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Weight Loss Forum / General Topics / July 2004another attempt
Ive failed at losing weight quite a number of times over the last few years for various reasons. I am male, 33, 6'2 and approx 330 - 340 pounds (I havent weighed myself in a while so not sure exactly) I suffer from accute gout which is also triggered whenever i start to lose weight even if it is very slow and steady. I mainly get this in both ankles and the front outer side parts of my feet - so far only 1 at a time and the pain is severe. It has been my main reason for quitting losing weight as i could not handle the pain and the painkillers i was on didnt help as much as they should have and with my work i needed to be mobile. Anyway, im now on 2 different sets of medication that seem to be working for me at the moment so i am on a mission to lose weight again. At least this time i have good meds that seem to be doing the trick so wish me luck! I wont be doing anything drastic, just cutting back on the junk and eating more fresh and healthy food - generally of the salad and vegetable, lean white meats variety, etc and a bit more fibre. I will start trying to do some walking and maybe swimming too to get my exercise off the ground as well. 340'ish / 340'ish / 210 start today > Ive failed at losing weight quite a number of times over the last few > years for various reasons. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > 340'ish / 340'ish / 210 > start today If I were you, I would do the same things as you outlined. I would also, weigh myself and measure various sizes, thighs, belly, etc, to establish some baseline./ Also take a couple of pictures of yourself. Many people failed previously, the point is not to fail at least once and not regain afterwards. Good luck! 223/173/180 > Ive failed at losing weight quite a number of times over the last few > years for various reasons. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > 340'ish / 340'ish / 210 > start today Welcome, and congratulations on your new endeavor. I have a few suggestions for you. First of all, drink lots and lots of water. Not soda, not juice, but water. Wake up in the morning and drink two full glasses, then have a drink every time you go to the bathroom. For a little while, until your body adjusts, you'll be losing weight merely from all the mad dashes to the restroom! Secondly, get to bed. Getting a good night's sleep is important for three reasons. If you're well-rested you're more likely to exercise the next day. You're also less likely to reach for high-sugar foods as an energy pick-me-up. And sleep deprivation is associated with higher cortisol levels which are partially responsible for fat storage in the abdomen. Don't make the mistake - common though it is - of cutting your calorie intake too much. Your goal should be to NOT have to use willpower. Use planning and awareness of your goals instead. You should plan your meals in advance - and that includes mini-meals or snacks. Try charting them out at www.fitday.com to see what kind of calorie load you're on. I really recommend that you not drop below 8x your weight in calories. What you want to do is find a way of eating that works for you on all levels: it has to be enjoyable food, it has to leave you sated, it should give you enough energy to get through your day-to-day life, it should work with your time constraints and it should fit with your sort of menu choices. Now, if all you ever wanted to eat were pepperoni pizzas or fried fish and chips then you've got a tough row to hoe to find a new way of eating that fits that in. But you've got four or five chances a day, every day, for the rest of your life, to figure this stuff out. Failure in one meal means nothing in the scheme of things. Figure out why you failed, plan better, and keep trying. Many of us here found that what we REALLY needed to lose weight was an epiphany. We had to just change our minds and decide to do it. Then all the constraints hobbling us (literally, in your case) became challenges we had to surmount rather than obsticles we used as excuses. Too little time, poor joints, hating vegetables, blah blah blah... when you just decide to do it you can figure out how to make it work. Congratulations on deciding to do it. Stick with us for encouragement as you face the issues in front of you. We really can help. Dally 244/175.5/169 > Ive failed at losing weight quite a number of times over the last few > years for various reasons. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > 340'ish / 340'ish / 210 > start today My uncle has very dibilitating gout and my mom suffers from it occassionally. Her advice was to avoid acidic foods like tomatoes for example. She said it caused really bad flare ups. Anyhow, aside from that I think your plan is good. I did exactly what you're planning and in 3.5 months I've lost almost 40lbs. Good luck! Cp > > Ive failed at losing weight quite a number of times over the last few > > years for various reasons. [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > Good luck! > Cp Congratulations Cp! This is fantastic. Beverly > > Anyhow, aside from that I think your plan is good. I did exactly what > > you're planning and in 3.5 months I've lost almost 40lbs. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Beverly Thanks beverly :) I feel it's fantastic as well. Sounds good, keep us posted! > Ive failed at losing weight quite a number of times over the last few > years for various reasons. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > 340'ish / 340'ish / 210 > start today jason, using this place as a daily source of support has helped many of us to remember that we ARE NOT DIETING, but have chosen a WOE (way of eating) that we will maintain for life. have you found that? have you considered trying something like the SOUTH BEACH DIET?  SignatureCLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY United States: http://www.stopthehunger.com/ International: http://www.thehungersite.com/ : Ive failed at losing weight quite a number of times over the last few : years for various reasons. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] : 340'ish / 340'ish / 210 : start today > jason, > using this place as a daily source of support has helped many of us > to remember that we ARE NOT DIETING, but have chosen a WOE (way of > eating) that we will maintain for life. > have you found that? > have you considered trying something like the SOUTH BEACH DIET? It was exactly that sort of diet that kick started my accute attacks of gout ... I cut out carbs and slowly added a few back but it was the rapid weight loss and hard exercise combined at the time that apparantly took my body over the edge as far as gout was concerened - that was a couple of years ago and ive suffered terribly with it since. Im not much into gimmicky different ways of eating especially after that so the traditional sort of things im going to do include:- continue to drink only water during the daytime and plenty of it switching to a sweetener in my evening coffee or tea instead of sugar moving to semi skimmed milk instead of full eat more fruit eat more veg cut out sweets/candy/crisps - and have a small treat at weekend for doing well tho! not go overboard on portions if im having baked potatoes not to also have bread - same with pasta, etc make sure i eat breakfast, i like plain muesli and sweeten it with splenda start exercising regularly but simple swimming or walking, nothing too strenuos otherwise it wll kick of that darn gout!! >> jason, >> using this place as a daily source of support has helped many of us [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > make sure i eat breakfast, i like plain muesli and sweeten it with > splenda you have to count calories then, you can switch to healthiest of foods and still not lose much. You would be better off, but not lighter. i > readandpost@yahooORhotmail.com says... >>have you considered trying something like the SOUTH BEACH DIET? >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > took my body over the edge as far as gout was concerened - that was a > couple of years ago and ive suffered terribly with it since. I think you're talking about a ketosis induction diet. That isn't what we're suggesting. The South Beach Diet, Glycemic Index Diet and Zone diet all pay attention to blood sugar maintenance through-out the day. You aim to get balanced macronutrients in every meal, that means that every meal has some high-fiber carbs, lean protein and healthy fats. You should also eat frequently, every three or four hours, in small portions. I don't see how this would increase uric concentration if you're drinking plenty of water, but YMMV. The benefit to this sort of way of eating is that it leaves you feeling sated, with high energy levels, and without food cravings on a relatively low amount of calories. I find that I just fuel my body better when I eat this way. > Im not much into gimmicky different ways of eating especially after that > so the traditional sort of things im going to do include:- > > continue to drink only water during the daytime and plenty of it > switching to a sweetener in my evening coffee or tea instead of sugar > moving to semi skimmed milk instead of full Go straight to skimmed milk, no stopping elsewhere. You'll grimace through one gallon but then you'll be okay. I swear it - you'll rapidly get used to it! There is just no reason to drink the saturated fat in cow's milk if you're over the age of 2. > eat more fruit > eat more veg > cut out sweets/candy/crisps - and have a small treat at weekend for > doing well tho! I think the main rule I'd pass along here is that a carb has to have a reason for going into my mouth. I'm not by any definition "low-carb", i.e., half my calories come from carbs, but the carbs are the ones that sneak up and leap into my mouth, so they're the ones I watch out for. For a carb to go into my mouth it has to meet one of these criteria: it has to have fiber, phytonutrients or an entertainment value that is worth the calorie load. Again, I try to balance my macronutrients (for better blood sugar maintenance, satiety and energy) so I try not to just eat an apple. I'll eat half an apple and put peanut butter on it. Or eat some rye crisp crackers with cheese and horseradish sauce on it. The point is, don't just eat more veggies, eat better thought out snacks and meals. > not go overboard on portions > if im having baked potatoes not to also have bread - same with pasta, > etc Remember what I said about glycemic indexes and carbs? Neither baked potatoes nor refined flour bread have enough value in my diet to be worth the calories they take up. It's not that they're evil, it's just that a limited calorie budget doesn't have room for stuff that spikes my blood sugar and is stored as fat so easily. I've replaced potatoes and bread and pasta with brown basmati rice and sweet potatoes for the duration of my fat loss. My uncle has a mantra that made me laugh, but it's short and to the point: "If it's white, it ain't right." I agree - throw out all the white foods in your diet. :-) > make sure i eat breakfast, i like plain muesli and sweeten it with > splenda Breakfast is incredibly important, I agree. I know one obese woman who lost 20 pounds immediately just by adding breakfast to her schedule. I like muesli, too, but the fact is that the portion sizes are tiny (or the calorie load is immense) and it'd be way better to add some protein and fat to that. My two mainstay breakfasts are 1/2 whole wheat bagel with smoked salmon on it, or an oatmeal/protein powder/peanut butter combination. I also like an occasional scrambled egg with whole grain toast. I had to give up breakfast cereal completely because it just used too many calories for what it gave me in terms of energy, satietion and blood sugar management. > start exercising regularly but simple swimming or walking, nothing too > strenuos otherwise it wll kick of that darn gout!! The studies I've read suggest starting with small goals is a great way to move yourself along without burning out. How about you define some specific, measureable, achievable goals and make a plan on how you're going to implement them? For example, "swim 10 laps without stopping by August 31 and to get there you'll swim three times a week increasing your laps by one lap each week." Obviously I just made that up, but my point is to visualize a goal, visualize succeeding at it and then think about how to implement it. It's an incredibly powerful 10 minute exercise. Good luck! I'm so glad you came here. Not everything I say will fit your life, but between all of us I bet you can fine tune here and there until you get what works for you. Dally >> jason, >> using this place as a daily source of support has helped many of us [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > >continue to drink only water during the daytime and plenty of it Excellent! >switching to a sweetener in my evening coffee or tea instead of sugar >moving to semi skimmed milk instead of full >eat more fruit >eat more veg >cut out sweets/candy/crisps - and have a small treat at weekend for >doing well tho! All good thoughts! Try to make the veg of the non-starchy variety. Just watch the treats... it's really easy to get going and overdo. I'd make it something that you can easily control the portion of, like maybe one candy bar. Bought singly, so you don't leave a bag of temptation laying about the house. >not go overboard on portions >if im having baked potatoes not to also have bread - same with pasta, >etc Yes, portion control is important, especially with items that pack calories. (Hint... I would not have baked potatoes plural, <G>, one should do.) >make sure i eat breakfast, i like plain muesli and sweeten it with >splenda Another tip, get a good quality protein powder, and add that to your cereal milk. It gives you a better balance in the morning. >start exercising regularly but simple swimming or walking, nothing too >strenuos otherwise it wll kick of that darn gout!! Also a good plan. Cynthia > Just watch the treats... it's really easy to get going and overdo. I'd > make it something that you can easily control the portion of, like > maybe one candy bar. Bought singly, so you don't leave a bag of > temptation laying about the house. over time I'm eating less & less 'treats'. Everyone's different, but now I just don't have a perceived need for a 'reward'. 1lb is ~3500kcal, these 'treats' add up, and now that I'm closer to my goal I just don't want to keep pushing it away by eating pure crap as some sort of 'reward' -- *my* reward is going to be winning the battle of the bulge <--- period. Actually, I suppose a daily treat is my protein powder in milk. It certainly tastes sweet (that's the stevia sweetening + lactose), but I'm getting a lot of protein and dairy calcium from it so it's not an empty 'reward ' by any means. Plus I do occasionally eat out at eg. Quiznos, Panda Express, or Chipotle, but all these meals come within my daily calorie limit and they're also a part of my eating habits of balanced carb intake with protein and fat. Heywood (236.5) -> 232 -> 190.3 -> 182? (scale is now under 190 for two days in a row, no more 10lb milestones, woohoo!) >> Just watch the treats... it's really easy to get going and overdo. I'd >> make it something that you can easily control the portion of, like [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > sort of 'reward' -- *my* reward is going to be winning the battle of > the bulge <--- period. I agree. I also never make food a reward or consolation anymore. i > > over time I'm eating less & less 'treats'. Everyone's different, but > > now I just don't have a perceived need for a 'reward'. 1lb is [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > i and the word here is 'anymore' .... You cant just throw away several years of deeply seated bad habits overnight (or rather 'I' cant!), a small treat each weekend at the beginning of this diet / way of eating, whatever you want to call it, will aid me immensly in being able to continue with the daily grind. I already know i am addicted to food, especially what I term as treats, be they sweet chocolate, savoury snack food - in fact all sorts. Too many to mention. I am making lots of small changes all the the right general direction towards a healthier lifestyle. Eventually I would love to think the way you do on food but somehow I dont think I will ever be able to let my guard down. I am a food addict ... fat, thin, fit or unfit. I just hope I can get control of it properly as many here seem to have done. >> > over time I'm eating less & less 'treats'. Everyone's different, but >> > now I just don't have a perceived need for a 'reward'. 1lb is [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > beginning of this diet / way of eating, whatever you want to call it, > will aid me immensly in being able to continue with the daily grind. If it works for you, you have just found the best method... Congratulations, and I hope that it continues to work. I know that all or nothing works much better for me. I spent 14 months without sweets, and by this moment, count not care less for them. It only was difficult for maybe the first 2 weeks. I stopped seeing that stuff as "food". > I already know i am addicted to food, especially what I term as > treats, be they sweet chocolate, savoury snack food - in fact all [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > I am a food addict ... fat, thin, fit or unfit. I just hope I can get > control of it properly as many here seem to have done. I hope so too... And yes, years of bad habits are hard to overcome. It is also, probably, harder for some people than for others. i > > > over time I'm eating less & less 'treats'. Everyone's different, but > > > now I just don't have a perceived need for a 'reward'. 1lb is [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > beginning of this diet / way of eating, whatever you want to call it, > will aid me immensly in being able to continue with the daily grind. If you think it will help then try it, but you might want to start finding other ways to reward yourself. I was on a very strict diet that didn't allow me to reward myself with food so I found other little things. It sounds weird but I got to like certain scratch-off lottery tickets - and I *never* play the lottery. But, I would buy myself a $2 ticket, less than I would have spent on a fast food meal. > I already know i am addicted to food, especially what I term as treats, > be they sweet chocolate, savoury snack food - in fact all sorts. Too > many to mention. I am making lots of small changes all the the right > general direction towards a healthier lifestyle. Making the small changes will really help as long as you can stick to them. If you feel like you're addicted, it might be best to give it up altogether for a short time. I like sweets and chocolate and I do let myself have a piece once a week, except the PMS week when I know I won't be able to control it. That week I depend a lot on cocoa powder - mixed into fat free ricotta with some splenda is like chocolate cheesecake. I also mix it into plain yogurt or cottage cheese. It might sound gross but don't knock it until you try it. > Eventually I would love to think the way you do on food but somehow I > dont think I will ever be able to let my guard down. You probably won't. It depends on your history and any physiological issues that might be at play. I think Barbara posted something earlier stating that you just have to accept that you need to eat less and exercise more than an "average" person in order to be/stay at a healthy weight. > I am a food addict ... fat, thin, fit or unfit. I just hope I can get > control of it properly as many here seem to have done. I recommend some reading on binge eating. Overcoming Binge Eating by Christopher Fairburn is a good start. There are many others out there and reading some might be helpful. Jenn Greetings and welcome. You've gotten good advice. Here is my two cents, which is worth even less than that. Get a complete physical with full blood workup. At your weight, obesity-related ailments, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and Type II diabetes, could be present. Know your health status, then work with your doctor to improve your health. Work with a nutritionist. It is hoped she will have suggestions about avoiding a recurrence of gout. As always, YMMV. Kasey 365/253/??? > Greetings and welcome. > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > pressure, sleep apnea and Type II diabetes, could be present. Know > your health status, then work with your doctor to improve your health. Health is currently a non issue other than im too heavy and it needs sorting before it does cause some/all of those issues in me. I currently have grade A blood pressure, cholesterol and no diabetes. i also sleep very well and feel rested unless a very heavy work day and then i dont think anyone recovers fully for a couple of days ;) > Work with a nutritionist. It is hoped she will have suggestions about > avoiding a recurrence of gout. nutrition doesnt play as much a role in gout as many think, apart from quick weight loss and too much exercise together increase the levels of uric acid in the body and actually cause severe attacks nutition certainly can help but is by no means a way of controlling it in people who have accute gout. i already drink plenty of water, avoid alchohol (im not a big drinker and havent been for many years) and steer clear of foods with a high purine content. either way, this much weight on my joints cant be good and aside from that it has started becoming more of an issue as my fitness level is as low as it has been for a long time and that is affecting me more than just being overweight. > As always, YMMV. > > Kasey > 365/253/??? those figures are certainly encouraging - i hope i can follow those Welcome to ASD, Jason. I've never been bothered with gout so I'm not real familiar with which foods might irritate the condition. There are some good websites with diets for gout. Have you researched any of them? Hope to see you posting often. Beverly > Ive failed at losing weight quite a number of times over the last few > years for various reasons. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > 340'ish / 340'ish / 210 > start today >Ive failed at losing weight quite a number of times over the last few >years for various reasons. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >340'ish / 340'ish / 210 >start today Your plan sounds good! Go gradual and see how it goes, swimming and walking are great exercise! Cynthia |
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