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Christa- I am more than happy to also post daily. I need that accountability too! Just think of your weight gain as muscle! Muscle weighs more than fat remember? Just keep doing the right thing and the scale will follow! Are you measuring inches too? Try various indicators of success besides just that pesky scale!

I complained to a friend about my latest plateau and she sent me the following. By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS When you're trying to lose weight, the question isn't whether or not you'll hit a plateau, it's when. Plateaus are like bad weather on a long hike: it's inevitable that you'll run into it, but knowing that in advance won't make it one bit less frustrating or annoying when it happens. Cheer up! Since plateaus are as common as rain, we have a pretty good idea what to do about them. At least one of the following techniques should help you break through a plateau and start losing again. 1. Be a Calorie Detective When clients tell me they've stopped losing weight, the first thing I ask is this: how many calories a day are you eating? Calories have a way of creeping up while we're not paying attention. Be brutally honest with yourself: food diary for a while is a great way to monitor this. And yes, sodas and alcoholic beverages count! A good calorie goal for dieters is your target weight times 10. 2. Change It Up When you're not making gains in an exercise program you change your routine. Same holds true with your eating plan. Low-carbers could go higher carb for a few days, high-carbers might switch to a plan like shake things up. 3. Try a Temporary Ban Food sensitivities can cause weight gain and bloat, and the frustrating thing is that most of us don't always know which foods are the culprits. So play the odds. Highest on the list of "usual suspects" are grains (wheat in particular), dairy and sugar. Temporarily ban all three and see what happens. 4. Take Your Workout Up a Notch Forget the "fat burning zone." High intensity intervals -- 30 to 60 seconds -- are the wave of the future. If you're accustomed to level three on your cardio machine, ramp it up to level 6 for a minute then slow down, catch your breath and repeat. Ever see a sprinter with love handles? Protein Studies show that higher protein diets make it easier to lose fat. Protein boosts the metabolism (in one study as much as 100 percent for 24 hours), and increases satiety, making it more likely that you won't overeat. A higher protein diet could be just what you need to break that plateau. 7. Try a Detox Unsupervised fasting is a really bad idea, but the idea of giving your system a rest makes sense. Try a "smart fast" of nothing but fruits and vegetables for a couple of days. The added Fiber is always helpful, and the massive amount of nutrients and phytochemicals is like "spring cleaning" for your sleep or medication. Take a look at what else is going on in your life that might need attention. Sometimes when you clean up the problems in one area of your life, problems in other areas just naturally take care of themselves. Anyone else out there struggling with a plateau? Some of these ideas might not be best for bandsters (i.e., instense workouts for newer bandsters), but it did give me cause to change my exercise time to evenings and decrease soy consumption.

Hi LDM, I know and feel your pain. you should be having something every 2 hours or so. I was on carnation instant Breakfast and I drank 4 oz every 2 hours and when I went to my mushy stage I would continue the Carnations, in between meals. I never got hungry until it came close to my first fill. What is your typical day on the liquids? At this point in time I dont see anything wrong with the cottage cheese... I dont think you have slipped or anything like that. The Cottage chees is a good nutritious protien meal, especially in week 2. The reason you are probally still hungry is because you are not getting enough protien that is why I say every 2 hours. Also are you getting in your water? you need at least 8 glasses of water per day this will also curve your hunger. I know it is hard, Good Luck you will be fine Remember this is your healing stage and the doctors really dont expect any significant weight lose but they also dont want any weight gain either. Good Luck and remember we are here for you Vickie

Wednesday evening I wound up in the Chiro's office with a compacted C4 vertebrae and pinched nerve in my neck and have NO idea how the hell I managed all that. Guess it was the sumo wrestling and bungee jumping from the week before? :biggrin1: NOT. Anyway, fast forward to Friday, I've been through 4 Chiro visits and been flat on my back for the past day and a half... I feel better and finally returned to work this morning, but dang it's been a rough week. On top of that, yesterday I started new diabetes meds. I've been taken off Avandaryl, which apparently has contributed to some of my weight gain in the past few months. I'm now on a new medication called Byetta, which you have to inject, but the good news is there are very few lows or crashes with this medication, and in the clinical trials, most people lost weight! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: It would be nice if this were finally the answer to me losing weight and I wound up not having to have the surgery. Who knows. At least I know I still have the option.

Wednesday evening I wound up in the Chiro's office with a compacted C4 vertebrae and pinched nerve in my neck and have NO idea how the hell I managed all that. Guess it was the sumo wrestling and bungee jumping from the week before? :biggrin1: NOT. Anyway, fast forward to Friday, I've been through 4 Chiro visits and been flat on my back for the past day and a half... I feel better and finally returned to work this morning, but dang it's been a rough week. On top of that, yesterday I started new diabetes meds. I've been taken off Avandaryl, which apparently has contributed to some of my weight gain in the past few months. I'm now on a new medication called Byetta, which you have to inject, but the good news is there are very few lows or crashes with this medication, and in the clinical trials, most people lost weight! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: It would be nice if this were finally the answer to me losing weight and I wound up not having to have the surgery. Who knows. At least I know I still have the option.

Did you see Oprah and her two Dr friends? I was so glued to my set! If I knew what they were discussing many years ago I dont think I would have taken my weight gain with such a cavalier attitude. I was moved to tears for my whole family. I have such a new found motivation to clean out my cabinets of all the junk and letting them hate me if they want to. I am strong enough in my love for them to make that stand. I know it is going to be a major process, but I wont be able to look myself in the mirror in a few years if I at least dont try. They are worth it. I am worth it. I need to get the book they just published. Im going online to her website to find out the name of it and will post it later. What a program. Wow Ok its called YOU:on a diet by Dr. Oz and Dr.Roizen and there is a program on Discovery Channel Nov.3 check for time in your area.

Since i have had my IUD in...the Mirena I have had a very hard time losing my weight with my band, feel bloated all the time, have really oily skin, and am constantly moody/depressed.....I have read many many message boards and found many many many women in my shoes (obviously not with the band too...but with the Mirena) ....I since have gotten my IUD out and already feel like a new person... Any MD that tells you your weight gain etc has nothing to do with your IUD is a crock. I don't care how small the amt. of hormone is......hormones are hormones, and if you were sensitive to them on the pill, most likely you are going to be with the Mirena....will never never get an IUD again...wish I would have done more research on this before...I am also an RN and ususally look into this kind of stuff...but didn't put the weight gain and moodiness together until I came across other message boards on the Mirena....beware!

Maybe the plus size clothing allows more room for weight gain and weight loss. For example, I'm wearing a size 22/24 and weigh 326. I'm just barely wearing that size, but refuse to buy 26/28 since I'm getting banned in December. However, I wore a size 22/24 (they were baggy) three years ago when I weighed 270. So, I know that I probably won't get to the coveted 18/20 size until I'm under 270 and that's okay. Bottom line, I think people who are in smaller sizes can drop a size just by losing 10-15 pounds. But, it takes more weight loss for the bigger sizes. Barb

Hi Lovemylapband I don't know anything about lupus, other than it's one of those diseases that they have to use steroids to treat you with. And that's the problem, the steorids. I know how awfull it is to be on prednisone and just watch your body swell, semingly of it's own accord. The rapid weight gain, the 'roid rage, the round red moon face, the acne, I could go on, but anyone who's takine steroids knows all too well. I think with steroids you are looking at a double edged sword. The increased steroids in your body make you hold onto the just about evey calorie you take in. The calories in/out thing doesn't work if you have a high level of steroids in your system. The other edge is that for many people, the steroids make them hungry. I'm not sure what mechanism get flipped on here, but this is what happens. I don't know if this makes you feel better or not, but since they have you weaned down to a lower dose, your weight gain should really slow down. Once you are completely weaned off the prednisone, you should be able to lose weight again. I'm so sorry about the lupis, from what I understand it's a difficult row to hoe. (((((hugs)))))

Okay - I was a travel agent and guess what - the average weight gain on a cruise is 10 pounds!!!! So, you didn't do bad at all. I love cruises too. I once went on a strictly scrapbooking cruise, it was so much fun! So I totally know you had a great time. Don't sweat the 5 lbs, now is the time to get back to the basic bandster rules.

Ya know the pill might cause weight gain...IF you overeat because of it....but if the facts are as presented....caloric intake of 1000 calories per day and rigorous exercise then that pill will not make you gain any weight other than maybe a couple lbs of water weight. The regular weight should still come off easily.

I have had this my entire life also. Weight loss greatly magnifies this effect for me. I have tried every known sleep inducing agent that has a short half life, yet they always leave me with the "hangover" or they simply stop working altogother. My solution? Low dose lithium, we're talking 75mg, 150mg, maybe a max of 300mg (as opposed to the 900mg-1200mg range which is for bipolar). It can even be used every other day. It doesn't work instantly, I allow about 2 weeks for the effects to become noticable. At these doses it will not sedate you, but it will keep you asleep without feeling drugged. Also, the effects at this dosage are drastically different than those attained at high doses (lack of weight gain, etc). And I don't have bipolar, nor does it run in my family, I just happen to have a history of long enduring insomnia.

© 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!

Hi, I'm a mental health counselor and Effexor is NOTORIOUS for causing weight gain and difficulty to lose. Normally it causes people to feel hungry. Talk to your physician about trying a different anti-depressant. I know I would! The important thing is that you keep up the great cardio work and diet while you transition (if that's what your doc decides for you). 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

Hi mypov......I felt exactly the same way as you. I have PCOS and gained alot of weight very quickly (100lbs in 3 years). I also couldn't understand how I had gained so much weight in such a short space of time. So when I went to visit my surgeon I explained my dilemma to him and he assured me that many of his patients who have PCOS have been extremely successful in losing weight. Unfortunately with PCOS we have an extra problem contributing to our weight gain so the weightloss with the band may be slower BUT it still comes off. At the obesity clinic that I visit the dietician and nurse have both told me that women with PCOS generally have to have greater restriction than most people because our calorie intake has to be quite a bit lower in order to lose weight......also exercise is VERY important in losing weight with PCOS. On the upside....... starch carbs really aggrevate PCOS and with the band it is very difficult to eat most starchy carbs.:cool:

Hello to All...... I feel bad because I havn't posted here in months but yet I find myself back to ask you all for some help!! I know this is a great place for support and I really need it now! Here is my problem........... I went on a cruise this past weekend with some girlfriends for a little "me time!" I have two beautiful little girls who I absolutly adore and this is the first time I have done anything like this. Well, I endulged a little too much. I came home and hit the scales first thing yesterday morning and I GAINED 5lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!! YIKES!!!!!!!!! This sounds crazy but we all took are scrapbooking stuff and this was an organized scrapbooking cruise. A lot of late nights eating JUNK to keep me awake (scrapping until 3am- 2 nights in a row). I also endulged on a lot of vanilla-mocha and fancy Desserts that I didn't have to pay for. (well, I payed for it but I am sure you know what I mean if you have been on a cruise) OUr group also had a couple of FREE cocktail hours!! So my question is this...........What have some of you done to loose those few lbs that you have put on? I HAD lost 62lbs before the 5lb weight gain. I have been at a slow pace the past month in a half. I had surgery on 4/3/06. I need a PUSH start again and I am up for any advice to get these 5 off along with another 5 before Christmas Festivities begin!! Up until this point I havn't experienced gaining weight, just maintaining for a long time. (since I was banded) The frustrating thing is I don't feel like I ate a whole lot of food, so it must be the coffee drinks and desserts I just had to try. (My girlfriend said to me........"How many of those people on the Titanic wished they would of had desert with there dinner." Gosh, that sounds horrible, and I guess I took it litterly.) ON a positive note: This was the most "comfortable" vacation I have had in a long time. I was able to keep up with everyone and I WASN'T the biggest person in my group!! :cool: I am up for any suggestions!! Thanks for reading!! Jen:help:

Some meds do cause you to gain weight. Ask your doctor if your medication is associated with weight gain.

I think I would have to 'take out' anyway who criticized the band. Jerks!!! Mandi, your journey threw weight gain did'nt start at 25, but you ended it at 25. My son is 15 and already struggles. I would'nt advise it now, but when he's an adult and if he decided to get banded, I would support him 100%,

You've got to get yourself in a better place. You can't fight this battle if you are run down, depressed, stressed to the max, and sleep deprived. Please find ways to cope with this. Do you have any friends that can lend you a bed for a few hours? It would be nice if you could leave one evening after your daughter is asleep and go sleep at a friend's. A night of peaceful sleep will do wonders. I, of course would cook a wonderful meal using all of the labeled food. After all your daughter has to eat! Stress can cause the scale to move in the wrong direction. Don't worry about it. The weight gain is not real and will be reflected soon. Meet with your lawyer and campaign to get him moved temporarily. That is your best option. Once removed, change the locks so you can rest peacefully.

where is the edit button?

Please help, need help fast! Started taking new meds for Pain two weeks ago gained 10 pounds how can that be! Im eatting around 1000 calories, can this be Water weight? Ive been eating the same food and water intake for almost two years now! Doe,s any body have a clue?

I love beer myself but have not had one since my birthday (08.12.06). I knew going in that I couldn't drink beer and it was almost a deal breaker for me. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it but have actually started drinking wine or frozen drinks instead. It wasn't easy giving it up but I was drinking way too much (hense the weight gain) so it probably isn't all bad. I guess you have to ask yourself which is more important . . . beer or getting healthy! I am happy to say I can even watch friends having beers without crying or craving a cold one. As long as I have something in my hand, I'm good. : ) PatU

I'd had some belly burning and abdominal aches, discomfort when lying on my left side, aches in my esophagus that would migrate up to under my jaw, sudden loss of restriction, and rebound weight gain. All of the aches and pains were fairly mild to moderated discomforts that were off and on, but becoming more frequent. For as seriously eroded as I am, I am surprised that it didn't hurt much worse. I'm sad, but ok so far, as a nurse, I know my life could be so much worse. I'm sure if my weight continues to rebound I won't be so accepting, but for now, I'm hanging in there & I'm always greatful for the support of my LBT family. This fight isn't over yet!

I'm sorry for your friend's misfortune. Many patients fail to report PB'ing and vomiting to their MDs for fear of receiving an unfill. A PA at my surgeon's office told me that several patients ASK to be overfilled so that they can lose weight quicker and "toss" the extra food if they overeat. An overfill not only leads to inflammation of the esophagus, but also can result in weight gain as people go back to mushy foods which are often higher in calories than solid proteins.