gain goal regain How was your 5:2 day today?

[coops 1,790]

Sarsar, Tyler sounds delightful! Perhaps he should meet my daughter, because they are defo cut from the same cloth!

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

Wow there is so much stuff to comment on here and I really don't want to forget anyone....

Sarah your son sounds like an awesome young man...How thoughtful to think of his gramma.

Florinda I love you pic! Look at your curves! Yayyyyyyy!

I'm not opposed to inviting QoC to join up....She's pretty straight up and I believe she would participate....

Georgia your grand baby there is so darn cute, I just want to hug here.....

Gosh I can't remember much of what I read, so for missing others. I did read them but right now I'm struggling with some side effects of take melatonin last night.  After I took I got really dizzy and went to sleep...This morning I was really dizzy and could hardly walk to the bathroom...I had my niece coming over so I had to get moving and she drove to the meeting. But talking about feeling like I have a hang over right now...

 

Did the 5:2 fast day last week and struggled with staying on it. So now I am refocusing on the fasting day and will fast next Tuesday and Thursday....I lost a really wonderful mom figure a couple days ago and it's put me in a tail spin.

 

Have a wonderful day everyone and it helps me to read others words on here....I too read it and sometimes sit in the back and just take it in.....i will kick it up starting tomorrow...

I love reading about sheryl and Denise's dating... It seems so frustrating, especially expecting to meet someone that's 5'8" and they turn out to be much shorter.... Now what was he thinking and what kind of responses is he getting from others he meets with????

[Georgia 2,908]

Lynda (Iserno) posted this excellent article on another thread. Since most if us are losing the weight and getting to healthy BMIs this is very thought provoking considering that even at "normal" BMI and weight we could have up to a four fold increase in having cardiovascular disease if the percentage of our body fat is higher even if THIN!

The scales Can Lie: Hidden Fat

New Study Argues Even Thin People Can Face Health Risks From Fat; It's 'Normal Weight Obesity'

Even some thin people could be at risk for health issues typically associated with individuals who are fat, Ron Winslow reports.

By RON WINSLOW

Can you be normal weight and fat at the same time?

That's the implication of a provocative recent report from the mayo Clinic, which suggests that fat in your body can get you and your heart into trouble even if you don't look fat and if the scale tells you you're healthy.

The Mayo researchers, led by cardiologist Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, have coined a term for the phenomenon: normal weight obesity. In a study that looked at data from 6,171 Americans with normal body size, as measured by body mass index, those with a high percentage of body fat were at significantly greater risk of future heart problems than those with low amounts of fat. Their bodies "behave like they are obese, but they are not," Dr. Lopez-Jimenez says.

People don't have to be overweight to have excess body fat. Instead, these people have a higher ratio of fat to muscle tissue than do people with low body fat. Indeed, even people of the same weight, or those with comparable body mass index, which factors together weight and height, can have different body-fat percentages.

Based on results of the nine-year study, as well as U.S. Census and obesity data, Dr. Lopez-Jimenez and his colleagues estimate that as many as 30 million Americans may fall into the normal-weight-obesity category, many of them unaware they may be at increased heart risk.

The study "drills down on a population where we're making assumptions that everybody is healthy. It may well be that they're not," says Robert Eckel, an obesity and metabolic-syndrome expert at the University of Colorado, Denver, who wasn't involved with the study.

But Dr. Eckel and other medical experts caution that the findings need to be validated with additional research. Big epidemiological studies such as the Mayo report are useful for spotting important trends and raising hypotheses for further inquiry. But they are not necessarily reliable for prescribing specific remedies for individual patients.

Indeed, Dr. Eckel says he doesn't think the study's results mean people should have their body fat measured to assess their cardiac risk. Generally, a little extra weight around the middle among normal weight people should be a sufficient wakeup call, other doctors say. More research is needed to determine whether reducing body fat percentage in such people would lower risk of heart disease.

Still, body-fat assessment is a common feature at many gyms. At Equinox Fitness Club, a national chain based in New York, members get a body-composition test as part of an initial assessment before they begin a training regimen. "This is a culture obsessed with weight, but very little attention is paid to the composition of that weight," says Geralyn Coopersmith, an exercise physiologist and senior national manager for Equinox's training program.

Among some of the Mayo Clinic study's findings: High body fat among normal-weight men and women was associated with a nearly four-fold increase in the risk for metabolic syndrome—a cluster of abnormalities including elevated blood sugar and blood pressure. This syndrome is common among people who are obese and is an increasingly important precursor to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. For women, high body fat meant a heightened risk of being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease over the course of the study. Both men and women had a higher risk of abnormal cholesterol and men with high body fat were more likely to develop high blood pressure.

The research suggests that body mass index, or BMI, the tool doctors and researchers often use to determine whether a person is obese, may fall short in some cases as an indicator of good health. BMI is obtained by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared. People with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9—the range for the participants in the Mayo study—are considered to be normal weight under government guidelines. A BMI of 30 or higher indicates obesity, while people in the range from 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight. The overweight category in particular has generated controversy because many people who exercise regularly and are considered fit have BMIs above 25.

Dr. Lopez-Jimenez says that measuring body fat could help identify previously unappreciated risk in the normal-weight population. He likens the issue to cholesterol. Total cholesterol below 200 has long been considered a heart-healthy target, but research has also shown that people can have "healthy" total cholesterol but low levels of HDL, or good cholesterol, and high levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol, that put them at heightened risk for heart attacks.

Monika Sumpter, a 34-year-old training manager at Equinox Fitness in New York City, says she once weighed 170 pounds and had a body fat percentage of "a little over 30%," a high reading. She says she lost 45 pounds with diet and some aerobic exercises, but reduced her body fat percentage only to about 25%. So, over the past 18 months, Ms. Sumpter says she added strength training and other exercise to her cardio workout. Although she has put 20 pounds back on, her body fat percentage is down to 14%, she says.

For consumers, conversations about body fat and body composition are more likely to happen during a workout with a personal trainer than at a doctor's office during an examination. The test isn't a widely accepted clinical measurement. And there isn't a consensus among medical experts about what percentage of body fat is "normal" or what level indicates higher risk.

Some gyms have their own guidelines. At Equinox Fitness Club, trainers consider body composition and waist circumference—another indicator of body fat—more important in assessing fitness of many members than weight. The club's Ms. Coopersmith says that, based on data from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise, Equinox considers body fat percentages between 25% and 31% for women, and 18% to 26% for men, as "acceptable." Women with body fat of 21% to 24%, and men with 14% to 17%, are "fit." People who reach even lower levels of body fat are considered "athletic," she says.

The findings of the Mayo study, which was published in November in the European Heart Journal, suggest that reducing heart risk requires increasing the percentage of lean muscle mass at the expense of body fat. That underscores the importance of exercise in maintaining cardiovascular health—including weight lifting and other resistance training, which helps build lean body mass.

Eating a healthy diet is important in reducing body fat, too, but Dr. Lopez-Jimenez observes that if you only restrict calories, you risk losing an equal amount of body fat and lean muscle tissue and thus you could end up weighing less without significantly reducing the percentage of body fat.

Sara Bakken Lee, a 39, a Mayo Clinic staffer, is stepping up her weight training as part of an intense regular exercise program in an effort to get her body fat percentage to 23% from about 26% in December.

When she began to target body fat in her exercise program two years ago, her BMI was 26, just slightly into the overweight category. "I didn't like being in that category when I didn't think of myself as being overweight." Her body fat at the time was 33.7%.

This December, after losing weight on a diet and continuing with a six-day exercise program, her BMI was 23.4, with body fat at 26%. "I'm in the moderately lean category, which makes me very happy." She hopes to reach a body fat level of 23% by June by adding a third day of weight-lifting to her workout routine.

"If you're at a sloppy normal weight, that's not going to be good for you," says John M. Jakicic director of the physical activity and weight management research center at University of Pittsburgh, who wasn't involved with the study. "It argues that exercise is the intervention we should be targeting."

[feedyoureye 3,087]

Hi ladies had two good fast days this week. Pounds are down then back up. I think I wiill try to weigh once a week instead of daily. Loving the new pic Georgia two beauties. Sar high school age children oh how I remember those days. Hope the mood turns soon. Globe so awesome u have found someone to get that hug I want to send u. Cool u get even more. CGJ I so hope I didn't offend u on the kissing on the first date. I know. This is an old subject. But wanted to say it wasn't my intention to judge. I am a big believer in to each hiss own. U guys may not hear this much but "do u boo boo". My point was to be safe. I was scared for u when u said he stopped after u protested. I have zero Sex drive. I only get pleasure in my dreams. Hubby and I don't talk about it. We just don't. Our marriage is great in all the other areas. Not sure when it happened but our bedroom is for sleeping. Anyway, I digress , CGJ again I sincerely apologise if I offended u. U, Daisy and anyone else dating goood luck. Its tough finding the right person to share your life with. UK u remind me of me, listening, thinking , but low key. Hmmmmm.... M2 when my last baby Jade past a few years back we spread her Doggie ashes in a large flower pot and along with seeds from a plant. We take care of the plant and see our Jade grow. I feel bad for our new dog Issis cause we always compare and Issis doesn't measure up. We tell stories about Jade and u would think she was Lassie saving children from burning buildings. I think she even helped hubby with his taxes once. Issis is scared of her shadow. Gotta get up shortly and go to work. Cyber hugs to everyone!

Love this whole post Brown!

I'm down for QoC to come in, she "works the program" of being a sleever and has a good attitude.

I gave up Insanity after 6 weeks because it just wasn't doing what I needed/wanted for my body. I switched over to Xfit compound lift training with my new Buddy and I love it! As you can see I changed my profile pic, I just took that today, the old pic was a year and a half old. The side view is the only one where you can see a definite difference since I begain working out rigorously 7 weeks ago, and even then you can only see a real difference in the profile of my butt.

Does anyone know how to figure out if a digital scale is on the fritz? Either mine is a lying bastard or I really have dropped 4 lbs in 6 days from the new workout. I fear it is the former :/

Kim - I love belly dancing!! It is a serious workout, even when I was very obese but was regularly belly dancing, I could do isoloations steadily while some skinny newbies were flattened, I always enjoy watching Fat Chance Belly Dance, the ATS troupe out of SF. Oh and, was that a Sleeping with the Enemy shout out, or a Dr Zhivago one?

Edit: Just went to check out my BMI, excited cuz of the exercise, talk about disappointment - it says I have to be at LEAST 135 lbs before I can even enter the average BMI zone

Love Fat Chance, I loved looking up "fat" bellydancers when I was fat, to just see gals really look great and do some amazing dance even though.... I have seen them a couple of times and my group has talked about driving to the city to take classes at their studio some time....

[BrownDoesAll 409]

Hey maybe if we all yell real loud at the same time Laura will hear us. LAURA!! ARE YOU OK?

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I wonder if the calipers are accurate on the formerly obese for calculating body fat percent....especially those of us that were really big. I was assessed by a trainer at the gym. I am @29 percent and he says I can shave 2 percent off a month. I am dubious of both claims because he also found me quite strong believe it or not. Planks, lunges, squats... told me I completely kicked it....even compared to younger clients. We shall see.

Big storm blew through....trees down, power out etc.

[M2G 1,836]

Sorry for confusing QofC with Kris...

It looks as if Laura hasn't logged on since Jan. 6th. I know for me personally sometimes I need a "break" from here. We all have lives, and to be 100% honest, sometimes being "here" means I'm not as "present" as I want to be in my own life. So I take a hiatus, whether it be a day or a week or whatnot, but sometimes it's good to just take a break and come back when you feel like you need to. Maybe that is what's going on?

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

FYE i love the belly dancers....it is such an art form.....

Sheila you are absolutely right. We do need a break at times and I have found myself taking a break lately too....too much stuff going on.

Georgia I have read the article and it is quite interesting. I want to reread it again so that I can absorb more of the info given.....

I went to a support group meeting and the only people that were there were veterans. I so needed that. It just confirms that we have to stay focused for the rest of our lives.... I know I have a lot of head hunger going on too....

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I went to a support group meeting and the only people that were there were veterans. I so needed that. It just confirms that we have to stay focused for the rest of our lives.... I know I have a lot of head hunger going on too....

That is so interesting, I have been thinking about going to my local meeting... haven't been for years....

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Wow! I would really like to know how some of you are able to comment on everyone's posts. Please tell me if you are taking notes, have a great memory, or are opening 2 windows ,

Florinda, I am really happy that you found a friend and someone to work out with. Do you think you two will move in the direction of more than friends?

I think the guy lied about his height the same way we lie about our weight. Maybe he used to be 5'7" at one time. It wasn't just the height. If we had clicked in other ways, the height would not have made any difference.

Something new has been added to the mix . I got an email from this guy I really like but I stuck him in the friend zone because he had a gf .He said he broke up with her. He's the retired English teacher with a fabulous sense of humor. I may have talked about him before. Then I have Nex/Mark who wants to meet tuesday half way and spend the night. On top of that. this guy I like to dance with who is a man from my past, ( 40 years ago) took his date home early last night when I showed up. He said " don't leave. I'll be back" Then we danced some, and went outside and he wanted my cell # so we can text. He's a nice guy but he drinks a lot but he may be fun to hang out with.

So now I have 3 guys to keep my mind occupied. I am doing really well staying at goal. I'm still fasting and following the 5:2 but I have moved my calories on fast days to 700 but I make sure to only have one evening snack and eat Breakfast really late. I was really surprised when I got on the scale this A.M. that I haven't gained.

Hugs to everyone. I love reading everyone's posts. Somebody please tell me how to comment on all of them.I don't want to "quote" each and every post.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Oregondaisy

[Georgia 2,908]

That is so interesting, I have been thinking about going to my local meeting... haven't been for years....

Wish I had one locally. Got to check into that

[Georgia 2,908]

OD, I can't keep up with your "men!" LOL. I like the sound of the funny English Teacher. I think humor isVERY important.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Georgia

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

OD, I can't keep up with your "men!" LOL. I like the sound of the funny English Teacher. I think humor isVERY important.

I know. I was thinking I had to get a notebook to keep track of what I have told them. I hate repeating myself.

I don't know what will happen with Bill now that he broke up with his gf.

Today he texted me that he was sick. He told me he was puking etc, and then said "want to make out?" he was being funny . I texted back "Actually, I do. I have always wondered if you were a good kisser. " I am such a flirt.

He texted back that if that happened, he would not be sick.

Oh Boy!

[Globetrotter 1,340]

Denise - my new Battle Buddy has a girlfriend that he intends to make his fiancee, is way WAY WAAAAAAYYYY too young. However, that beings said, he is NOT cheating on his GF, they have an understanding while he is deployed, so we are providing each other with ....succor and, stress relief . I read the other day that at the 20 second mark of a hug oxytocin gets released, I'm gonna tell him that so that I can get longer hugs .

[feedyoureye 3,087]

((( )))