Anyone else trying to lose weight or get healthier?

[ladybrasa]

Hang in there. Don't give in to the cravings now!

I do need to hang in there!
Gotta fit into my egg collecting apron I just ordered by next Spring!!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hey they niked my thyroid Graves disease never had a weight issue till then
dropped 20 so far called pushing away from, the table also Son picked up a small wieght ball lift twist

 

[IamRainey]

Curious: So how well does it work for you? Weight loss amount? Energy levels? Sugar with drawl? Is this intermediate fasting like I've been hearing good things about?

I think you might have meant intermittent fasting and, yes, that's what I do. I do it because it's the only thing that quiets the insane cravings I have for food. I do it because I can make it a routine that supports me.

I had a particularly hard time getting started this time. It took me about 3 years. But, previously I did if for 3 years and lost 50 pounds and had a much more calm and focused life.

Once I get my body balanced and my food urges under control it's simplicity itself.

I seriously need to start. I've started several times and failed. But the good news is you can't succeed unless you start some where. Eating disorders suck!
So I'm getting ready to start with the help of Contrave.

Can't say I know what Contrave is. Can you tell us more about it? Beyond Contrave (which I take to be a med of some kind), what kind of plan do you follow? What kind of food choices?

I cut back on carbs. Lost 20 pounds! One pant size.

Carbs are horrible, insidious, delicious things! I'm glad you put them behind you and had such great results. I have to eliminate them too to be free of cravings and able to make better food choices.

I cut out GMOs and lost 45 lbs and was able to get off all prescriptions! I feel better than I have in years!

Congrats!!! How did you do that? How did you identify the GMOs in foods? Were GMOs the only thing you eliminated?

I need to lose weight. I was always skinny, but menopause has been brutal. I also stopped smoking and that has not helped with the weight. I've never dieted before so am unsure how to approach this issue. I have always had an enormous sweet tooth. The fasting is intriguing.

I've been fat since I started kindergarten so it's tough for me to relate but Dr. Michael Mosley who pioneered intermittent fasting did it not because he was fat but because he developed diabetes. He talks a lot about thin "fat" people whose body fat is internal and just as damaging to health even if it's not apparent.

But, of course, you'll have to decide what's right for you. And I would imagine just beating the sugar demon would make a big change for you. Sugar is one of the very worst foods on absolutely every authority's list. So good luck tackling the sugar demon!!

I've got a religious holiday coming up and will fast entirely, for 26 hours- I find sleeping through it makes it easy plus signs on refrigerator and food pkg that say 'NO FOOD !!!! that works pretty well.

Good for you! That sounds like what I call white knuckling it and it's HARD so if you can do it my hat's off to you!

 

[IamRainey]

I do need to hang in there!
Gotta fit into my egg collecting apron I just ordered by next Spring!!

LOVE it! Motivation is motivation, right? You go, girl!

Hey they niked my thyroid Graves disease never had a weight issue till then
dropped 20 so far called pushing away from, the table also Son picked up a small wieght ball lift twist

Not quite following what happened with your Graves disease. But YAY for you if you got on top of the weight gain! Wish I had your discipline!

 

[ladybrasa]

Sugar is one of the very worst foods on absolutely every authority's list. So good luck tackling the sugar demon!!

It’s EVERYWHERE! So many foods, well processed food, you’d never think would have it. And definitely so many forms in the ingredients lists. The one that is ubiquitous is that “high fructose corn syrup”. Unfortunately things like honey that can be beneficial in other ways is also pretty much a sugar source.

(To clarify, I’m just using ‘sugar’ loosely. Actual table sugar is specifically Sucrose, but there are many ‘sugars’ - simple carbohydrates - that a human body needs very very little of. Natural sugars in fresh fruit, Fructose, are okay, at least on my diet plan, because they are wrapped up with nutrients and lots of fiber)

 

[Mimi Clucks]

Congrats!!! How did you do that? How did you identify the GMOs in foods? Were GMOs the only thing you eliminated?

I googled GMO crops and completely avoided those foods. Reading labels is super important, they seem to put corn and soy in everything! I noticed a huge difference in how I felt in month 2. If you really want to get healthy, this is a great place to start.

 

[Crazy Two]

July 1st of this year I had gastric sleeve surgery and it’s been the best thing for me. So far today I am down 70 pounds, 5 pant sizes and 2 shirt sizes and love it. My diet is pretty much only protein but smaller portions which sucks sometimes but it’s all good.

 

[IamRainey]

It’s EVERYWHERE! So many foods, well processed food, you’d never think would have it. And definitely so many forms in the ingredients lists. The one that is ubiquitous is that “high fructose corn syrup”. Unfortunately things like honey that can be beneficial in other ways is also pretty much a sugar source.

Oh yes! You're completely right!

In a university weight loss clinic I tried decades ago they said look for words that end in "one" or "ase" and avoid them.

I googled GMO crops and completely avoided those foods. Reading labels is super important, they seem to put corn and soy in everything! I noticed a huge difference in how I felt in month 2. If you really want to get healthy, this is a great place to start.

Sorry. Still not getting it. Can you show a link or something?

I know agribusiness uses modified seeds but if they grow GMO corn that doesn't mean the local farmer does too, does it? Or are seeds becoming so narrowly distributed that natural vegetables are only available when you grow your own heritage varieties?

July 1st of this year I had gastric sleeve surgery and it’s been the best thing for me. So far today I am down 70 pounds, 5 pant sizes and 2 shirt sizes and love it. My diet is pretty much only protein but smaller portions which sucks sometimes but it’s all good.

Congrats to you for doing what's right for you! My husband had a Roux en Y about 15 years ago. I think it saved his life. His diabetes could no longer be controlled with meds. He had a family history of heart disease.

It wasn't the whole solution. Over the years he gained weight again and had to go back on diabetes meds but he's fasting with me again and looking trim and feeling good. His success helped me keep trying until I could nail my regimen.

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

Tell me more about fasting, please. Are you allowed beverages? I live in the South where it's hot, so I tend to drink a lot of tea. I know if I quit smoking after 40+ years I can do the weight thing to. I just never had to before, so I have no knowledge and though I realize not everything works for everybody there is a lot of info/diets/plans/lies/crapola out there.

 

[IamRainey]

Michael Mosley can explain it better than I can. He popularized the concept.

Here is a link to his original video on intermittent fasting. It's about an hour but it's full of research information and personal stories that explain and support the "sense" of fasting.

Since that time he has a new program that incorporates keto dieting for even faster results for people who can eat 800 calories a day. Can't say I'm really fully versed on this approach but I did watch a series of videos he did illustrating the principles in 5 individuals. Here's a link to the first one. If you want to see the other 2 I'm sure YouTube will supply them as well.

I do intermittent fasting because I can't control my appetites. It's easier for me to not eat at all than to limit what I eat. Like that 800 calories per day thing. I don't think I could ever do that. But when I fast, I clear out whatever it is -- CARBS, no doubt -- that gives me insane cravings that keep me from being able to do anything but eat or think about food. I'd hate for anyone to know of the countless times when I struggled with genuinely feeling hungry at 30 minute intervals when I was eating 3 times what a normal person ate in a day. But when I make fasting a regular part of my routine I can eat sensible healthy kinds of foods, eat them until I'm satisfied and still manage to burn some fat and loose some weight.

The conventional plan for intermittent fasting is to eat only 800 calories for 2 days a week and eat sensibly for 5 days. That's what my husband does. I fast completely because that's what I can manage. I drink quarts and quarts and quarts of plain iced tea all day on fast days and food days. My husband spreads his fast days out. I do mine consecutively. Meanwhile, if you google "intermittent fasting" you'll find many different ways people do it.

When I did it once before I stayed on my program for a couple years. I lost 50 pounds and went from size 22 jeans to size 10. I also never felt better in my life. I'm hoping to get back to that point. I'm feeling pretty successful so far.

Let me know if you want to know more.