Phx Weight Loss Support Group

Okay, I've been promising this one for a while now.... and here it is. The Website

 

zoo that is really a great thing that you did. it shows all the progress you have made. it takes a lot of courage to do something like that and i think its really cool.

 

congrats ZOO!

 

ZOO, that completely ROCKS!!! WOOHOO!! Congrats!!

**makes mental note about the sugar**

 

kreleia I got my diet plan advice from a book called "The Insulin Resistance Diet." And it says it's good for anyone trying to lose weight adn gain energy.

 

That is incredible Zoo!!!!

I'm so proud of you!!!

HHOOOORAAAAHHHHH!!!!

Well, unfortunately I still have not made it back to Yoga. Once my tendon/ligament healed I got sick, and then came my HESI exam and then the camping trip...but I got a workout doing paintball.

Now that things have quieted down once more and I'm feeling well, it's time to start anew.

In my journey of weight loss and fitness that is the one thing I've learned...NEVER GIVE UP and when you fall, pick yourself up and get right back on.

Last July I started working out. I weighed 185 lbs. While I'm not as thin as I would like in the time since then, I'm down to 155 lbs. I would like to get down to 130. That is the weight I feel the best and look the best at. I know I can do it, I just have to keep working at it.

Keep up the good work everyone!

EDIT: ZOO I just saw your sig line!!!! I it!!!

 

Hey, everyone. I am a personal trainer and am currently working on my Nutrition Consultant certification. I am available if anyone would like help and/or advise on what they are currently doing (or NOT doing). The very fact that you all know that you want to change and are willing to make the effort and have such a wonderful support group behind you the whole way will make all the difference in reshaping your image of yourself. So, if you need anything that I can help with, feel free to PM me and ask. I will do the best I can and help if possible.
BTW, I think some of your success stories are fantastic. It motivates me to hear about people who work so hard and achieve so much. Just more proof in my mind that we can do anything we want when we believe in ourselves enough to give it our all.

 

I looked at my calendar today and said...I have three weeks until I head back to PHX...what can I do just in that time...

Here we go!

No Soda (don't know how it snuck back in, but it is gone!)
No Fast Food (which will work...I have no money)
Get the bike fixed! (I live miles from work..I can ride that three times a week)
No Mas' Munchin' (Turn off the TV and put away the snacks!)

Oh yeah!!! I wanted to work the gym back into that (here comes the but) however with finals coming...I don't even have time for laundry! Unless I take the study guides to the treadmills! hhhmmmmmm

 

Sistine: Just remember, in order to burn away the fat you have to focus on two things: 1) Get your heart rate up into the right zone for you and keep it there for at least twenty minutes and 2) Make sure that you go into caloric deficit. You want to obviously burn more calories than you ingest and put your body into it's optimum calorie burning zone. If you don't get your heart rate up enough and keep it there long enough, then your body isn't going to swich modes and start burning fat for energy. It will rely on glucose from the muscles, liver and creatine phosphate. And there is only so much of that. It will burn calories but at less than half of what you'd burn with fat.
So... in a nutshell, riding the bike to work is a great idea. Three times a week is a fantastic way to start. If you aren't used to a lot of exercise, then you don't want to shock your bady right away and a slow start can yield more results in the end (no pun intended) than overdoing it can. And you won't get burned out by pushing too hard. It seems like you have a good idea about what NOT to eat. LOL Getting rid of the simple sugars like soda and sweets is great. Adding more complex carbs, like whole grain breads and brown rice and whole wheat pasta, will give you a longer sustained energy burn without the peaks and valleys that you get from simple carbs. And getting rid of fast food is a good idea or just change the types of fast foods to like Subway and Sweet Tomatos or something similarly healthy.
I think you've got the right idea so keep up the great work. If I can help, just let me know.

 

ROCKIN! wardenx it's awesome to have you with us and thanks for offering your support and help. You may get real sick of me real fast!

Sistine: You have inspired me. I think I will join you in your no soda, no fast food quest.

As a nursing student, we take nutrition courses and such and what wardenx said in his last post is absolutely correct. The keys are getting your heart rate up and keeping it there for at least 20 minutes and using caloric deficit.

Caloric deficit was what worked the best for me. In fact after six months, I found that I simply could not tolerate eating as much as I used to. Over time, I've found that I was eating less because my body didn't need it anymore even though I was working more.

 

Right on, Wenchy!!! Just remember that the calories you do ingest should be nutrient dense so that you are getting the right amount of vitamins, minerals, water, fats, proteins and carbs that your body requires. Reducing calories is a great first step, but it can do some serious damage if it means sacrificing the nutrients that are necessary for healthy cellular reproduction. For example, if you don't get enough protein for repair of damage done during exercise, then your body will get it wherever it can... which means it's going to rob it from your muscles. That's counter-productive to what you're trying to do with exercise to begin with.
So, making sure to balance you meals with the right amount of nutrient dense foods (vegetable, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, etc.) will help ensure that your body responds in the most effecient way it can. Plus, as a great side effect, you feel GREAT!! Just remember, you are what you eat. Literally.
This is great. What a fantaastic forum for supporting each other in the quest to become better, in whatever way. I think that your ability to change depends wholy on your desire to do so. How badly do you want it? That's the $64,000 question.
Sistine, you've got the right idea and whenever you start to stray from your goals, just remind yourself why you're doing it in the first place and then get back on track. And NEVER let yourself feel bad if you slip once in a while. Just accept that we ALL do it, too. Have faith in yourself. You can accomplish anything you want to.
Wenchy, I have a feeling you and I are going to have a lot to talk about.

 

wardenx You are Awesome...My problem is that I go for too long without eating. I will go all day and then eat a small meal. I knew I was doing damage so I am trying to remind myself to eat...

Now at my desk I try and eat a snack at 10 am and 3 pm, normally a fruit of some kind. Part of why my 'program' went south in a hand basket was lack of money. When you are poor all the high, crappy carb food are cheap. This week for lunches I am doing hoagie's style sandwiches NO MAYO! with lettuce and stuff on them...oh boy and I bought shaved turkey and Roast beef to get some protein in my system!

Looking at myself I see that it is a fat burning issue...I mean I could do tummy crunches all night...but until I lose the flabby all I am going to have is toned abs under a pillow! Any other ideas how to lose the Jell-O?

 

Sistine: One of the first things you can do is something you are already doing but just keep careful track of it, and that is cut back on the simple carbohydrates. No sugars or sweets. And don't eat white bread or white rice or regular pasta. White bread is the base of the glycemic index and goes straight to blood sugar which raises your insulin which is required to lay fat (which the human body is MASTERFUL at creating BTW). So cutting back on those things will be a great first step.
As far as exercise goes... what are you doing now? Better yet, what really interests you? What kind of time do you have to spend on exercise per week? Do you have any medical conditions that would prevent you from exercising? If so, I would reccomend that you get a DR release before starting an exercise program. That being said, I will be glad to offer what suggestions I may. But right now I have to leave. I'm at work and it's time to go. I'll be here tomorrow to answer if I can. Then maybe we can put something together for you. If you like, you can PM me with things like your age, weight, blood pressure (if you know it), level of activity, if you smoke or not, favorite exercises and such. I know this is personal stuff and if you would rather not then I understand. I'll do the best with what you're willing to give me.

 

wardenx: Thanks so much for your wonderful advice and once again I have to say that all of the info you've given jives precisely with what I've been taught in nursing school.

LISTEN TO HIM FOLKS, HE'S SPEAKIN' TRUTH!

Anyway, I'm sure you and I are gonna have many a chat.

Oh, and to kind of give you an idea of my diet, I eat mainly chicken, fish, lean pork, and lower cholesterol eggs as my protein sources, I drink milk--usually skim, and I like whole wheat pastas and brown rice. I do have a problem with wheat bread, me no likee that much, but I'm trying to cut back on the white junk...it just tastes so much better.

Oh, I've also discovered the joys of low-fat condiments too. I actually like them better now than the real stuff.

When I first started working out, I walked. I started at one mile and increased it gradually until I was walking 5 miles a day in one hour. Unfortunately the weather got in the way of that, but I really enjoy the treadmill and eliptical machines at my gym in addition to Yoga. My hubby weightlifts and does cardio with a buddy of his, and I'm thinking of adding weightlifting as part of my routine in the near future. I've just got to get back to my routine after a three week break.

 

Hey Wenchy, do you get Orowheat out there? If so, try the Oat Nut bread... It has a much better taste than whole wheat, plus it has the added benefit of being Oat, so it helps w/ the cholesterol thing (which I am only having to worry about, since I do the protein rich diet - finally made it over 2 digits on my cholesterol count )

 

Ohh...I'll have to try it! Thanks for the tip there ZOO!

 

Well, I'll add my updates:

Begin going at it since Jan 1. Last week I began to strictly go by a nutrition program based on the needs of lean muscle mass. I realize that I have not been eating enough calories. It's one thing to say caloric deficit but if you do not feed your muscles, the fat will not go down.

I believed that I was doing ok until Monday when I weighed myself. I was 228 up 2lbs from last month. At the same time, I realized two things, I weighed myself after a carbo-load (water weight) and I have been gaining more and more muscle. Yesterday I did notice my belly looking leaner. So i am happy.

So far I have been working out using a high volume low rep weight regimine without cardio. Working out good but next week I will add 400m run and change up the weights to more of a strength based one. See how that affects me.

So far my diet is a low carb, high protein, high fat (Fish, fish oil, flax seeds). It is a meal timing diet meaning I never mix my carbs with my fat. Is working out good for me. Well keep up the good work.

 

I'm sure you already know this, MaxChewie, but I just have to comment. A diet high in fats and protein and low in carbohydrates in unhealthy and dangerous. It can put your body into ketosis from the excessive fat burning which produces ketones beyond what your body can readily excrete. High levels of protein also leach calcium from your bloodstream, which causes your body to compensate by pulling more from your bones. Your body WILL maintain homeostasis, even if it has to kill you to do it. lol

 

I respect your opinion but disagree only in this sense. The fats I am taking is not the bad kind but the kinds we need, Omega3-6, EFA. I am not doing Atkins but a bodybuilder's cutting diet (not to say it's THE best but a healthy one.)

As to High Protein leeching out calcium from bones, I've also read studys indicating that an adequate amount of protein actually helps fortify bones which is why there is research into high protein diets and women who have osteoporosis. I will try to find this and send it to you.

 

That would be sweet, thanks dude. I know what you're talking about with the cutting diet. I've seen it and tried it as well. I like to try diets to see how they affect my body so I can speak from personal experience about these diets. Not that my opinion is anymore valid than anyone elses. But the "adequate" amount of protein is the key phrase. A person only needs about 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. Of course, if you are body building, that amount will go up, but not to the extreme that most body builders use. Then you start to leach calcium from your bones.
I personally don't reccomend high quantities of protein. I rather just put people on long-term, healthy diet programs that are best for total body wellness. You know, get rid of simple carbs, increase complex carbs, get rid of saturated fats and cut back on overall fats, adequate protein, etc...
Oh, and as far as you getting the good fats, that's great. Just keep track of how much you're getting. Remember that, if you don't get enough carbs in your diet, your body will convert it from somewhere. It doesn't wat to convert proteins because it uses those proteins for everything, for the most part. So it's probably going to use fats (back to the ketosis thing -- I know, dead horse).
This is just an FYI. Don't want to see you put all the great effort you are doing into working out and not get the results that you are looking for. The body is such a wonderful and fickle thing, huh? LMAO
If I can be of any assistance, just let me know. I love this stuff.

 

I up'd my calcium...I wasn't getting enough and being a woman, not getting any younger,I thought it would be a good idea...

 

Here are a few I found. They are a couple years old, so take them how you will.

Studies on High Protein Diets

Cooper C, Anderson EJ, Hensrund DD, et al. Dietary protein intake and bone mass in women. Calcif Tissue Int 1996;58:320-325.

Recently, a comprehensive study completed by Jacques Poortmans and Oliver Dellalieux (published in Int. J. Sport Nutr. & Exerc. Metab. 11;28-35:2001) at the University of Brussels in Belgium investigated this aspect directly.

These scientists assessed whether high protein diets affect the health and kidney function of bodybuilders and other athletes. Their study involved 20 bodybuilders and 18 other highly trained athletes that consumed a high protein diet. (Approximately 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. More than double the recommended daily allowance.)

Their diets were analyzed to provide total calorie, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and calcium intake each day. Blood and urine samples were taken from the athletes and spectrum of analyses were performed looking at glomerular filtration rate (creatinine clearance), potential change in glomerular membrane permeability (albumin excretion rate), urea and uric acid clearance, nitrogen and calcium balances and any modification in kidney free water balance.

In addition to the resting condition, the researchers also wanted to obtain other data that would be important to hard training athletes. Very intense exercise temporarily impairs kidney function (a natural, safe, and regular process). However, the research wanted to see if a high protein diet would produce a detrimental impact on this physiological aspect. So analyses were performed before and directly after a bout of very intense (cycling) exercise.

Some of the athlete's in the study were documented to have protein intakes as high as 2.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. However, when the results came in, the high protein athletes showed no fundamental differences that could be associated with damage or impaired kidney function in any way.

These athletes did show higher values for creatinine and uric acid clearance, However, all readings fell within the upper limit of normal levels. Despite the high protein intake there was no accumulation of urea, demonstrating no toxicity. Glomerular filtration rates were normal and there were no signs of even moderate hyperfiltration. This aspect is important.

Hyperfiltration seems to precede the excess excretion of protein plasma into the urine. It is an indicator of the amount of "stress" on the kidneys. The albumin clearance rates also supported the observation that a high protein diet does not stress healthy kidneys. In fact, all readings taken from these athletes proved absolutely normal. Their kidney function was in no way effected by a high protein diet.


The combination of high protein intake and intense exercise didn't appear to impair any aspect of kidney function either. The reduction of several clearance rates as a result of the intense exercise were in line with other reported observations in exercising humans.

Nutritionists often site high protein diets to cause of excessive calcium loss. However, all calcium excretion rates fell within normal ranges. This was despite the bodybuilders taking in higher amounts of calcium in their diets! The bodybuilders absorbed more calcium from their diets! The researchers suggested one reason for this may be that bodybuilding places a higher load on the musculoskeletal system and therefore bodybuilders require more calcium.

There was no difference between the bodybuilder's and the other athlete's calcium excretion levels.

The medical community uses protein ingestion as a key determinant of kidney function and a marker of kidney "health". High protein diets do produce high amounts of urea, an end product of protein metabolism that is excreted in urine. Because of their physical activity, athletes are at risk of dehydration. Severe dehydration limits urea excretion, so theoretically, high protein diets may place stress on the l

 

Good article, MaxChewie. Thanks. I only have to say a couple of thngs about it, though. 1) These are athletes that they were using to study. Athletes have much better biogenetics than the average person. 2) Each of the athletes had an increse in calcium intake which balanced out the loss of calcium from their bloodstreams. 3) What do the FRENCH know!!!! :^) lol

 

True enough about 1-3. Although, I gathered they did not get extra supplementation from pills but from their normal diet. On your first point, you are correct they are athletes but if people are on high protein diets then they should be doing some form of weight training and cardio. If not, what the point of trying to eat healthy without exercise?

BTW, it's Belgium, not France.

Here is another place, you might to look at:
http://www.mercola.com/2002/jan/9/high_protein.htm

 

Hiss...hiss

Avoiding caffine but boy howdy I could use some right now...need sleep!

Lunch today was PB&J, apple and a LARGE naval Orange...nothing but water...however the M&m's over at the Deli are calling my name...