I need serious weight loss/exercise help!

[Carol in Cal.]

OK, here's the scoop:

I am one of those people whose mom always made them clean their plates, and who consequently forced food as a habit for most of my life.

 

Despite this, I was always very, very small. I started school a year earlier, and so was the smallest, youngest kid in my class. I also was small and thin by nature. So when I was in second grade people thought I was a kindergartener. I never was physically well-coordinated (young for my class) and so I never really learned to enjoy exercise except volleyball and hiking--hiking was an annual event only, however.

 

In college I weighed 98 pounds on a big day (and was 5'3 1/2"). I must have had a riproaring metabolism, because I would eat a 10 inch pizza for dinner and not gain an ounce. In my 20's I started to ski regularly and play recreational volleyball and attend aerobic classes sometimes, and started to actually like these. But I continued to be in a lot of pain whenever I started to exercise, and that was always a barrier to entry.

 

Around 30 or 35 I started to gain weight annually--my metabolism must have changed, and also I was married and my DH insisted on me eating with him and not getting up early to go to aerobic class so my calorie balance changed. I was up to 150 lbs at 38. When I had a baby at 39, I lost a lot of weight through the pregnancy related healthy eating and metabolic speed, and also continued weight loss through daily activity and BFing, partly because I couldn't digest fat very well after my gall bladdar was removed 6 weeks postpartum. I got down to 125 without really working on it except for the very low fat diet, and stayed around 130 for quite a while. I did a lot of walking--I've always been able to walk all day, no matter what. I started doing weights with "Strong Women Stay Young" and that was the first time I started an exercise program and wasn't in severe pain the first 3 weeks. I really liked it! I could work it into homeschooling. I would do that and ride my exercise bike, and then take my bath, and I could get to that bath any time in the morning hours because I would work these in between working directly with DD. Often I would finish exercising before she got up, but if I didn't I would just stay with it intermittently until I was finished.

 

Then I went back to work fulltime 6 years ago. I continued to homeschool, so really had two full time jobs. I stopped being able to fit in the weight program, and plus I found out that weight training can lead to eye problems--my dad has macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts, and I don't want to risk that. I became completely sedentary, and very, very stressed, and have been ever since. My diet is quick (though not fast food, it involves a lot of peanut butter on crackers and such), and I do eat out more often than I would like. I tried Couch Potato to 5K, and liked it a lot, but was unable to sustain it into the rainy season and failed to start it up again in the spring.

 

So now I am 196 pounds. I have plantar fascitis, so if I walk much the next day it hurts a lot to take any steps. This is so bad that I am really scared of attempting couch potato to 5K at this point. I don't have time to cook properly, although I know a lot about it. I did recently sign up for a CSA, and have been having a lot of fun with that.

 

Has anyone ever BTDT? I need a gentle way to start exercising, preferably one that I can do from or in my home, before I take a bath and head to work in the morning. I need to be able to get on a roll with this, and also to make some not-too-time-consuming dietary changes that will help me to lose some weight. I know that I am asking for health trouble down the road with my weight being so bad. I'm ready to get serious, but I need to be very efficient. I have never dieted, and I don't really know where to start. I can't do no carb--it makes me very headachey and starving all the time. I am in my early 50's, so I can't just start right up and go crazy like I'm 25 or something.

 

Who can give me some good ideas? Thank you!

Edited February 1, 2010 by Carol in Cal.

[smrtmama]

I'd recommend a combination of weight watchers to help retrain your brain to rethink portion size and something like the Miracle Ball method -- like a very gentle pilates: http://www.elainepetrone.com/

 

You don't have to take the classes, as the instruction book comes w/ the balls and is easy to follow.

[HSMom2One]

:lurk5:

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I recommend the South Beach diet which emphasizes lower carb and lower fat. I am currently trying the Atkins diet which is low carb and does not limit fats. I have had 2 of my doctor's recommend it. I would check with your doctor first though to make sure you do not have any conditions that would make these diets a bad idea for you. I have read a lot of research on them and they help a lot with hunger and those with the apple shape. Another one to consider is the Zone diet with also emphasizes protein at every meal and lower gylcemic index carbs. I think less bread, less pasta, less sugar are good things and really help.

 

I also have found Leslie Sansone DVD's to be great. You library or netflix may have them. She does anywhere from 1-5 mile walks on her tapes and they are low impact:) Her tapes allow you the option to stop at 1 mile or 2 miles, etc. so I recommend the 4 or 5 mile ones since you can work your way up to them:)

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Sorry for the double post.

Edited February 1, 2010 by priscilla

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I would ask your doctor about weight training since as an RN I have always read that weight training is very beneficial to everyone and in fact helps us a great deal as we age. Think Jack LaLane;)

 

I am for easy foods as well:)

Right now since I am trying the first phase of Atkin's I keep the following on hand:

Atkin's bars and shakes

Chicken and Turkey sausage

Hard Boiled eggs

Cheese

Lettuce

Olives

Celery

Red Pepper

Cucumber

Metamucil for this diet is needed to keep things going;)

Frozen green beans

Lunch meat

Rotissiere (sp?) chicken

canned wild alaskan salmon

sardines in olive oil

 

http://www.atkins.com/Index.aspx

 

 

http://www.southbeachdiet.com/sbd/publicsite/index.aspx

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbmenus1/a/nocookmenu.htm

[Janet in Toronto]

Hi Carol...

 

I know how you feel, and I have a similar weight history to yours.

 

What is working for me is two-fold: a 30 minute brisk walk every day, and upping the protein in my diet.

 

I have a dog who needs to be walked, so every morning we're out. Winter/summer, rain/shine, I put in 30 minutes of brisk walking with my dog and my iPod. I dress for the weather (I even got my dog a coat for rainy days because he has light-coloured fur that becomes filthy when it's wet outside!) It really helps with my mood as well, so a double benefit.

 

Regarding diet, I am not a calorie counter, but getting more protein and reducing carbs is what works for me. Not no-carb, just making choices in favour of protein. For example, rather than two slices of whole-wheat toast in the morning, I have one with natural peanut butter. Or a high fibre/high protein breakfast cereal. Or an egg on toast. I don't watch fat, because fundamentally, I believe that the problem with our diets is simple carbs/sugar and NOT fat. I try to eat fresh and whole, and buy very little packaged products. Check out Michale Pollan's In Defense of Food or Food Rules for some great advice. I also try not to eat after 8 pm every night.

 

Finally, can you get a second opinion about the weight training issue? I have never heard of this before, and I would hate to see you drop what is probably the best form of exercise for "women of a certain age". A set of free weights in your bedroom or basement and an exercise ball can give you all you need to get strong. Perhaps there are modifications you can make to a standard weight training routine to avoid the vision issues, if in fact they apply.

 

Blessings to you, and good luck getting started!

 

Janet

[delaney]

My DH got me a treadmill and positioned it downstairs so that I can see the projection TV. I pop in a movie and 2 miles fly by!!

[FlockOfSillies]

Carol, for my plantar fasciitis I spent $100 on some good athletic shoes. I went to a shoe store devoted to running and hiking. The people there really knew their stuff. Here's a link for some running stores, organized by state. I'm not in pain anymore -- it was worth every penny, because I wear these shoes almost every day. Can you take a walk on your lunch break?

 

I think the simplest rule for diet that you can internalize is, "When you're hungry, eat. When you feel full, stop." Try dishing up somewhat smaller portions so that you can "clean your plate" and still eat less. It's like I tell my kids -- you can always have seconds. Over time, you may find that you won't want seconds, and you'll be eating less in your first portion.

 

I don't have an exercise routine myself, so I can't give you any btdt info there.

 

HTH a bit.

[eternalknot]

I can't help with the exercise thing, but here are a few easy to implement ideas for the food thing -

 

Do you still feel compelled to clean your plate? If so, buy a smaller set. It doesn't have to be expensive, or even an entire set -- just an individual setting (bowl, plate, etc.) that is not 11" across IYKWIM. I found inexpensive square plates on clearance for $3 at Marshall's that are sized perfectly between a typical round dinner and salad plate. I bought some for my husband, who lives separately from us and who also was a card-carrying member of the Clean Your Plate Club. The first few weeks he hated the plates because "they filled up too fast" -- he couldn't pile a normal-sized serving onto them. A month later he had adjusted to the smaller, more weight-loss friendly serving size and noted that he didn't even feel hungry afterwards. He realized he had just been eating until it was gone, and that his idea of smaller serving sizes were still larger than standard. So ... smaller plates, smaller portions.

 

Related, but different -- I'm a single mom, way overcommitted with extracurriculars (my own and the kids) plus I travel for work. Convenience is key around here. It was too easy to eat out, or to snack on seemingly healthy snacks that weren't so healthy in meal-sized proportions. So I started to make single-serving foods for myself - basically, just frozen meals from my own kitchen. I had always done this for work (froze an extra batch to cook on the plane) but I decided to do it at home, too. I doubled-up a batch of whatever I was making and poured single servings into mason jars. They can be stored in the freezer OR fridge, and warmed in the oven, stovetop, OR microwave. So easy! I do veggies (steamed or stirfried), noodles, soup, chilis, meats, burritos (in foil instead of mason jars) - pretty much anything goes. Best part is that it's harder to go back for unnecessary seconds. Believe me, I've tried! By the time the second serving has warmed up, the hunger or desire to eat more has usually subsided. If you don't have mason jars, use small pyrex bowls or even just aluminum foil (wrapped and stowed in a ziploc bag) - either can be easily heated in the oven, straight from fridge or freezer.

 

Along those lines, try starting each meal with something hot and filling -- a slowly sipped glass of hot tea or hot water, or maybe a small bowl of soup (which you need only warm since you've conveniently premade it, poured it into a mason jar, and stored it in your freezer or fridge!). Either will take only 5 minutes to warm up, and that five minutes will save you extra calories you might otherwise get from too large of portions OR unnecessary second servings. I like to start with tea, but my husband prefers to start with soups. Soups are probably healthier (more minerals, etc.) but either should help fill you before the main entree. My favorite is miso, his is minestrone; tons of good soup options out there.

 

Good luck on your weight-loss journey!

Edited February 2, 2010 by eternalknot

[Liz CA]

Carol, you mentioned cracker with peanut butter. PB is good - protein but try it on celery or bananas instead. I use this as a quick snack.

Cutting carbs to a minimum really helps. Try to get used to more fruit for snacks. I find bananas work wonders for low blood sugar when I am sitting in the office and they can be eaten without a big mess. Apple slices too. You can chomp them down and still answer the phone.

;)

 

Can you start walking for 5 minutes or less and work up gradually as you lose weight and get conditioned? Walking is gentle and a good aerobic exercise. As far as weights go I just started gently with those. I don't plan to get to the point of developing biceps like grapefruits but the resistance of the weight is supposed to keep the bone mass denser for longer.

[nd293]

I am trying to lose some weight. It's not a lot, but that has it's own issues, as there are not a lot of really obvious changes I can make. I joined www.sparkpeople.com ages ago, and the past couple of days have been inputting everything I eat into their nutrition programme. It is a little time consuming to start with, but has been enlightening. For instance, I have discovered that my fruit / cereal / 2 milky coffee breakfast is much higher in calories than I had assumed (it's the milk, i think). I'd do better to try egg&toast, and feel better for it too.

[TammyinTN]

In the last 16 days I've lost 11.2 pounds by doing weight watchers.

 

I eat for breakfast either oatmeal, egg, bacon, cheese 2%kraft on english muffin or a WW blueberry muffin and have a piece of fruit with whatever I eat. Count points and move on.

 

Lunch: Either smart ones, lean cuisine meal with salad and low fat dressing.

 

Snack: fruit

 

Dinner: Same as lunch ..but different meal.

 

Snack: laughing cow cheese with 6 crackers, slim a bear ice cream or ww ice cream.

 

I don't feel denied at all and the weight is melting off. I haven't be able to exercise until starting today. My goal for February is 30 minutes of intense walking as fast as I can on the treadmill. I lift 5 pound weights for 10 minutes for my arms, do 50 crunches daily.

 

My goal is to have 50 lbs gone by June and I've already met my first goal of 10 pounds in 2 weeks.

 

You can do this!! These meals will work until I lose the weight (great for learning portion control) and I'm working on cooking better for the kids while hubby is deployed. I'm all about fresh veggies and fruit and good lean protein. I believe it 80% about the food and 20% about the exercise.

[ConnieB]

I have lost 117 pounds (took me over 2 years, but I haven't gained it back). And I have a myriad of health issues plus painful joints, bad back from carrying all that weight so long, bad knees, etc. Below is the program that I started with (MORE REHAB)....I've since moved up to her Basic Plus, but not until I'd lost most of the weight. For me it required a combination of sensible eating and exercise....doing just one or the other didn't work, I stalled out. But the exercise didn't have to be a marathon which amazed me....just had to be moving "smart". There are samples of her Basic Plus online to try before you buy, so you may want to see if those will work for you since you sound like you may be in slightly better shape than I was when I started out (I had the couch part down pat, but not the 5k, lol....never hiked in my life, drove everywhere including to the other end of the mall....had enough kids around to fetch stuff so I stayed in my chair most of the day, etc). If the Basic is too much right now, start with this instead:

 

https://store.t-tapp.com/products/T%252dTapp-MORE-Rehab-Program-DVD.html If you buy before Valentine's Day you can use the code love214 and get 14% off.

 

 

As for eating....I tried them all, low carb/high protein in many variations, weight watchers, lots of the fad diets and on and on and on. The one that works best and has been easiest to stick to is just plain sensible eating....it takes time to retrain your thought process about food, but once you do it's just so logical that you look back and wonder what you were thinking before! The smaller plate is definitely a good way to do portion control.....eating at a table without a book or tv to distract is another important one for me....and that smaller plate has to be half filled with vegetables or fruit before meat or anything else is put on. And ALWAYS a green salad with more veggies and instead of pouring dressing on, I put a bit in a condiment cup and dip my fork into the dressing before spearing the salad....this means I typically use less than 1/2 a single serving of dressing (and means I can splurge and keep my beloved blue cheese!). My family had to come along with me on the major weight loss journey because having crackers, cookies and other junk in the house meant I would eat them. Now, they don't interest me much, but it was a long process to eliminate their seductive calling of my name. Have healthy snacks on hand and ready to go at all times, so you aren't tempted to grab something else because it's quick.....there are always grapes pulled from the vine, rinsed, patted dry and waiting for me in the fridge...sweet, filling easy to grab a handful and go. When I cook chicken I always cook extra (but without any sauce, etc) and slice it into strips.....so there is always serious protein available to grab and nibble. I got a strainer for yogurt to make "yocheese" and now add a couple spoons of this to flavored yogurt for an extremely filling and long lasting breakfast for less than 100 calories....and I'm not hungry again for hours. I substitute plain yogurt for sour cream on potatoes, in tacos, and most other things that I used to buy a 3 pound tub of sour cream a week for! I weaned myself off sugary soda to diet soda, then off that because it made me crave salty things to go with it, which are almost always high calorie junk. Now I drink water only (something I never drank the first half of my life, lol).....usually plain, but a squeeze of citrus is wonderful too (orange, tangerine, lemon, lime, all great). It does take some time to get used to water only......but it's well worth the effort. I forced myself to drink 8 ounces before every meal....cuts down on food consumption and makes water a part of each meal and eventually I was refilling the glass to drink WITH the meal too. Lots of experts think our "hunger" is partly dehydration and recommend you drink 1/2 your weight in ounces of water....in other words if you weigh 200 pounds, you should be drinking 100 ounces of water a day. Prepare to stop at the bathroom more until your body adjusts, lol.

 

Ok, you get the idea.....good luck!

[Alexandra]

that wearing Crocs instead of houseshoes has really helped my PF. Someone also posted about drinking plenty of water to help with the inflammation - this helped as well.

Good Luck!

[BamaTanya]

I have the same thing. There are specific exercises that can help, but the thing that helped me most was finding the right kind of shoes. Birkenstocks and Keens and Clarks were a godsend to me as a professional on my feet all day last year! There are others -- find someone who can advise you. It made a tremendous difference!

I joined a $10 per month gym a block from home and hit the treadmill, but Leslie Sansone DVDs kept me moving on the days I couldn't get away. Several are available now at Walmart for $10 or less.

We understand!

Are you a member of Sparkpeople? There's a Well-Trained Sparks team if you'd like to join us:

http://www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=8627&gcode=49I2F1HTCT

Blessings!

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Hang in there:) I know how you feel since I have about 100 pounds to lose. It is only day 3 for me on the Atkins but at least I am not hungry:)

[Carmen_and_Company]

I'm actually doing well using the Biggest Loser books, and lost 18 lbs. in 3 months by making small changes in my diet. I just begun walking 30 minutes per day in the snow, and complete one exercise circuit that takes about 10-15 minutes in the evening on February 1st.

 

I tried Weight Watchers & always felt hungry using the points system, but am doing better using a calorie range as described in several of the BL books. I know I can eat between x & y calories each day.

 

I like the BL 30-Day Jump Start book, as it s-l-o-w-l-y builds up your ability to exercise for an hour over 30 days. The book also includes easy to prepare menus for each of the 30 days, too. After completing BL 30-Day Jump Start, I plan to move on to Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred book & DVD.

 

The BL Family Cook Book also includes a meal plan for 7 or 14 days.

 

I'm eating more food now than ever before, and some days I struggle to get through my daily menu.

 

For maintenance, I plan to use the Eat Clean books.

[Quiver0f10]

I lost 107#s over 18 months by following the McDougall Plan http://www.drmcdougall.com/free.html and a daily walk. I have gained some back because I started eating junk, but just got back to eating well and the weight is coming off again.

 

[Mynyel]

I can't help much in the food department. I love to cook and bake.

 

However for exercise, have you or can you try aquatic exercise? Swimming is a very good exercise and there is no impact so you won't have to worry about your feet or legs. Just a thought.

 

I did Couch to 5k too....I would love to get back to it but I have no where to run without traveling 20 minutes...and before anyone says anything I can't run in my neighborhood. I live in the sticks and we call our road the gauntlet. If I was to walk down my street everyone would be poking their heads out, I don't wanna deal with that!

 

:grouphug::grouphug:

[jld]

Like Jean, I have lost weight through Dr. McDougall's program, too. It makes you healthy as well as thin, and it's easy and inexpensive. He is in Santa Rosa, Carol (I don't know where in CA you are), if you would want to go to one of his live-in programs to get you started.

 

Good luck to you. It's wise to be proactive about this.

[Carol in Cal.]

I decided to start very very small and make incremental changes that I can stick with that won't set me back.

 

So, I signed up for a CSA and am eating a lot more veggies and some more fruit as well. I have not gained any weight doing this, so I am concluding that I've actually displaced some food with healthier food, rather than just adding in some healthy food to an already too high calorie diet. I think I've lost about 4 pounds, but am not sure due to weight variations yet. The great thing about the CSA is the feeling of abundance that it gives me. They are just shovelling too much stuff at me, so I eat more and different veggies than I would normally ever buy, and I'm less hungry for junky stuff. The other night I ate an entire bunch of very early, tiny, sweet baby carrots around dinner time, and then had very little dinner. That's the kind of displacement that I want!

 

Also I am cooking a bit more and eating prepared foods less. This is cutting down on my salt intake and I tend to use better quality ingredients. It's healthier but subtle.

 

For exercise, I just always hurt when I start exercising, and I tend to injure myself. I'm very overweight, I guess, and with plantar fascitis my balance is not as good as it might be. So I decided to just start by getting markedly more active during the day. I am considerably less sedentary than I was before--it's a real commitment and a very specific change for the better. I can't go walking from work as I sweat and then feel yucky for the rest of the day, but this incremental motion is working. Also, I have been doing more consistent stretches for the plantar fascitis, and also when I go for walks I try to walk mostly up on the balls of my feet--that has been surprisingly helpful in reducing the second day pain from walking and hiking. I have also started to stretch in general, a lot. I have heard that stretching is helpful to your circulatory system. Although I'm not doing formal yoga, this is the first step toward working up to something like that.

 

And, to wrap it all up, I have a 2010 journal that I wasn't using, so I start to write down my health notes in it, along with notable events. I think that that is encouraging me to refrain from very unhealthy eating on 'occasions' such as funerals or parties--as those pop up all too often, I need to take them more seriously rather than just regard them as exceptions.

 

I'm going to look back through these posts often over the next few months, and as I get to the point of being able to take on something more substantial I know that they will be very valuable. I'm just wanting to be realistic about not being quite at the starting line yet, and I'm committed to doing what it will take to get there.

 

Thank you again!

Edited February 18, 2010 by Carol in Cal.

[MariannNOVA]

Carol: I will PM you.

[woolybear]

Richard Simmons for exercise. All the movements can be modified and it's fun.

[Alice]

Sounds like you are doing great! You got a lot of great advice but I thought I'd add a few thoughts since I'm working on similar things myself.

 

My approach for 2010 is to make a different health resolution each month. Small things but that over time will lead to better health. I'm trying to go slowly so that the changes become habits and then sustainable. For Jan I gave up Diet Coke (which was something I drank way too much of) and for Feb I've been aiming for adding in 3-5 days of exercise a week.

 

I've also been following the No-S diet. The basic premise is No Sweets, No Snacks, No Seconds except sometimes on S days (Saturdays, Sundays, and special days). The website has lots more details. It's sounds almost too simple, but it's working well for me. I have a long way to go in eating healthier but again I'm trying to go slowly. So for now I'm focusing on eating this way and I have future plans to work on portion sizes/eating more veggies etc.

 

Another thing I discovered is that Netflix has some exercise DVD's available for instant download. I prefer to walk outside but we've had a lot of snow and it's not possible. I've enjoyed trying some of the Pilates and yoga DVD's from Netflix. It's fun to try and nice not to have to commit to something by buying it.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Richard Simmons for exercise. All the movements can be modified and it's fun.

 

:iagree: His tapes are fun. I have been doing Wii Walk It out which is fun, fun, fun so much so that you don't want to stop:) You walk to the beat of the songs and they do have slower selections. As you are walking, you click on the sphere shapes to activate houses, trees, bridges, lights to build the island.

 

Leslie Sansone is also fun and low impact.

 

If you feet are really bothering you, then you could try swimming if you have access.

 

I am on week 3 of Atkin's and no cravings and no hunger:)

 

Hang in there:)

[LBS]

No S Diet. Its designed by an engineer. I need rules, cause I'm really good at cheating (it gets circular.)

 

Also, I hated the shots in my heels so much, I shopped and shopped and found the best shoes for my feet: Merrell's. They fit my style, last forever, and can be found on sale at outdoor places. Flylady told me to get dressed to my shoes and now it is a good habit, although these are not lace up, they are still hard enough to get on and off. I hike a decent amount with my Scouts, so just could not handle the plantar fascitis any longer.

 

Good luck!

Edited February 19, 2010 by LBS
misspelling

[Guest Shawn]

Nice things to know more details. There are so many programs which helps people to lose weight by following those programs . The weight loss exercise program is time-consuming but it is of a great value to try with it. Before starting with the system person must forever check with a doctor or a dietitian.