annecolorgreen

I didn't get to see the first hour...for some reason it didn't tape...but I did see the end! Yay--Joelle went home! I was so sick of hearing her excuses and rationalizations... ~~anne

where are your pictures? I'm lost! (not unusual!)

Hi! I've been without power for almost a week...it's good to be back! Last week, we had to stay with friends and I was at the mercy of the people we stayed with...but my eating was "okay". I made it to the gym a couple of days but otherwise didn't do as well. Oh well, life happens. Good to see how well you all are doing! ~~anne

Congratulations Bandana! Happy Bandaversary! I turned 41 this weekend... ~~anne

Thanks for the birthday wishes...I lost in spite of the birthday cake! (and threw out the leftovers--NSV for me!) Dh got me a heart rate monitor for my birthday and I'm excited to try it out. We've got lots of snow and ice here...stay safe everyone! ~~anne

My weight loss has slowed down quite a bit but I'm still headed in the right direction! I'm not finding time to exercise as much as before...I need to recommit to that. Today is my birthday so I have a feeling I won't be completely "on plan" with my diet today! Keep going everyone... ~~anne

Hi Renewed: Hope this helps. I found it quite interesting (especially #2--I had the same mindset). 9 Cold, Hard Weight Loss Truths: What the Diet Industry Won't Tell You By Brie Cadman of DivineCaroline.com Even if you’re not trying to lose weight, chances are you’ve seen some ideas on how to do so: “Eat what you want and lose weight!” “Lose 30 pounds in 30 days!” “Finally, a diet that really works!” “Lose one jean size every 7 days!” “Top 3 fat burners revealed” “10 minutes to a tighter tummy!” But these claims are readily rebuked by anyone who’s tried to lose five, 10, or 100 pounds. Losing weight ain’t that easy. It’s not in a pill, it doesn’t (usually) happen in 30 days, and judging from the myriad plans out there, there is no one diet that works for everyone. Looking past the outrageous claims, there are a few hard truths the diet industry isn’t going to tell you, but that just might help you take a more realistic approach to sustained weight loss. 1. You have to exercise more than you think. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week; this includes things like shoveling snow and gardening. And while this is great for improving heart health and staying active, research indicates that those looking to lose weight or maintain weight loss have to do more—about twice as much. For instance, members of the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR)—a group of over 5,000 individuals who have lost an average of 66 pounds and kept it off for five and a half years—exercise for about an hour, every day. A study published in the July 28, 2008 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine supports this observational finding. The researchers enrolled 200 overweight and obese women on a diet and exercise regimen and followed them for two years. Compared with those that gained some of their weight back, the women who were able to sustain a weight loss of 10 percent of their initial weight for two years exercised consistently and regularly—about 275 minutes a week, or 55 minutes of exercise at least five days a week. In other words, things like taking the stairs, walking to the store, and gardening are great ways to boost activity level, but losing serious weight means exercising regularly for an hour or so. However, this doesn’t mean you have to start running or kickboxing—the most frequently reported form of activity in the NWCR group is walking. 2. A half-hour walk doesn’t equal a brownie. I remember going out to eat with some friends after a bike ride. Someone commented on how we deserved dessert because we had just spent the day exercising; in fact, we had taken a leisurely 20-minute ride through the park. This probably burned the calories in a slice of our French bread, but definitely not those in the caramel fudge brownie dessert. Bummer. And while it’s easy to underestimate how many calories some foods contain, it’s also easy to overestimate how many calories we burn while exercising. Double bummer. Even if you exercise a fair amount, it’s not carte blanche to eat whatever you want. (Unless you exercise a ton, have the metabolism of a 16-year-old boy, and really can eat whatever you want). A report investigating the commonly-held beliefs about exercising, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, concludes that although exercise does burn calories during and after exercise, for overweight persons, “excessive caloric expenditure has limited implications for substantially reducing body weight independent of nutritional modifications.” In other words, to lose weight, you have to cut calories and increase exercise. 3. You do have time to exercise. If you have time to check email, watch a sitcom or two, surf the Internet, have drinks, coffee and dinner with friends, go clothes shopping, and on and on, then you have time to exercise. Yes, sometimes you have to sacrifice social, TV, or leisure time to fit it in. Yes, sometimes you have to prioritize your exercise time over other things. But your health and the feeling you get after working out is well worth it. 4. Eating more of something won’t help you lose weight. The food industry is keen to latch onto weight loss research and spin it for their sales purposes. A prime example is the widespread claim that eating more dairy products will help you lose weight. However, a recent review of 49 clinical trials from 1966 to 2007 showed that “neither dairy nor Calcium supplements helped people lose weight.” This idea—that eating more of a certain type of product will help you lose weight—is constantly regurgitated on supermarket shelves (think low-fat cake, low-carb crackers, whole grain Cookies, and fat-free chips), but is in direct opposition to the basic idea behind weight loss—that we have to eat less, not more. 5. Calories in = calories out? There is a fair amount of controversy over the basic question of how people gain weight. Is it simply a matter of energy intake being greater than energy expenditure? Or is there more too it; do the type of calories we eat matter and can avoiding certain types help to lose or prevent weight? The various low-fat, low-carb, and glycemic index advocates can’t seem to agree on which it is. However, most can agree, and logical sense would tell us, that drinking 500 calories of soda is not equal to eating 500 calories of fruits and vegetables. One is simply “empty” calories—those that provide no real nutritional benefit and don’t do much to combat hunger. Whether you ascribe to the simple idea of trying to burn more calories than you take in or focus on avoiding certain types of calories, you want to minimize intake of empty calories, and maximize nutrient-dense calories. 6. Your body is working against you. Most people have noticed that it’s hard to lose weight, but easy to gain it. This is a relic of harder times, when food was not as abundant as it is today. Our genetic taste buds made energy-dense food desirable because it was necessary to pack away calories so we could make it through the thin times. We feasted when we could, in preparation for the famine. But now that we live in a time of abundance, that system predisposes many of us for weight gain and retention. And for obese dieters, this system is even harder to overcome; after weight loss, they become better at storing fat, making it harder to keep weight off. However, this isn’t to say that many haven’t lost weight and kept it off successfully. It just means you have to be diligent. 7. Our cultural environment is also working against you. Let’s face it, modern society does not make it easy on those trying to eat healthfully and exercise. According to Linda Bacon, associate professor of nutrition at University of California at Davis, “We get a tremendous amount of pressure to eat for reasons other than nurturing ourselves, and over time, people lose sensitivity to hunger/fullness/appetite signals meant to keep them healthy and well nourished. It’s hard for people to come to a healthy sense of themselves given the cultural climate, and nutritious and pleasurable options for healthy food are not as easily accessible as less nutritious (ones).” That doesn’t mean this can’t be overcome, but it does require maybe putting other parts of your life on a “diet.” TV would be the biggest culprit, since many food advertisements, especially for children’s junk food, come during this time. Other areas to put on a “diet” are chain and fast food restaurants (where portion sizes are distorted), a bad-influence friend, or driving, which may help increase walking and biking. 8. Maybe you don’t need to lose weight. Some feel that the medical problems associated with excess weight are exaggerated. Gina Kolata, a New York Times science writer questions the notion that thin is a realistic or necessary objective for most. In her book, Rethinking Thin, she asserts that weight loss is an unachievable goal for many, and that losing weight isn’t so much about health as it is about money, trends, and impossible ideals. Recent research also challenges the idea that being overweight is bad. A study in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that being 25 pounds overweight did not increase the risk of heart disease and cancer, and may even help stave off infections. It’s true that people can be fit and healthy and not necessarily be thin, just as it’s true that thin people may not necessarily be healthy. Good health, rather than weight, should be our focus; too often, it’s not. Striving for an unhealthy level of thinness may be detrimental to our health, but understanding the health repercussions of obesity is also critical. 9. This is not a diet; this is your life. The diet industry would have us all think that we can lose weight fast, and that’s that. But most people who maintain their weight understand that eating and exercising are not temporary conditions, to be dumped once a pair of jeans fit. Instead, they are lifestyle choices, and ones to be made for the long haul.

Has anyone used Polar heart monitors? I am doing a program through work (Virgin Health Miles) and one of the add-ons that gets you "miles" is to use a Polar monitor when you work out. Dh is checking them out for my birthday and said it looks like they all require a chest band in addition to the wrist monitor. I don't want to deal with a chest band!!! This program only works with Polar btw. Also, what is the best type of material to look for to help with "wicking"? Thanks! ~~anne

Oh thanks! Dh told me last night as he was touching my legs that he felt something he hadn't before...a muscle! He was being serious and complimentary although it doesn't sound like it when I put it down here--lol. It's better than a couple of weeks ago when he said my skin is "soft and squishy" now that I've lost weight! I told him that didn't work as foreplay! Dh and I are working on our finances too...anyone else feel inspired to organize other areas of their life? ~~anne

You know though, it would be easy to fail if we didn't work at it. For instance, I gained over the Christmas week...and could every week if I weren't making the right choices and exercising. It's easier...but not easy. Agree? I'm going to try to post some pics of me. First, my son's wedding from LAST Christmas (when I realized how big I truly was and really suffered being on my feet so much carrying all that weight): Then, a pic from a Christmas get together for dh's work from THIS year:

Thanks for the pics! How encouraging! I've lost just under 40 lbs and thought I was doing well...:huh2:. Great job! ~~anne

Well, I'm about 12 weeks post-op and I've lost almost 39 pounds so I guess I'm doing pretty well. I had my first fill last week and feel a little more restriction but can still eat more than I think I should...so I need to work on my willpower for now! I am exercising about five days a week and that is new for me (treadmill/light strength training). I just started a class at the Y...also a first. It's a latin dance class called "Zumba" and is really fun as everyone is willing to laugh at themselves! I am truly uncoordinated so that's a good thing! One BIG thing is that I am trying to do some jogging--I'm doing a program called C25K--we'll see. In the meantime, I'm signed up for walk/runs that benefit charities. That's all for now!

Well, I'm about 12 weeks post-op and I've lost almost 39 pounds so I guess I'm doing pretty well. I had my first fill last week and feel a little more restriction but can still eat more than I think I should...so I need to work on my willpower for now! I am exercising about five days a week and that is new for me (treadmill/light strength training). I just started a class at the Y...also a first. It's a latin dance class called "Zumba" and is really fun as everyone is willing to laugh at themselves! I am truly uncoordinated so that's a good thing! One BIG thing is that I am trying to do some jogging--I'm doing a program called C25K--we'll see. In the meantime, I'm signed up for walk/runs that benefit charities. That's all for now!

I had my first fill and it was no problem. I can still eat more than I would like...so I'm trying to limit on my own. I'm not scheduled for my next appointment for six more weeks. I guess I can call for an earlier appointment if needed. Guess I'll just wait and see how it goes. If I lose, I'll wait. My surgeon says the first fill gets you to the city, the second gets you to the neighborhood, and the third gets you to the street. I'm going to try and be patient. ~~anne

LoveIslovely--great new pics! You can SO tell the difference! I finally "let" my kids take some pics of me this year...but I know I still have a long way to go! My surgery was Oct. 22nd and I've lost 37 lbs. I had my first fill Monday--it wasn't bad. I'm working out 3-5 times a week and am going to TRY to run/walk a 10 mile run this year and possibly a mini-marathon next year! I've started the Couch to 5K training so hopefully can run some by April. My dh told me last night that my skin is "softer and squishy" now...I told him that was NOT good foreplay! :thumbs_up: Keep it up! ~~anne

OK, this is weird. My teeth have been hurting and nothing I've done is helping! It hurts to chew! I've had a dental appt fairly recently and have no issues. I've been brushing, flossing, and using a waterpik with warm salt Water when it's really sore. Any thoughts? Thanks! ~~anne

Thanks! Any suggestions for podcasts that are with "current" music? The two I checked out had music I wasn't familiar with. I would love one with popular current music! ~~anne

Hi! I'm just getting started with all this but was excited to do a bit of jogging along with my walks last week! A friend and I want to start the Couch-to-5k program and I found this thread and thought it may be helpful. Any great hints for us "not so in shape still fat" people? I walk @ 3.5 currently and "jog" at 4.5. Thanks! ~~anne P.S. We are also doing some hiking and loving it!

I ended up buying some "Sensodyne" or something like that and it really helped! The active ingredient is "potassium ..." so I will bet that was an issue for me. I noticed my multi-Vitamin only contains trace amounts of that. I'm going to keep using it!! ~~anne

...everytime I step on the scale and it's lower...I'm excited! :w00t: Just keep the downward trend going, baby! :frown: I'm really making it a point to try to not compare myself to others, but to be grateful for what is going on with ME. For instance, a guy I was banded with has lost 60 lbs and still eats chicken nuggets at fast food! :angry_smile: Happy Tuesday! Don't forget to exercise... ~~anne

Congrats!!! ...in my opinion, exercising helps cure the wanting to "curl up and stay warm" syndrome! ~~anne

That's exactly why I went through my closet and drawers and pulled out EVERYTHING and divided up by size into totes! I even took my summer 22's and put them in a tote to give to someone next year! I had a friend who had lost weight send me a few nice 20's and 18's so, with what I have, I'm pretty good for awhile unless I just want something new. I am planning to buy a new dress shirt for a Christmas get together knowing I won't wear it much. ~~anne

Yay! Lots of posts and weight loss! Dilemma: I have lost 30 lbs without a fill and my surgeon didn't want to do a fill last Monday as I was doing so well. Well...last week I started getting several allergy shots at a time (twice in a week) and had to take prednisone on those days prior to my shot series (it's called rapid desensitization and helps you get relief sooner). Prednisone causes increased appetite!!!!!! :sad_smile: Anyway, I've struggled much more with eating larger quantities this past week and don't know if I should call the doctor for a fill or not (he said to call if I need one). Happy weekend! ~~anne

Hi! One of my Army sons has struggled with his weight FOREVER. He is three years into his service and is only a PV2 as they refuse to promote him while he is overweight (although they had no problem sending him to the Middle East OR allowing him in to begin with!). Anyway. He mentioned the other day that he is seeing a bariatric doctor and is on phentermine now. Does anyone know if he will get in trouble with the Army for doing this? Are drugs like that restricted in any way? Thanks. I'm glad he is trying to lose weight but I don't want him to get in any trouble. ~~anne

Oh wow...what a cutie! He was SO tiny! I'm so glad he ended up doing well! My baby #4 was a NICU baby and it scared the heck out of me (and I was an OB nurse!). I love your myspace--you have some funny things on there! lol Would it be okay if I share it with my daughter-in-law Ellen? I'm so afraid that she isn't taking the preemie thing seriously. Thanks! ~~anne