would anyone like to join a diet thread?

[Baack]

Compared with some previous blowouts—a nine-course extravaganza at New York's decadent Per Se or a carbohydrate apocalypse at the pasta exemplar Babbo—the meal I'd just sat down to at Wolfgang's Steakhouse was a respite. And yet my table still had an iceberg wedge with blue cheese, a porterhouse for two with enough fat-skirted flesh for four and a fudge sundae—all needing to be tried, all begging to be devoured.
I'd just begun my tenure as restaurant critic for the New York Times (which I recently completed), and the meal spooked me. How could I do this every night without gaining 100 pounds, welcoming elastic waistbands into my life, and enduring the eye rolls of anyone in coach trapped beside me and my love handles? I faced a daunting challenge ahead. Especially because of my past.
Since childhood I'd fought a prodigious appetite, and the battle had often turned ugly: bulimia during college; amphetamines and fad diets after that; and then a miserable surrender. Although I was just 5 feet 11 inches, I ballooned to 270 pounds in my mid-30s

http://health.msn.com/nutrition/arti...5190&gt1=31036

[crabby125s girl]

A step back and a step forward - I stepped on the scale today and gained it all back BUT I also joined a gym today - complete with a personal trainer. Yes it's expensive but I've been trying to do it on my own for 15 yrs at least - I need someone else to keep me accountable.

It's an expense per month but I will just have to cut back on every other luxury such as eating out, buying basically anything but groceries, etc.

I'm hoping that this is like an investment in myself and that in a year's time I'll be 100lbs lighter. I told that to the gym and they say it's doable (of course most of it is on my shoulders).

In any case - I learned gym tips I thought I'd share:

You ever hear that to lose weight you need to eat more? I've heard that but didn't really believe it since eating is what got me here in the first place.

But they gym rats explained it by saying that food is fuel and when you eat (healthy) the body takes what it needs and the rest is released. When you eat less (diet), the body gets worried it won't get all it needs and holds on to everything, storing it even when they don't need it. And if you're inactive and you don't burn it or use it for muscle, it turns into fat which is much puffier than muscle. If you eat all the time and the body gets all it needs it easily releases what it doesn't. It doesn't worry and it doesn't store.

That is metabolism, the body using what it needs constantly - when you don't eat metabolism slows down and doesn't burn off the food.

The gym rats also say that big meals take longer to be used and burned and he suggests I eat 6 meals every 2 - 3 hours. He simply said to me, take my breakfast and cut it in half. Eat half when I get up and half in 2 hours. I still get to eat all I want if I'm hungry but in smaller meals.

Of course what you eat counts too and they'll set me up on a nutrition plan soon enough. Right now I'm just eating what I chose to eat in smaller amounts/more often.

He also said, for as much as he expects me to work out - he wants me to eat 100 grams of protein a day! I have heard that you shouldn't load on protein because it turns to fat if you don't burn it but he says I WILL burn it. For me being a vegetarian I will have to load on beans and cheese, mexican anyone?

My goal on my own for the gym is to burn 1000 cals (on the treadmill or eliptical) every week. He knows I'll be way below my goal right now but it's something to work for, even if it takes a whole year. Right now at my pace that would take me 2.5 hrs a day if I go to the gym 4 days a week, like I plan, to burn 1000 cals a week. So I've got a long way to go...

I hope any information I get can help you guys too!

How am I gonna cut a bowl of cereal in half??

[simplyred1962]

Meat alternatives
Meatless products, such as tofu dogs, soy burgers, nut loaves or texturized vegetable protein, add variety to your vegetarian diet. These products, found in many grocery stores and health food markets, simulate the taste and texture of meat and usually have less fat and fewer calories. Many of the meatless products, such as tofu or tempeh, are made from soybeans.

If you follow a vegan diet, you may need to find alternatives for eggs and dairy products. Try these suggestions when meal planning or cooking:

Milk. Drink fortified soymilk, rice milk or almond milk in place of cow's milk.
Butter. When sauteing, use olive oil, water, vegetable broth, wine or fat-free cooking spray instead of butter. In baked goods, use canola oil.
Cheese. Use soy cheese or nutritional yeast flakes, which are available in health food stores.
Eggs. In baked goods, try commercial egg replacers — a dry product made mostly of potato starch. Or you can use the following to replace one egg: 1/4 cup whipped tofu or 1 tablespoon milled flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water. For an egg-free omelet use tofu instead of eggs.

[LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link.
Good going, crabbygirl!! I found this, I don't know how much help it will be, but I thought it was quite interesting...

Judi Kay

How am I gonna cut a bowl of cereal in half??

LOL

[sweetpea]

I am going to need some real help soon. It is October and I have a house full of kids. The adults are as bad as the kids when it comes to trick or treat and candy. This is the first candy holiday that I will face with diabetes. I will be home with just the 3 year old all day and lots of candy in the house. I have been doing good with the no candy thing, the only time I am tempted is in the store. They buy candy bars and eat them on the way home. But I love candy, chocolate, reesee cups. I wonder if my doctor will give me extra medicine in case I screw up.

As far as the diet thing and eating. If I eat anything I have to walk for 10 minutes after I eat. That seems to be helping keep any weight off and my sugar down.

Sweetpea

[snowbunny]

My suggestion for the Halloween threat, is to load your house up with something that you LOVE that you CAN eat. That way your temptation will be directed at something that won't be harmful. It has to be something ready to eat...nothing that you have to prepare, that way when the craving strikes you don't get swayed to the candy....

Just a suggestion...

[crabby125s girl]

sweetpea, would it help at all if maybe you restricted the kids to keep their treats in their room? Out of sight, out of mind?
As for the adults I hope that they can be mature and respectful since they know you have sugar issues.
I'm always fine when there's candy in the house I don't want. So if you stock up with candy for the adults that are things you can't stand eating then it will be easier to resist...

[crabby125s girl]

simplyred, I did appreciate your post and I do eat soy and tofu products, They have burgers and chicken and everything in a knock off form. So far I haven't even been shopping so I haven't stocked up on protein rich stuff.

This weekend the bf is home and he LOVES to eat out. I don't want to deprive him since he's home so little so I guess I'll just try and make good choices. I mean, most times out I have a veg burger anyway, but I'll try and cut my meal in half and take it home and eat again later. Making everything I eat mini meals.

As for the cereal, I now just pack a baggie with some cereal. Eat some and then eat more 2/3 hours later. I'm actually due for a snack right now. After 2 days with a trainer the tops of my thights hurt, not much else but he said this first week is a training period to see how hard he can go. But this is the point, when I go to the gym by myself I pretty much stay on the treadmil and never get sore.

I'm a lil dissapointed that my friend who is already a member of this gym has ditched out twice already. I mean I'm doing this for myself but she said she really wanted a partner and didn't like going to the gym alone, now I'm all set up and she hasn't come. I'm going again today - I let her know but I don't know if she'll show.

It may be stupid - but I am a lil worried that if I start dropping weight she's kinda gonna be pissed that I became a member of Her gym for a shorter time and am losing weight.

Oh and I DID NOT gain back all I thought I had, I think my PMS is messing with the scale. I guess I won't know for sure till next week what my real weight is.

[snowbunny]

Originally Posted by crabby125s girl

This weekend the bf is home and he LOVES to eat out. I don't want to deprive him since he's home so little so I guess I'll just try and make good choices. I mean, most times out I have a veg burger anyway, but I'll try and cut my meal in half and take it home and eat again later. Making everything I eat mini meals.

.

With your bf on the road, eating out will soon become tiresome...Don't know if you like to cook, but try cooking up some of his favorite meals at home! That way you have better control over what you are eating...and it makes it a lot easier to get to the desert! wink wink! Which also means excerise and burning calories (just for the sake of the topic lol)

Picnic in the bedroom, candle lit dinner, even pizza and a movie! My husband and I love to make homemade pizza with lots of veggies....grill out with him and and the family, all gives you control with your diet, and way more fun and cost effective!

[simplyred1962]

Ooooh, now ya got me wanting some home-made grilled pizza!! LOL
EVOO, some fresh mozzarella, plum tomatoes, fresh basil...mmmm-mmmm, now THAT"S the ticket!!

Judi Kay

[snowbunny]

We have gotton to LOVE spinich on ours...especially with the fresh tomatoes! mmm mmm good!