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This is band specific, and addresses a few diets... A short, quick weight gain is probably weight gain but not fat gain. If you think about it, most of us are following low carb diets by virtue of difficulty eating high carb foods. When you break ketosis (long story short) the first thing your body does is suck in all the water it can. I followed the induction phase of Atkins for about a year, and was in ketosis like no one's business. When I would break my diet, it wouldn't be unusal for me to gain 6, 8 (once even 15) pounds overnight. Guess what - I could still wear the same size that I had not been able to wear 15 fat pounds before. Weight loss/gain is a fairly complicated series of body processes. Your body does a lot to keep from losing anything, and can kick in some amazingly strong "survival" modes (Why do you think the most adamant of dieters usually caves in around day 4-ish? has a lot more to do with what your body's doing that your will power). Our bodies want back what was taken from them. :confused:

Thanks MacMadame, I never thought to look on their website. Going through VM hell (especially if it can only be done during work hours where I work in a cube, and don't want that kind of conversation overheard) then talking to someone that doesn't have a clue or, me not understanding the medical technology discourages me. I was self pay because, while my insurance DOES cover WLS, my BMI wasn't high enough to qualify. But I could see the direction I was headed, and after a lifetime of dieting only to gain it all back, why wait until I did qualify. I was told at the time, that if I had complications, and needed it removed, that insurance WOULD cover it. I assume that is if it is medically necessary, not just because I want it out. I don't have problems with the band when it is unfilled, but obviously then it isn't doing much either. From experience, I know that unfilled=weight gain. We've had a tough year financially, right now, I literally don't even have the money for a fill/unfill so there is no possible way I could pay for a surgery. That is what is so frustrating, I can't afford to play around with the fills to find the right spot! The sleeve just sounds so much easier. Unfortunately, I had never heard of it when I was banded.

I can sympathize... I have bursitis flare up in my hip every now and then and I had a bad case 2 weeks ago. It KILLED me to lay off exercise for a week but I did it and was able to get back into it quickly. I don't think the steroid shots have the same weight gain effect as oral steroids (but I might be wrong on that). Once the inflammation dies out, you will feel so much better. It's a cycle -- flare up, stay flared up. Kill the flare and try to avoid re-injuring and it eventually will die out completely. Do what the doctor says and rest it up -- will heal much more quickly than if you push it too soon.

Hello everyone, I would just like to say if you find this forum helpful it really is. I believe that while I was a part of the forum using another screen name I was constantly losing weight each week, and I was always motivated to keep up with other sleevers losing the weight. When the weight loss was going good, I dropped back thought I could just do what I want, and now I wish I could turn back the hands of time and get this weight back off. I have only gained back 20lbs but that’s a lot to have gained back in less than a year. I pray that I will be able to get back on the losing side of things. I have so many issues and hardships going on its kind of hard just to stay focused on losing the weight. I don’t regret getting sleeved and I have no one else to blame but myself but I need to really get a hold of what’s going on with me. There’s no point to my post I just wanted to rant a little bit about how I’m feeling about my weight gain. Good luck to everyone that is considering having the surgery it is worth it just make sure you stay on top of what your doctors and nuts tell you.

I wanted to go through your list of symptoms to share what I have experienced, and see if anyone has anything else to add. infrequent menstrual periods, no menstrual periods, and/or irregular bleeding - check. I've gone ten months without a cycle. my dr has said that isn't good, and wants me to either take a ten day dose of hormones in order to cycle and shed the uterine lining, or to get on birth control pills, so I am shedding uterine lining. funny, I went to see her a few months before my surgery - she was very supportive, told me she thought it would greatly improve my fertility and chances of getting pregnant when I try - aiming for two years down the line. She did want me to cycle before the surgery, and prescribed ten days of progesterin. (sp?) Day I pick up the prescription? I start my period. Now I am having my period again, a month later. This hasn't happened to me without BCP for...ever? I have opted out of taking BCP because I want to observe how my body reacts to the surgery and weight loss. Will have to be super careful to use bc, though, as I want to get the full benefit of the surgery and initial weight loss, so want to give myself two years to loose and stabilize a bit. infertility or inability to get pregnant because of not ovulating - well right now, I'm not trying, but I am pretty sure I am not ovulating. Hopeful, though! increased growth of hair on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes - OH YEAH - I've done laser on my lip, chin, and neck. Still need more, but it is much much much better. Have hairs between my breasts and around my nipples that I tweeze - I know other friends that have the same and don't have PCOS, so that could just be a getting a little older thing. acne, oily skin, or dandruff - I have terrible dandruff, and if I dont' use dandruff shampoo regularly, am in deep trouble. I also have dry skin/eczema around my nose, my eyebrows, and behind my ears. Also on my scalp-line. I didn't know this was a PCOS symptom, so there is something else to look forward to resolving., pelvic pain - nope. weight gain or obesity, usually carrying extra weight around the waist. yeah. 280 right now. apple shaped, although my bones are hour glass. type 2 diabetes - not yet, but I am sure I would get there. high cholesterol - overall number is not high, but bad/good cholesterol ration is not good. high blood pressure - nope male-pattern baldness or thinning hair - the front of my hair is not as thick as as it used to be...not BAD, but it is really sad as it used to be gorgeous! patches of thickened and dark brown or black skin on the neck, arms, breasts, or thighs - yeah - I thought this was Tinea Versicolor Any insight? skin tags, or tiny excess flaps of skin in the armpits or neck area - yep. had some cut off by the derm. have more tags, but don't want to pay...:w00t: sleep apnea―excessive snoring and breathing stops at times while asleep yeah. worries my bf. I am curious how other people experience these symptoms.

This past Monday I went in for my much anticipated visit with the doctor and nutrionist. It was my first time back in over a month and I was excited, curious and nervous all at the same time. I was excited because I knew this was another step closer to where I eventually want to be, curious about my test results and nervous about getting on the scale because I knew I had gained weight. Well, my appt definitely took me closer because by the time I left I had my psych appt scheduled (8/20), my appt following the sleep study moved up 2 weeks and in between appts to return to the doctor. More or less I have an appt every week between now and the end of Sept and if everything goes well, I may be looking at an Oct date. My test results came back well. I was told that my ultrasound and upper GI was normal and my blood tests were excellent. My blood clot scare last year had me wondering about how my tests would come out since this is always a worry for me now, but it gave me a chance to dicuss this further and I will see the doctor that will insert the filter to avoid clots prior to surgery on my next appt at the hospital. My fear about the weight gain rang true. I knew it from the way I was feeling. My back has been aching and I feel sluggish. My back aches at a 5 lb weight gain, so I knew I had at least gained that..but I was shocked to learn it was in fact 11 lbs. :sad: I was told it was probably fluid. Yeah..Grey Goose I explained. The numerous happy hours my co workers and I had attended since my last visit had caught up with me. The nutrionist and doctor both encouragingly told me not to worried since "thats what I am there for". I later had to laugh since it was the first time I wasn't scolded by a health care professional for gaining weight. The surgeon on the other hand, came to see me with a couple of students, wasnt as dismissive reminding me of the high calorie content of alcohol and how important calories will be when I get lap band since my body will not reject the sugar automatically like gastric. I knew he was right and could only sit there like a scolded kid nodding in agreement. I needed that kick in the ass. It brought the importance of this surgery and saving my life back to the forefront of my mind. I had lost focus having so much time in between appointments and simply slipped back into bad habits. I had to get back on the horse. As I explained to the nutrionist, I KNOW what to do, its DOING it. I am a professional dieter. I know it all..I have read it all. I am just a very unsuccessful dieter. She listened but I could see she wasnt buying it, she gave me my food journal for the week and told me to fax it on Friday. She told me her appt is last and usually a couple of weeks before my date to avoid wasting money if not approved. She said she had flexible hours so I said, cool lets meet for drinks. I quickly followed with..IM JOKING! and she actually laughed, then added, sure we will meet for breakfast and have carnation instant breakfast drinks! She was so quick I had to join her in laughing. :biggrin: She later repeated it to the surgeon who also got a laugh. Putting that imprint on her mind, also puts her in the forefront of mine. I know I have to make more of an effort to do the right thing because it is truly now or never.

You are not an idiot! Weight gain and loss is a part of life, surgeries or not. I think it's a great step you can even recognize your patterns and ask for help. It's tough but I know there's hope. The biggest thing I see is to always make sure you have mental health support and put just as much work into that as you do the surgery or weight loss journey. I wish you luck and hope insurance helps you out with it! Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

I was in the same boat. But I had the revision surgery. When the band slips, it doesn't fix itself. And waiting too long can cause more damage. I suffered from heartburn and acid reflux. The morning after surgery.....all gone. Mind you, I had to start all over from 1cc, which caused weight gain. And it's takes more fills to feel any affects, but I'm on the upswing. My advice, if your being given medical advice, take it. They are the professionals. Slipped bands are so dangerous. Don't take chances.

Today i got on the scale and i gained 6 lbs from the last time i weighed myself, but i gained 9lbs since the last time i went to the doctor 2 months ago. Sometimes i get discouraged when i see the scale go up and down. I dont feel like im losing weight but today my co worker said he can tell that i have lost weight. He also told me that youve been working out alot so the weight gain could be the fat turning into muscle and muscle weighs more than fat. When i see the scale go up and down it makes me nervous to weigh myself at home and even more nervous when they weigh me in the doctors office.

I'm curious as well to what your diet is like? How are your carbs? I try to keep them as low as possible and the Protein high. Don't regret your surgery. You did it for you. No matter what we, we are going to have to work hard to reach our goals. Weight gain could be anything, maybe your holding on to Water? Drinking enough water? Hang in there you will soon start dropping those pounds!

Good luck to everyone. I had my band placed in 2008. Two yrs ago I started having problems with my band being too tight (last fill 10/09), reflux, food getting stuck, weight gain, and the worst for me, the health problems I was trying to prevent by having surgery in the first place. I am hoping to get approval for revision soon. I was self pay with band surgery, but I currently have Humana. I am scheduled for an EGD and esophageal manometry on Aug 1st. If my surgeon can find a medical reason why I need the revision my insurance will cover it.

It seems it may be related to an excess of all vitamins not just B12 . A lot of foods are fortified with vitamins to supposedly improve people’s health. Everyone eats more, but generally eats poorly then they take vitamins to make them ‘healthier’. I’d question whether the weight gain is from too many vitamins or too much poor food or both. Apparently though, having a B12 deficiency may lead to weight gain. As I said in my earlier post, if your bloods show you are lacking in a specific vitamin or mineral, a supplement is a solution (as is modifying your diet to include good natural sources of the lacking vitamin/s). But if you have ample, you don’t need it. Two articles I found you may want to read: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-b12-deficiency-and-weight-gain#deficiency https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3932423/

OK ladies, prepare to feel tall: I'm 4'11", so quit complaining, LOL! I used to be a tall 5 foot, but with the weight gain (to 203 lbs) came the "degenerative disc" back problems and I lost an inch in height. :frusty: BUT in Oct I get my band, things are gonna change! I can't wait to buy clothes I actually like. Imagine not having to hem everything you purchase. And high heels will be so much fun again!

30 y.o., 5'8", 230-240 (fluctuating weight) Weight and Weight-Loss Attempt History: Been overweight since I was 19. Went up to the 220s-230s for years. Pre-diabetic and fed up .. was able to get down to 180, but that was with an unsustainable schedule for myself: 1.5 hours workout in the morning followed by a 2 hour workout in the evening. Plus a calorie restriction. I was constantly exhausted, unsatisfied, and unhappy. Since, the weight has come back and I'm back to the 220s-240 range. I've tried yoga. I've had therapy. I've had trainers. I have had online trainers and nutritionists. I have had logs and trackers. I have been trained in mindful eating. I went to a stay away weight loss / therapy / nutrition / physical therapy program for over a week. Through it, it became clear I love working out and eating well, but it is very hard to feel full. It takes a lot more food to feel full, and I feel full for less long. I heard many others talk about how they eat because they don't know what hunger or fullness feels like. I totally know! Insurance: I called a Center for Excellence here in Boston (Mount Auburn), and at first they said Harvard Pilgrim requires a BMI ≥ 35 and a co-morbidity. At first, Mount Auburn said that HP wouldn't accept it. However, after calling HP, they told me that they accept apps on a case-by-case basis, and that Mt. Auburn should submit all relevant info with the application. Compressed discs (L5/S1) as a result of an initial and repeated injuries as the result of domestic violence. I have had numerous visits to the E.R. and my primary care physician. All she could find was a compressed disc. However, my back - especially since my weight gain - has made life difficult. I throw it out frequently, miss numerous days of work, and am unable to enjoy healthier activities. Above all else, it prevents me from working. I'm a teacher, and have to sit, lie down, or stay home. Sitting up from bed or even bending over to look at my students' work feels like a strain on the back, and can sometimes send shooting pain through my back/leg. Every doctor has said there isn't anything to do. So at this point, combined with my weight, my health and quality of life is worsening. I feel stuck. I can follow a program, but every program I try is not sustainable because at the end of the day I am just hungry. And the gastric sleeve seems like the teammate I need to help with the hunger, while I take care of everything else. QUESTIONS: Has anyone had similar experiences, or experiences with HP? What do you think my chances are? What - if any - documentation or details should I provide to Mt. Auburn so they can submit it to HP? Anyone know for sure what HP's requirements are? Thank you all for any help, and I hope you all find assistance and help in here too!

WOW! high School Skinny! What a dream that is... Congrats to you- you must feel amazing!!! So thrilled for you... I know I can do it too but it won't happen without hitting that gym. I have my clothes in the car ready to go today straight from work. Yahoo! PS- weighed in this morning at exactly 250! OMG, can't wait til tomorrow and I can say Goodbye to that HORRIBLE # forever! LOL ***Even though I've done it before- it's still exciting for me, because all I could see was me going back to where I started. I'm so greatful to have stopped the weight gain & turn it around...

OK, you might hate me for saying this, but you just had a baby, give yourself a little slack. It can take up to a year to lose the baby weight (although you really do not have very much to lose). Plus, your hormones are still adjusting, and I am not sure if you are breast-feeding or not, but there is another whole ball of hormones! Now, I can relate to how you are feeling a little. I recently started a new medication which resulted in a 7lbs weight gain when I have been stable for a year, so change in diet! I had to stop taking the medication and now am stuck wondering if I can get the last of the weight off. I have been very happy where I was, feeling like I was eating a normal diet, eating properly without feeling deprived. Now I keep obsessing over these few pounds and it is just about driving me crazy! It brings up all my fears that I will regain all the weight I lost. I keep thinking if I try this or try that, maybe it will work, maybe going back to pre-op diet. But the truth is, I really do not want to do that. So I have decided to just eat properly the way I always have been watching just a little closer, relax, and see what happens in the next month or so. I have already lost 1 of the 7 pounds, so I am hoping I am on the right track. You are so full of amazing advice and you still belong here! I think you will find what works for you again! And I know it totally sounds so cliche, but hug your beautiful little baby and remind yourself what you just accomplished...you brought a new little life into this world. Your body worked hard and did what it is meant to do!

For me- my immediate family and a friend who had GB as a support system. My weight gain (mostly) was due to having rheumatoid arthritis. The high doses of daily prednisone along with IV decadron monthly as well as many other meds, the lack of mobility due to the pain caused me to 1) blow up and 2) created iatrogenic adrenal insufficiency ( no adrenal function- no metabolism). Friends and neighbors watched me grow over the course of 5 years. Then it was simply status quo- I was fat. But trying to explain that I was having GB to lose the weight and take the pressure off of my joints just sounds like an excuse. ( even to me) Therefore when asked about why I was having surgery, my response is simply- my stomach suffered horrid side effects from all my RA meds so they had to operate. Kind of the truth!!

I tolerate popcorn with no adverse issues, but ain't nobody got time for that. Since popcorn is carb-laden and lacking protein, I do not eat it these days. You love popcorn, but do you really need it? For many people in the bariatric community, a love of certain foods got them to the point of needing weight loss surgery in the first place. Popcorn is a slider food, a.k.a. slurry food. And in sleevers, slider foods are the root of most weight regain. It is a phenomenon that most surgeons do not discuss with their patients. Sliders (e.g., chips, popcorn, crackers, bread rolls, pretzels, pastries, cookies) are low-nutritive, carb-laden 'snacky' types of foods that 'slide' through your stomach and into your small intestine without inducing fullness or satiety. You can literally graze on several pounds of popcorn without ever feeling full. The predictable result is weight gain. Popcorn is a wondrous food for dieters with normal sized stomachs. It can, however, spell disaster for sleeved folks who need to prioritize protein and fluids over snacks with minimal nutritive value. I will repeat that the road to weight regain in sleevers is paved with Doritos, Lays, Ruffles, popcorn, Chips Ahoy, crackers, pretzels, and donuts. There are 475 calories in a bag of Orville Redenbacher popcorn. You can eat the whole bag and still be hungry for more due to the lack of protein, or you can get incredibly stuffed eating four chicken drumsticks for 475 calories and 45 grams of protein. To maintain whatever weight you lose with a sleeve, the "protein first" lifestyle is imperative. Popcorn will not get you there.

Ok, I get you! So let me do the scenario another way? So let's say, you're taking in the amount of calories per day that are prescribed for you by your doc/RD. These are maintenance level calories based on your individual food requirements and exercise habits. The intention is that it's an isocaloric diet--you will neither gain, nor lose on it--supposedly. And you go about life over the next 2-3 years without changing one tiny spec of this prescription. You're still eating that same diet/calorie level. You are not cheating. You're doing your exercise at the same level, same amount per week, etc. Will weight gain be inevitable? Will you be held hostage to your body adjusting/acclimating and overcoming the changes made through surgery? Are we doomed to fight regain, even though we do everything right? (ie for RNYers we get part of our intestines removed, and studies show that at 2-3 years, our remaining intestines have grown more microvilli so that more food absorption can occur. So it's adapted to the new anatomy--at least partially.) ORRRRRR If we do everything "right" as described above, can we safely expect to be able to maintain our total original weight loss without fearing the 10-20lb regain? Thanks for entertaining this question with me and for any reassurances to the future!!

I feel like the person I used to be before my weight gain, like the person I always was on the inside is showing on the outside again. Physically, I can do more, faster, and with less effort. I have less aches and pains. I still can't believe it's me when I pass by a reflective window or mirror. I want to stop and stare but I know how weird that would look, lol. I wonder how it feels to a person who has always been thin, because I keep thinking of myself as "normal" now, and it makes me sad to think that I ever thought of myself as less worthy because of my weight. We are our own worst critics. I still obsess about diet and exercise. I have to, because it would be so easy to revert to old habits. I'm sure the people around me are sick of hearing about it! I need to find some groups that want to exercise and do active things as a form of socializing instead of going out to eat.

If you low carb, then eat carbs. Your liver gains glycogen/water weight and you can go up 2-10 pounds over a weekend just eating carbs. If you are steadying intaking carbs, then you weight will remain steady. The weight gain after eating carbs following a low carb diet is not true fat gain, at least not initially. You just have to make a lifestyle change, it has to be a lifestyle not a diet. You don't cheat with a lifestyle change. It is hard for everyone. You can get a burger without the bun at a fast food resturant, make them wrap it in lettuce. Fries are my weekness, there is no low carb substitute, but you just have to decided if fries are worth being fat. Good luck!

CHICAGO - Want to spend less at the pump? Lose some weight. That's the implication of a new study that says Americans are burning nearly 1 billion more gallons of gasoline each year than they did in 1960 because of their expanding waistlines. Simply put, more weight in the car means lower gas mileage. <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><SCRIPT type=text/javascript>if (window.yzq_a == null) document.write("<scr" + "ipt type=text/javascript src=""http://us.js2.yimg.com/us.js.yimg.com/lib/bc/bc_1.7.3.js></scr" + "ipt>");</SCRIPT><SCRIPT type=text/javascript>if (window.yzq_a){yzq_a('p', 'P=AfYYwkSOwhWZggC6RT.pHAMiRd9JKEVA_qsADbnN&T=197m86onc%2fX%3d1161887403%2fE%3d8903239%2fR%3dnews%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d1.1%2fW%3d8%2fY%3dYAHOO%2fF%3d1238585045%2fH%3dY2FjaGVoaW50PSJuZXdzIiBjb250ZW50PSJnYXNvbGluZTtnYXM7aHVuZ2VyO29pbDtmdWVsO2hlYWx0aCBjYXJlO0FtZXJpY2FuO2dvdmVybm1lbnQ7SXQ7RWR1Y2F0aW9uO2l0O2hlbHA7IiByZWZ1cmw9IiIgdG9waWNzPSIi%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3d2647BFD1');yzq_a('a', '&U=13a4ul1uk%2fN%3d9N4uDNG_fyI-%2fC%3d540700.9387654.10123690.1442997%2fD%3dLREC%2fB%3d3906314');}</SCRIPT><NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT> Using recent gas prices of $2.20 a gallon, that translates to about $2.2 billion more spent on gas each year. "The bottom line is that our hunger for food and our hunger for oil are not independent. There is a relationship between the two," said University of Illinois researcher Sheldon Jacobson, a study co-author. "If a person reduces the weight in their car, either by removing excess baggage, carrying around less weight in their trunk, or yes, even losing weight, they will indeed see a drop in their fuel consumption." The lost mileage is pretty small for any single driver. Jacobson said the typical driver — someone who records less than 12,000 miles annually — would use roughly 18 fewer gallons of gas over the course of a year by losing 100 pounds. At $2.20 per gallon, that would be a savings of almost $40. Outside experts said that even if the calculations aren't exact, the study makes sense. "If you put more weight into your car, you're going to get fewer miles per gallon," Emory University health care analyst Kenneth Thorpe said Wednesday. The same effect has been seen in airplanes. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that heavy fliers have contributed to higher fuel costs for airlines. The obesity rate among U.S. adults doubled from 1987 to 2003, from about 15 percent to more than 30 percent. Also, the average weight for American men was 191 pounds in 2002 and 164 pounds for women, about 25 pounds heavier than in 1960, government figures show. The study's conclusions are based on those weight figures and Americans' 2003 driving habits, involving roughly 223 million cars and light trucks nationwide. It will appear in the October-December issue of The Engineering Economist, a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Society of Engineering Education and the Institute of Industrial Engineers. Jacobson, an industrial engineer, conducted the research with Laura McLay, a doctoral student in his Champaign-Urbana lab who now works at Virginia Commonwealth University. They estimated that more than 39 million gallons of fuel are used each year for every additional pound of passenger weight. The amount of extra fuel consumption blamed on weight gain since 1960 — 938 million gallons — would fill almost 2 million cars with gas for an entire year. However, that is only 0.7 percent of the total amount of fuel consumed by U.S. passenger vehicles each year, Jacobson said. The estimates "are probably pretty reliable," said Larry Chavis, an economist at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. "I don't know if it's going to encourage anybody to go out and lose weight to save gasoline, but even for individual families, it could have an effect on their budget." Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, former <FORM class=yqin action=http://yq.search.yahoo.com/search method=post> </FORM>CDC director and chairman of an Institute of Medicine report on obesity, said the findings are almost beside the point. "The wrong fuel is being focused on," said Koplan, now at Emory University. "If you're heavier, the most important fuel you use more of is food." Eating less, driving less and choosing more active means of transportation would reduce gas consumption, and also help reverse rising obesity rates, he said

To preface, many moons ago I played soccer in college and despite my weight gain, I still identify as an athlete. Exercise is not punishment for me, it’s something I’m excited to do again and to have more successful with. That being said, I recently hit 4 wks and doc cleared me for cardio. I downloaded a couch to 5k app and for the last 5 days have been going on hour long run/walks for about 3-4 miles. Combined with daily activity I’m getting in 5-6 miles/day. Problem is that I get really tired in the afternoon and am constantly hungry. I’m eating about 800-900 cal/day but wondering if I need to up that? Also following a keto diet. I’ve been doing soft foods for a couple weeks and am capable of eating more but have been trying to stay less than 900...for no other reason than most people on here are eating so damn little after 4 weeks and I’m trying to follow suit. A typical day may be: 8am - Decaf coffee w/ half premier protein 9am - 2 scrambled eggs 11am - Half serving ground beef noodle-less lasagna 2pm - other half lasagna 5pm - Greek yogurt 7pm - 2 oz Smoked Salmon, one soft cheese wedge 9pm - 1/4 cup cottage cheese 11pm - Decaf coffee w/ half premier protein I’ve been keeping track in MyFitnessPal and you can see the breakdown. Questions - for those that exercise, how many calories are you consuming? Any suggestions on why I’m hitting a wall in the afternoon and need a nap? If I don’t eat every 2 hours my stomach starts grumbling and I get light headed. Should I be eating more at meals? I’ve been hesitant to because I’m nervous that I’ll still need the snack and will go too high on calories for the day. I’ve also been in a pretty major stall over the last 3 weeks. 10 days with nothing, then 5lbs in 2 days, now another 6 days with no loss. Thanks for any help! Sleeved 3/12/18, HW 270, SW 253, CW 238, GW 160, 5’9”

© 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 1 Eating in Holiday Spirit – The Art of Cheating It’s never what you eat or do, it’s always how much you eat or move When it comes to food consumption, I am the master of cheating, at least according to the people around me. I never cease to amaze people when I am dining or “grazing” at a party or function, by consuming all the classical forbidden foods (and often in Herculean quantities), prompting the proverbial question, “How can you possibly eat like that and stay in such great shape?” The answer is: I will easily cancel out those excess calories by 3 p.m. tomorrow, or certainly by the end of the day, because when you really get the science of weight gain, weight control becomes a “walk in the park”—sometimes literally. It’s always been simple—it’s all about calories Now that the facts regarding weight control and calories have been globally publicized by the scientific community (washing out all other diet nonsense), most people finally “get it”. Instead of hearing dieters say, “Well, I heard it’s not the calories but…,” now most are saying, “I guess you were right.” Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, it generally takes more than hearing the truth before dieters finally get it. What I mean is, most had to experience the journey by trying everything new and old in an effort to lose unwanted poundage. Finally, dieters arrived at the realization that during any program’s short-term success, they were cutting calorie intake and/or adding movement calories creating the undisputable equation: eating less calories than you burn = mass reduction. Although they had to come to this conclusion on their own, causing many frustrating experiences, I never said, “I told you so.” Well, almost never. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to cheating the system, because as long as you know how it works, you can beat it. Beating the bulge by doing the math In mathematics, when you have the answer you can create any numbers that lead to the solution. Same in the case of weight control. The answer is to consume less or equal to what you burn and nobody cares how you do it. As long as your total caloric intake (TCI) is less than total caloric output (TCO) for ANY GIVEN TIME PERIOD, whether it be two hours or 20 years, you will have reduced mass. Getting the picture yet? One more thing to keep in mind, increasing your movements by 100 calories a day has the same effect as removing 100 calories from your food intake. Therefore, your take home messages of any given time period and calorie adjustments in or out are of equal value. Regarding the latter, it’s a heckof- a lot easier to cut the calories than burn them, especially when you consider that one average-size café mocha contains ~ 500 calories, which is equivalent to a very intense one-hour run. Party time – just manage the AVERAGE DAILY DEFICIT There is a certain caloric deficit that a person must average in order to manage body fat. Example: When you are maintaining weight, the deficit is zero, or calories in = out. During weight loss, the deficit is based on the goal, including the desired time frame. Your weekly mass change, shown by weight and/or body fat, validates whether or not your deficit is correct. Notice the key points: average deficit and goal, not the total number or type of calories used to achieve the deficit or goal. It is the deficit number that must be managed. Let’s look at an example: Goal: Lose two pound in November Our example is modest because most people/dieters would be happy just maintaining weight in November. But when you finally get the “calorie thing,” you gain complete control of your body, making anything possible. Because one pound of fat = 3500 calories, for the month of November you will have to burn 7000 calories more than you eat. Therefore: time period = 30 days, goal 2 lbs = average daily deficit of ~230 calories (30 days x 230 = ~7000 calories = 2 lbs). Because I am a typical gym participant, we will use me as an example: Conversation Corner With Neal Spruce A Newsletter for Fitness Enthusiasts November 2005 © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 2 At 180 lbs with a sedentary job and working out one hour, three days/week, my average daily calorie burn is 2700 calories (and of course I know this because I never take my bodybugg™ armband off). Using the 2-pound loss goal, I can choose not do anything different in my daily activities, which means my average daily calorie intake will have to be ~2400 calories. Let’s say during a “fun day” I really blow it and consume ~5000 calories. (Of course, some of those would be alcohol, which is generally the culprit that dis-inhibits my usual appetite restraints, leading to the excess calorie consumption). Theoretically, I can make it up in one day by not eating (not advisable), or by adding 2300 calories of movement (my hangover would probably prevent this strategy). Instead, I would usually alter two days to keep me on track because, factually, if I had been averaging a 230-calorie deficit for the last 10 days, my “binge” would have wiped out my 10-day results. See how easily plateaus can happen? You work hard and/or eat well for 10 days, blow it once, and you are back where you were 10 days ago. Remember, every calorie counts both in and out, because energy (calories) is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. That said, it’s very simple to make up the loss when you know what you’re doing. Two-day remedy As long as I know I am going to blow it ahead of time, I always prepare by cutting the previous day’s calories in half. In this case, the day before the event I would consume four meals totaling 1200 (see sidebar); consume the 5000 calories on the “fun day” and repeat the 1200 calorie menu the following day, bringing my three-day calories-in total to 7400. Assuming I burned my 2700 cal/day average, bringing the three-day calories-out total to 8100, I am basically back on track, especially when you consider I participated in a function that goes well into the night where I will have certainly burned more calories than if I had stayed home and gone to bed…by myself. In summary, my three-day calorie deficit total was 700 (8100-7400), or an average daily deficit of ~230 calories, back on track and a heck of a good time! And remember, I did this all with food. But for every calorie I burn over 2700 for any of the three days, I can add back to my consumption. For instance, if I had gone for a walk in the park to shake the cobwebs out of my head or puttered around the garden for an hour, I would have burned ~300 calories more than normal, allowing a 1500 calorie total for one of the two 1200-calorie days or 5300 on the big night. Anyway, you get the picture: The more you move the more you get to eat (and that applies all the time). Additionally, you can make up the deficit over a longer period of time, such as 10 days of 560- calorie deficit. I just like my “pain” quick and done. Use the formula anytime you wander of course Best of all, you can repeat the above process anytime necessary. Just plug in the numbers and/or control portion sizes on make-up days. “Blowout” day’s calories don’t have to be accurate, just take a guess. Remember that 5000 calories is very difficult for the average person to consume in one day, but entirely possible during the holidays. The alternate method (non-bodybugg™, lack of desire or inability to count calories) is to simply cut every meal you consume in half during the two days you are using to make up for the “fun day.” The advantage of using Apex foods during the “catch-up” periods is that they are more satiating than most other foods of equal caloric value. And, more importantly, packaged Apex foods accurately count your calories, leaving no room for error. Life is easy when you understand and use only facts. And calories in and out are the simple facts related to weight control. You are now free to control your body composition—anytime. So, there you have it—the biggest, newest holiday tip from Yours Truly. Attached are the regular boring tips I give you every year—but they can also work. Sample 1200-calorie menu 7:00 a.m. Meal 1: Apex Breakfast Square – 230 calories with multi 11:30 a.m. Meal 2: 400 calorie meat of choice sandwich or large salad with favorite protein 4:00 p.m. Meal 3: 400 calories of chicken, starch of choice and salad with multi 8:00 p.m. Meal 4: Apex cookie – 160 calories with multi Any choice of non-caloric fluids © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 3 The Holidays are upon us with their abundance of stress and food. Here are 21 tips that will help get you successfully through the holidays without sacrificing your healthy lifestyle. 1. Exercise an hour a day, 4-5 days a week during the holidays. A brisk walk, run or bikeride will burn calories, relieve stress, and elevate your endorphins and mood. If you have to miss a workout, simply increase your daily activities. Be sure not to snack during this time. 2. Avoid eating no fat. Eating moderate amounts of fat at a meal can help you feel full sooner and keep you full longer, just don't overdue it. 3. Don't skip meals. Skipping meals leads to hunger, low energy levels and improper food choices. 4. Don't pass up favorite foods or deprive yourself completely. Moderate consumption is the key. 5. Don't tempt yourself by keeping trigger foods or comfort foods around the house. If you have them, it increases the likelihood that you will overeat. 6. Plan meals by keeping in mind the demands you'll have on your schedule that day. 7. Don't go to a party starving. Before you leave home, eat something light or drink a meal replacement shake. Also, drink a great deal of water the day of the party. 8. When you attend holiday festivities, don't station yourself near the buffet table. Make a clear-cut decision to distance yourself from all goodies. 9. Alcoholic beverages pack on the calories so if you're drinking alcohol, stick to light beer or a champagne spritzer. Watch out for the eggnog, it is high in calories and fat. 10. If you do find yourself feeling depressed, soothe your spirit with a massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial. Men can enjoy this too! 11. When you shop, eat before you leave home so you won't resort to cookie breaks. 12. To satisfy your sweet tooth, set limits. For example, you might allow yourself two decadent desserts per week; just move more the next day. 13. Just because it is the holidays doesn't mean you should give yourself the license to eat everything that passes by. Factor in the little extras into your daily intake. 14. Help out by saving fat and calories when it's feasting time. Make or buy wild rice stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, whole-grain rolls and angel-food cake with fruit. 15. If you are staying with family or friends, ask them if you can have a space in the refrigerator and keep foods on hand to snack on like lean deli meats, cottage cheese, nonfat cheese sticks, etc. 16. If you tend to overeat during family gatherings, plan and visualize what and how much you will eat before you go. Plan additional daily activities for that day or the following one. The additional activity can be anything from a longer shopping day to additional gym time. 17. If you want to really keep yourself honest and the same size during the holiday season wear your most form-fitting blue jeans. Another trick is to tie a string or ribbon around your waist under your shirt that will not budge with the bulge. 18. If you are at the mercy of the dinner host, eat modest amounts of the foods offered and fill up on foods with more fiber and volume and fewer calories. Make a small plate and skip the seconds. 19. Eat whatever you want on the main holiday feast. If you over-do it just go back to your regular plan the next day and move a little more. 20. Take a meditative moment at least one time each day to breathe deeply and clear your mind of all the clutter. 21. Enjoy the season, not just the food! © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 1 Eating in Holiday Spirit – The Art of Cheating It’s never what you eat or do, it’s always how much you eat or move When it comes to food consumption, I am the master of cheating, at least according to the people around me. I never cease to amaze people when I am dining or “grazing” at a party or function, by consuming all the classical forbidden foods (and often in Herculean quantities), prompting the proverbial question, “How can you possibly eat like that and stay in such great shape?” The answer is: I will easily cancel out those excess calories by 3 p.m. tomorrow, or certainly by the end of the day, because when you really get the science of weight gain, weight control becomes a “walk in the park”—sometimes literally. It’s always been simple—it’s all about calories Now that the facts regarding weight control and calories have been globally publicized by the scientific community (washing out all other diet nonsense), most people finally “get it”. Instead of hearing dieters say, “Well, I heard it’s not the calories but…,” now most are saying, “I guess you were right.” Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, it generally takes more than hearing the truth before dieters finally get it. What I mean is, most had to experience the journey by trying everything new and old in an effort to lose unwanted poundage. Finally, dieters arrived at the realization that during any program’s short-term success, they were cutting calorie intake and/or adding movement calories creating the undisputable equation: eating less calories than you burn = mass reduction. Although they had to come to this conclusion on their own, causing many frustrating experiences, I never said, “I told you so.” Well, almost never. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to cheating the system, because as long as you know how it works, you can beat it. Beating the bulge by doing the math In mathematics, when you have the answer you can create any numbers that lead to the solution. Same in the case of weight control. The answer is to consume less or equal to what you burn and nobody cares how you do it. As long as your total caloric intake (TCI) is less than total caloric output (TCO) for ANY GIVEN TIME PERIOD, whether it be two hours or 20 years, you will have reduced mass. Getting the picture yet? One more thing to keep in mind, increasing your movements by 100 calories a day has the same effect as removing 100 calories from your food intake. Therefore, your take home messages of any given time period and calorie adjustments in or out are of equal value. Regarding the latter, it’s a heckof- a lot easier to cut the calories than burn them, especially when you consider that one average-size café mocha contains ~ 500 calories, which is equivalent to a very intense one-hour run. Party time – just manage the AVERAGE DAILY DEFICIT There is a certain caloric deficit that a person must average in order to manage body fat. Example: When you are maintaining weight, the deficit is zero, or calories in = out. During weight loss, the deficit is based on the goal, including the desired time frame. Your weekly mass change, shown by weight and/or body fat, validates whether or not your deficit is correct. Notice the key points: average deficit and goal, not the total number or type of calories used to achieve the deficit or goal. It is the deficit number that must be managed. Let’s look at an example: Goal: Lose two pound in November Our example is modest because most people/dieters would be happy just maintaining weight in November. But when you finally get the “calorie thing,” you gain complete control of your body, making anything possible. Because one pound of fat = 3500 calories, for the month of November you will have to burn 7000 calories more than you eat. Therefore: time period = 30 days, goal 2 lbs = average daily deficit of ~230 calories (30 days x 230 = ~7000 calories = 2 lbs). Because I am a typical gym participant, we will use me as an example: Conversation Corner With Neal Spruce A Newsletter for Fitness Enthusiasts November 2005 © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 2 At 180 lbs with a sedentary job and working out one hour, three days/week, my average daily calorie burn is 2700 calories (and of course I know this because I never take my bodybugg™ armband off). Using the 2-pound loss goal, I can choose not do anything different in my daily activities, which means my average daily calorie intake will have to be ~2400 calories. Let’s say during a “fun day” I really blow it and consume ~5000 calories. (Of course, some of those would be alcohol, which is generally the culprit that dis-inhibits my usual appetite restraints, leading to the excess calorie consumption). Theoretically, I can make it up in one day by not eating (not advisable), or by adding 2300 calories of movement (my hangover would probably prevent this strategy). Instead, I would usually alter two days to keep me on track because, factually, if I had been averaging a 230-calorie deficit for the last 10 days, my “binge” would have wiped out my 10-day results. See how easily plateaus can happen? You work hard and/or eat well for 10 days, blow it once, and you are back where you were 10 days ago. Remember, every calorie counts both in and out, because energy (calories) is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. That said, it’s very simple to make up the loss when you know what you’re doing. Two-day remedy As long as I know I am going to blow it ahead of time, I always prepare by cutting the previous day’s calories in half. In this case, the day before the event I would consume four meals totaling 1200 (see sidebar); consume the 5000 calories on the “fun day” and repeat the 1200 calorie menu the following day, bringing my three-day calories-in total to 7400. Assuming I burned my 2700 cal/day average, bringing the three-day calories-out total to 8100, I am basically back on track, especially when you consider I participated in a function that goes well into the night where I will have certainly burned more calories than if I had stayed home and gone to bed…by myself. In summary, my three-day calorie deficit total was 700 (8100-7400), or an average daily deficit of ~230 calories, back on track and a heck of a good time! And remember, I did this all with food. But for every calorie I burn over 2700 for any of the three days, I can add back to my consumption. For instance, if I had gone for a walk in the park to shake the cobwebs out of my head or puttered around the garden for an hour, I would have burned ~300 calories more than normal, allowing a 1500 calorie total for one of the two 1200-calorie days or 5300 on the big night. Anyway, you get the picture: The more you move the more you get to eat (and that applies all the time). Additionally, you can make up the deficit over a longer period of time, such as 10 days of 560- calorie deficit. I just like my “pain” quick and done. Use the formula anytime you wander of course Best of all, you can repeat the above process anytime necessary. Just plug in the numbers and/or control portion sizes on make-up days. “Blowout” day’s calories don’t have to be accurate, just take a guess. Remember that 5000 calories is very difficult for the average person to consume in one day, but entirely possible during the holidays. The alternate method (non-bodybugg™, lack of desire or inability to count calories) is to simply cut every meal you consume in half during the two days you are using to make up for the “fun day.” The advantage of using Apex foods during the “catch-up” periods is that they are more satiating than most other foods of equal caloric value. And, more importantly, packaged Apex foods accurately count your calories, leaving no room for error. Life is easy when you understand and use only facts. And calories in and out are the simple facts related to weight control. You are now free to control your body composition—anytime. So, there you have it—the biggest, newest holiday tip from Yours Truly. Attached are the regular boring tips I give you every year—but they can also work. Sample 1200-calorie menu 7:00 a.m. Meal 1: Apex Breakfast Square – 230 calories with multi 11:30 a.m. Meal 2: 400 calorie meat of choice sandwich or large salad with favorite protein 4:00 p.m. Meal 3: 400 calories of chicken, starch of choice and salad with multi 8:00 p.m. Meal 4: Apex cookie – 160 calories with multi Any choice of non-caloric fluids © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 3 The Holidays are upon us with their abundance of stress and food. Here are 21 tips that will help get you successfully through the holidays without sacrificing your healthy lifestyle. 1. Exercise an hour a day, 4-5 days a week during the holidays. A brisk walk, run or bikeride will burn calories, relieve stress, and elevate your endorphins and mood. If you have to miss a workout, simply increase your daily activities. Be sure not to snack during this time. 2. Avoid eating no fat. Eating moderate amounts of fat at a meal can help you feel full sooner and keep you full longer, just don't overdue it. 3. Don't skip meals. Skipping meals leads to hunger, low energy levels and improper food choices. 4. Don't pass up favorite foods or deprive yourself completely. Moderate consumption is the key. 5. Don't tempt yourself by keeping trigger foods or comfort foods around the house. If you have them, it increases the likelihood that you will overeat. 6. Plan meals by keeping in mind the demands you'll have on your schedule that day. 7. Don't go to a party starving. Before you leave home, eat something light or drink a meal replacement shake. Also, drink a great deal of water the day of the party. 8. When you attend holiday festivities, don't station yourself near the buffet table. Make a clear-cut decision to distance yourself from all goodies. 9. Alcoholic beverages pack on the calories so if you're drinking alcohol, stick to light beer or a champagne spritzer. Watch out for the eggnog, it is high in calories and fat. 10. If you do find yourself feeling depressed, soothe your spirit with a massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial. Men can enjoy this too! 11. When you shop, eat before you leave home so you won't resort to cookie breaks. 12. To satisfy your sweet tooth, set limits. For example, you might allow yourself two decadent desserts per week; just move more the next day. 13. Just because it is the holidays doesn't mean you should give yourself the license to eat everything that passes by. Factor in the little extras into your daily intake. 14. Help out by saving fat and calories when it's feasting time. Make or buy wild rice stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, whole-grain rolls and angel-food cake with fruit. 15. If you are staying with family or friends, ask them if you can have a space in the refrigerator and keep foods on hand to snack on like lean deli meats, cottage cheese, nonfat cheese sticks, etc. 16. If you tend to overeat during family gatherings, plan and visualize what and how much you will eat before you go. Plan additional daily activities for that day or the following one. The additional activity can be anything from a longer shopping day to additional gym time. 17. If you want to really keep yourself honest and the same size during the holiday season wear your most form-fitting blue jeans. Another trick is to tie a string or ribbon around your waist under your shirt that will not budge with the bulge. 18. If you are at the mercy of the dinner host, eat modest amounts of the foods offered and fill up on foods with more fiber and volume and fewer calories. Make a small plate and skip the seconds. 19. Eat whatever you want on the main holiday feast. If you over-do it just go back to your regular plan the next day and move a little more. 20. Take a meditative moment at least one time each day to breathe deeply and clear your mind of all the clutter. 21. Enjoy the season, not just the food! © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 1 Eating in Holiday Spirit – The Art of Cheating It’s never what you eat or do, it’s always how much you eat or move When it comes to food consumption, I am the master of cheating, at least according to the people around me. I never cease to amaze people when I am dining or “grazing” at a party or function, by consuming all the classical forbidden foods (and often in Herculean quantities), prompting the proverbial question, “How can you possibly eat like that and stay in such great shape?” The answer is: I will easily cancel out those excess calories by 3 p.m. tomorrow, or certainly by the end of the day, because when you really get the science of weight gain, weight control becomes a “walk in the park”—sometimes literally. It’s always been simple—it’s all about calories Now that the facts regarding weight control and calories have been globally publicized by the scientific community (washing out all other diet nonsense), most people finally “get it”. Instead of hearing dieters say, “Well, I heard it’s not the calories but…,” now most are saying, “I guess you were right.” Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, it generally takes more than hearing the truth before dieters finally get it. What I mean is, most had to experience the journey by trying everything new and old in an effort to lose unwanted poundage. Finally, dieters arrived at the realization that during any program’s short-term success, they were cutting calorie intake and/or adding movement calories creating the undisputable equation: eating less calories than you burn = mass reduction. Although they had to come to this conclusion on their own, causing many frustrating experiences, I never said, “I told you so.” Well, almost never. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to cheating the system, because as long as you know how it works, you can beat it. Beating the bulge by doing the math In mathematics, when you have the answer you can create any numbers that lead to the solution. Same in the case of weight control. The answer is to consume less or equal to what you burn and nobody cares how you do it. As long as your total caloric intake (TCI) is less than total caloric output (TCO) for ANY GIVEN TIME PERIOD, whether it be two hours or 20 years, you will have reduced mass. Getting the picture yet? One more thing to keep in mind, increasing your movements by 100 calories a day has the same effect as removing 100 calories from your food intake. Therefore, your take home messages of any given time period and calorie adjustments in or out are of equal value. Regarding the latter, it’s a heckof- a lot easier to cut the calories than burn them, especially when you consider that one average-size café mocha contains ~ 500 calories, which is equivalent to a very intense one-hour run. Party time – just manage the AVERAGE DAILY DEFICIT There is a certain caloric deficit that a person must average in order to manage body fat. Example: When you are maintaining weight, the deficit is zero, or calories in = out. During weight loss, the deficit is based on the goal, including the desired time frame. Your weekly mass change, shown by weight and/or body fat, validates whether or not your deficit is correct. Notice the key points: average deficit and goal, not the total number or type of calories used to achieve the deficit or goal. It is the deficit number that must be managed. Let’s look at an example: Goal: Lose two pound in November Our example is modest because most people/dieters would be happy just maintaining weight in November. But when you finally get the “calorie thing,” you gain complete control of your body, making anything possible. Because one pound of fat = 3500 calories, for the month of November you will have to burn 7000 calories more than you eat. Therefore: time period = 30 days, goal 2 lbs = average daily deficit of ~230 calories (30 days x 230 = ~7000 calories = 2 lbs). Because I am a typical gym participant, we will use me as an example: Conversation Corner With Neal Spruce A Newsletter for Fitness Enthusiasts November 2005 © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 2 At 180 lbs with a sedentary job and working out one hour, three days/week, my average daily calorie burn is 2700 calories (and of course I know this because I never take my bodybugg™ armband off). Using the 2-pound loss goal, I can choose not do anything different in my daily activities, which means my average daily calorie intake will have to be ~2400 calories. Let’s say during a “fun day” I really blow it and consume ~5000 calories. (Of course, some of those would be alcohol, which is generally the culprit that dis-inhibits my usual appetite restraints, leading to the excess calorie consumption). Theoretically, I can make it up in one day by not eating (not advisable), or by adding 2300 calories of movement (my hangover would probably prevent this strategy). Instead, I would usually alter two days to keep me on track because, factually, if I had been averaging a 230-calorie deficit for the last 10 days, my “binge” would have wiped out my 10-day results. See how easily plateaus can happen? You work hard and/or eat well for 10 days, blow it once, and you are back where you were 10 days ago. Remember, every calorie counts both in and out, because energy (calories) is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. That said, it’s very simple to make up the loss when you know what you’re doing. Two-day remedy As long as I know I am going to blow it ahead of time, I always prepare by cutting the previous day’s calories in half. In this case, the day before the event I would consume four meals totaling 1200 (see sidebar); consume the 5000 calories on the “fun day” and repeat the 1200 calorie menu the following day, bringing my three-day calories-in total to 7400. Assuming I burned my 2700 cal/day average, bringing the three-day calories-out total to 8100, I am basically back on track, especially when you consider I participated in a function that goes well into the night where I will have certainly burned more calories than if I had stayed home and gone to bed…by myself. In summary, my three-day calorie deficit total was 700 (8100-7400), or an average daily deficit of ~230 calories, back on track and a heck of a good time! And remember, I did this all with food. But for every calorie I burn over 2700 for any of the three days, I can add back to my consumption. For instance, if I had gone for a walk in the park to shake the cobwebs out of my head or puttered around the garden for an hour, I would have burned ~300 calories more than normal, allowing a 1500 calorie total for one of the two 1200-calorie days or 5300 on the big night. Anyway, you get the picture: The more you move the more you get to eat (and that applies all the time). Additionally, you can make up the deficit over a longer period of time, such as 10 days of 560- calorie deficit. I just like my “pain” quick and done. Use the formula anytime you wander of course Best of all, you can repeat the above process anytime necessary. Just plug in the numbers and/or control portion sizes on make-up days. “Blowout” day’s calories don’t have to be accurate, just take a guess. Remember that 5000 calories is very difficult for the average person to consume in one day, but entirely possible during the holidays. The alternate method (non-bodybugg™, lack of desire or inability to count calories) is to simply cut every meal you consume in half during the two days you are using to make up for the “fun day.” The advantage of using Apex foods during the “catch-up” periods is that they are more satiating than most other foods of equal caloric value. And, more importantly, packaged Apex foods accurately count your calories, leaving no room for error. Life is easy when you understand and use only facts. And calories in and out are the simple facts related to weight control. You are now free to control your body composition—anytime. So, there you have it—the biggest, newest holiday tip from Yours Truly. Attached are the regular boring tips I give you every year—but they can also work. Sample 1200-calorie menu 7:00 a.m. Meal 1: Apex Breakfast Square – 230 calories with multi 11:30 a.m. Meal 2: 400 calorie meat of choice sandwich or large salad with favorite protein 4:00 p.m. Meal 3: 400 calories of chicken, starch of choice and salad with multi 8:00 p.m. Meal 4: Apex cookie – 160 calories with multi Any choice of non-caloric fluids © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 3 The Holidays are upon us with their abundance of stress and food. Here are 21 tips that will help get you successfully through the holidays without sacrificing your healthy lifestyle. 1. Exercise an hour a day, 4-5 days a week during the holidays. A brisk walk, run or bikeride will burn calories, relieve stress, and elevate your endorphins and mood. If you have to miss a workout, simply increase your daily activities. Be sure not to snack during this time. 2. Avoid eating no fat. Eating moderate amounts of fat at a meal can help you feel full sooner and keep you full longer, just don't overdue it. 3. Don't skip meals. Skipping meals leads to hunger, low energy levels and improper food choices. 4. Don't pass up favorite foods or deprive yourself completely. Moderate consumption is the key. 5. Don't tempt yourself by keeping trigger foods or comfort foods around the house. If you have them, it increases the likelihood that you will overeat. 6. Plan meals by keeping in mind the demands you'll have on your schedule that day. 7. Don't go to a party starving. Before you leave home, eat something light or drink a meal replacement shake. Also, drink a great deal of water the day of the party. 8. When you attend holiday festivities, don't station yourself near the buffet table. Make a clear-cut decision to distance yourself from all goodies. 9. Alcoholic beverages pack on the calories so if you're drinking alcohol, stick to light beer or a champagne spritzer. Watch out for the eggnog, it is high in calories and fat. 10. If you do find yourself feeling depressed, soothe your spirit with a massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial. Men can enjoy this too! 11. When you shop, eat before you leave home so you won't resort to cookie breaks. 12. To satisfy your sweet tooth, set limits. For example, you might allow yourself two decadent desserts per week; just move more the next day. 13. Just because it is the holidays doesn't mean you should give yourself the license to eat everything that passes by. Factor in the little extras into your daily intake. 14. Help out by saving fat and calories when it's feasting time. Make or buy wild rice stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, whole-grain rolls and angel-food cake with fruit. 15. If you are staying with family or friends, ask them if you can have a space in the refrigerator and keep foods on hand to snack on like lean deli meats, cottage cheese, nonfat cheese sticks, etc. 16. If you tend to overeat during family gatherings, plan and visualize what and how much you will eat before you go. Plan additional daily activities for that day or the following one. The additional activity can be anything from a longer shopping day to additional gym time. 17. If you want to really keep yourself honest and the same size during the holiday season wear your most form-fitting blue jeans. Another trick is to tie a string or ribbon around your waist under your shirt that will not budge with the bulge. 18. If you are at the mercy of the dinner host, eat modest amounts of the foods offered and fill up on foods with more fiber and volume and fewer calories. Make a small plate and skip the seconds. 19. Eat whatever you want on the main holiday feast. If you over-do it just go back to your regular plan the next day and move a little more. 20. Take a meditative moment at least one time each day to breathe deeply and clear your mind of all the clutter. 21. Enjoy the season, not just the food! © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 1 Eating in Holiday Spirit – The Art of Cheating It’s never what you eat or do, it’s always how much you eat or move When it comes to food consumption, I am the master of cheating, at least according to the people around me. I never cease to amaze people when I am dining or “grazing” at a party or function, by consuming all the classical forbidden foods (and often in Herculean quantities), prompting the proverbial question, “How can you possibly eat like that and stay in such great shape?” The answer is: I will easily cancel out those excess calories by 3 p.m. tomorrow, or certainly by the end of the day, because when you really get the science of weight gain, weight control becomes a “walk in the park”—sometimes literally. It’s always been simple—it’s all about calories Now that the facts regarding weight control and calories have been globally publicized by the scientific community (washing out all other diet nonsense), most people finally “get it”. Instead of hearing dieters say, “Well, I heard it’s not the calories but…,” now most are saying, “I guess you were right.” Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, it generally takes more than hearing the truth before dieters finally get it. What I mean is, most had to experience the journey by trying everything new and old in an effort to lose unwanted poundage. Finally, dieters arrived at the realization that during any program’s short-term success, they were cutting calorie intake and/or adding movement calories creating the undisputable equation: eating less calories than you burn = mass reduction. Although they had to come to this conclusion on their own, causing many frustrating experiences, I never said, “I told you so.” Well, almost never. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to cheating the system, because as long as you know how it works, you can beat it. Beating the bulge by doing the math In mathematics, when you have the answer you can create any numbers that lead to the solution. Same in the case of weight control. The answer is to consume less or equal to what you burn and nobody cares how you do it. As long as your total caloric intake (TCI) is less than total caloric output (TCO) for ANY GIVEN TIME PERIOD, whether it be two hours or 20 years, you will have reduced mass. Getting the picture yet? One more thing to keep in mind, increasing your movements by 100 calories a day has the same effect as removing 100 calories from your food intake. Therefore, your take home messages of any given time period and calorie adjustments in or out are of equal value. Regarding the latter, it’s a heckof- a lot easier to cut the calories than burn them, especially when you consider that one average-size café mocha contains ~ 500 calories, which is equivalent to a very intense one-hour run. Party time – just manage the AVERAGE DAILY DEFICIT There is a certain caloric deficit that a person must average in order to manage body fat. Example: When you are maintaining weight, the deficit is zero, or calories in = out. During weight loss, the deficit is based on the goal, including the desired time frame. Your weekly mass change, shown by weight and/or body fat, validates whether or not your deficit is correct. Notice the key points: average deficit and goal, not the total number or type of calories used to achieve the deficit or goal. It is the deficit number that must be managed. Let’s look at an example: Goal: Lose two pound in November Our example is modest because most people/dieters would be happy just maintaining weight in November. But when you finally get the “calorie thing,” you gain complete control of your body, making anything possible. Because one pound of fat = 3500 calories, for the month of November you will have to burn 7000 calories more than you eat. Therefore: time period = 30 days, goal 2 lbs = average daily deficit of ~230 calories (30 days x 230 = ~7000 calories = 2 lbs). Because I am a typical gym participant, we will use me as an example: Conversation Corner With Neal Spruce A Newsletter for Fitness Enthusiasts November 2005 © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 2 At 180 lbs with a sedentary job and working out one hour, three days/week, my average daily calorie burn is 2700 calories (and of course I know this because I never take my bodybugg™ armband off). Using the 2-pound loss goal, I can choose not do anything different in my daily activities, which means my average daily calorie intake will have to be ~2400 calories. Let’s say during a “fun day” I really blow it and consume ~5000 calories. (Of course, some of those would be alcohol, which is generally the culprit that dis-inhibits my usual appetite restraints, leading to the excess calorie consumption). Theoretically, I can make it up in one day by not eating (not advisable), or by adding 2300 calories of movement (my hangover would probably prevent this strategy). Instead, I would usually alter two days to keep me on track because, factually, if I had been averaging a 230-calorie deficit for the last 10 days, my “binge” would have wiped out my 10-day results. See how easily plateaus can happen? You work hard and/or eat well for 10 days, blow it once, and you are back where you were 10 days ago. Remember, every calorie counts both in and out, because energy (calories) is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. That said, it’s very simple to make up the loss when you know what you’re doing. Two-day remedy As long as I know I am going to blow it ahead of time, I always prepare by cutting the previous day’s calories in half. In this case, the day before the event I would consume four meals totaling 1200 (see sidebar); consume the 5000 calories on the “fun day” and repeat the 1200 calorie menu the following day, bringing my three-day calories-in total to 7400. Assuming I burned my 2700 cal/day average, bringing the three-day calories-out total to 8100, I am basically back on track, especially when you consider I participated in a function that goes well into the night where I will have certainly burned more calories than if I had stayed home and gone to bed…by myself. In summary, my three-day calorie deficit total was 700 (8100-7400), or an average daily deficit of ~230 calories, back on track and a heck of a good time! And remember, I did this all with food. But for every calorie I burn over 2700 for any of the three days, I can add back to my consumption. For instance, if I had gone for a walk in the park to shake the cobwebs out of my head or puttered around the garden for an hour, I would have burned ~300 calories more than normal, allowing a 1500 calorie total for one of the two 1200-calorie days or 5300 on the big night. Anyway, you get the picture: The more you move the more you get to eat (and that applies all the time). Additionally, you can make up the deficit over a longer period of time, such as 10 days of 560- calorie deficit. I just like my “pain” quick and done. Use the formula anytime you wander of course Best of all, you can repeat the above process anytime necessary. Just plug in the numbers and/or control portion sizes on make-up days. “Blowout” day’s calories don’t have to be accurate, just take a guess. Remember that 5000 calories is very difficult for the average person to consume in one day, but entirely possible during the holidays. The alternate method (non-bodybugg™, lack of desire or inability to count calories) is to simply cut every meal you consume in half during the two days you are using to make up for the “fun day.” The advantage of using Apex foods during the “catch-up” periods is that they are more satiating than most other foods of equal caloric value. And, more importantly, packaged Apex foods accurately count your calories, leaving no room for error. Life is easy when you understand and use only facts. And calories in and out are the simple facts related to weight control. You are now free to control your body composition—anytime. So, there you have it—the biggest, newest holiday tip from Yours Truly. Attached are the regular boring tips I give you every year—but they can also work. Sample 1200-calorie menu 7:00 a.m. Meal 1: Apex Breakfast Square – 230 calories with multi 11:30 a.m. Meal 2: 400 calorie meat of choice sandwich or large salad with favorite protein 4:00 p.m. Meal 3: 400 calories of chicken, starch of choice and salad with multi 8:00 p.m. Meal 4: Apex cookie – 160 calories with multi Any choice of non-caloric fluids © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 3 The Holidays are upon us with their abundance of stress and food. Here are 21 tips that will help get you successfully through the holidays without sacrificing your healthy lifestyle. 1. Exercise an hour a day, 4-5 days a week during the holidays. A brisk walk, run or bikeride will burn calories, relieve stress, and elevate your endorphins and mood. If you have to miss a workout, simply increase your daily activities. Be sure not to snack during this time. 2. Avoid eating no fat. Eating moderate amounts of fat at a meal can help you feel full sooner and keep you full longer, just don't overdue it. 3. Don't skip meals. Skipping meals leads to hunger, low energy levels and improper food choices. 4. Don't pass up favorite foods or deprive yourself completely. Moderate consumption is the key. 5. Don't tempt yourself by keeping trigger foods or comfort foods around the house. If you have them, it increases the likelihood that you will overeat. 6. Plan meals by keeping in mind the demands you'll have on your schedule that day. 7. Don't go to a party starving. Before you leave home, eat something light or drink a meal replacement shake. Also, drink a great deal of water the day of the party. 8. When you attend holiday festivities, don't station yourself near the buffet table. Make a clear-cut decision to distance yourself from all goodies. 9. Alcoholic beverages pack on the calories so if you're drinking alcohol, stick to light beer or a champagne spritzer. Watch out for the eggnog, it is high in calories and fat. 10. If you do find yourself feeling depressed, soothe your spirit with a massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial. Men can enjoy this too! 11. When you shop, eat before you leave home so you won't resort to cookie breaks. 12. To satisfy your sweet tooth, set limits. For example, you might allow yourself two decadent desserts per week; just move more the next day. 13. Just because it is the holidays doesn't mean you should give yourself the license to eat everything that passes by. Factor in the little extras into your daily intake. 14. Help out by saving fat and calories when it's feasting time. Make or buy wild rice stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, whole-grain rolls and angel-food cake with fruit. 15. If you are staying with family or friends, ask them if you can have a space in the refrigerator and keep foods on hand to snack on like lean deli meats, cottage cheese, nonfat cheese sticks, etc. 16. If you tend to overeat during family gatherings, plan and visualize what and how much you will eat before you go. Plan additional daily activities for that day or the following one. The additional activity can be anything from a longer shopping day to additional gym time. 17. If you want to really keep yourself honest and the same size during the holiday season wear your most form-fitting blue jeans. Another trick is to tie a string or ribbon around your waist under your shirt that will not budge with the bulge. 18. If you are at the mercy of the dinner host, eat modest amounts of the foods offered and fill up on foods with more fiber and volume and fewer calories. Make a small plate and skip the seconds. 19. Eat whatever you want on the main holiday feast. If you over-do it just go back to your regular plan the next day and move a little more. 20. Take a meditative moment at least one time each day to breathe deeply and clear your mind of all the clutter. 21. Enjoy the season, not just the food! © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 1 Eating in Holiday Spirit – The Art of Cheating It’s never what you eat or do, it’s always how much you eat or move When it comes to food consumption, I am the master of cheating, at least according to the people around me. I never cease to amaze people when I am dining or “grazing” at a party or function, by consuming all the classical forbidden foods (and often in Herculean quantities), prompting the proverbial question, “How can you possibly eat like that and stay in such great shape?” The answer is: I will easily cancel out those excess calories by 3 p.m. tomorrow, or certainly by the end of the day, because when you really get the science of weight gain, weight control becomes a “walk in the park”—sometimes literally. It’s always been simple—it’s all about calories Now that the facts regarding weight control and calories have been globally publicized by the scientific community (washing out all other diet nonsense), most people finally “get it”. Instead of hearing dieters say, “Well, I heard it’s not the calories but…,” now most are saying, “I guess you were right.” Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, it generally takes more than hearing the truth before dieters finally get it. What I mean is, most had to experience the journey by trying everything new and old in an effort to lose unwanted poundage. Finally, dieters arrived at the realization that during any program’s short-term success, they were cutting calorie intake and/or adding movement calories creating the undisputable equation: eating less calories than you burn = mass reduction. Although they had to come to this conclusion on their own, causing many frustrating experiences, I never said, “I told you so.” Well, almost never. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to cheating the system, because as long as you know how it works, you can beat it. Beating the bulge by doing the math In mathematics, when you have the answer you can create any numbers that lead to the solution. Same in the case of weight control. The answer is to consume less or equal to what you burn and nobody cares how you do it. As long as your total caloric intake (TCI) is less than total caloric output (TCO) for ANY GIVEN TIME PERIOD, whether it be two hours or 20 years, you will have reduced mass. Getting the picture yet? One more thing to keep in mind, increasing your movements by 100 calories a day has the same effect as removing 100 calories from your food intake. Therefore, your take home messages of any given time period and calorie adjustments in or out are of equal value. Regarding the latter, it’s a heckof- a lot easier to cut the calories than burn them, especially when you consider that one average-size café mocha contains ~ 500 calories, which is equivalent to a very intense one-hour run. Party time – just manage the AVERAGE DAILY DEFICIT There is a certain caloric deficit that a person must average in order to manage body fat. Example: When you are maintaining weight, the deficit is zero, or calories in = out. During weight loss, the deficit is based on the goal, including the desired time frame. Your weekly mass change, shown by weight and/or body fat, validates whether or not your deficit is correct. Notice the key points: average deficit and goal, not the total number or type of calories used to achieve the deficit or goal. It is the deficit number that must be managed. Let’s look at an example: Goal: Lose two pound in November Our example is modest because most people/dieters would be happy just maintaining weight in November. But when you finally get the “calorie thing,” you gain complete control of your body, making anything possible. Because one pound of fat = 3500 calories, for the month of November you will have to burn 7000 calories more than you eat. Therefore: time period = 30 days, goal 2 lbs = average daily deficit of ~230 calories (30 days x 230 = ~7000 calories = 2 lbs). Because I am a typical gym participant, we will use me as an example: Conversation Corner With Neal Spruce A Newsletter for Fitness Enthusiasts November 2005 © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 2 At 180 lbs with a sedentary job and working out one hour, three days/week, my average daily calorie burn is 2700 calories (and of course I know this because I never take my bodybugg™ armband off). Using the 2-pound loss goal, I can choose not do anything different in my daily activities, which means my average daily calorie intake will have to be ~2400 calories. Let’s say during a “fun day” I really blow it and consume ~5000 calories. (Of course, some of those would be alcohol, which is generally the culprit that dis-inhibits my usual appetite restraints, leading to the excess calorie consumption). Theoretically, I can make it up in one day by not eating (not advisable), or by adding 2300 calories of movement (my hangover would probably prevent this strategy). Instead, I would usually alter two days to keep me on track because, factually, if I had been averaging a 230-calorie deficit for the last 10 days, my “binge” would have wiped out my 10-day results. See how easily plateaus can happen? You work hard and/or eat well for 10 days, blow it once, and you are back where you were 10 days ago. Remember, every calorie counts both in and out, because energy (calories) is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. That said, it’s very simple to make up the loss when you know what you’re doing. Two-day remedy As long as I know I am going to blow it ahead of time, I always prepare by cutting the previous day’s calories in half. In this case, the day before the event I would consume four meals totaling 1200 (see sidebar); consume the 5000 calories on the “fun day” and repeat the 1200 calorie menu the following day, bringing my three-day calories-in total to 7400. Assuming I burned my 2700 cal/day average, bringing the three-day calories-out total to 8100, I am basically back on track, especially when you consider I participated in a function that goes well into the night where I will have certainly burned more calories than if I had stayed home and gone to bed…by myself. In summary, my three-day calorie deficit total was 700 (8100-7400), or an average daily deficit of ~230 calories, back on track and a heck of a good time! And remember, I did this all with food. But for every calorie I burn over 2700 for any of the three days, I can add back to my consumption. For instance, if I had gone for a walk in the park to shake the cobwebs out of my head or puttered around the garden for an hour, I would have burned ~300 calories more than normal, allowing a 1500 calorie total for one of the two 1200-calorie days or 5300 on the big night. Anyway, you get the picture: The more you move the more you get to eat (and that applies all the time). Additionally, you can make up the deficit over a longer period of time, such as 10 days of 560- calorie deficit. I just like my “pain” quick and done. Use the formula anytime you wander of course Best of all, you can repeat the above process anytime necessary. Just plug in the numbers and/or control portion sizes on make-up days. “Blowout” day’s calories don’t have to be accurate, just take a guess. Remember that 5000 calories is very difficult for the average person to consume in one day, but entirely possible during the holidays. The alternate method (non-bodybugg™, lack of desire or inability to count calories) is to simply cut every meal you consume in half during the two days you are using to make up for the “fun day.” The advantage of using Apex foods during the “catch-up” periods is that they are more satiating than most other foods of equal caloric value. And, more importantly, packaged Apex foods accurately count your calories, leaving no room for error. Life is easy when you understand and use only facts. And calories in and out are the simple facts related to weight control. You are now free to control your body composition—anytime. So, there you have it—the biggest, newest holiday tip from Yours Truly. Attached are the regular boring tips I give you every year—but they can also work. Sample 1200-calorie menu 7:00 a.m. Meal 1: Apex Breakfast Square – 230 calories with multi 11:30 a.m. Meal 2: 400 calorie meat of choice sandwich or large salad with favorite protein 4:00 p.m. Meal 3: 400 calories of chicken, starch of choice and salad with multi 8:00 p.m. Meal 4: Apex cookie – 160 calories with multi Any choice of non-caloric fluids © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 3 The Holidays are upon us with their abundance of stress and food. Here are 21 tips that will help get you successfully through the holidays without sacrificing your healthy lifestyle. 1. Exercise an hour a day, 4-5 days a week during the holidays. A brisk walk, run or bikeride will burn calories, relieve stress, and elevate your endorphins and mood. If you have to miss a workout, simply increase your daily activities. Be sure not to snack during this time. 2. Avoid eating no fat. Eating moderate amounts of fat at a meal can help you feel full sooner and keep you full longer, just don't overdue it. 3. Don't skip meals. Skipping meals leads to hunger, low energy levels and improper food choices. 4. Don't pass up favorite foods or deprive yourself completely. Moderate consumption is the key. 5. Don't tempt yourself by keeping trigger foods or comfort foods around the house. If you have them, it increases the likelihood that you will overeat. 6. Plan meals by keeping in mind the demands you'll have on your schedule that day. 7. Don't go to a party starving. Before you leave home, eat something light or drink a meal replacement shake. Also, drink a great deal of water the day of the party. 8. When you attend holiday festivities, don't station yourself near the buffet table. Make a clear-cut decision to distance yourself from all goodies. 9. Alcoholic beverages pack on the calories so if you're drinking alcohol, stick to light beer or a champagne spritzer. Watch out for the eggnog, it is high in calories and fat. 10. If you do find yourself feeling depressed, soothe your spirit with a massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial. Men can enjoy this too! 11. When you shop, eat before you leave home so you won't resort to cookie breaks. 12. To satisfy your sweet tooth, set limits. For example, you might allow yourself two decadent desserts per week; just move more the next day. 13. Just because it is the holidays doesn't mean you should give yourself the license to eat everything that passes by. Factor in the little extras into your daily intake. 14. Help out by saving fat and calories when it's feasting time. Make or buy wild rice stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, whole-grain rolls and angel-food cake with fruit. 15. If you are staying with family or friends, ask them if you can have a space in the refrigerator and keep foods on hand to snack on like lean deli meats, cottage cheese, nonfat cheese sticks, etc. 16. If you tend to overeat during family gatherings, plan and visualize what and how much you will eat before you go. Plan additional daily activities for that day or the following one. The additional activity can be anything from a longer shopping day to additional gym time. 17. If you want to really keep yourself honest and the same size during the holiday season wear your most form-fitting blue jeans. Another trick is to tie a string or ribbon around your waist under your shirt that will not budge with the bulge. 18. If you are at the mercy of the dinner host, eat modest amounts of the foods offered and fill up on foods with more fiber and volume and fewer calories. Make a small plate and skip the seconds. 19. Eat whatever you want on the main holiday feast. If you over-do it just go back to your regular plan the next day and move a little more. 20. Take a meditative moment at least one time each day to breathe deeply and clear your mind of all the clutter. 21. Enjoy the season, not just the food!

Well, I made it through sugery...I'm sooo glad that's over. I got a complete unfill the day before surgery and I'm really glad I did. It was one less thing to have to worry about since the meds I'm on are in pill form. The only now I have to deal with is typing one-handed since I'll be in a sling for about a month. It's been a really interesting experience being unfilled. I had 1.8cc in a 4cc band and about a week after being unfilled I experienced a PB! We were eating bbq and since I assumed that not having a fill was the same as not having a band I ate a piece of meat, didn't chew it well enough and about 10 seconds later it came back up! I'm at least glad to know now that I can't eat willy nilly even with no fill. I have to wait about 10 more days before I get a fill, but so far no weight gain, so I guess all is good :clap2: