2009/10 Weightloss Support Thread
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free skin care · Tue Dec 09, 2008 11:21 pm

The New Year is almost upon us, so I am starting a thread for anyone that may be focusing on losing some weight in 2009.

2008 was the Year of the Skin for me (and a convenient way for me to avoid the body Rolling Eyes

), and I am declaring 2009 to be my Year of the Body. I actually had to start my program a little early (12/ Cool

and will weigh in on my issues and plan tomorrow.

Feel free to join me...a little public accountability and support can go a long way!!

free skin care · Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:24 am

So here is my story, including some history...

Background:
I have consistently had a problem working far too many hours my entire career...about 7 years ago my body just started shutting down, and that resulted in thyroid and adrenal issues, plus I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue. I also have had a systemic Candida (yeast) infection for 20+ years which makes it even more difficult to lose weight.

I made a life change 6 years ago to manage my hours and stress levels, took a year off from work, and concentrated on my health. My Fibro specialist put me on a very specific plan, and I eventually dropped 45 lbs, but still wanted to lose another 10lbs to reach my optimal weight. But I am now right back in the high stress job scenario, and need to focus on that again too.

The Breaking Point:
All was well until 18 months ago when I had to have major surgery because my nose was literally collapsing on my face due to a bad deviated septum repair 20 years ago. Shock

The surgery kicked my butt (probably due to the Fibro), and I was unable to work for a month, and VERY exhausted for 9 months. I also had to eat soft foods for 3 weeks (pudding and ice cream) and it basically restarted my carb cravings. I have not been diligent about managing my carbs since then, and I ended up regaining 21 lbs. Sad

Add in the wine I was consuming as part of my dermarolling numbing routine, and my yeast levels were happily flourishing...I could probably produce my own bread at this point, though I had no symptoms. Rolling Eyes

Action Required:
It finally all blew up the first week of December, and I broke out in horrible skin rashes in numerous places on my body...total agony to say the least. I was already planning to focus on weight loss on Jan 1, but I was forced to make some severe diet modifications early to get the yeast levels under control, plus add in some heavy anti fungal meds because the outbreak was so severe. But a perk of this should be (and better be!) that I lose some weight in the process.

My Game Plan:
So I have started my diet on 12/8...because it is so critical to get this yeast under control, I will not be tempted in any way by anything that is not on my very restricted list of foods (I am basically living on salads, tuna or salmon,and vegetables throughout the day in 5 small meals)

I am also using Fitday.com (free) to track every thing I put in my mouth...it makes me VERY accountable to my caloric intake and protein/fat/carb balance.

My Goal:
My weight has held me back in so many ways (primarily dating, and a refusal to meet any new people...I am very much a hermit since I work at home) so I am ready to lose this weight and KEEP it off.

My goal is to lose the 21 lbs, plus another 9....30lbs in total. This will put me at an optimal weight for my build, and the lowest I will have weighed since the early 90's.

Progress:
I am going to plan on checking in numerous times a week, because I will really need some support to stay on plan after the rashes subside. I will also need some reinforcement in the exercise arena...my downfall in life, sigh.

So that's it in a nutshell...I hope everyone will join in on a daily basis and support one another in their weight loss venture!

Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:41 pm

If anyone's looking for some advice, I'm midway through a year of training, losing fat, building muscle, etc. I'm by no means a pro, but I've learned a lot of things that may be helpful...

Some random tips:

1. I find taking measurements a much more accurate tool than weighing yourself. Of course weight is important, but when you start seeing actual inches fading away, it's much more gratifying. Get a measuring tape!

2. Cardio training is great (and essential), but you're only burning calories while you're doing it. Weight training will not only allow you to gain muscle, but that muscle will in turn burn calories around the clock. Walking throughout the day isn't enough. (This of course would differ for those who are incapable of that type of exercise)

3. Complex-carbs (grains, etc.) keep you full for longer periods of time. Simple sugars metabolize quickly and you'll in turn feel hungry more often.

4. If you are married/coupled, creating a new lifestyle solo is virtually impossible (unless you're on opposite schedules). If you're eating healthy dinner and he/she is eating McDonalds, you're bound to fall off the bandwagon.

5. I don't believe in "cheating". If you allow yourself *some* of the foods you love, along with a host of new and healthy foods, you don't have to cheat. Eating at home is also important, it's very difficult to gauge what you're eating if you eat out all the time.

Good luck to everyone in the new year! In the past 6 months my body fat % has gone from 29% to 5% (which is a subjective measurement, but I'm still happy about it).

free skin care · Sat Dec 13, 2008 10:00 pm

Kassy, Rileygirl, I think I "talk" to you two more than my girlfriends Very Happy

This is a subject that I might actually be able to provide some useful advice for you guys for a change.

I have been lifting weights every week day morning for the past 10 yrs. I try to get to the gym at lunch at least 2x's a week but that doesn't always happen and I occasionally get on my treadmill on the weekends.

Weight training is by far the best thing I did for myself. You lose inches especially if you can add some cardio into the mix, you stop the jiggle and for added benefit you help prevent osteoporosis.

If you are thinking of adding weight training Shape.com is a great place to start. They have great workout routines you could easily do at home, all ready for you to follow and you can print out the exercises with pictures (which I needed) and all. Very Happy

I understand that due to your health restrictions some things might not be feasible but I am not talking Arnold type lifting. Target or Walmart would have 2 and/or 5 lbs hand weights to start with.

The meal thing is the part on fall flat on my face. I know, especially the amount I work out, I should be eating all the time but I am not organized or motivated enough to do it.

free skin care · Sun Dec 21, 2008 5:01 pm

Sidda wrote:

What I REALLY want: an organizer, a housekeeper, a good friend and cheerleader.

Those are the jobs that TRULY exhaust me! LOL

Sidda, I know many men who call that a WIFE! Laughing

free skin care · Mon Dec 22, 2008 5:45 pm

sherryf13500 wrote:

Bethany, I am very interested in the hypnotherapy tapes you have suggested. What brought you to this set of tape. Was this person recommended? How often do you listen. I believe in the power of suggestion and mind control. Please tell me what you like about this person's tapes vs. any others.

I did a bunch of research, and Tom Nicoli is very well known and respected...he was even on a Dateline segment about weightloss, and helped his contestant lose 40+ pounds through hypnosis.

I have a number of his tapes on weightloss, stress release, and deep sleep...the only one I do not like at all is the Deep Sleep. I wanted to go to sleep just to escape the darn CD. Rolling Eyes

But his voice is very soothing, and I have completely gone under a number of times while listening (though not everytime...a headset would help that immensely I think).

His site reads like an overenthusistic infomercial (I keep expecting the Ronco guy to pop up any minute when reading it Rolling Eyes

), but I can recommend his tapes.

free skin care · Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:04 am

If you have to have a diet cola diet rite and diet cheerwine is a better choice it has splenda and doesn't have caffeine in it.
Toby

free skin care · Sat Jan 24, 2009 12:21 am

pinky1 wrote:

Seldom have I ever had a worse week at work. I've made one person cry, ran seriously afoul of another by refusing to kiss his butt/massive ego and wound up in sobs after working on a very upsetting file today. I'm doing the job of two people right now and the pressure is incredible, yet I feel wretched because my coping skills are somehow inadequate.

Pinky, I had the identical week! Shock

My counterpart went on a 4 maternity leave (51 days left) and someone stupid just assumed that I would take on all of her work. Shock

I have been doing 60-70+ hour weeks since Thanksgiving...I'm pretty tough, but the exhaustion, PMS, and frustration finally overflowed and I burst into tears on Thursday. I decided to take a mental health day Friday, yet had to spend the bulk of my day on the phone with them. Mad

I then told them that I needed to use the rest of my day OFF to start my new job search because I refuse to do this anymore. Rolling Eyes

Despite all that, I still had no emotional eating issues (I had a brief thought earlier today, but then forgot about it, lol) so I consider it a personal win.

I sure hope that next week is better for both of us!!

free skin care · Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:32 pm

kareni wrote:

Our opinions obviously differ greatly. Exercise is a very key component of a healthy body/lifestyle (over and above assisting with weight loss).

Feel free to start an exercise thread...once my doctor gives me the A-ok to start exercising, I'll be more than happy to join in.

In the meantime, please keep in mind that you may not have considered the current physical status of everyone here...we have 2 people with fibromyalgia, one person with a very bad knee, etc.

This thread is about supporting people, and keeping them focused and motivated...no matter what their weightloss program may (or may not) entail. There is no judgement placed on anyone, or anything they are doing so that we can keep things positive. Hopefully we can continue that.

free skin care · Sat Feb 28, 2009 3:35 pm

I only partially agree that only calories count. You can eat prepared foods with transfats and lots of sugar simple carbs and you will be sick and probably not lose as much weight as someone eating good fats greens and prorteins. There is plenty of MEDLINE evidence to support this.

Monounsaturated fats and Omega 3s are good (olive oil and fish). They play a role in metabolic signaling.

Both soluble and insoluble fiber are useful in maintaining colon health and preventing absorption of some fatty diet components and cruciferous veggies are great for you both for health and weight loss. Eat lots of dark greens, cauliflower, broccoli, string beans, onions etc. Berries are also wonderful lots of fiber/sugar conten and nuts. I usually cook with nut flours (fiber and good oils).

I make a hot cereal from oats, flax and whey protein which I spice up differently is great for you.

There are several in house calorie controlled studies (not studies where peolple report what they eat but people in a hospital setting where their calories are controlled)where the "good food" group lost more than the other and plenty of low carb studies show much greater initial weight loss (Long term there is a problem if you restrict the selection of foods too greatly).

One thing that everybody agrees on is that foods like white flour and sweet things stimulate the appetite making it hard to control calories whereas protein, fiber and good fats and drinking water make you feel full.

I do love roasted veggies, great tasting, easy and quick to make and great reheated. Just toss your cut up veggied with balsamic (or other flavored) vinegar, olive oil and herbs put in a foil sheet (put in only one layer otherwise they will steam and not taste as good). Bake at 350C and occasionally stir so all sides get browned.

I also use tons of cauliflower. I like grating it to make cauliflower fried rice and I have whipped cauliflower with pesto every week (it stores very well and can vbe frozen so I do at least two heads at a time. The secret to good texture is pressing out all of the water.

I do go to yoga class and exercise but that is for health.

By the way my chlesterol is very low even though I eat a relatively high fat diet. It has gone down over the years I've been eating this way and it is so low it makes doctors gasp. How you respond to particular foods is a personal thing.

I also do take supplements particularly magnesium and vitamin D.

free skin care · Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:51 pm

Rileygirl: Nearly any veggies taste better roasted. I tend to always do onions, lots of squashes both summer and winter (I really like acorn squash this way), carrot chunks, eggplant and sometimes through in some granny smith apple chunks. Sweet potato is great this way but I eat only a bit (because I do not eat much starchy veggie). You need to watch from time to time because summer squash cooks more quickly. You can also do leeks, asparagus (cooks quickly) and mushrooms. You want them nice and browned to get the carmelization.

I do not like broccoli this way but some do.

It is easy. I just take olive oil and a heavy balsamic vinegar (and I admit sometimes a pinch of brown sugar). The I add whatever herbs I happen to feel like that day and grated pepper. Sometimes garlic sometimes not.
You toss the veggies in chunks or strips. All surfaces must be coated. Then lie out in a single layer on a foil sheet pan (I often use two or three). They reheat well. A favorite guest dinner of mine is to use low carb wraps and marinate a steak. I cook the steak and cut in thin strips. I serve this with the wraps and the roasted veggies. I also use shredded lettuce, tomato, salsa and avocado pieces and a dab of sour cream. Very easy and delicious.

free skin care · Thu May 14, 2009 6:40 am

littlebelle wrote:

I am currently working hard with my workout hopefully I can reduce 6lbs soon. I normally will have 3 sessions of weight training plus 3-4 sessions of cardio (1 hr per session) each week together will high protein and low carb meal each day.

It is quite hard to think of the choices of high protein but low carb meal, any recommendation here would be much appreciated! Thanks! Smile

Hi littlebelle! For a high protein, low carb meal, I love tofu with a big salad on the side. This is my favorite way to prepare tofu--- even my carnivorous DH loves this recipe:
Tofu Cubes (From the book "Living Among Meat Eaters" by Carol J. Adams)

Ingredients:
1 block firm or extra firm tofu
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon powdered vegetarian stock (any flavor is OK, I used mushroom seasoning which is a powdered mushroom stock from asian food stores)
1-2 tablespoons oil

1. Cut tofu into cubes about 1/4 inch. DO NOT pat them dry.
2. Combine all other ingredients except for into container with a lid. (This recipe is for a small block of tofu, like the ones that are vacuum packed and don't need refrigeration. If you get one of the larger, water-packed blocks from the refrigerated section of the grocery store, multiply the ingredients by 1.5) Add the tofu, put the lid on, and shake well to coat the tofu.
3. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, and then dump the entire contents on the container (including any extra powder that didn't coat the tofu) into the pan. Turn the tofu every few minutes until it is golden brown and crispy.

A word about Nutritional Yeast flakes. If you have never used these before, they are totally different from baking yeast, brewer's yeast, etc, so don't get confused. Nutritional Yeast flakes are this really delicious superfood of sorts--- they are almost fat free, and contain a ton of protein, fiber, and B vitamins. (In other words, they are great for your skin.^-^) The brand I use is NOW and I had my grocery store order it for me. If your grocery store sells NOW brand vitamins they can probably do the same for you, otherwise you can find nutritional yeast flakes at health food stores, whole foods, vitamin stores, etc.

These tofu cubes are delicious just on their own, however, they also go great in salads, wraps, etc. Enjoy!

Also, if anyone needs a caffeine (or metabolism) boost, I would really recommend drinking unsweetened tea. I drink it all day long and I really love it. If brewing it yourself is daunting, Whole Foods sells bottles of unsweetened tea from a Japanese brand called "Ito En." The tea comes in Jasmine, Oolong, Mint, etc, so you can try a few and see which one you like. My favorites are Jasmine and Houji, which is a roasted green tea and is supposedly macrobiotic. I also like It En's Sencha Shots which are little cans of very potent unsweetened green tea. They are a great pick me up!!

free skin care · Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:29 am

RussianSunshine wrote:

I listened to this audiobook, and it is very much in line with the "Intuitive eating" book by E.Tribole and E.Resch. They also talk about "stop when you are comfortable" and that presents a little problem to me. For example, 2 tbsp of honey look very innocent to me, but it is 120 calories! I have to train my eye to see how much food is not too much in order to lose weight (not just maintain). Or I can eat 2 liters of strawberries and still feel very much comfortable Very Happy

That can definitely be a problem! When I was trying to figure what comfortable felt like (because I am like you, and can eat a ton and still feel comfortable, and just for me, I now think I was eating beyond a comfortable level) I would still eat anything I wanted, but I would only have 1 portion size. So, if I wanted ice cream (just using this as an example food, as a lot of people seem to like it), I would see what the portion size was on the container, and have only that amount. When I was done eating, and still felt like I could eat more, I would then have a glass of water and wait 20 minutes. If I was still hungry I would have another portion size, but usually the 1 portion size and a glass of water filled me up to where I was comfortable.

But, you are right, calories do matter - in fact it still comes down to the calories in versus calories out. A person can eat a ton of broccoli and still be chunky because they are eating too many calories.

(Rubby - this is another area Leigh Peele talks about in her ebooks - the calories in vs calories out, she talks a lot about NEAT - non-exercise activity thermogenesis because it all boils down to the calories in vs calories out and you can either decrease calories or increase the amount of calories you burn.)

free skin care · Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:05 pm

RussianSunshine wrote:

My biggest dilemma now is to decide between 2 approaches:

1.Count calories and watch for carbs/fat/sugar versus

2.Eat everything I like in small amounts and forget about ratios and calories.

I don't think the 2 approaches are mutually exclusive and in fact probably the best long-term strategy is a combination of both.

The "ideal" is to have a "balanced" diet. So I think one should have an optimal ratio of carbs(and fiber)/fat/protein. And within each group, one should stick to high quality.

So for e.g. in the fat group, it's better to consume polyunsaturated fat than saturated fat. In the carbs group, it's better to consume lots of fiber and complex carbs than simple, "empty" carbs. Same thing with protein.

For e.g. a person can be skinny because he/she eats little but still eat badly. For e.g. 80% of his diet can be carbs. The person will have a good weight, but he will probably feel the effects of his unhealthy diet in the long term.

The other thing is that I think that we're not used to know what "moderate amounts" is many times (at least in my case!). So a lot of times we might think that we're "eating everything in moderation" but we end up eating LOTS of calories in a day, especially in these days where there are LOTS of high-calorie foods.

In my case, until I train myself to really know what a "moderate diet" is, without going over the "allowed calories", I have to count calories. If not I'll end up eating more calories. And maybe eating 100 extra calories per day doesn't seem like such a big deal, but in the long run, those extra 100 calories per day add up to pounds. An average banana has 100 calories, so I think it's really easy to go over your recommended calorie intake without realizing it.

So basically, I think the best strategy is to eat from all food groups (everything you like), in moderation, but counting calories (or points in the case of weightwatchers) until you have a firm grasp of what a "moderate" diet is.

One thing that has helped me is to follow the "food pyramid", and have the recommended servings of vegetables (5-10), dairy (2), whole grains and lean protein. I find when I eat all the servings I've eaten so much that I don't have much room to eat "fattening stuff".

Finally, there are certain things that are very personal. For e.g. there are certain things I CANNOT eat, either because I can't be moderate or because it really messes my diet up. For e.g. a month ago I bought peanut butter. I thought "I'm just gonna have a nice little sandwich". That day I had a "moderate" sandwich, in line with my point allowance, but then I went crazy. I had a tablespoon (or more!) of peanut butter almost every day and didn't stop until I emptied the container. Conclusion: I'm not buying peanut butter anymore. Other times I can eat something that will make me CRAVE for carbs for the next days, so that I can't eat either. These are just examples of personal things that might force us to "tweak" our diets.

Josee

free skin care · Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:43 pm

RussianSunshine wrote:

I don't think it is all that simple. It is not just about calories in and carlories out and carbs/protein/fats ratios. Some food make me fat even if I eat them in moderation and within my allowed range of calories. For example, I should not eat more than 1 apple or 1 banana a day, nuts no more than 10 a day, absolutely no potatoes, mangoes or grapes. On the other hand, I can eat lots of berries or peaches and still lose weight. Confused

It actually IS that simple, IF you understand what each of those foods does when you eat them, and avoid the ones with the negative impact.

Bananas are very high in sugar...if you are insulin resistant, when your blood sugar spikes any carbs are stored as fat as opposed to being used as energy. I do not touch bananas even though I love them for that very reason. Potatoes, grapes, etc. have the same results.

Apples have a high fiber content which blunts the sugar sugar rush, so those don't cause *most* people problems. But I still stick to 1 a day myself.

Berries are THE recommended fruit for carb sensitive people, though I make sure I pair those with fiber anyway by taking some ground chia with water before eating them.

Nuts are very high in fat..anyone wanting to lose weight should stay away from nuts in general until they reach their goal weight. But because they are so good for you, I do eat them in moderation. (or try at least, lol) I try to stay at about 10 walnuts or 10 almonds max, once a day.

Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:52 pm

bethany wrote:

havana8 wrote:

I read a really interesting book recently called Mastering Leptin, Your Guide to Permanent Weight Loss and Optimum Health, 2009 edition.

What is so interesting is that this little known hormone has a major determining influence on all bodily systems affecting weight, metabolism, sleep patterns, adrenal function, energy levels, cardiovascular health, reproductive function, sex hormones, immune function, stress, thyroid function, bone health, insulin, inflammation and even cancer. It follows a 24-hour pattern or rhythm that is affected by when we eat more than what we eat. When it is out of balance and not working efficiently, the impact is felt on so many areas of the body. For example, insulin resistance and adrenaline resistance are consequences of leptin resistance and the book frequently refers to these three as the triad of weight and health issues. Also interesting is that food and alcohol cravings are the byproducts of an incorrectly functioning leptin signal.

Although much of it is technical (supported by a large reference section), it's probably one of the best no-diet diet books I've read.

Very interesting! Did they have any tips we may want to consider?

I do know that leptin levels supposedly drop by about 50% after being on a diet for maybe a week, so that is part of the reason that I try to zig zag my calories and my carb intake to some degree.

There's so much info in this book, that I don't know where to start. Hopefully these tidbits will be of interest to someone… Smile

Who knew that fat had a purpose! Leptin is a hormone secreted by fat cells in white adipose tissue that communicates how much fat/fuel is in reserve to the hypothalamus in the brain which, in turn, allows the brain to regulate energy for the rest of the body.

When a person's body is in a state of natural balance, the leptin hormone should behave as such:

"When enough food is consumed, the leptin level rises, telling the brain to quit eating and increase sympathetic nerve activity, thus increasing metabolic drive and stimulating white adipose tissue to break down stored fat. The higher level of leptin, means there is adequate fuel on hand so that the body can work at an optimum rate and does not need to be in starvation mode.

On the flip side of this circle of communication, as sympathetic nerve activity increases and metabolic rate increases, leptin is lowered, signaling the need to accumulate more stored energy."

When leptin is out of balance, it loses this ability to communicate efficiently with the brain, in effect, sending out a faulty signal. The brain, now unable to sense leptin levels correctly, builds up a resistance to the hormone. Without the updated fat/fuel reserve levels information from leptin, it thinks the body is starving and so slows down metabolism and continues to order fat/fuel storage even though the reality is that there is plenty. The analogy used in the book is that of a car with a full tank of gas whose gas gauge is stuck on empty. The end result of this breakdown in communication is major problems with energy and metabolism.

"In an effort to stimulate metabolism, the brain releases adrenaline. This is magnified by too much stress. Such adrenaline should stimulate fat cells to release energy which in turn should cause weight loss. However, when adrenaline is too high too often, fat cells develop adrenaline resistance. From a fat cell's point of view, it is like being yelled at too often. After a while, the fat cells go numb to the adrenaline, and adrenaline resistance develops. This causes metabolism of fat cells to stay locked in a "hibernation metabolic rate." It also causes weight gain around the middle, high blood pressure and sleep problems."

The book explains the timing pattern of leptin in great detail. Here is one interesting excerpt:

"In addition to communication between the brain and fat cells, leptin levels follow a daily pattern. Leptin levels are highest during the first few hours of sleep and fall to their lowest in the morning. They peak before the adrenal steroid cortisol which is highest at 6am, and they are not tied to cortisol production. A person who is in a good rhythm and pattern will not be hungary before bed because the brain correctly senses the higher level of leptin; thus the appetite signal is turned off and food cravings are absent.

A person who craves food before bed has leptin resistance, meaning that the brain does not sense the leptin signal to not eat even though leptin is naturally highest at this time. A major clue that a person is heading down the path of leptin resistance is out-of-control eating after dinner. Eating after dinner seriously disturbs healthy leptin function.

Furthermore, a meal that has too many carbohydrates or sweets can cause the normal night pattern of rising leptin to occur seven to nine hours earlier than it should, completely throwing the body out of proper rhythm. In other words, eating too many sweets will cause leptin levels to rise at the wrong time. Once a person has leptin resistance, this leads to overeating, especially at night. For example, if a person has a sweet roll, muffin, or orange juice for breakfast or too many cookies at lunch, there will commonly be a leptin-resistant urge to eat after dinner that evening."

Another interesting bit regarding Ghrelin:

"Ghrelin is a hormone produced in the stomach that says it is time to eat. The ghrelin hormone signal has a short-time effect lasting up to an hour. If a person does not eat when the hormone signal presents itself, then it goes away and appetite disappears. If there is too much ghrelin, then a person will overeat.

NPY and agouti stimulate the product of ghrelin and ghrelin tells the pituitary gland how to influence metabolism. This is rather amazing information. It means that the stomach is a major player in human behaviour and metabolic rate, and that the brain must coordinate the stomach's input in order for there to be a harmonious situation.

This science reinforces the fact that solving stress eating is only minimally a psychological issue; it is primarily an issue of achieving natural balance so that subconscious signals get along with each other. People can look endlessly for the psychological reasons for overeating and beat themselves up for having feeble willpower; however, this path is likely to have minimal value.

Any person who chooses to view weight and obesity issues from a psychological perspective may find this hard to believe, but eating issues are primarily issues of hormone imbalance. The solutions that work are ones that help establish natural balance. However, root causes are programmed into genetic surival information and controlled by subconscious signals. Unless natural balance is returned to the subconscious system, craving patterns and eating problems will simply persist."

----

"The levels of ghrelin in normal-weight individuals as compared to the levels in overweight individuals is quite interesting. In overweight individuals, the amount of ghrelin before eating is usually lower than normal.

In normal-weight individuals, ghrelin levels drop when food is ingested. In overweight individuals, ghrelin levels stay elevated after food is eaten, leading to excess consumption of food. Overweight individuals have a blunted response to ghrelin working as it should.

Once again, it is an issue of efficiency. Ghrelin loses is natural rhythmic function in overweight individuals; it is an out-of-balance stomach hormone that adversely affects eating and behavior. Why does it do this? Leptin is too high. As soon as leptin levels come down, ghrelin goes back into natural balance, and normal appetite patterns of ghrelin reappear.

The issue of leptin resistance causes higher-than normal blood levels of leptin. This, in turn, causes ghrelin to be released for an abnormally extended period of time during the meal, stimulating excess eating in order for the individual to feel full. This especially causes excess eating of carbohydrates.

A recent animal study shows that taking melatonin can decrease ghrelin levels by enhancing normal rhythmic function of leptin. Melatonin levels drop in individuals as they age; also in the winter when days are shorter and there is less sunlight. And, leptin levels generally rise as an individual ages."

I can see why leptin is described as the single most important hormone in the body as its influence is felt everywhere.

free skin care · Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:05 am

For all who are curious, he posts free articles on his site wherein he discusses current scientific findings - many of which debunk popular assumptions about diet & exercise.

I am not in any way affiliated with him - I just relate strongly to his approach - i.e. the only dog he has in the fight is a search for the truth, backed by research.

After awhile, it becomes funny (or sad depending on how you look at it) to walk into a grocery and realize that only about 20% of the store contains food worth eating - or when you pass the magazine covers at the checkout and realize they're actually only selling myth and hope Smile

Believe me, I wish it all were simple and easy.
BF

free skin care · Fri Jul 24, 2009 5:06 pm

Josee wrote:

Buying fresh produce and cooking it yourself not only takes more time, but also is a lot more expensive than buying junk food. So a lot of people don't have enough incentive to eat healthy. I don't know if the solution is to subsidize but something needs to change or else this is only going to get worse.

I do not know if eating fast and healthy is possible! I've read the "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" book, and Tom recommends to eat 5-6 meals a day and not only just any meals, but the ones with the right fat/protein/carb ratio. I love this beautiful theory, but who has time for that???
hmm

I sometimes find myself running from one place to another and the only thing I can grab on the run is a power bar which is full with sugar, or sandwich with lots of mayo, bread and little meat.

I've checked the "5 Minute Meals" ebook that Lowbrowscientist has kindly sent me, and the authors suggest to spend 1 hour each evening preparing 5-6 different meals for the next day. Great! So next morning you have to put the food into 4-5 different containers and carry them with you to work?!

Or do you cook one huge meal and then eat the same thing every 3 hours?!

I love the advices all these books give, but they are just not very practical for me. When I return home at 11 pm after the evening class, do I have 1 hour to spend cooking? I just drop dead on the bed and have hardly any strength to wash my face and apply creams.

Ideally, we should have healthy meals as available as the high fat/high carbs junk food.
It's really sad that money rule the world. Sad

free skin care · Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:52 pm

RussianSunshine wrote:

I've checked the "5 Minute Meals" ebook that Lowbrowscientist has kindly sent me, and the authors suggest to spend 1 hour each evening preparing 5-6 different meals for the next day.

That one hour should get you through 3 to 4 days, or more (they recommend making only 3 to 4 days worth, for the sake of freshness and flavor).

The idea is to do that routine once or twice a week. Cook the chicken in bulk, and while the chicken is in the oven, you're chopping all the veggies (and lean meat if you want) so that over the next few days you only have to throw them into an omelete, salad, or whatever. My produce seems to last pretty long in the fridge so the evening veggie-chopping ritual described in the "quick start guide" lasts me around a week. I do have to make more chicken/fish/lean red meat throughout the week, just because it tastes bleh to me after maybe 3 days, but I've gotten faster at it and it doesn't even take me that long anymore. For me, eating better is worth investing the half hour. The thing to remember is that it takes less time once you get a routine down.

Now, granted, I don't weigh any of the food, but the fish and lean ground beef is easy - I already know I'm buying a pound, or so many ounces (or whatever), and I just divide the portions accordingly. And for the chicken, I only eat boneless/skinless chicken breast, so I just consider one chicken breast to be a serving (I actually can only eat half at any given time anyway). The veggies I don't really bother, I just eat what I want (but I do measure out the olive or coconut oil I sometimes drizzle them with). Fruit I just grab and eat a handful or a piece at a time.

And, as for packing food, I don't know where you're located, but here in the USA there are a plethora of "disposable" (but still reusable) containers of various sizes that make it very easy to pack several into a bag. And you can also find containers that are sectioned off so you can just use one container and pack different types of food into it.

I've actually found it a lot easier to eat better since adopting this routine, but I realized that i was going to have to do some cooking, there is just no way around it. So I just decided to suck it up, but cooking/preparing food in batches makes it doable. Oh, and, I don't do this, but if you don't mind eating frozen food occasionally, you could also freeze some of what you prepare, and that way you COULD easily make it last the entire week.

free skin care · Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:13 pm

nadjazz wrote:

rileygirl, congrats on completing your 1st day!

Please share details with us! Does Tony go easy on you in the beginning, and then ramp up as the days go by? Or is he intense from day 1? Does he include cardio/strength training each day, or alternate the cardio vs strength training? Do you work out 5 days/week on this program?

This is set up in 3 phases with each phase being 4 weeks. You work out 6 days a week. So, my "routine" for the next 4 weeks will be: Sunday: chest/back and abs, Monday: plyometrics, Tuesday: Shoulders/arms, abs, Wednesday: yoga, Thursday: Legs/back, abs, and Friday: Kenpo. It seems to be a good mix of weights and cardio. It is intense from day 1! But, they do show you ways to modify so that it is not as intense. Like, if you can't do regular push-ups, go on your knees, etc.

So far, so good. Today was the plyometrics day for me. I had to really modify this, as I can't jump around a lot without hurting my knee. So, instead of jumping high, I would just get my toes off the ground. So, again, there are ways to modify. Day 2 done! Very Happy

free skin care · Mon Sep 07, 2009 1:29 am

Hi guys... so 40 lbs lighter (from my intial weight of 245)... and I've run into a bit of a "problem". My bust seems to have deflated somewhat. My bra size hasn't changed but my bust just doesn't seem as "full" looking, actually they look kind of saggy, like partially deflated balloons. ACK. (A VS "miracle bra" only makes me look *normal* now, no cleavage in sight!)

Short of say, surgery, has anyone who's run into this problem have a solution that helped?

SkinBiology's BND cream helped the skintone and helped firm the skin a bit but hasn't done anything (of course) about lost volume.

Sad

I'm not regretting the weight loss at all... but this turn of events is a bit of a downer. Confused

free skin care · Sun Feb 28, 2010 3:30 pm

nadjazz wrote:

I have a new problem, though...I'm actually having trouble taking in enough calories! Normally, you're encouraged to have three meals and two snacks. I'm having trouble finishing my meals, so I save the leftovers and have frequent snacks. The end result is six mini-meals a day. Yesterday, though, I could only stomach 700 calories. That really concerns me, because I know if you go too low, your body will react by slowing down the metabolism. Today, I’m going to really try hard to eat my allowed foods, but get the calorie count up to at least 1400.

I have had the same problem in the past, and it is harder than people realize!

My bottom line is 1,000 cals, though I try to stay between 1,200 and 1,400.

The key is to focus some of your intake on calorie dense foods, like avocado, brazil nuts, etc. They are higher in fat (but good fats!) which will get you to the required caloric intake.

free skin care · Sun Feb 28, 2010 3:32 pm

nadjazz wrote:

All you have to do to help is download a free chapter from The Spark book. Nothing else. To do so, simply go to http://book.sparkpeople.com/book.asp?u=NADJAZZ
and click the button to download your free chapter.

If you would be willing to help me with this, I would truly appreciate it, and I also think you will enjoy reading this free chapter from "The Spark".

Thank you for your time. I really appreciate it!

Done!!

free skin care · Sun Feb 28, 2010 3:39 pm

nadjazz wrote:

All you have to do to help is download a free chapter from The Spark book. Nothing else. To do so, simply go to http://book.sparkpeople.com/book.asp?u=NADJAZZ
and click the button to download your free chapter.

Downloaded for you!

free skin care · Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:17 pm

nadjazz wrote:

I have now lost a total of 12 pounds!

I think I need to hire you and have you come whip my butt into shape!

Congrats, you are doing excellent!! Very Happy

(I will weight and measure myself this weekend, but so far I feel I am just maintaining with nothing being lost. Sad

)

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