Obesity Discussion Forums

[Rue]

I suppose I should start my own blog, instead of blogging in everyone else's blog!

I'm 48. I'm 5'6" with a large frame. I was never skinny as a child, but never had a weight issue either. I gained quite a bit of weight with each of 3 pregnancies...and after the 3rd baby, it never came off!

Then, over the years, getting older, having some minor health issues (asthma has gotten worse, have an arthritis-like condition and anxiety/stress issues) led to even more of a weight gain.

The added weight is depressing! I kinda tried to lose it 'sensibly' over the years...and just gained more. By sensible I mean I tried to keep my caloric intake below 2000, but not below 1600 - according to the latest guidelines - and tried to stay active.

Didn't work.

Then this past September, went in for a regular check-up, and the Doctor told me I was fat (thanks! Hadn't noticed!) and I needed to lose weight.

Her suggestion: 1200 calories, cut the carbs, up the protein and increase activity (not necessarily 'official' excercise).

Guess what? For the first time in some 8+ years I started losing weight.

I don't do anything special other than avoid high calorie foods, and watch portions. Otherwise I eat what everyone else eats. I still have all 3 kids at home (20-year old son attending University, 17-year old daughter in Grade 12, and a 14-year old son in Grade 9) so it's too hard to eat something different from what they do.

I also have the added issue of dealing with my daughter's anorexia. She's not the type that doesn't eat, she's the type that over-exercises, but food remains an obcession. Having one person calorie counting to lose weight and another obscessing about every calorie she consumes because she doesn't want to gain weight but has to - well, you can imagine.

We've always eaten fairly healthy at home. I don't enjoy cooking, but I cook well when I do. We have some junk food, but relatively little compared to most homes I've been in. We do eat at fast-food restaurants more than we should - in part because we live on an acerage - so when we're all in town, we stop somewhere cheap to eat. However we never overdid it, I don't think, in what we ate. All 3 kids and hubby are athletic...just I'm not...so they burn the calories.

Since September I've dropped 30+ lbs. Last two weeks I've been holding steady...hopefully I'll start to drop again. I have no specific goal date in mind, but it would be nice if the weight was all off in time for Grad at the end of June.

[ana]

Rue you have started off very well 30lbs is amazing, great job keep it up. Best wishes on your weight loss journey .

[Rue]

Thanks! I feel good about the weight loss, and that my clothes are loose!

Having a quick supper at home - and meeting my cousin and her boyfriend for coffee. They can order a meal there if they like too...usually have live entertainment. Curious to see the new boyfriend...met the ex back in April of last year...

[pursuitofhappiness]

Hello Rue!

i agree 30lbs is really good. and you only have 23lbs till your goal,

I read on yahoo news one day that people who were hitting the point were weight was not coming off like it did when they first started,

was losing weight really quick by doing "exercise bursts".

Its basically were you have a average routine of exercise and every day you do something out of the ordinary in addition to your normal routine.

they were saying like taking the stairs at work one day.

or say you walk for exercise for 20min and you add a couple minutes of jogging, or 5 min extra of walking really really fast.

so basically everyday you give yourself a burst of exercise but its supposed to be different every day, (that involves different parts of the body, arms one day, legs one day, stomach ect..)

I'm going to try it myself. I will try and see if i can find that post and i will reply back.


Bob

[pursuitofhappiness]

hey rue,

heres 2 links to stories i found, its not the same article but it basically explains it. I am going to start it as of tomorrow.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060918142456.htm

www.physorg.com/news131796976.html

[Miranda]

You are over halfway there! Congratulations! Your low carb seems to be working really well for you!

[Rue]

Thanks guys! Yes, the low carb plan seems to be working - and I'm not feeling like I'm missing out on anything - even though if I do have pasta I have to really cut back on portion size.

Now if I could only get over this hump! Still holding steady this morning.

I think Bob is right...I need to change things up a bit...

I went out last night - and was fine with my chamomile tea! Had no desire to have a desert like the others were having!

[Chrissy]

Hi Rue, Yup you are certainly doing a great job. I agree it's nice to see/feel the changes in the way clothing fits.

I had a few weeks at the same weight...we just got to be patient it will go down, you will get over the hump. My weight today actually went up 181.2 but I know I definitely didn't gain.....my calories are right, I'm eating clean and exercising.

I too agree with Bob about changing things up with bursts of exercise. Great links Bob......gonna try that myself.

Way to go on drinking your chamomile tea while out with friends.

[Rue]

Thanks Chrissy!

Well...another day of weight holding steady...in fact, while I standing on the scale pondering the lack of movement - it actually bumped me up another .2 lbs...*argh*

All I can think of is lack of activity. It's been too cold for me to walk the dogs (I could try - if I drug up before I go out (cold-induced asthma) but I don't want to drug up if it's not absolutely necessary), so even though I'm on the treadmill, I'm probably on it less than I would be out with the beasts...

[Miranda]

I'm sorry you've hit a plateau. The cool thing though is that you are over halfway there! That's an awesome accomplishment. I think mixing things up might be worth a try. Maybe even try measuring your portions for a few days (when your daugher isn't looking). Maybe the portion sizes have started creeping up? Anyway, stick with it! You'll get out of this rut.

[Rue]

Thanks Miranda...calories sneak could be it too...but I don't think so. LOL...and I do sneak snacks when she isn't looking sometimes...(just so I don't upset her on the days she's worked up about her issues)...

But that's why I'm worried about maintaining a lower weight...if I'm plateauing due to a slight decrease in exercise (+/or calorie sneak)...then what's going to happen when I eat a bit more? I realize I'll have to keep on a 'reduced-calorie' diet for the rest of my life...but I was hoping it was a bit more than 1200-1400.

I'll see how it goes tomorrow. I have dance class tonight. But I'm not hopeful...lol...

[Rue]

I was right! No change. Despite an hour of dance class (and while it's low-impact, we do work up a mild sweat) and 2 hours of orchestra rehearsal (I suppose it must use up a few more calories than 'just' sitting) - nada.

I worked hard enough at dance class that I'm a bit stiff and sore this morning, so that means I did do some physical work! Yeeha! Now if only it would make the weight go down.

Today's another day...we'll see how it pans out...

[Chrissy]

Rue, I'm right there with you girl (I went up again today 181.4). Well we have to keep fighting the good fight. Today is a new day! Stay strong!!!!

Thats great you go to dance class....that sounds like fun. I do dance class in my home not brave enough to do it in front of people, hehehe (my kids get all embarrassed when they see me singing and dancing around the house) but it is great exercise and music makes you feel good.

[Rue]

Thanks Chrissy!

I also want to mention, it's part of our job...as mothers...to embarass our kids.

This dance class is the 'girliest' thing I've ever done. But it was the only low-impact exercise I could think of to try. I don't love it, but I'm in my 3rd session...so I enjoy it enough to keep going. Nice thing is that I'm neither the youngest, oldest, heaviest or worst dancer for that matter, in the class. I think that's part of what keeps me motivated. But I'm just taking the class as an exercise option - no plans on ever performing.

It's also reasonably priced (7 weeks for $70) and no equipment needed other than yoga-type clothes.

[sickofbeinobese]

Originally Posted by Rue

Thanks Chrissy!

Well...another day of weight holding steady...in fact, while I standing on the scale pondering the lack of movement - it actually bumped me up another .2 lbs...*argh*

All I can think of is lack of activity. It's been too cold for me to walk the dogs (I could try - if I drug up before I go out (cold-induced asthma) but I don't want to drug up if it's not absolutely necessary), so even though I'm on the treadmill, I'm probably on it less than I would be out with the beasts...

what drugs do you use for asthma?..i use advair,combivent and singulair.

[Rue]

I use Flovent as a prophylactic and then Ventilin when that doesn't do it. At least this way I'm not constantly wheezing. But I have to be careful, if I exert myself past a certain point I'll trigger an attack regardless. And I can't exert myself outside when it's cold at all...doesn't matter...if I start breathing a little heavy at all, I'm toast...

It's getting worse as I get older.

You look like you're sig. worse than I am. I'm sorry.

[Rue]

Well...I'm down back in the 179s instead of 180s...so that's something, even if I'm not back to my low from two weeks ago.

I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill...and for my evening activity I went to rescue my 17-year old daughter from the farmer's field she managed to get herself stuck in.

She teaches piano lessons as her P/T job. For one group of 4 siblings she drives to their house after school to teach them (we live in a rural area)...the roads are in great shape, both gravel and pavement...

So what does she do? She looks down at her radio to twiddle with settings...drives into the ditch while doing that...then tries to drive out of the stubble field and gets stuck.

Then she calls me...hubby isn't home...I can't pull her out, so I figure I'll just pick her up and we'll call a tow-truck in the morning and go from there. I have no idea where the farm is so I take my 14-year old along - he's been there.

He thought he knew more than he knew. I'm now lost in the middle of nowhere and it's dark.

So I call my daughter and tell her I'm lost - only to find out the people she teaches happened to drive by her on their way to the city and helped pull her out. It took 2 full-ton trucks to drag her out of the field. Thank goodness they were able to help. I did eventually find her...the roads are partially numbered...if they were fully numbered I wouldn't have been lost in the first place!

So I followed her home...we drove slow in case the snow was affecting the brakes at all...and other than freezing cold feet (was worried about frost-bite for a moment) and being a little chilled she's fine. The car seems fine.

Got home two hours later...grumpy...but relieved it was still all okay...

I hope she'll start paying more attention after this episode -

[pursuitofhappiness]

Originally Posted by Rue

Well...I'm down back in the 179s instead of 180s...so that's something, even if I'm not back to my low from two weeks ago.

I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill...and for my evening activity I went to rescue my 17-year old daughter from the farmer's field she managed to get herself stuck in.

She teaches piano lessons as her P/T job. For one group of 4 siblings she drives to their house after school to teach them (we live in a rural area)...the roads are in great shape, both gravel and pavement...

So what does she do? She looks down at her radio to twiddle with settings...drives into the ditch while doing that...then tries to drive out of the stubble field and gets stuck.

Then she calls me...hubby isn't home...I can't pull her out, so I figure I'll just pick her up and we'll call a tow-truck in the morning and go from there. I have no idea where the farm is so I take my 14-year old along - he's been there.

He thought he knew more than he knew. I'm now lost in the middle of nowhere and it's dark.

So I call my daughter and tell her I'm lost - only to find out the people she teaches happened to drive by her on their way to the city and helped pull her out. It took 2 full-ton trucks to drag her out of the field. Thank goodness they were able to help. I did eventually find her...the roads are partially numbered...if they were fully numbered I wouldn't have been lost in the first place!

So I followed her home...we drove slow in case the snow was affecting the brakes at all...and other than freezing cold feet (was worried about frost-bite for a moment) and being a little chilled she's fine. The car seems fine.

Got home two hours later...grumpy...but relieved it was still all okay...

I hope she'll start paying more attention after this episode -

great to hear about the weight loss! getting under the 180 must feel great!

I'm glad your daughters ok, phones and driving just don't mix, especially when theres ice to deal with.

I'm sure she was shook up by the accident. I remember when i was a teen i used to like to drive fast. My wake up call was when i was on a 4 lane highway, i swerved a car my tires were old and it was wet.

I lost control and started doing donuts in the middle of the highway at 80mph.

I thought i was going to wreck for sure or flip over. somehow i ended up on the right side shoulder facing the opposite direction of oncoming traffic.

my hands were plastered to the wheels, from that point on i have always gone under the speed limit. That scared 3 years off my life LOL

always better to be safe then sorry!

talk at you later rue

Bob

[Rue]

Thanks Bob! She's not a bad driver - but she thinks she's better than she is...

I really hope this was her 'wake-up' moment!

[Miranda]

Yeah! Congratulations on breaking out of the 180's! Good for you! That burger keeps getting lower and lower!

I'm glad your daughter is okay and hopefully a lesson was learned. By the way, who needs dance class?!? When you've got teenagers, can't you just "stress" the weight off?

Keep up the great work!