Day 3 Of New Lifestyle (losing weight)

[hey987987]

Well today was day 3 of my new healthy lifestyle.

Tomorrow I find out if I have any takers on the plan that David O suggested in my previous post. I have however started changing my food habits.

No sweets or junkfood anywhere to be found in the house.

Making sure I eat proper portions of food and staying away from sweets. I'm including fruits and more veggies. I'm eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at portions much smaller than before and not close to bedtime. I'm still eating enough (slowly) to feel satisfied.

I think I've eaten more veggies in the last 3 months then I have in the first 20 years of my life. My parents never forced me to eat foods I didn't like, and veggies were something I didn't like but am now starting to.

I'm walking 45 minutes a night with the first 5 minutes and last 5 minutes taking it slow.

So far so good,, hopefully I'll have a few takers on the "Biggest Loser" weight loss plan. I've already got a $150.00 in the pot lol.

[David O]

Good for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just remember, anyone can make change... but it takes real strength to maintain it. Stay with it and we're rooting for you.

Now, if you had anorexia or Bulimia, I would never suggest this, but since it seems that you don't, there are 2 more things you can do:

1) Place a picture of the ideal you on the fridge-- a sort of goal-- to look at when you reach in.

2) Place your weight scale in front of the fridge and stand on it as you open the fridge.

3) Remember that you may have relapses, plan for them by recognizing that they are only 1 day or 1 meal relapses and not the end of your plan-- so don't become discouraged and blow the plan if you aren't successful one meal or day. Read up on Harm Reduction and Relapse Prevention-- both are addiction treatment models but are also very helpful ways to think about mistakes.

Good luck.... you have my 10000000000000000000000000000000000% support!

David

[SweetSue]

Hey987987

just wanted to say..............

Welldone

and goodluck with your new healthier life style

I wish I had the determination to cut out sweets, but to be honest I love chocolate wayyy tooo much and hate veg (despite being a vegitarian) with a vengence

And David is right, we are all rooting for you !!!

Hope it works

Take care

Sue

[hey987987]

Hey Sue,

Congrats being a vegetarian, I've tried that and it doesn't work for me. Give me a piece of chocolate and it's like a drug. I just can't stop eating them, which is why I can't do it at all.

Thanks for yours and Davids replies.

DAY 6

I simply changed my day 3 post to day 6 to save room on the forum. I'll make a new thread every so often.

Well here it is day 6 and I'm feeling much better. I still haven't had any sweets or fast food. I've decided to eat out only 1 time every 2 weeks. I'm still walking 45 minutes a day (3 miles), and I'm slowly increasing my speed. I"m getting better at healthy food combining.

So far I have one taker on the "Biggest Loser" plan and she's put in her money.

I know it's mostly water weight, but I'm down to 267.5. Even though the scale is in front of the fridge I try not to look at the #'s except every few days or so. I'm fixing to only look at it every 2 weeks.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jeremy

[David O]

Good morning,

Well, you're on an excellent start and while it may only be water weight, as you suggest, it actually also may contain 2-3lbs of fat, so either way, your body has been jolted and will begin to go into hoard and starvation mode if it hasn't already, thus making weight loss all that more difficult. Once you hit the "wall" of your body's self preservation system, begin home workouts (also a good idea to talk to your MD before you begin these workouts, as they can be intense and will put some strain on your heart and system).

In lieu of spending excessive money on CD's and oher equipment, try Youtube videos daily. Attached are a few:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-LXqowuVYU&feature=related

And, if you can't stare at a guy too long, try this señorita's boot camp for a shift in pace and view:eek::

Finally, in lieu if starting a new thread, stay on the same one, in that way we can all follow along with the pattern and consistency. Stay with it and good luck!

David

[mscat]

Well today was day 3 of my new healthy lifestyle.

Tomorrow I find out if I have any takers on the plan that David O suggested in my previous post. I have however started changing my food habits.

No sweets or junkfood anywhere to be found in the house.

Making sure I eat proper portions of food and staying away from sweets. I'm including fruits and more veggies. I'm eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at portions much smaller than before and not close to bedtime. I'm still eating enough (slowly) to feel satisfied.

I think I've eaten more veggies in the last 3 months then I have in the first 20 years of my life. My parents never forced me to eat foods I didn't like, and veggies were something I didn't like but am now starting to.

I'm walking 45 minutes a night with the first 5 minutes and last 5 minutes taking it slow.

So far so good,, hopefully I'll have a few takers on the "Biggest Loser" weight loss plan. I've already got a $150.00 in the pot lol.

congradulations on your new weight plan

[David O]

For those that don't want to go back and forth between threads to read the plan Hey is talking about, here it is:

David O> Hi Hey,

Boy can I identify.... years ago, when I was in my early 30's I took an executive position and within 9 months had gained about 30-35lbs, going from 205 to 240 (also at 5'11")-- I was completely miserable. I became depressed over my clothes not fitting, my poor shape, my belly sticking out, being out of breath quickly, and just about everything seemed to center on my weight-- it became the lens thru which I viewed the world-- and it was dark and dreary. Even going out was a psychological chore, equivalent to running an emotional triathlon!

There was a recent article in the Journal or Medical Economics in which they ran a study on effective weigh loss strategies. An interesting and unexpected finding was that people would not lose weight for their health, even if it threatened their life; however, they found that money was a primary and powerful motivator, more potent than anything else almost.

How to do it:

• Find or create a partner or weight loss team like in the show The Biggest Loser.
  

• Make a sizable bet, anything >$100 (the larger the sum the greater the motivator) will serve as a good start
  
• Weigh yourself and set a weight loss of 2.5% of your weight per month, so if you weigh 275, it would be a weight ~3lbs per month or even better, 5lbs per month.
  
• Each month you meet weight, the money stays in the pot, if you fail to meet weight, you add $25 to the pot, now you're invested heavily.
  
• If you fail to meet weight 50% of the time for 6 months (you weigh biweekly), you lose your money and it is divided among those who've maintained weight loss-- which can be a huge sum. It is this sum that is so powerful to "cause" the need to lose weight, especially if others are dropping out and within 6 months you stand to gain a good sum of money. This can go on for a year or 2 or until you've met your goal, at which point you can set up a maintenance goal and put money in the pot for it.
  

Since I'm a gearhead, I spent the money one year to buy a new set of very expensive, low profile tires to make my car look "hot":D.

This is an abbreviated and modified version of the journal's approach, but still highly effective if money is at stake. Another approach is group hypnosis where several people go in together (usually 6-12) and a tape of the hypnotic induction is made to take home. The cost is relatively low ($20-50 per session, with about 2-5 sessions max with booster sessions every few months).

Good luck hey987987, I certainly hope this helps.... many of us are or have been down this path and it's a painful one to live with daily.

By the way, it's best to post daily, some of us post >5 times per day... so never fear, we're all here for each other.

David O

[SweetSue]

Hi Jeremy

Just wanted to say well done for sticking to your plan, and keeping to the excercise aswell as the healthier eating. Im glad that you are already feeling some of the benefits of all your hard work

Take care

Sue

[Guest ASchwartz]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to "weigh in" on this dicussion, pun intended .

A very good friend of mine who had become quite over weight several years ago, entered into a bet with his cousin as to who would lose the most weight by the end of the year. It turned out to be wonderful because they each lost a significant amount of weight. I don't remember who won the bet but, in a way, they both won. There was no starvation diet, either. They both ate sensibly and used lots of exercise.

Psychotherapy can also be a good part of this for those struggling with obeisity rather than over weight.

Allan

[hey987987]

Day 11

I'm still at it. Although sunday was a hard day. I was scheduled to volunteer at the zoo on sunday but because of the snow we were told not to come out. So that left me at the house most of the day with nothing to do. So I cleaned and sorted out my receipts and paperwork for a few hours. Other than that and walking it was kind of a dreary day of sitting around. Haven't weighed myself since the last time I posted.

Thanks for all the support!

[SweetSue]

Hi Jeremy

Wow, how exciting, volunteering at a zoo. That has got to be a experience worth discovering, very cool. Im sorry your day got cancelled due to snowy weather. Will you get another oppertunity ?

Could you maybe try out a new hobby for days that your plans fall through ? It might even help to take your mind off things on harder days.

Good to hear your sticking with your healthier life style

Keep up all the good work hun

[David O]

Congrats Hey,

You're on a remarkable journey and it's long term psychological, emotional and health effects will be felt over time. I think now is a good time to talk a little about relapse prevention and since you had a boring day at home, I thought to now suggest some reading material-- no exactly salacious or scandalous, but essential for those trying to maintain while quitting an addictive behavior. This article, written by the originator of the relapse prevention model, will make a good read during your downtime or while your in the restroom contemplating life:

http://www.bhrm.org/guidelines/RPT%20guideline.pdf

Stay with it Hey... you're my new hero!!!!

David

[hey987987]

Hey Sue,

I've been volunteering at our local zoo for about 4 years now, so yeah I'll get another chance lol. Up until the last 4 months or so I was volunteering on my only day off each week, which is sunday. I was doing it every sunday up until I got hired on full-time there. However he likes to yell & cuss for an hour at a time when something goes wrong, so it got old quick. I quickly went back to my old job, where my old boss was willing to take me back. I now volunteer every other sunday, so I have time for other things as well. I would love to be hired on to a local sanctuary for big cats in the future.

I'm very close to the animals there at the park, most of the volunteers at the park do both animal care and giving tours. But I take care of the maintenance as well as taking care of the big cats / bears. I'm the only one besides the owner allowed to enter those cages because of the risk involved. Yeah we have lockouts for the bigger kitties. I've had some pretty neat opportunities volunteering out there, such as a trip to Africa.

Hey thanks for the link David, I'll give it a read.

[SweetSue]

Hi Jeremy

Just wow, seriously wow. That sounds such an awesome job. I remember my first visit to a zoo as a teen, the first time I had ever seen a lot of the bigger animals other than in books, that just concreated my love for them. I like the big cats, but have to admit Giraffes will always be my fav, and hold dear to my heart

Dont give up hope of finding that dream job of yours, there cant be many people with your care and experience, have you applied or enquired about future possibilities at your local santuary ?

oops, almost forgot, hows the healthier lifestyle going ???

Take care

[hey987987]

Sue,

I guess I should have worded that differently. We don't have a sanctuary for big cats around here. The zoo I volunteer at right now was a sanctuary when I first started there, now it's a zoo that buys it's animals. I've been looking into other places though. I've got a few bills I've gotta pay off before I go moving somewhere.

As for the healthier lifestyle,, I still haven't peeked at my weight. I can feel the difference though. My pants are not nearly as tight as they were 2 weeks ago. I've got to find a different avenue for my walks during bad weather though. We've been getting a lot of rain / snow lately lol. We have a mall within a few miles of my house, but it gets oh so boring walking around the mall 15 times.

Still no sweets, although working at the store next to a candy rack has me drooling sometimes.

Thanks,

Jeremy

[SweetSue]

Hi Jeremy

I wouldnt worry about peeking at your wieght, the fact that your clothes arent as tight is a really good sign. I think that your determination to do this is truely awesome.

That must be torture at times, working next door to where they sell candy, seriously you must have really strong will power.

I guess it must get boring walking the same routes (especially the mall) is there anything that you could take with you to make it a bit more interesting ??? Maybe some head phones ? Music always puts me in a kinda hyper, (well happy music does). Hmmm, although dont start singing out loud, that might get you some looks. (or is it just me that does that, I used to get so lost in the music, that somewhere in between pressing play and say the 2nd or 3rd track, I'd forget that it was only me that could here it, and start singing out loud, - like hello cats chorus )

Hang in there hun - we are all rooting for you

Take care

[hey987987]

Day ?

Not keeping track of the days anymore lol. I'm still walking 45 minutes every night (rain, shine or snow). I'm down to 266. Only 1.5 lb from last time I weighed, but at least I know it's not mostly water this time. My pants are getting looser at the waist line but tighter around the calves.

Tonight was my first dinner that I've eaten out since I started this. Which I plan to eat out once every 2 weeks. I was sort of a piggy tonight though and ate quite a bit more than I had planned on. Who can resist a new all you can eat buffet with your friends. I'll definitely have to work on cutting back on that type of thing when I go or go to a restaurant and order a meal. Have them give me a to go box before I begin and stick half of it there to start with lol.

Oh well it may take a few days to work off but all in all no biggy as long as I don't make a habit out of it.

Something that strikes my friends as funny, is that the very first thing I'm going to do when I lose enough weight is to go sky diving. It is something I've always wanted to do, but there is a weight limit of 220 lbs. Just the thrill of jumping out of an airplane at 10,000 feet with an instructor strapped to you and free-falling for about 20 - 30 seconds. My friends are asking why I'm working to lose weight, and then risk losing my life by jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.

Good Day To You All,

Jeremy

[David O]

Skydiving:eek::eek::eek:----- Well, as the very articulate and brilliant Madonna (?) once said (paraphrased): "I'd rather live one day as a lion as opposed to 100 days as a sheep!"

[malign]

Baaaaaa ... Tell her to tryyyyy it befooorrrre she knooooocks it .... :-)

But hey, wasn't she a vegetarian, at one point?

Maybe it's a good thing that Kabbalah doesn't have much of a tradition of shape-shifters ...

I think sky-diving would be a lot of fun. I hear it's the stopping-before-you-hit-the-ground part that's hard.

[IrmaJean]

I think I might need a lot more therapy before I ever tried something like sky-diving. :eek: Counters are still scary for me to stand on. It's this huge one or two foot drop to the floor below...

I like your enthusiasm, hey. Finding ways to motivate yourself is great. Good luck!

[David O]

I once walked under a ladder and over a crack on the sidewalk while a black cat was crossing the street! I nearly died, but performed advanced cardiac life support on myself and lived to tell this lie.