the diet. But in fact I really don't eat that much of it. Probably less than a very large proportion of the population. Others tell me that I will go into "starvation mode" which is also untrue. While in ketosis my body is using my excess fat to make up for calories I am not eating. I figure I carry around enough spare calories to make all but the most ardent prepper jealous. Lol.


----------



## Oregon1986

Tonight I am prepping my lunches for the next week


----------



## Bellyman

Nsoitgoes said:


> We are all different. What works for one person, can be a failure for someone else. We should all find out what works best for our body type, our lifestyle and our food preferences.
> 
> I, like Terri, am a type 2 diabetic. I basically follow what is popularly known as a ketogenic "LCHF" - low carb, high fat. I eat a sufficient amount of protein for my weight, which is around 50grams/day, I eat less than 20 grams of total carbs - which is 2-3 good helpings of low carb vegetables, and then I eat as much healthy, natural fat as I need to keep my appetite satiated. This keeps my blood sugars stable and the rest of my blood work satisfactory.
> 
> Many people are horrified by the "high fat" bit of the diet. But in fact I really don't eat that much of it. Probably less than a very large proportion of the population. Others tell me that I will go into "starvation mode" which is also untrue. While in ketosis my body is using my excess fat to make up for calories I am not eating. I figure I carry around enough spare calories to make all but the most ardent prepper jealous. Lol.


I'm not T2D (or T1) but I am still finding eating very similarly to be a good thing. Keto/low-carb seems to get a lot of negative press from a lot of people who really don't know much about it. But the people who are actually doing it for months or years generally have a very different view of it. 

I eat well. I'm not hungry. I don't count calories. I do not eat sugar, heavy carbs or most fruit anymore. I generally eat two meals a day, not because I'm depriving myself, but because that's all I want. Occasionally, I'm completely satisfied with only one meal a day. But there is a lot of good food that I can really enjoy, and I do! (And, I'm down almost 55 pounds since last August.) I don't really even think of myself so much as being "on a diet" at all. I just changed some of the foods I eat and don't eat. 

BTW, I really can have muffins, cookies, cakes, pizza, and numerous other things that everyone thinks a person eating keto/low-carb can't have. I just have to make them myself, from low-carb and keto-friendly ingredients. Don't get me wrong, that's not ALL I eat. I eat plenty of good protein, which for me is eggs, fish, dairy and some red meats, and lots of non-starchy veggies and salads. One of my favorite high fat foods... avocado! Also, I love pecans! Hey, there's a lot of good food that's good for me and I'm gonna enjoy it!


----------



## lmrose

Pschmidt said:


> Might I join in?
> 
> I've always been naturally adverse to fattier foods and dairy. Was skinny most of my life without trying, just ate different than others. Didn't have a sweet tooth and would have a soda maybe once a month or two months. Have 3 sisters and my mom who've had the bypass surgery, along with aunts, niece, and cousins. Some for health reasons, some with appearance reasons. I thought the connection was in what they were eating, I thought so then, I still think so. I mean, I got their genes for the most part.
> 
> Fast forward a few years, drank alcohol pretty heavily which curbed my appetite and was really thin for some years. After my late hubby passed, I went overboard and drank to excess every day, and just didn't care about anything, my husband was gone. This went on for 4 years. I called it grieving but I was addicted. And although I was thin I was pretty unhealthy. I didn't care about food and my calories came from alcohol sugars. Then a health scare happened with withdrawals, near death, it was time to get serious about the drinking. Have been sober 16 months now, for health reason, I can't ever drink another drop. I'm very good with that.
> 
> Was told in rehab to expect some severe sugar cravings and weight gain, it's just part of healing, and is what your body needs to recuperate. Boy, they weren't joking!! In the past 16 months I put on 35lbs, heaviest I've ever been in my life. I figured, meh, my body was just normalizing, and I'm catching up to family, just deal with it.
> 
> Enter the boyfriend (now hubby) and stepson. They are big guys and we loved our food! Not to pat myself on the back (okay, maybe a bit) but I'm a pretty good cook.  Man did I have an appetite. Seconds, big meals, snacks, sweets, the whole thing.
> 
> In this time I got to watching what other people eat. Particularly, the family who've had bypass surgery. Even though they couldn't eat much in the amount of food they were eating, it was WHAT they were eating. And all still griping about their inability to get the weight off. That clicked big-time! Still eating the fried, fat loaded, dairy'd, sweet stuff.
> 
> I've since lost most of the weird cravings. I was consuming a soda a day, quit that. Was feeling the need to have something sweet during the day or evening, quit that. Portions are getting smaller cause my body is telling me it's enough. I weighed myself around Thanksgiving, depressed a bit about it. I seriously considered going on a diet, but after years of watching my sisters and mom dieting and yo-yo'ing just told myself to let my body tell me what to do. I ask myself am I hungry or thirsty. I also started asking myself if I need more or am I satisfied. Weighed myself this morning and am down 8lbs from Thanksgiving. Would still like to lose at least 20lbs to get around what is comfortable on my body without being too thin. It may take a year doing these small changes, but I'm okay with that.
> 
> For me, so far this works: no soda's, eating two meals a day, stay away from fried, fatty, dairy, and sweets, although on occasion is okay. I still love my coffee, will work on that over time.


Good for you! You have been through a lot and are coming out stronger because you recognized you needed to change.And you found what works for your body. Keep up the good work!


----------



## Clem

I guess there's something wrong with my taste buds or something, but I just don't get the soft drink thing. They're horrid!! I drink water all day long, a whole lot more in the summer, but some people dislike the taste of water, I guess. I don't taste anything, it's water. Just like breathing. I like coffee. But soft drinks? Maybe 1 or2 a year, tops.


----------



## Trixie

I'm so impressed with all of you.


----------



## CountryMom22

My biggest issue is that my hubby and sons can eat anything/everything and not gain weight. So having the foods that they like and can eat makes it too easy for me to eat them as well. I'm trying to change the way the entire family eats but it's slow going. But I know that if I keep at it, we will all be healthier for it.

I have recently convinced my son's girlfriend to kick the soda habit. And she has lost 4 pounds this week! She said she didn't realize just how much of the stuff she drank. I think that can be said for many of us whether it's soda or portion sizes. And the advice about writing down what you eat is so true! If I don't write it down I forget that I ate it, and then I'm left wondering why the number on the scale isn't moving.


----------



## emdeengee

We bought a Soda Stream machine and although we could make different sodas with it we make bubbly water. To kick the soda habit we started off by pouring about 1/4 cup of natural fruit juice in a big glass and then topping it up with the soda water. This gives you a bit of natural sugar which seemed to help with the soda withdrawal. I think how hard it is and how headachey the change is will depend on just how much soda you were drinking. We were not big drinkers. Half a can a day.


----------



## lmrose

Clem said:


> I guess there's something wrong with my taste buds or something, but I just don't get the soft drink thing. They're horrid!! I drink water all day long, a whole lot more in the summer, but some people dislike the taste of water, I guess. I don't taste anything, it's water. Just like breathing. I like coffee. But soft drinks? Maybe 1 or2 a year, tops.


I can't stand the taste of soft drinks because of the sugar. I mostly gave up sugar years ago to avoid high blood sugar.Well water and spring water we like. But treated town and city water we don't drink or cook with. It has a bad taste.


----------



## Oregon1986

CountryMom22 said:


> My biggest issue is that my hubby and sons can eat anything/everything and not gain weight. So having the foods that they like and can eat makes it too easy for me to eat them as well. I'm trying to change the way the entire family eats but it's slow going. But I know that if I keep at it, we will all be healthier for it.
> 
> I have recently convinced my son's girlfriend to kick the soda habit. And she has lost 4 pounds this week! She said she didn't realize just how much of the stuff she drank. I think that can be said for many of us whether it's soda or portion sizes. And the advice about writing down what you eat is so true! If I don't write it down I forget that I ate it, and then I'm left wondering why the number on the scale isn't moving.


A lot of people have no idea how bad soda is for their weight


----------



## Oregon1986

I'm down 41 lbs since starting Atkins in September,and that's with falling off for a bit in December.


----------



## Nsoitgoes

Wow, Oregon, that's marvelous! Congrats!


----------



## snowlady

I started low carb high protein at the very end of October. I’m down 27-30 pounds but I seem to be stuck. I gained 2 over the holidays then lost it right away. I need to up my activity I think. Thanks for the inspiration!


----------



## light rain

We are eating more plant-based protein and attempting to keep carbs down lower than in the past.

Also ingesting more fiber and water. Just started using a powder for DH's evening snack called "vega protein and greens". 1 scoop has 4 carbs, high sodium (320 mgs.) and 20 g of protein. We'll have to see how the pea protein influences his uric acid levels. Tastes good added with a milk and 1/2 c. of frozen blueberries and some artificial vanilla extract all blended well. It is pricey though.

BTW grocery stores in our area sell 5 lb. bags of frozen wild blueberries from Sysco. I know blueberries are carbs but I believe in moderation that they may be really healthy for the average person.

Never realized that table sugar raises triglyceride levels. I still use it but sparingly. So those utzy, baked goodies may be contributing to heart disease. Our monthly rural electric freebie magazine has all sorts of recipes that sound delicious but never prints the carbs, protein and sodium per serving. I guess what we don't know doesn't hurt us...


----------



## Nsoitgoes

snowlady said:


> I started low carb high protein at the very end of October. I’m down 27-30 pounds but I seem to be stuck. I gained 2 over the holidays then lost it right away. I need to up my activity I think. Thanks for the inspiration!


When you eat more protein than your body can utilize, it is sent to the liver to be turned into glucose by a process called gluconeogenesis. You should probably check how many grams of protein you are eating vs how many your body needs. A rough and ready calculation of that is: find ideal weight in kg (pounds/2.2). Then it should be 1gram of protein per kg of ideal weight. Thus if your ideal weight is 125 pounds, it is 56.8kg, so you need around 60 grams of protein daily. Calculating on current weight is for maintenance.


----------



## Oregon1986

Nsoitgoes said:


> Wow, Oregon, that's marvelous! Congrats!


Thank you! Still have a long ways to go but I'm on my way


----------



## Oregon1986

snowlady said:


> I started low carb high protein at the very end of October. I’m down 27-30 pounds but I seem to be stuck. I gained 2 over the holidays then lost it right away. I need to up my activity I think. Thanks for the inspiration!


Great job! I do an hour a day on the treadmill


----------



## Oregon1986

light rain said:


> We are eating more plant-based protein and attempting to keep carbs down lower than in the past.
> 
> Also ingesting more fiber and water. Just started using a powder for DH's evening snack called "vega protein and greens". 1 scoop has 4 carbs, high sodium (320 mgs.) and 20 g of protein. We'll have to see how the pea protein influences his uric acid levels. Tastes good added with a milk and 1/2 c. of frozen blueberries and some artificial vanilla extract all blended well. It is pricey though.
> 
> BTW grocery stores in our area sell 5 lb. bags of frozen wild blueberries from Sysco. I know blueberries are carbs but I believe in moderation that they may be really healthy for the average person.
> 
> Never realized that table sugar raises triglyceride levels. I still use it but sparingly. So those utzy, baked goodies may be contributing to heart disease. Our monthly rural electric freebie magazine has all sorts of recipes that sound delicious but never prints the carbs, protein and sodium per serving. I guess what we don't know doesn't hurt us...


I love blueberries,mmm


----------



## light rain

We do too! Supposedly the closer to wild variety a person eats the more healthy they are. I have 2 Ruebel planted but it will be a long time before they produce many blueberries. That is why I'm happy that I found the ones from Sysco.


----------



## reneedarley

Tom and I are so lucky as we have forests full of bleeberries, the native low bush variety.


----------



## kra12top

Water! drink more water overall is the best way to lose weight. Try a water filter out such as the berkey (https://www.berkeywaterfilterplus.com/) 
They make the water taste much better than the one that comes out from the tap.
Also try consuming less calories and just being happy overall!


----------



## ThistleMary

I'm 57, and I enjoy a couple of glasses of red wine a few times per week. Not good for weight loss. Just so you know, I don't "diet" -- I just try to be sensible. I don't eat desserts, and I don't work out at a gym. I'd like to lose 40 pounds.

So, a few weeks ago I started taking "Ashwagandha" -- an herbal remedy for those with hypothyroidism. I've lost 6 pounds, and I have much more energy than I did before taking it. I'm not saying it's magical, but golly. I've tried supplements in the past and no change. I can tell when I missed a dose (the dose on the package, by the way, is 500 mg, and I'm taking 1000 mg in the morning). I bought the "Amazing India" brand of Ashwagandha in capsule form, 500 mg each. There is nothing else I've done differently. I still drink coffee in the morning, a lunch that usually consists of a sandwich and carrot sticks, and a dinner of whatever my family eats (plus sometimes a couple of glasses of wine).

I actually feel like this supplement is making a difference. My sister was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, and I have suspected I'm hypothyroid for a long time but can't afford the time to do blood work every other week. So take it or leave it. But if you think you might have a hypothyroid condition, I strongly recommend it.


----------

