Diets, exercise and misery (page 4)

Country_Woman

Mulan, it's like you are telling my story: my whole life off and on - and always more on than off before.

At age 55 I decided to let it go: no more diets...

At age 58 I went to a gym for a better condition (was afraid I would die once I climbed a stair) and lost som 6 kg. (around 12 pounds)

at the end of that year the gym closed (bancrupty (sp) but in that time my mother went sick and after 11 weeks, she died. From pure misery (I think) I lost another 20 kg. walked a lot with my dogs (each day for more then an hour - is much more fun then a tread mill) , did'nt eat pastry anymore, eat a lot of salad. (turned out that I used -not knowingly- the diamonds diet) and I went 2 times a week for swimming.

This year I moved, got settled again, have my daughter often for dinner - or be at her place for dinner (and she refuses salads) and I am gaining weight again. (10 kg in total)

I know that I have to be "back on the salads" for else I will never loose this extra weight again. I like the salads very much - but it is very difficult when you can't eat what you want because your guests aren't willing to join you.

Good luck to you (and me)

BrendaCloutier

May I also suggest you and your husband get a couple of bikes and start riding around the neighborhood this spring
I hate to sound like such a wimp, but I can't ride bicycles or regular exercise bikes. I have a bad low back and the position you sit just kills me.

Mulan, check out the recumbent bicycles. They are designed by and for us oldsters with bad backs. Ez Racer is one brand. www.easyracers.com

I know several people in the pix on their website. I've done sewing for them.

(Funny enough, the man and wife who designed this particular bike line and started the company are from the famous Woodstock photo of the ... young man and woman wrapped in a blanket).

They also have a recumbent trike. That's the one I want.

Hugs

Bren

bebu

Mulan, I have a friend in her late 50s who kept gaining pounds and her doctor said there wasn't any medical reason for it. She was going crazy trying to understand how she could go from a size 8 to a size 14 without any identifiable reason.

Several frustrating months later, she learned she was diabetic. How that happened--new doctor or finally a test that was previously overlooked--I don't know. But you might ask your doctor to double check for that.

bebu

coldfish

I agree with the suggestion to read Dr Phils 7step Ultimate Weight Loss book.

Ok ok I'll admit that I've had the book for 4 or 5 months and have only lost a couple of pounds but that's not the books fault, its cause I'm lazy and love eating. But honestly its a great read and deals more with your environment and thoughts to do with food instead of any food rules. I think I eat less junk now after reading it.

Mulan

Several frustrating months later, she learned she was diabetic

Yep, been checked for that. Not me. I thought for sure I was diabetic or close to it.

Thanks Country Woman. It's nice to hear another story like mine. I know why I'm gaining though. I love salads too, and need to eat more of them. I love them with shrimp or chicken. Even hot steak sliced up, is great on a salad.

Dawn

Hi Mulan:

(((Mulan))) - I know how you feel.

One other suggestion I would make - perhaps you should see a second internist/specialist about your Thyroid. I went to my Dr. for years and my thyroid was always in the "normal" zone - then 2 yrs ago I started loosing a lot of weight, loosing my hair, and my eyesight went blurry. Found out I had Grave's disease. I regularly see an specialist/internist now and have found out a lot about the Thyroid. For instance - he said that the "normal" zone is not necessarily normal for everyone. Some people are healtheir with a bit higher thyroid but a general Doctor would never treat you if you're in the "normal" zone.

This doctor, and my research on thyroids taught me a lot about them. They are VERY susceptible to stress on the body -whether it's emotional stress or physical stress (such as an illness or eating too much toxins) - and the stress is cumulative - stress over a lifetime can eventually impact your Thyroid. I wanted to try treating my disease without removing the thyroid so we tried a somewhat different approach - I took medicine to help control the hyper-thyroid and at the same time took up Yoga for stress management, and drastically changed my diet to all natural foods (beans, fruits, veggies, etc). A year later my Grave's is in remission and I don't have to take any medication. The Thyroid is a really tricky organ and definately responds to our diet and environment.

I've been eating a lot of crap this holiday season, and enjoying the at all the parties. I told my hubby yesterday that I feel awful right now - I've put on weight, feel sluggish, ugh... So - I'm doing a detox diet again starting on the 26th (all natural foods, no caffeine, no sugar) for 3 weeks. It really worked for me last time - kick started my metabolism AND I felt so much better.

I'd love to have a "detox" partner so if you're interested in trying it for 3 weeks to see if it would help your Thyroid PM me.

Emma

I think varying your exercise helps. I've been fitness walking for about five years now. When I began mixing in 50 minutes a few times a week on an exercycle, it really jump-started things.

This may sound drastic, but try giving up wheat completely. It's not as difficult as it sounds. I've read in two places, Susan Lark, (on-line news letter). or "Take Two Apples and Call Me in the Morning" that women over 40 can't metabolize wheat the same as when we were younger. I've lost about 110 pounds now, and had been gaining some of it back slowly. When I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease this past summer, and cut out all gluten products, I experienced a significant weight loss again. I don't miss the wheat, either, even though I've always been an avid pasta maker and eater, and baker (and eater!).

And you need to eat a square of dark chocolate every day!

Do you keep a food diary? When I began mine, I realized I was eating more than I thought; it really surprised me. That was one reason for a very slow loss.

Also, I do not have a scale and only get weighed every few months. Six or eight pounds sounds OK when you're not watching it come off 1/2 pound a week!

Sassy

sounds like your thyroid might be the culprit for your not losing easily. My oldest son has that and he has never been able to lose weight. I'd like to say that is my problem, but I've had mine checked several times and my thyroid is fine.

I'll be working with you to try to get the weight off come January. I'm putting both my bf and I on a diet! I did try the Atkins before and didn't lose anything (which I know is rare). Because I know it would be easier to make meals for my bf for the Atkins, I am going to give it another try.. we'll see

lazyslob

Diets+exercise=misery. I agree with that. Make your dog happy and take her out for 1 hour walk per day.

Mulan

Mulan, check out the recumbent bicycles.

I've seen those.

Thanks for the suggestion about wheat. I should give that a try. Eliminating sugar is also part of my plan.

Diets, exercise and misery

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