40 lbs by Sept 2005

[bzeus]

Count me in too! I'm not cruising until January but do have a trip to Vegas in October and would love to lose 40 for then. I've started walking and trying to cut down on refined foods and load up on fruits, veggies, and lean proteins. One of my girlfriends lost 45 on South Beach and she looks fabulous.

[adoptmom]

Hi Kathy! We're still waiting on the call. It's getting harder to be patient but they said maybe 6 months. Since we requested a boy it may take a bit longer, although when we brought our other kids home they had more baby boys than they had homes for. Hopefully he'll come soon.

 

Well, I'm off to go finish Mother's day shopping. I make shirts every year with the kids' handprints and I want to find a pair of pants for my mom to go with it. I had to wait to see what colors the kids picked out for paint so the pants didn't clash.

 

Tami

[snowcamper]

Happy Mother's Day to us all! :)

 

no offense to the guys out there! :o

 

2 days into new eating plan and I'm doing great! I like this eating every 3 hours, solves my compulsive snacking issues.

[cruisinfriends]

Hi,

 

Can I get in on this too? We cruise July 31 and I would love to be able to fit back into my cruise clothes from 2 years ago!!! I have been watching what I am eating for the past 2 weeks cutting out the breads and sugars. I've lost 5lbs so far and needing to loose about 30, not sure if that is reasonable but going to go for it anyway. 2 years ago I lost it when ephedra wasn't banned, it really worked for me, I tried again this time but ended up in the ER with chest pain and numbness down my left arm. Needless to say not going to do that anymore, my doctor really told me I was playing russian roulette. I get really discouraged when I don't see any progress and I really am controlling what I eat. I think this is the best board ever, everyone is so helpful and encouraging.

 

Thanks

[heathernijoli]

I need to be trying harder.

 

There.

 

I said it.

[adoptmom]

I need to be trying harder.

 

There.

 

I said it.

 

You and me both! I need to put myself back on project status to quote Dr. Phil!

 

Tami

[Super89]

Hey is it too late for me to get in? I am going on my first cruise in August on Carnival Miracle. I would love to loose 20 by then. I have been going down for the past year but very Sloooowwwwly. Guess maybe that way it will stay off. We are going on the cruise to celebrate my 50th :( birthday and our 20th anniversary and it sure doesn't get any easier to loose the weight! I got a jump start by doing the South Beach diet for a week but I got so weak after that that I went to the second phase and then just started to try to watch what I was eating and my portions and exercising. I haven't gained back the 9 pounds I lost with South Beach but haven't gone down much more. This seems like a supportive group so maybe you can help? By the way, Tami, I am also an adoptive Mom and I know this is a stressful time waiting for that little one to arrive! Best wishes! Susan

[smfly]

I'm leaving on 9/10 also and would like to lose 40lbs. We'll be celebrating out 20th anniversary and my husband's 40th birthday. I've been working out at the 'Y' for about a month but, it's not working fast enough. I've heard 80% is the food your eating. I've tried all the diets and they all work for a while. Any suggestions?

[Totally Addicted]

Hi!

I want to lose 40 lbs. before we go on the next cruise but it is only 20 weeks away -- maybe that's a little more than I will lose.

 

I lost 50 on Weight Watchers about 3 years ago and then stopped and gained 40 back. Just couldn't get back on the program. Then Weight Watchers came out with a new program I really like it. Lost 10 lbs before the last cruise and then gained 7 1/2 on the cruise. Now I've lost 5 1/2 of that. So I think this program is going to work. I think it is the best program I've ever gone on. Much healthier than the other diets I've been on. Have lost thousands of pounds in my life!! :D I don't know how fast the weight will come off but as long as it's coming off -- that's the goal!!!

 

Glad to have found this thread!!

Barbara :D

[adoptmom]

Susan- It has been stressful. All our other adoptions moved pretty quickly. Even our daughter from India was referred in about 3 weeks. The program we're using is moving slower these days. That's good because it means that more people are accepting of adopting minority kids, especially boys. They're saying 6 months and we're already at 2. Right now I'm moving my Grandma into a health care center and my DH is having foot surgery so at least I have other things to occupy my mind. :rolleyes:

 

smfly- I think that the diet that works best is the one you can live with long term. Everyone's body is different. I've had great success with keeping low carb. For me losing weight is a side bonus but I mainly do it because I have crohns and there's some pretty compelling evidence that a diet high in carbs and especially wheat can irritate crohn's. I lost 30 pounds pretty quickly and I feel so much better. Others get on low carb and get really cranky and have other problems.

 

I know people swear by weight watchers but I was constantly miserable from all the whole grains, raw fruits and veggies. I actually have a friend who follows the "Raw" diet and insisted that I would be cured of crohn's if only I'd eat raw fruits, veggies, and nuts. Does dead count as cured because I can see that leading to the intestinal blockage that would end it all. :rolleyes: But it works for her and she can live with it.

 

Now I've plateaued and need to change things up. Actually I did quite some time ago and I'd just started a pretty aggressive exercise plan when my GM broke her hip and I kind of put it on the back burner. I kept my pedometer on and made sure I got at least 10,000 steps which I'm sure is why I maintained over the past 5 months. However, I know that now that things are fairly stable with her I need to get back to doing something other than cardio.

 

I just last Wed had a discussion about this with the nurse practicioner at my allergist's office. She lost 51 pounds just by changing her workouts. She does a weight training program every other day and light cardio. She said she she couldn't lose the weight doing cardio only. I can relate to that because I used to run half marathons and couldn't manage to lose weight! Go figure!

 

Anyway, if you're not doing much weight training at the Y try changing that up. If it's like ours you can get a free session where a trainer will walk you through a routine and write it all down. Even if there's a fee it would probably be worth learning how to do it properly. Also, if you ask for a free weight workout you could do it at home too. You should be able to see measurement results in 3 weeks.

 

Tami

[Totally Addicted]

Tami,

My daughter's name is Tami (spelled the same). My husband has Crohns. You are right about the grains and Crohns!! Grains are not good for him either! He had surgery 10 years ago and the Dr. said he would have many more but he found a book, "Breaking The Vicious Cycle" and went on that program in the book and has had wonderful success. Doesn't have to take any drugs and has had no more episodes of problems!!

 

You guys are right about everyone is different. I think we just have to find what we can live with and not feel like we are depriving ourselves. It's nice to have a program that you like so that when you cruise you can gain all you want and know you can take it off again!! :D

Barbara

[GrammyJill]

My husband says this is too unrealistic. What do you think? I have already dropped 17 (April 18th was my start day).

 

I have been excercising, walking on the treadmill, drinking LOTS & LOTS of water, eating very carefully.

 

I really really want to have a new figure by cruise time.

[Super89]

Well, it sounds like a lot of weight but you are doing great so far! I say go for it, you will be happy with what you loose anyway. I am getting ready to go grocery shopping so I figured I would read these posts to get me motivated. I am kind of floundering about which diet to use as a guideline. I have been to weight watchers so many times I have lost count. Twice I have gotten within a few pounds of my goal, decided I was perfectly happy and stopped, thus not becoming a lifetime member. What is different about the new program? I do think it is a healthy diet but I just hate measuring and writing everything down.

Tami, I have two neices adopted from India and mine are from Brazil and Korea. Just keep in mind it is sure worth the wait when you see that little face for the first time!

Ok off to make my new healthy grocery list!

Susan

[Totally Addicted]

Hi!

I joined Weight Watchers online, it is much cheaper, less time consuming and I don't really feel like I'm dieting. On the new Core program you don't have to count points. Most all of your foods are free then you get 35 points a week for "extras". I really love it. Find I am eating healthier than I did with the "points". (I use to save as many points as I could to have sweets.)

 

Weight Watcher says that up to 2 lb. weight loss per week is healthy. I've found the best thing is to know myself and find out what works for me.

 

Is there going to be a day that we check in to report weight loss?

Barbara :D

[GrammyJill]

OK I want to lose another 27 pounds in 80 days! Actually it would help if I could loose the weight before I buy new cruise clothes! ha

 

So salty treats........Yesterday I bought a bag of Quakers. You know the little mini rice cakes? I know sounds bad doesn't it? But, really they aren't bad. I bought the Ranch flavor & it helped my snack attack this afternoon. You get to eat about 10 for less than 100 calories.

 

GOOD LUCK, EVERYBODY!

[txcdn1]

Hi everyone...I weighed in again today and am down another 2lb...16 total YEAH!! I also remembered another treat I liked from the last time I was "dieting". They are the 100 cal snacks, from nabisco I think. The bits and bite snack crackers are just the thing. Plus, with them being individually packaged you can't "accidently" eat to many lol. Is everyone okay with weighing on Mondays?? Tami I will have to look for the jamica. You mentioned colcannon, I never actually had that but one of our favorites was "champ". It was potatoes mixed with LOTS of butter, milk and green onions. Very tasty!. Keep up the good work everyone, remember water, water and then some more water.

 

Happy cruising, Jill:)

[adoptmom]

Barbara- I've been very lucky with my crohn's. I had surgery in 1986 and an ileostomy and have not had issues since then. I don't even take medication. I still can't believe it since I spent 17 of the last 19 years eating a mostly grain and sugar based low fat/low protein diet. (I gained 60 pounds doing so too!) I feel so much better now. I have a friend who has fought her crohn's for 10 years and just had surgery last year. Unfortunately her doctors tried to "save" her from having the surgery with all kinds of meds and now she needs a liver transplant from all the toxicity that built up. :( Surgery is not evil people! :rolleyes:

 

Susan -I know it will be worth it. I just hate the waiting around part. I can be very type A at times and having to work on someone else's timeline makes me nuts!

 

Tami

[txcdn1]

Eileen?

 

 

You started our thread. Are you still out there? Jill:) :confused:

[txcdn1]

Tami:

 

 

I have a friend I met in nursing school who has had severe chron's for years. She only has a small portion of her intestine left and has a colostomy and been on TPN for years. She was truly an inspiration to all of us going through school. She would be in hospital all week, sign herself out for clinicals on the weekend, then check back in as a pt. (we went to school part time while most of us worked full time during the week.) She also let us practice injections, dressings etc on her. She now works full time as an enterostomal nurse and is one, imho, of the best around. During school she also had to withdraw from the opium she was on for years as she couldn't take nursing while on it. Just thought I would brag about her a little. I definitely agree with you surgery is not always evil.

 

Jill

[GrammyJill]

Boy, do I know what y'all mean about the meds. My dd, Niki has epilepsy. She has been on 10 different meds for the past 8 years. She has put on so much weight. She is only 10 so I don't stress her about it. We just try to talk about healthy choices. I try to remember my example will be the most effective for her in the future.

 

She had brain surgery in October to remove 2 regions of her brain that were causing her most severe seizures & boy did I put on the weight! I ate & ate & ate! So here I sit with a daughter that is doing FABULOUS, (many thanks to our Lord) carrying an extra 60 pounds around!

 

So I weigh every morning as soon as I get up & I was down another pound. That makes a total of 18.

 

Don't you love those 100 calorie snack packs? I almost forgot about them. My EXTREMLY thin 18 yr old son eats them up as soon as I buy them. He says the crackers are better in them than the regular mixes! lol

 

Good luck to all!

[adoptmom]

Tami:

 

 

I have a friend I met in nursing school who has had severe chron's for years. She only has a small portion of her intestine left and has a colostomy and been on TPN for years. She was truly an inspiration to all of us going through school. She would be in hospital all week, sign herself out for clinicals on the weekend, then check back in as a pt. (we went to school part time while most of us worked full time during the week.) She also let us practice injections, dressings etc on her. She now works full time as an enterostomal nurse and is one, imho, of the best around. During school she also had to withdraw from the opium she was on for years as she couldn't take nursing while on it. Just thought I would brag about her a little. I definitely agree with you surgery is not always evil.

 

Jill

 

Jill- definitely the best enterostomal nurses are the ones who have one. I've never met a cranky EO nurse but there's something about knowing that they've been where you are. Really, I think anyone who has been through it should be a walking posterboard for surviving and thriving. I seem to find myself surrounded by either people who have crohns, people who are interested in adoption or people who are interested in homeschooling. Must be my Karma since I'm such a chatty person. :rolleyes:

 

Your description of "champ" sounds like it would be really REALLY bad for my weightloss goals. Colcannon is potatos, cabbage and bacon which is also bad. Oh yeah, and don't forget the stick of butter and the cream! I'm trying to figure out how to make it with mashed cauliflower instead. It's just not quite the same because the cauliflower overpowers the cabbage. I love cabbage though. I just planted a bunch in the garden. Can't wait for it to start getting heads.

 

Tami

[snowcamper]

Is everyone okay with weighing on Mondays??

 

Happy cruising, Jill:)

 

I'd like to throw in a preference for Friday weigh-ins. I think if I have done well all week, I will be more motivated to stay good for the weekend, which are always harder for me. Actually, knowing me, I'll probably do both! Okay, so I'm a little obsessive :o Of course, I will go with whatever the group wants.

[GrammyJill]

I tend to have a really hard time on the weekends.

 

But, on the other hand if I know I have to weigh in on Monday's then I might do better :)

 

Jill

[GrammyJill]

I know I posted about this before, but I thought I would let y'all know I seem to lose about 1 pound a day when I take the Relacore. The days I skip I either stay steady or I bounce up & down by 2 pounds.

 

I have been trying to "save" them on the weekends. But, this week it really seems to be helping.

 

Is anyone trying any "diet" pills? I am very curious as to what is working for y'all.

[snowcamper]

No diet pills for me. Many have caffiene, which I just can't do, I get to shaky. I have been loosely following Curves diet plan for the past week, basically low carb, high protein, but has some fruit. Supposed to eat 6 times a day which is working well for me so far. After 3 hours, I want to eat anyway, and this way I pick something healthy, and am satisfied and don't feel deprived. I have lost 4 1/2 pounds this week, finally down to where I was before I went on my February cruise and gained 10 pounds. I've had to eat out several times this week, and have usually gotten a Chef's salad and been very happy with it. Got a chicken sandwich at Wendy's one night and ate the meat right out of the bun!