Is it possible to lose weight and keep it off?

[Barb_]

Mindful eating, adding variety to our diets every single day (I never repeat the same food in a week if possible), cooking from scratch, avoid simple carbs, more fruits and nuts as snacks and deliberate movement in addition to daily exercise (I park my car far away and walk to appointments, stay on my feet etc.) helps a lot in my weight control. I also only eat 3 meals - never stay close to food sources (fridge and pantry) and get more vegetables into my meals.

 

I don't weigh myself anymore - if my favorite pair of jeans is a little too tight, I know that I need to lose weight.

This exactly. Except I have to weigh. I'm data driven :)

[Callie]

You misunderstood, I think. I'm saying, I wonder what the science is behind why you have to count carbs, but another person doesn't and is just as thin. I can promise you my ex husband, my son and my mother never counted a carb/calorie/or anything else in their lives. They didn't practice discipline. They just weren't hungry. They didn't want the food, period. Even when they should be gaining weight, they weren't hungry enough to do so. We need to explore (by me, I mean science) why that is.

Yes I did misunderstand.  My dh is like your ex.  He is 6'5" and has a 30-32" waist.  He eats a crazy amount and is thin.  I have had to get over being really emotional when he eats chips or ice cream or some other food I used to love because I was spending to much energy being angry with him over it.

[Callie]

After I eat I'm satisfied.  But then I might be hungry 2 hours later.  It's not necessarily that I'm not satisfied after a meal.  It's just not always long lasting.

If I eat carbs that is how I am.  As long as I stay lchf I am satisfied.  I gained 30 lbs in 3 years before I discovered I was diabetic.  

[Callie]

Honestly, I don't know of any adult who doesn't have to put in some effort at maintaining his or her weight. I'm a good weight only because I pay attention and don't let it creep up too much to begin with. I postpone breakfast because I only eat when I'm hungry, not by the clock or because I'm afraid I might not be near food later. I weigh every day. Fluctuations of a couple of pounds are fine, but when my weight creeps up four or five pounds I start wrestling it back down again. I walk at least 10k steps a day and that gives me a couple hundred extra calories to play with. I weigh everything with a good scale and only eat the listed portion size or less. I find that I'm happier with half sized portions of a variety of higher calorie foods (few almonds, half piece cheese, one slice whole wheat, one egg, etc) than one big portion of one thing. I fill in with produce as much as possible. Mindful eating as mentioned above.

 

I went to Chicago for five months because that's where my husband lives year round and in spite of doing a lot of walking everywhere I managed to gain 15 pounds without a scale. It took me nine months to take it back off again. Not going to do that again!

I also weigh, measure & track everything I eat.

[SparklyUnicorn]

If I eat carbs that is how I am.  As long as I stay lchf I am satisfied.  I gained 30 lbs in 3 years before I discovered I was diabetic.  

 

Yeah I don't eat many carbs either. 

 

I'm generally "ok" with the way things are at the moment.  It's not perfect, but I'm ok.  I guess I just wish it were a hell of a lot easier.

 

My sister actually lost a lot of weight before she was diagnosed.  It does run in my family so I do watch things pretty carefully. 

[Callie]

But why do naturally thin people feel full eating a small amount, and uncomfortable eating more, when obese people don't? That's where the science is looking now. Gut bacteria and bile acids seem to play a big role, but I have no idea where that will lead. I have a naturally thin son, his father, my ex, was also naturally thin to the point of underweight. He didn't stay underweight by denying hunger or tremendous self control. He just naturally regulated there. For an obese person to get to the point of underweight they would be hungry, always thinking about how to stay in control, having to plan exercise, count calories (or carbs or whatever), etc etc. That's what drives me crazy about the whole thing. It's like me telling an alcoholic, I don't know why you drink so much, I have no problem stopping after one. Well duh, I'm not an alcholic, and don't have a drive to drink excessively. I can't compare my experience to someone elses. Same with food. For me, eating a "normal amount" takes TREMENDOUS will power, but it doesn't for a naturally thin person. Trying to sustain that level of will power is incredibly difficult. 

Have you ever tried a lchf way of eating?  Even as a young adult eating a carby breakfast had me starving shortly after.  I was better off not to eat until lunchtime.  My diagnosis of diabetes came after gaining 30 lbs in three years.  I was starving all the time.  Did I mention I ate mostly vegetarian/whole grain because I thought that was healthy.

 

Once I started lchf my cravings went away.  I should add that up until age 43 I had been a healthy weight without the hunger issues.  But the pre-diabetes caused the issues.

 

Could you buy a blood glucose monitor and check your numbers.  http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/has good info.  

[swimmermom3]

So I have a couple of questions for those of you have gone or are on the no sugar route.

 

There is no history of obesity in my family either on the paternal or maternal side. There were a few "matronly" women, but usually in middle age.  On my mom's side, my grandfather loved sweets, but didn't drink, the same goes for my mom, and her brother died young from alcoholism. My mom has always been slim with beautiful clothes, but she hasn't been healthy. She's not particularly fond of food, so she will skip lunch and have a bag of jelly bellies. She eats a good breakfast, but minimal dinner and then ice cream. She was hospitalized early on when I in grade school with low blood sugar.  She also has an immune disease. I know there is a connection with sugar and inflammation. I don't care so much for desserts, but will do the bag of fruit snacks or jelly beans thing too. My youngest also has an incredible sweet tooth that is geared the same way. The older kids can only eat a bit before they are ill.

 

My dad's side has some heavy alcohol use, but not serious issues if that makes sense.  I have one sister, who is six years younger than me. She went from thin to morbidly obese in her early '20's while her dh was stationed in Okinawa. A few years ago, she nearly died from pancreatitis in her early 40's. I didn't know about the drinking. My weight gain took much longer than hers, but we are here and outside of sharing family, we have little in common and have lived totally different lives.

 

I look at all of this information and I see patterns. Well, duh, right?  And I thought I read somewhere about the sugar and alcohol connection. I am careful about what I drink and how much because of this, but also because I have a high tolerance level and that's not good. I find that to keep sane, and get the scales moving downwards, I need to back off of the sugar a lot. The occasional bite of cookie won't set me off, but two bites might. I will avoid white flour products, but will still do carbs like oatmeal or brown rice. Even then, life is better if I up the protein, lower the carbs, and keep the fat at a level that keeps my stomach from getting too grinding.

 

For those of you that have dumped the sugar, what are your parameters? Did you experience any decrease in inflammation or changes in health?  What part does alcohol play in your healthy lifestyle or does it play any part?  Do you see genetic predispositions? All of this really concerns me for the health of my kids as well.

[Jean in Newcastle]

My thing is that I like food.  Food made properly is tasty.  And it is communal.  And it is happy in a not-emotional-eating sort of a way.  So I refuse to have any sort of a permanent diet that does not allow me to eat a variety of foods.  That said, I also like to be as pain-free as possible so I try to like food without any gluten or nightshades.  

[SparklyUnicorn]

So I have a couple of questions for those of you have gone or are on the no sugar route.

 

There is no history of obesity in my family either on the paternal or maternal side. There were a few "matronly" women, but usually in middle age.  On my mom's side, my grandfather loved sweets, but didn't drink, the same goes for my mom, and her brother died young from alcoholism. My mom has always been slim with beautiful clothes, but she hasn't been healthy. She's not particularly fond of food, so she will skip lunch and have a bag of jelly bellies. She eats a good breakfast, but minimal dinner and then ice cream. She was hospitalized early on when I in grade school with low blood sugar.  She also has an immune disease. I know there is a connection with sugar and inflammation. I don't care so much for desserts, but will do the bag of fruit snacks or jelly beans thing too. My youngest also has an incredible sweet tooth that is geared the same way. The older kids can only eat a bit before they are ill.

 

My dad's side has some heavy alcohol use, but not serious issues if that makes sense.  I have one sister, who is six years younger than me. She went from thin to morbidly obese in her early '20's while her dh was stationed in Okinawa. A few years ago, she nearly died from pancreatitis in her early 40's. I didn't know about the drinking. My weight gain took much longer than hers, but we are here and outside of sharing family, we have little in common and have lived totally different lives.

 

I look at all of this information and I see patterns. Well, duh, right?  And I thought I read somewhere about the sugar and alcohol connection. I am careful about what I drink and how much because of this, but also because I have a high tolerance level and that's not good. I find that to keep sane, and get the scales moving downwards, I need to back off of the sugar a lot. The occasional bite of cookie won't set me off, but two bites might. I will avoid white flour products, but will still do carbs like oatmeal or brown rice. Even then, life is better if I up the protein, lower the carbs, and keep the fat at a level that keeps my stomach from getting too grinding.

 

For those of you that have dumped the sugar, what are your parameters? Did you experience any decrease in inflammation or changes in health?  What part does alcohol play in your healthy lifestyle or does it play any part?  Do you see genetic predispositions? All of this really concerns me for the health of my kids as well.

 

Lot of diabetics in my family.  The ones who were diabetic were/are the sugar lovers and heavy drinkers.  INTERESTING now that I type that out.  I do drink, but not excessively (never hard liquor, rarely wine, sometimes light low carb beer or when for special occasions a good micro brew).  I don't like sweets at all.  I rarely eat them.  I won't say never ever.  But, for example, I can bake 20 batches of cookies and be fine with eating one. My mother, on the other hand, could down a box of donuts.  Her favorite foods were marshmallow peeps and candy corn.  No joke. 

 

I will say though that because diabetes is so prevalent in my family I'm cautious.  My dad has never been diagnosed.  He does not have huge sweet tooth and drinks rarely. 

 

[swimmermom3]

Mindful eating, adding variety to our diets every single day (I never repeat the same food in a week if possible), cooking from scratch, avoid simple carbs, more fruits and nuts as snacks and deliberate movement in addition to daily exercise (I park my car far away and walk to appointments, stay on my feet etc.) helps a lot in my weight control. I also only eat 3 meals - never stay close to food sources (fridge and pantry) and get more vegetables into my meals.

 

I don't weigh myself anymore - if my favorite pair of jeans is a little too tight, I know that I need to lose weight.

 

I have a question about the three meals thing.  For a long time, those of us struggling with our weight have been encouraged to eat small snacks to keep our blood sugar stable and to keep from getting too hungry.  Several years ago, one of my favorite lifestyle authors, who was also a registered dietician, talked about eating only 3 meals. I thoughts she was so outdated. But I find that planning for two snacks in the day, has me thinking about food way more than I should. Is all day grazing really has healthy as we've been told?

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I have a question about the three meals thing.  For a long time, those of us struggling with our weight have been encouraged to eat small snacks to keep our blood sugar stable and to keep from getting too hungry.  Several years ago, one of my favorite lifestyle authors, who was also a registered dietician, talked about eating only 3 meals. I thoughts she was so outdated. But I find that planning for two snacks in the day, has me thinking about food way more than I should. Is all day grazing really has healthy as we've been told?

 

 

I find the snacking thing incredibly annoying.  I don't snack often. 

[Callie]

So I have a couple of questions for those of you have gone or are on the no sugar route.

 

There is no history of obesity in my family either on the paternal or maternal side. There were a few "matronly" women, but usually in middle age.  On my mom's side, my grandfather loved sweets, but didn't drink, the same goes for my mom, and her brother died young from alcoholism. My mom has always been slim with beautiful clothes, but she hasn't been healthy. She's not particularly fond of food, so she will skip lunch and have a bag of jelly bellies. She eats a good breakfast, but minimal dinner and then ice cream. She was hospitalized early on when I in grade school with low blood sugar.  She also has an immune disease. I know there is a connection with sugar and inflammation. I don't care so much for desserts, but will do the bag of fruit snacks or jelly beans thing too. My youngest also has an incredible sweet tooth that is geared the same way. The older kids can only eat a bit before they are ill.

 

My dad's side has some heavy alcohol use, but not serious issues if that makes sense.  I have one sister, who is six years younger than me. She went from thin to morbidly obese in her early '20's while her dh was stationed in Okinawa. A few years ago, she nearly died from pancreatitis in her early 40's. I didn't know about the drinking. My weight gain took much longer than hers, but we are here and outside of sharing family, we have little in common and have lived totally different lives.

 

I look at all of this information and I see patterns. Well, duh, right?  And I thought I read somewhere about the sugar and alcohol connection. I am careful about what I drink and how much because of this, but also because I have a high tolerance level and that's not good. I find that to keep sane, and get the scales moving downwards, I need to back off of the sugar a lot. The occasional bite of cookie won't set me off, but two bites might. I will avoid white flour products, but will still do carbs like oatmeal or brown rice. Even then, life is better if I up the protein, lower the carbs, and keep the fat at a level that keeps my stomach from getting too grinding.

 

For those of you that have dumped the sugar, what are your parameters? Did you experience any decrease in inflammation or changes in health?  What part does alcohol play in your healthy lifestyle or does it play any part?  Do you see genetic predispositions? All of this really concerns me for the health of my kids as well.

My dad is an alcoholic and my mom has been morbidly obese my entire life.  She has most likely been on every diet out since 1970 and it ended with WLS in 2006. Even WLS was a failure she lost some weight but not nearly anywhere close to what was needed.  She has since regained it.  She became obsessed with food after the surgery she carried a bag with her everywhere she went with crackers, nuts, beef jerky etc.  She truly ate every few minutes because she said she was always sick/shaky.  Every moment was planned around where we could stop to eat a meal.  It was crazy.  So yeah I watch my weight and what I eat.  I don't drink alcohol and when I did it was maybe 1/2 a beer every couple of years.  I eat lchf my energy and quality of life became 100x better.

[Clear Creek]

No pre-diabetics/diabetics anywhere in my family, which is why it shocked me when I was diagnosed pre-diabetic. I called my parents and asked both of them, and my Mom thought she might have a cousin that was diabetic, but that's it. I doubt genetics had much to do with it in my case. Alcoholism does run in my Mom's side of the family, so there may be something to that connection. Like I mentioned earlier, I am positive that I have a carb addiction.

 

All I know is that my siblings, as well as most of my cousins on both sides of my family, are stick-thin and never have to diet, and I was the same until my early thirties...then I started battling continual weight gain, which no amount of exercising and calorie counting touched. My idea of calorie counting sometimes involved reading the number of calories in a pint of Ben & Jerry's and eating only 400 more calories than that the rest of the day so I could eat the ice cream and remain under my maximum allowed calories, though! :o  Having moderate insulin-resistance explains why that didn't work for me!

[mathnerd]

I have a question about the three meals thing.  For a long time, those of us struggling with our weight have been encouraged to eat small snacks to keep our blood sugar stable and to keep from getting too hungry.  Several years ago, one of my favorite lifestyle authors, who was also a registered dietician, talked about eating only 3 meals. I thoughts she was so outdated. But I find that planning for two snacks in the day, has me thinking about food way more than I should. Is all day grazing really has healthy as we've been told?

 

Some people do need to eat many small meals in a day in order to maintain their sugar levels. But, in my case, I never like to snack - I eat normal size meals thrice - I pack the meals with whole foods and a lot of veggies so they keep me fuller for a longer time. On the rare occasions when I feel hungry in the evening, I eat my dinner earlier rather than eat a snack. If I snack, I almost always eat an orange or apple (sometimes dates).

Another thing is that I constantly drink water - I have an insulated 27 oz water bottle next to me all the time and drinking water throughout the day keeps me from feeling hungry. 

[Barb_]

I have a question about the three meals thing.  For a long time, those of us struggling with our weight have been encouraged to eat small snacks to keep our blood sugar stable and to keep from getting too hungry.  Several years ago, one of my favorite lifestyle authors, who was also a registered dietician, talked about eating only 3 meals. I thoughts she was so outdated. But I find that planning for two snacks in the day, has me thinking about food way more than I should. Is all day grazing really has healthy as we've been told?

 

 

No. I don't believe it is.  It keeps you constantly thinking about food and you never get to experience real hunger as opposed to, "well, I could eat." You should never plan to snack, IMO.  I like fitnesspal because it takes the planning out of everything.  I just take a peek and see if I'm too carb heavy or fat heavy or protein or veggie light or whatever and just make sure to add or subtract from that group as needed at my next mealtime.

[ktgrok]

Have you ever tried a lchf way of eating?  Even as a young adult eating a carby breakfast had me starving shortly after.  I was better off not to eat until lunchtime.  My diagnosis of diabetes came after gaining 30 lbs in three years.  I was starving all the time.  Did I mention I ate mostly vegetarian/whole grain because I thought that was healthy.

 

Once I started lchf my cravings went away.  I should add that up until age 43 I had been a healthy weight without the hunger issues.  But the pre-diabetes caused the issues.

 

Could you buy a blood glucose monitor and check your numbers.  http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/has good info.  

 

I have, and will say I do better as far as cravings that way, for a while anyway. Generally I lose some weight the first few weeks, then stall, then start creeping up in weight again even meticulously weighing and counting and tracking everything. Sucks. But, the cravings go away.

 

(edited to add, I actually FEEL best on a balance of protein, fat, veggies, fruit, and whole grain. When I go too low carb for too long, say a month or more, I feel awful. Add in some fruit and whole wheat bread with butter and I feel great again. i just can't lose that way though.)

 

As for blood glucose, just got some fasting labs back and fasting glucose is 80. Also, even eating real meats, cheeses, etc, my cholesterol is below normal, and trigs are well within limits at 81. And my blood pressure when checked this week for a life insurance exam was 120/68. So, even at 100lbs overweight and a BMI of 40, my labs look good, so watching what I eat is helping that.  Which would make me feel better if my mom hadn't reminded me that my father's labs looked good too right up until he had a heart attack. In his 40s.

[VaKim]

If I lived somewhere where it was mild year round and I could walk every day and be outside, I'd do great. When winter comes, I just want to eat all day long, every day. Mostly sweets. So I generally gain and lose the same 15 pounds every year. Lose them in the summer and gain them back by spring.  :glare:

[Joyofsixreboot]

Yes I did misunderstand. My dh is like your ex. He is 6'5" and has a 30-32" waist. He eats a crazy amount and is thin. I have had to get over being really emotional when he eats chips or ice cream or some other food I used to love because I was spending to much energy being angry with him over it.

My brother is like this. Everyone told him he would gain weight as he aged but at 50 he is still thin. He eats what he wants in normal amounts. I think being 6'5" gives him lots more room to eat than 5'6" me. My kids except one are of that body type and are thin. I have one who favors dh's family and sure enough even though normal weight and height she just looks fluffier, has a booty and I predict will have a much harder time with weight.

[Xuzi]

I need to snack or else I get light-headed and ravonously hungry by meal time and end up eating way more.

 

I don't think there are any blanket eating tips that will universally work for everyone. Some people can handle snacking, others can't. Some can skip breakfast, others can't. It's trial and error to see what works for your own body.

[swimmermom3]

My dad is an alcoholic and my mom has been morbidly obese my entire life.  She has most likely been on every diet out since 1970 and it ended with WLS in 2006. Even WLS was a failure she lost some weight but not nearly anywhere close to what was needed.  She has since regained it.  She became obsessed with food after the surgery she carried a bag with her everywhere she went with crackers, nuts, beef jerky etc.  She truly ate every few minutes because she said she was always sick/shaky.  Every moment was planned around where we could stop to eat a meal.  It was crazy.  So yeah I watch my weight and what I eat.  I don't drink alcohol and when I did it was maybe 1/2 a beer every couple of years.  I eat lchf my energy and quality of life became 100x better.

 

Callie, what's Ichhf? :blushing:

 

I've been wondering about the sugar, alcohol, patterns of addiction thing for a while. My husband's family, missionary folk, have very little alcohol use going back several generations. They like dessert okay, but know when to stop. My SIL, who struggles with her weight as well, also has alcohol abuse in her family background.

 

I don't have a lot of talents, but I do have an uncanny ability to see patterns and trends, at least according to my professors, sadly, they are a bit more difficult to see when they involve me personally. It's like asthma sufferers will often have similar complexions or rather skin irritations. The genetics of it are fascinating to me, but I really digress...

 

[Xuzi]

Low carb, high fat.

[swimmermom3]

I have, and will say I do better as far as cravings that way, for a while anyway. Generally I lose some weight the first few weeks, then stall, then start creeping up in weight again even meticulously weighing and counting and tracking everything. Sucks. But, the cravings go away.

 

(edited to add, I actually FEEL best on a balance of protein, fat, veggies, fruit, and whole grain. When I go too low carb for too long, say a month or more, I feel awful. Add in some fruit and whole wheat bread with butter and I feel great again. i just can't lose that way though.)

 

As for blood glucose, just got some fasting labs back and fasting glucose is 80. Also, even eating real meats, cheeses, etc, my cholesterol is below normal, and trigs are well within limits at 81. And my blood pressure when checked this week for a life insurance exam was 120/68. So, even at 100lbs overweight and a BMI of 40, my labs look good, so watching what I eat is helping that.  Which would make me feel better if my mom hadn't reminded me that my father's labs looked good too right up until he had a heart attack. In his 40s.

 

Katie, that is really good news.

 

Hmm. Your mom must know my mom. I love my mom dearly, but she is not helpful at all in the weight lose department, in fact conversations about homeschooling are horrible triggers for me. :grouphug:

 

Some things are just better left unsaid.

 

[ktgrok]

Katie, that is really good news.

 

Hmm. Your mom must know my mom. I love my mom dearly, but she is not helpful at all in the weight lose department, in fact conversations about homeschooling are horrible triggers for me. :grouphug:

 

Some things are just better left unsaid.

 

 

thanks, and yes, exactly. She means it as encouragement for me to lose weight. As if you know, I enjoyed having an extra 100lbs on me and hadn't thought about trying to lose it. Sigh. Oh, and when I caught a cold at a summer camp she was convinced it was probably tuberculosis. You get the picture. But, she is a great mom and is always there for me, so I let it slide. 

[swimmermom3]

What I have found is that if I "reset" to more mindful eating, I am more satisfied with that. Eating more makes me want to eat more. Eating less, I realize that I am actually physically satisfied eating less. It's a vicious or virtuous cycle. Of course, there are nice squirts of dopamine that come from eating processed carbs, which makes the vicious cycle more appealing, in a way.

 

I read an interesting book called Switch about how change happens in individuals and organizations. I found it easy to imagine how it applies to eating and fitness. Several WTMers on the Book a Week thread read it as well. Effective change doesn't have to be about willpower much at all. It does have to do with planning and decision-making though.

 

I used an Audible credit before I went on my walk. So far, I am totally engaged and very interested to see where this is headed. The point that willpower is a finite resource was interesting as was the study that went with it. I wish I had the hard copy to mark up and take notes in. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Joyofsixreboot]

I have a question about the three meals thing. For a long time, those of us struggling with our weight have been encouraged to eat small snacks to keep our blood sugar stable and to keep from getting too hungry. Several years ago, one of my favorite lifestyle authors, who was also a registered dietician, talked about eating only 3 meals. I thoughts she was so outdated. But I find that planning for two snacks in the day, has me thinking about food way more than I should. Is all day grazing really has healthy as we've been told?

 

New thinking is back to old thinking. It turns out three meals and a period fasting overnight leads to better sugar control. There are lots of theories in the professional journals. Of course there's always some whackado jumping on the bandwagon but this is becoming, along with the gut biome,a hot topic in dietary professional circles. Here are a couple easily accessible articles.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517131703.htm

http://www.refusetoregain.com/2015/01/time-restricted-eating-does-it-work-you-tell-me.html

Truthfully, the advice to eat often was more anecdotal than rigorously studied. The same may turn out to be true of the eating window. I think eating less often does control the whole slippery slope of eating. A snack, to me, is just a tease. I also realized that truthfully, I could be hungry without the world ending. I could probably go a week before I really HAD to eat. Living in an environment where it is so easy to eat makes snacking possible. If everything took, fetching, prepping, cooking and clean up I'd narrow eating to 2-3 times a day naturally. I don't eat past 6 normally and eat again sometime after 8:30. Skipping breakfast doesn't bother me usually but since I work out fairly heavily first thing I try to eat something when I get back because I think I should. It's not like I really want it. If I did what I want I'd run 5 miles and rehydrate with coffee but that gets my kids on my case.

[Barb_]

My brother is like this. Everyone told him he would gain weight as he aged but at 50 he is still thin. He eats what he wants in normal amounts. I think being 6'5" gives him lots more room to eat than 5'6" me. My kids except one are of that body type and are thin. I have one who favors dh's family and sure enough even though normal weight and height she just looks fluffier, has a booty and I predict will have a much harder time with weight.

 

Yeah, I'm 5-2.5 and two of my girls top out at 5-1 fully grown.  That doesn't give someone a whole lot of leeway calorie wise!  I think that's why short so often goes with overweight.  Dishes, portion sizes, etc are geared toward someone trying to maintain an average of 150lbs.  It takes a lot more food to maintain greater than 150lbs than it does to maintain 110 or 120 pounds. My shortest daughter seems to eat next to nothing, but the truth is she doesn't need much to fuel her. The one who is 5-4 eats like a horse but she's my adhd girl who can't sit still.  Doing nothing special she averages 12K steps a day on the fitbit just around the house. 

[swimmermom3]

Bigs hugs. And it is so hard. I'm one of the successful ones, and I'll be the first to tell you it is t willpower or ingenuity. It's a ton of daily work, little bits at a time, 24/7/365/until death. And it's not jus that, but combining those daily habits with a diet that essentially shortcircuits my body's tendency toward energy storage and misappropriation of that stored energy. I don't have a full button, my satiety is totally screwy and my body just jams calories into my adipocytes and complains of hunger immediately thereafter instead of using stored fuel, because said body just doesn't work correctly.

 

Full stop.

 

Losing a person was hard. Keeping it off is a little easier for me, but only in that the enormous energy I expend to lose is slightly more difficult for me than the moderate mental energy needed to maintain. And then there is the mental game of not feeling self defeated because I'm 'only' down 70 pounds right now instead of the 130 lbs lost I was last May when I got pregnant again. It's so easy to feel like a failure and want to throw my hands up and quit, not remembering how much better I feel *now*, on plan, than when I let it slide and weight piles on, inflammation pops back up, etc.

 

 

It is slightly maddening to me when someone who hasn't ever been obese tells me how easy it is to maintain, or when someone who has had surgery alms to me about portion control, or someone who is beyond the hormonal flux of reproduction tells me I shouldnt give into the immense ohysiological cravings of ovulation or nursing. It takes energy just sorting out the good advice from the bad, not taking badly delivered compliments personally, and remembering that i am just as valuable and successful now as I was at goal weight, and when I was at my very highest. Not tying self image to weight is easier said than done.

 

It's tiring. It's hard. Even people who beat the odds and maintain, like moi, sometimes just get EXHAUSTED with the effort of it all.

 

I've fohnd the tools that work for me to lose weight and maintain (low carb, the original Simeon's protocol, daily food logging and weighing several times weekly, rinse and repeat into eternity). But whole your think that more time practicing would make it easier, I've found a sort of attrition sets in and it can be oh so easy to slide around and wear yourself out if you are not daily working and your health and remembering your reasons for maintaining it in this way.

 

Sometimes it's all so simple and you're in the zone with the weight management mojo and sometimes every day, for weeks on end, is a true slog. My very best advicd as a major loser and maintainer is to enjoy the good times and realize that the slogs are temporary but very real, and that the key to maintenance is not giving into the seasons where your mojo is on vacation. If you can make it through those days or weeks or months where it all takes too much effort, the more you do that the more you are convinced on a gut level that you can do it again. And again. And again. In that, time makes maintaining easier. But the daily activities? Don't take for granted that they just have to become a part of the scenery, like tooth brushing or cleaning the toilet.

 

I'm about all out of motivational words, because right now I'm in a slog. But going over my own success and refreshing my mind on my reasons for losing the weight and the habits that got me here and keep me here helps so much. It isn't skill, engenuity, or my own awesomeness - it's realizing my body isn't like a non-obese person's, never WILL be like it (even if it looks that way on the outside), and that for my particular health problem I have to manage it in a countercultural and abnormal and difficult manner and that's just the way it goes. Life isn't fair, and this is just a part of it. That doesn't make weight loss not worth the effort - my HEALTH is worth the effort and my family deserves the best of me I can give them - so I suck it up and deal with the hard and whine occasionally about how totally exhausted I am with weight maintenance, and then I do it anyway.

 

Again and again.

 

:crying: :cheers2: (The beer is no-cal, but tastes like an amazing micro-brew)

 

I think I'll have to put you right up there on the pedestal along with Jean.

 

Your family also deserves to have you around for a long time.

 

 

[swimmermom3]

New thinking is back to old thinking. It turns out three meals and a period fasting overnight leads to better sugar control. There are lots of theories in the professional journals. Of course there's always some whackadojumping on the bandwagon but this is becoming, along with the gut biome, hot topics in dietary professional circles. Here are a couple easily accessible articles.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517131703.htm

http://www.refusetoregain.com/2015/01/time-restricted-eating-does-it-work-you-tell-me.html

Truthfully, the advice to eat often was more anecdotal than rigorously studied. The same may turn out to be true of the eating window. I think eating less often does control the whole slippery slope of eating. A snack, to me, is just a tease. I also realized that truthfully, I could be hungry without the world ending. I could probably go a week before I really HAD to eat. Living in an environment where it is so easy to eat makes snacking possible. If everything took, fetching, prepping, cooking and clean up I'd narrow eating to 2-3 times a day naturally. I don't eat past 6 normally and eat again sometime after 8:30. Skipping breakfast doesn't bother me usually but since I work out fairly heavily first thing I try to eat something when I get back because I think I should. It's not like I really want it. If I did what I want I'd run 5 miles and rehydrate with coffee but that gets my kids on my case.

 

Thanks for linking these articles.  A few weeks ago I had posted a thread about flipping dinner and lunch for myself, making lunch a bigger meal than dinner. The responses were most helpful, but Lanny's stuck in my mind about that he only eats two meals a day and nothing in the evening unless it's maybe an apple. I remembered his response, because it was a plan similar to Jack LaLanne's, remember him?  He ate two meals a day and never snacked. Of course he also wouldn't eat anything made by man, but would take something like 50 supplements.

 

Anyway, I did flip the meals and found that I sleep better and don't have reflux at night. It would be interesting to try eating a later breakfast and then an earlier lunch/dinner and try to contain it to an 8-hour window. I could only do this while I was keeping things at a lower carb and eliminating as much sugar as well, the the need to eat more frequently wouldn't be nearly as strong.  Hmmm. I am always willing to try something new, except these days, I don't do crazy. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

[swimmermom3]

Lisa, dumping sugar and starch has been so key for my health, to answer your previous question. Much, much lower inflammation, including lessening adult acne, lower joint inflammation, less indigestion, yeast issues, energy crashed mid afternoon, you name it. I HAVE to cut starch and sugar to be successful. I can eat 300-500 calories more per day and still lose weight when I am low carb, whole foods. Calorie counting, on the other hand, felt like a constant battle against hunger and cravings. It turns out my body responds differently to different foods, and that the composition of those foods matters. Run of the mill Atkins is great for me and my inflammation is quite low.

 

I'm do have some persistent food allergies, MTHFR defects, and hypothyroid I'm addressing, so I fight inflammation still. But it was markedly worse when I consumed any notable amount of sugar or starch. A little dark chocolate, half a cup of berries, a 1/4 sweet potato - fine every day or two. Anything more than that except on the rare holiday? I'm asking for puffiness, achiness, oiliness, and pimples. Oh, and a good solid 4-8 pound gain overnight, with several weeks or work to get it back off (some is water weight, but the truth is that my emancipated adipocytes hang onto anything insulin shuttles into them, so I have to be proactive in not kicking that cycle off or my body presses *hard* to regain).

 

As for meal frequency, i do much better with an eating window where I eat a big meal and maybe two small meals, then I'm done for 14-18 hours. So I usually eat a big breakfast, moderate lunch, and then a few hours later a tiny dinner or evening snack and call it good. I can flip that around and fast in the morning and eat a huge dinner, but I don't sleep as well. My body doesn't handle longer fasts well, it raises my cortisol and that's already an issue, but a solid half day or so with no food coming in seems key to my circadian rhythm and insulin control. Snacking all day makes me hungrier and I tend to overeat. Bigger meals less frequently helps me circumvent my messed up satiety signals by stuffing me once and topping me off, as it were ;)

 

This sort of thing is highly individual, your mileage may definitely vary. But older women and men, in particular, seem to do better with intermittent fasting of varying types than reproductive women, who seem to do better with a wider eating window and more frequent meals. That's by no means a rule, just what the data seems to suggest at this point in time. Does that help at all?

 

This helps immensely. I think I was writing at the same time about flipping meals and not being able to sleep. I find it really weird how small food changes can trigger such a huge response in your body.  I remember working out like a mad woman back when low fat was the craze and eating low calorie and next to no fat. I couldn't figure out why I was nearly killing myself at the gym and I couldn't lose a pound. The trainer told me to go home and eat a piece of peanut butter toast. I thought she was crazy, but I guess that was another lesson I needed to learn. My body likes 25% fat and is really not happy with anymore than a 5% fluctuation in either direction.

 

So with the low carb, do you still have the energy needed for a good workout?

 

 

[Barb_]

Thanks for linking these articles. A few weeks ago I had posted a thread about flipping dinner and lunch for myself, making lunch a bigger meal than dinner. The responses were most helpful, but Lanny's stuck in my mind about that he only eats two meals a day and nothing in the evening unless it's maybe an apple. I remembered his response, because it was a plan similar to Jack LaLanne's, remember him? He ate two meals a day and never snacked. Of course he also wouldn't eat anything made by man, but would take something like 50 supplements.

 

Anyway, I did flip the meals and found that I sleep better and don't have reflux at night. It would be interesting to try eating a later breakfast and then an earlier lunch/dinner and try to contain it to an 8-hour window. I could only do this while I was keeping things at a lower carb and eliminating as much sugar as well, the the need to eat more frequently wouldn't be nearly as strong. Hmmm. I am always willing to try something new, except these days, I don't do crazy. :tongue_smilie:

I find that I feel better doing it this way too. My husband lives out of state for work and in the winters when we're here and he's there I usually do our larger meal early. So coffee and whole cream (no sugar) when I get up, breakfast whenever I get hungry (usually around 10:30), lunch/dinner around 1:30. Maybe a piece of fruit or popcorn later in the day.

[swimmermom3]

We've talked about the really hard work, the various ways to eat and our frustration.

 

What do you all do to keep your heads on straight while you are working on your weight? Do you have rituals that ease some of the feeling of mental deprivation if not physical deprivation?

 

I know that increasing the food quality can increase your enjoyment and maybe some of the mood swings, but what other strategies do you have?

 

For those of you that have been/or are emotional eaters, what did you do to break those patterns?

[El...]

I watched an interesting TED talk where a lady talked about "Set Points".  She thinks our bodies get settled and comfortable at a certain weight and will "try" to return themselves to that status-quo.  She said you might have to stick at your new weight for several YEARS to get your body to reset and stay put without so much struggle.  She had lost weight and kept it off.

 

Ah, found it!  It was a little discouraging but ultimately helped how I think about my weight.  http://www.ted.com/talks/sandra_aamodt_why_dieting_doesn_t_usually_work

[SeaConquest]

Back to post more later, but I thought this was helpful:

 

http://www.ted.com/talks/sandra_aamodt_why_dieting_doesn_t_usually_work?language=en

 

ETA: I have lost 50+ pounds twice in my life. Both times, it was only possible when I was chemically altered in some way -- amphetamines or other drugs to suppress appetite and increase metabolism. Once I am obese, my fat becomes so metabolically active and my body so insulin resistant that I become "a lean mean, fat-storing machine" (my doctor's words). It's like trying to start a locomotive -- the train just isn't moving without help.

 

I tried to lose weight again, after my second pregnancy, without any success. 12 months and not a pound came off. A month ago, I started on a new medication to help the insulin resistance, and lo and behold, 6 pounds fell off in a month. That never happens for me without medical assistance. We will see if the weight loss continues, and for how long. But, I pretty much have realized that I will be fighting this battle for the rest of my life.

 

 

 

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Lisa - I realize that I'm talking from the perspective of someone who has not actually been successful, but I find it better to focus on the positive steps to do instead of the negative to not do.  So for food, I focus on what I should eat and not what I shouldn't.  I try to find new and yummy recipes that are low-glycemic or are vegetarian or that just highlight good veggies that I want to add to my diet.  I focus on how many steps I'm getting on my FitBit and try to up it - in my case very slowly.  I try to focus on having a cup of hot flavored herbal tea to give my tastebuds something to focus on at night when I have the munchies instead of thinking about not eating xyz.  Personally I use self control just to get out of bed in the morning so trying to have self control to get through all my meal times and every other time would be just too much!  I want some pleasure in my life and food does give me some pleasure.  I don't want to give it power over my life but I don't want to make it a taboo thing either.  

[Barb_]

Lisa - I realize that I'm talking from the perspective of someone who has not actually been successful, but I find it better to focus on the positive steps to do instead of the negative to not do. So for food, I focus on what I should eat and not what I shouldn't. I try to find new and yummy recipes that are low-glycemic or are vegetarian or that just highlight good veggies that I want to add to my diet. I focus on how many steps I'm getting on my FitBit and try to up it - in my case very slowly. I try to focus on having a cup of hot flavored herbal tea to give my tastebuds something to focus on at night when I have the munchies instead of thinking about not eating xyz. Personally I use self control just to get out of bed in the morning so trying to have self control to get through all my meal times and every other time would be just too much! I want some pleasure in my life and food does give me some pleasure. I don't want to give it power over my life but I don't want to make it a taboo thing either.

I think you make a great point, Jean. The best way to break a habit isn't by focusing on "Not" doing the thing, but replacing it with a positive substitute. So I really want to stay here and fart around on the boards some more, but I'm going to grab my ugly little dog and make her take a waddle with me. She's part dachshund, part beagle and I think part chihuahua and she undulates when she walks. She looks like someone pasted a tiny dog's head on an beagle weenie. Bless her heart.

[Joker]

Honestly, I don't know of any adult who doesn't have to put in some effort at maintaining his or her weight. I'm a good weight only because I pay attention and don't let it creep up too much to begin with. I postpone breakfast because I only eat when I'm hungry, not by the clock or because I'm afraid I might not be near food later. I weigh every day. Fluctuations of a couple of pounds are fine, but when my weight creeps up four or five pounds I start wrestling it back down again. I walk at least 10k steps a day and that gives me a couple hundred extra calories to play with. I weigh everything with a good scale and only eat the listed portion size or less. I find that I'm happier with half sized portions of a variety of higher calorie foods (few almonds, half piece cheese, one slice whole wheat, one egg, etc) than one big portion of one thing. I fill in with produce as much as possible. Mindful eating as mentioned above.

 

I went to Chicago for five months because that's where my husband lives year round and in spite of doing a lot of walking everywhere I managed to gain 15 pounds without a scale. It took me nine months to take it back off again. Not going to do that again!

 

My dh is 42. He eats whatever he wants, whenever he wants. I'm amazed at the amount of food he can put away at a single meal. The doctor tells him every stinking year he could do to gain five pounds. He works out only every now and then. He is fit and healthy but doesn't have to work at it or worry about it all. Everyone in his family is the same even well into their 70s, 80s, and 90s. There are those who don't have to work at it all. There are also those who work like crazy to keep it off or slim down who are not successful.

 

[Barb_]

My dh is 42. He eats whatever he wants, whenever he wants. I'm amazed at the amount of food he can put away at a single meal. The doctor tells him every stinking year he could do to gain five pounds. He works out only every now and then. He is fit and healthy but doesn't have to work at it or worry about it all. Everyone in his family is the same even well into their 70s, 80s, and 90s. There are those who don't have to work at it all. There are also those who work like crazy to keep it off or slim down who are not successful.

 

He must be twitchy like my 15yo :) Some people can burn calories taking in air..they are never still. Lucky ducks.

[Katy]

My body doesn't handle longer fasts well, it raises my cortisol and that's already an issue, but a solid half day or so with no food coming in seems key to my circadian rhythm and insulin control.

 

How do you know it raises your cortisol? 

[Xuzi]

Finding new and delicious recipes is definitely one of my ways of coping with feelings of deprivation (which only pop up now after I've spent time around a bunch of junk food, like when visiting friends, even if they weren't offering me anything). I have a bunch of really yummy, sweet-tooth-satisfying, low-carb snacks and desserts that I treat myself to when the mood strikes. You don't feel so deprived when you have the choice between a bad-for-you really yummy food or a good-for-you really yummy food.

[swimmermom3]

I watched an interesting TED talk where a lady talked about "Set Points".  She thinks our bodies get settled and comfortable at a certain weight and will "try" to return themselves to that status-quo.  She said you might have to stick at your new weight for several YEARS to get your body to reset and stay put without so much struggle.  She had lost weight and kept it off.

 

Ah, found it!  It was a little discouraging but ultimately helped how I think about my weight.  http://www.ted.com/talks/sandra_aamodt_why_dieting_doesn_t_usually_work

 

I don't really know what to think about that talk.  So this is why people on the other thread were saying that you can't lose weight?  You can adopt healthier habits that will put you less at risk, but if you are overweight, you will always be so because the set point can only go higher?

 

I am also curious as to high she defines "diet." Maybe I am just nitpicking, but I had a conversation with my mom once that nearly drove me insane. I had started using Sparkpeople and was really pleased with the results and the weight was coming off easily. My mom asked me what I was doing. I said "eating better, eating a little less, and moving."  She said, So you are dieting?" I couldn't call it that because it didn't feel like any other diet I had ever been on. In fact, I thought, "This is how 'normal' people go through their day." I made better choices, but nothing was a really drastic change. I had ice cream occasionally or a glass of wine. Eating 1500-1700 calories a day didn't feel like a diet after all of the other things I had done. We must have fought about it for 20 minutes, because it seemed so important to her for me to call it a diet and it was just as important for me not to call it that.

 

So what defines an eating plan as a "diet" as it's used in this Ted talk?

 

 

[Joyofsixreboot]

For me, again I think every person is different, variety is bad. I have 2 or 3 morning foods and maybe 3 or 4 lunches that I stick to and a pattern of starting dinner off with a giant green salad. Knowing generally what I'll eat makes me quit thinking about it. For me the step between thinking about food and eating it is short. I pretty much know that if I choose my normal meals I'll fall within the limits that let me maintain. I do enjoy a holiday now and then but mostly habit is easier. I usually plan the day in the morning and stick to it. Things sometimes get crazy but that's the exception. I really feel it is a mental shift. This is just how I do things. I have rules or practices or routines. Whatever you want to call it. Oh, I also somewhere got the idea of exercise snacks. Maybe Google it? Mid afternoon or whenever you're having trouble throw in 5 minutes of running in place, jumping, arm swings, push ups against the counter, whatever. Really get your heart up, then have some water. I think snacking may be a way we're trying to get alert. Motion short circuits that and gets you some oxygen. YMMV

[Soror]

Back to post more later, but I thought this was helpful:

 

http://www.ted.com/talks/sandra_aamodt_why_dieting_doesn_t_usually_work?language=en

 

ETA: I have lost 50+ pounds twice in my life. Both times, it was only possible when I was chemically altered in some way -- amphetamines or other drugs to suppress appetite and increase metabolism. Once I am obese, my fat becomes so metabolically active and my body so insulin resistant that I become "a lean mean, fat-storing machine" (my doctor's words). It's like trying to start a locomotive -- the train just isn't moving without help.

 

I tried to lose weight again, after my second pregnancy, without any success. 12 months and not a pound came off. A month ago, I started on a new medication to help the insulin resistance, and lo and behold, 6 pounds fell off in a month. That never happens for me without medical assistance. We will see if the weight loss continues, and for how long. But, I pretty much have realized that I will be fighting this battle for the rest of my life.

 

(hugs) I hope it continues to work for you, good luck! Maybe (hopefully) your body will eventually reset to at least make it easier.

 

I will say while I think the vast majority of people that are thin put effort into staying that way, I don't think the effort is equal for everyone. We know some conditions and medications cause weight gain, we know some individuals are metabolically deranged to varying degrees- think about having to put in 10-25% more effort than the normal person, especially when you have lots to lose, that can be nearly impossible to keep with long enough to make a difference. 

 

I know it has been harder and easier for me at different times, I was eating twice as much last winter (I tracked it) and still hungry. I thought for a bit maybe I needed it but evidently not all because I kept gaining and gaining. Now, I weaned 2 weeks ago (I've been continuously nursing and/or pregnant for 11+years) and lo and behold my appetite is now at a normal level (perhaps my thyroid function is also better right now but I haven't tested since Nov when it was really off). However, I'm taking a break from weighing myself (as it was becoming an unhelpful practice) so I'm not sure if my decrease in intake is corresponding in a decrease in pounds. If however in another 4 weeks when I do weigh I find that my size or weight is still exactly the same I'll likely conclude that my weight is stuck and I need to continue focusing on other things, such as strength, endurance, mood, sleep and energy levels- which are of course more important anyway.

Lisa - I realize that I'm talking from the perspective of someone who has not actually been successful, but I find it better to focus on the positive steps to do instead of the negative to not do.  So for food, I focus on what I should eat and not what I shouldn't.  I try to find new and yummy recipes that are low-glycemic or are vegetarian or that just highlight good veggies that I want to add to my diet.  I focus on how many steps I'm getting on my FitBit and try to up it - in my case very slowly.  I try to focus on having a cup of hot flavored herbal tea to give my tastebuds something to focus on at night when I have the munchies instead of thinking about not eating xyz.  Personally I use self control just to get out of bed in the morning so trying to have self control to get through all my meal times and every other time would be just too much!  I want some pleasure in my life and food does give me some pleasure.  I don't want to give it power over my life but I don't want to make it a taboo thing either.  

 

Just because the scale hasn't moved doesn't mean you haven't been successful. I love food too, right now I'm trying to avoid all nightshade including spices to see if they affect me and that has been one of the hardest changes- I miss my spices. I try to focus on what I'm adding as well, instead of avoiding. When cutting something out of my diet I work on adding something else- new styles of cooking, recipes, spices, fruits, veggies etc.

 

I think processed food is pretty nasty anyway, with no flavor, I'm not sure why people think that not eating it is depriving- it is only because their tastebuds are deadened by it. I have no desire when I go by fastfood places .(of course I haven't regularly eaten it in many years now, it took a while to get to that point), or most restaurants either and anyplace good costs too much to go very often.  The same can be said for gluten and dairy, it makes me feel bad to eat it- instant stuffy nose with dairy and my tummy bloats like crazy and I have gi issues with gluten- if I keep at it then there is depression, no energy, etc. I recently discovered eggs and nightshades seem to zap my energy. I'm not very happy about that. I'm hoping I can at least add back the spices.

 

When actively losing I'm generally all in at first, reading articles, blogs, forums etc and put a lot of my energy there I can only keep that level for awhile and then I have to give more attention to other areas and focus on what I can do automatically, usually that is at least 4-6 weeks to re-establish new habits- as losing weight is different than maintaining. One way I have helped to keep that focus in the past is change up what I do, to keep things interesting and exciting.

I don't really know what to think about that talk.  So this is why people on the other thread were saying that you can't lose weight?  You can adopt healthier habits that will put you less at risk, but if you are overweight, you will always be so because the set point can only go higher?

 

I am also curious as to high she defines "diet." Maybe I am just nitpicking, but I had a conversation with my mom once that nearly drove me insane. I had started using Sparkpeople and was really pleased with the results and the weight was coming off easily. My mom asked me what I was doing. I said "eating better, eating a little less, and moving."  She said, So you are dieting?" I couldn't call it that because it didn't feel like any other diet I had ever been on. In fact, I thought, "This is how 'normal' people go through their day." I made better choices, but nothing was a really drastic change. I had ice cream occasionally or a glass of wine. Eating 1500-1700 calories a day didn't feel like a diet after all of the other things I had done. We must have fought about it for 20 minutes, because it seemed so important to her for me to call it a diet and it was just as important for me not to call it that.

 

So what defines an eating plan as a "diet" as it's used in this Ted talk?

 

Maybe it is a mom thing, I had the word diet. Dieting implies temporary change, white knuckling and starving and all other manner of unhealthy activities. Now I've had my moments but generally I try to keep my focus on being healthy. I don't really like the way my mom tends to do it which involves hardly eating at all at times and I don't want to be associated with that type of behavior.

For me, again I think every person is different, variety is bad. I have 2 or 3 morning foods and maybe 3 or 4 lunches that I stick to and a pattern of starting dinner off with a giant green salad. Knowing generally what I'll eat makes me quit thinking about it. For me the step between thinking about food and eating it is short. I pretty much know that if I choose my normal meals I'll fall within the limits that let me maintain. I do enjoy a holiday now and then but mostly habit is easier. I usually plan the day in the morning and stick to it. Things sometimes get crazy but that's the exception. I really feel it is a mental shift. This is just how I do things. I have rules or practices or routines. Whatever you want to call it. Oh, I also somewhere got the idea of exercise snacks. Maybe Google it? Mid afternoon or whenever you're having trouble throw in 5 minutes of running in place, jumping, arm swings, push ups against the counter, whatever. Really get your heart up, then have some water. I think snacking may be a way we're trying to get alert. Motion short circuits that and gets you some oxygen. YMMV

I read another interesting blog post the other day about food variety, saying that helping to cut variety way down along with reward really helps with weight loss. As it is manufactured foods are made to be super palatable - causing many to eat too much. Sugar, salt and fat also increase the reward from food and are subsequent eating- he commends an interesting plan to lose weight, which I could see certainly working for some- if they could stick with it. My mom is the type to eat the same type of food, I go through spells and then I switch it up. http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/search/label/Food%20reward

[El...]

I don't really know what to think about that talk.  So this is why people on the other thread were saying that you can't lose weight?  You can adopt healthier habits that will put you less at risk, but if you are overweight, you will always be so because the set point can only go higher?

 

I am also curious as to high she defines "diet." Maybe I am just nitpicking, but I had a conversation with my mom once that nearly drove me insane. I had started using Sparkpeople and was really pleased with the results and the weight was coming off easily. My mom asked me what I was doing. I said "eating better, eating a little less, and moving."  She said, So you are dieting?" I couldn't call it that because it didn't feel like any other diet I had ever been on. In fact, I thought, "This is how 'normal' people go through their day." I made better choices, but nothing was a really drastic change. I had ice cream occasionally or a glass of wine. Eating 1500-1700 calories a day didn't feel like a diet after all of the other things I had done. We must have fought about it for 20 minutes, because it seemed so important to her for me to call it a diet and it was just as important for me not to call it that.

 

So what defines an eating plan as a "diet" as it's used in this Ted talk?

I know what you mean; I feel like she could have been more clear if she'd talked for another 10 minutes.  I think by "diet" she means something you do for a while and then go back to "normal".  

 

I got from her talk that my natural appetites will not help me stay at the new weight but will try to shove me back to the old set point, and I'll have to stay alert about my dietary changes for YEARS to make it stick.

 

I think we do a mental switch when we "diet".  We gut it out for a while on self-control steam and promise ourselves an end to the diet.  I always fixate on the thing I "can't" have.  If my husband diets, he uses self-pitying language about it.  (He quit that when I mentioned that dd was listening.) 

 

When I eat a lower-carb "primal"-style, I don't feel deprived; I luxuriate in good choices and feel well-fed.  Mostly.  :) 

[LarlaB]

NM

[Carol in Cal.]

I've run across a book that I'm enjoying about major weight loss, called "The Shift".  It's more about the psychology of it than about food choices per se.  One of the points that it makes is that the author chose to think of food as fuel for her for a period of time.  Fuel, not anything else--not pleasure, not social lubrication, not gratification--just fuel.  For me, that sounds like a lightbulb type breakthrough approach, because I love to eat, and I love to feed people cool stuff I made or found/selected and make them happy that way.  But really, there are lots of other things I love, and I don't have to focus there.

 

Another thing from that same book is that she describes observing other people in social settings and being surprised at how and how little they ate there.  She saw people taking a bite and then putting their forks down to talk, or pushing their food around on the plate but not eating it, or simply not finishing it.  Now, I don't binge in the sense of 'go to a fast food place and order dinner for three and take it home and eat it all' but working on WW has made me realize that I don't limit myself nearly enough when I'm eating out or at a party.  I LOVE appetizers beyond all reason, and though they sound more genteel than Mickey D's, my comsumption of them at a party amounts to a binge from a calorie standpoint.  

Just some food for thought.

[73349]

Honestly, I don't know of any adult who doesn't have to put in some effort at maintaining his or her weight.

 

 

I don't put in any effort. My BMI ranges around 18.5 to 19.5. (Neither does DH, with a BMI around 22.5 or 23.)

 

I think we have decent genetics and general health, were raised with fairly good habits, and happen not to like some things that cause trouble for other people (like alcohol).

 

I do snack. I do eat fast food or other takeout about twice a week, and DH even more than that. I put enough sugar in my coffee to horrify many people and eat chocolate chips straight from the bag; I know I should probably use less sugar and eat more vegetables, but I haven't done anything about it. I don't exercise: I'm naturally slothful. (I joined a gym a few years back in hopes of raising my energy level, worked out faithfully for a year, and quit when I concluded it had done nothing for me that I could tell.) DH is fidgety and winds up walking kind of a lot, but never exercises for its own sake.

 

I do stop eating when I'm full, because I know from experience that it hurts to eat too much. I drink mostly water. I don't continue to eat something if I really don't like it, even if it's supposed to be a treat--I grew up with plenty of artificial everything in the '80s, but it tastes off to me now. I do get enough sleep. TV bores me. I'm not working at these things.

 

 

Being overweight is not a character flaw. Being thin is not a virtue. To those who are struggling--please take care of yourself just because you are awesome.

[Shellydon]

Super interesting thread.  I gained 25 lbs after I quit nursing my 4th baby, thus ending 10 years of pregnancy/nursing.  I cannot lose it no matter what I do. Diet changes make no difference, except that low carb gives me an irregular heart beat.   I increased my exercise from walking 5 miles per week to 10-12 miles per week 4 months ago and haven't lost an ounce.  My doctor is baffled.  So frustrating! 

[Soror]

Super interesting thread.  I gained 25 lbs after I quit nursing my 4th baby, thus ending 10 years of pregnancy/nursing.  I cannot lose it no matter what I do. Diet changes make no difference, except that low carb gives me an irregular heart beat.   I increased my exercise from walking 5 miles per week to 10-12 miles per week 4 months ago and haven't lost an ounce.  My doctor is baffled.  So frustrating! 

Fingers in my ears! I've had a horrid time losing while nursing number 4, I'm really hoping that weaning helps me lose. I'm going to be so annoyed if it continues to go the opposite way. 

[SeaConquest]

I listened to a segment on NPR about this yesterday and it sounded interesting. 

 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-approves-new-obesity-device-1421276434

 

This was the segment from Marketplace, if you would like to have a listen:

 

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/science-%E2%80%93-and-cost-%E2%80%93-behind-weight-loss

[Barb_]

I don't put in any effort. My BMI ranges around 18.5 to 19.5. (Neither does DH, with a BMI around 22.5 or 23.)

 

I think we have decent genetics and general health, were raised with fairly good habits, and happen not to like some things that cause trouble for other people (like alcohol).

 

I do snack. I do eat fast food or other takeout about twice a week, and DH even more than that. I put enough sugar in my coffee to horrify many people and eat chocolate chips straight from the bag; I know I should probably use less sugar and eat more vegetables, but I haven't done anything about it. I don't exercise: I'm naturally slothful. (I joined a gym a few years back in hopes of raising my energy level, worked out faithfully for a year, and quit when I concluded it had done nothing for me that I could tell.) DH is fidgety and winds up walking kind of a lot, but never exercises for its own sake.

 

I do stop eating when I'm full, because I know from experience that it hurts to eat too much. I drink mostly water. I don't continue to eat something if I really don't like it, even if it's supposed to be a treat--I grew up with plenty of artificial everything in the '80s, but it tastes off to me now. I do get enough sleep. TV bores me. I'm not working at these things.

 

 

Being overweight is not a character flaw. Being thin is not a virtue. To those who are struggling--please take care of yourself just because you are awesome.

I don't know if your last sentence was a reaction to my post but I hope that I didn't give anyone the impression that was my opinion. I posted what I did as encouragement. It's tough to struggle. Not just with weight, with anything. When you look at someone else and think, "Well no wonder they're good at that thing, it so easy for them...they don't even have to work at it!" It's so discouraging. You feel like you were just dealt a bad hand and why bother trying. I've seen my kids do this with anything they struggle with, whether it's sports or reading or art or music or whatever. Yes, there is such a thing as natural talent and there is such a thing as differences in basal metabolism (which is what a lot of this discussion comes down to, imo), but when someone is succeeding they usually just give the impression that it's easy. Success is its own reward, so it's probably psychologically easier. But work is still involved in most cases. I'm not diminishing the fact that it's harder to lose a lot of weight than it is to lose a little. But I think it's helpful to know that the vast majority of thin people also have to pay attention and eat mindfully. I would think that knowledge is more encouraging to someone than hearing they simply weren't born with the right genes like some people.