I try to eat all natural and organic, so I am not one to use Splenda or saccharine. I tried stevia, but it has an aftertaste to me. The non-sugar sweetener that I've been satisfied with is a product called Z-sweet. I found it in my health food store. Unlike other sugar substitutes, you actually have to use more Z-sweet than you do sugar. However, it tastes great---just like sugar. Go on Amazon and look up the reviews and you'll see. The only downside is that it is expensive.

I've never used it, but if you look on the BG web site, they have a link to a scholarly study that was done on it that confirmed that it's accurate in most cases.

Thanks for feedback! Justa, I checked out the CrossFit site, but I can't figure out how to access the WOD. I know that's one of the FAQs, but I still can't find it even after reading that. It would be nice if they labeled it WOD

Sanet, I love your enthusiasm! I also checked out that site you mentioned, and it seems interesting. For the past three to four weeks, I've been taking "bootcamp" classes at my gym 2-3 days a week and have been enjoying that. I'm the type of person who NEEDS variety. I was really starting to dread working out before I started taking classes.

Myka, it's so good to know that you got results with CT. It gives me some hope. Now all I need to do is get my eating under control so that I can lose fat to see the muscle that's developing.

Just curious if anyone here does mainly circuit training type workouts (e.g., "bootcamp" type workouts that combine cardio & weights) and what your results have been with such workouts.

I'm so sorry that you're having a difficult time of it. After many, many years of doing insane things to my body in the name of getting thin, I can totally relate to where you've coming from.

I've found that the No-S diet (nosdiet.com) is a sane, normal approach to eating that will help you lose weight slowly. It's basic concept is to eat three, one-portion meals a day, no snacking, no sweets, and no second helpings----except "sometimes" on "S" days (i.e., Saturday, Sunday, and Special occasions). I just started a version of this myself. I write "version" because I'm sticking to No Snacks and No Seconds 7 days a week, but I'll allow myself a sweet treat 2-3 times during the week rather than just on Saturday and Sunday (I find that relegating sweets to just two specific days puts me in the mode of pigging out on those days). Anyway, I like this way of eating because it's so NORMAL. You ought to check it out (including the site's discussion forum and testimonials page).

Don't know if this will work for you, but my husband has always said that the simplest way to lose weight is to eat about half of what you normally would eat. In your case, that might be too drastic as you don't have much to lose, but what you could do is just cut down your portions. Personally, I find that portion control is the only thing that I can stick with to lose weight. If I have to start eating "diet" foods or start counting points/calories, I will give up and regain whatever weight I lost (been there, done that).

I recently read that getting thin is 80% diet, 10% exercise, and 10% genetics. I definitely agree that diet is the main factor in losing weight, so I'd suggest you concentrate on that and perhaps add in some weight training to tone up/build muscle.

Good luck!

I only eat organic or at the very least certified humanely raised meat and dairy products. If I go out to eat, I order a seafood or pasta dish. I have not eaten standard factory-farmed meat or dairy ever since I read an article by Michael Pollan about the horrors of factory farms. I personally cannot justify eating tortured animals. All creatures must die one day (including us), but I won't contribute to the suffering of other creatures.

Yes, I have this book now. It's called The End of Overeating. It's pretty interesting.

http://www.bodybugg.com/

It's a device that you wear around your arm that tells you exactly how many calories you burn at all times, doing all activities. That's what makes it unique from a pedometer, which only measures steps. Apparently, it's supposed to be accurate to within 8%.

I'd just be curious about how much I'm burning while doing everyday activities. I think it would give me some idea of my metabolism.

They use it on The Biggest Loser. (I don't watch the show, but I've heard that this is what they use).

Has anyone tried this device or the other brands like it (e.g., GoWear)? If so, how do you like it? Did it help in your weight-loss efforts?

I agree with Shimmer Geek. I like to eat organic, all-natural foods. In fact, all my meats and dairy products are either organic or at least have no antibiotics and were humanely raised (I don't eat tortured animals raised on factory farms). If I'm eating out and no such options are on the menu, I'll either eat seafood (wild caught) or go vegetarian. I made this change years ago when I read a Michael Pollan article about how animals on factory farms are treated. After drying my eyes, I promised myself never to eat factory-farmed meat again.

I also don't eat chemically-laden "diet" food--e.g., Lean Cuisines, artificially-sweetened things, etc.

Actually, I eat pretty healthy. The only reason I have a weight problem is that 1) my portions sizes are too large and 2) I like all the fattening stuff, too (hey--they do make organic ice-cream and goodies as well).

I know that most won't agree with this, but for me, eating three meals AND snacks (even healthy ones) encourages me to overeat. Why not just eat the way our grandparents did: Three, one-plate meals. Also, don't fear mild hunger. There's nothing wrong with it. It's what makes your next meal all the tastier (remember Mom's advice: Don't ruin your appetite with a snack before dinner). I feel that our society has encouraged this idea of "grazing" so that most of us don't even know what's it's like to be mildly hungry so on the rare occasions when we do experience it, we go into panic mode and think, "I must eat now!" Just ride out the hunger until your next meal. If you find that you're frequently really hungry between meals, slightly increase the size of your meals (don't overload, though).

Best of luck!

Contrary to popular opinion, it's not that easy to gain muscle, and it takes several months, not just a couple of weeks, so it's probably not muscle gain.

However, when you start strength training or other intense exercise, you do tend to store water, so that's probably the culprit. If you've been eating the same, then there's just no way you gained fat. To really gain three pounds, you'd need to consume 10,500 extra calories (i.e., BEYOND your maintenance calories), and I seriously doubt you did that within a week.

It's up to you as to whether you want to weigh yourself daily, but IMHO, the daily vicissitudes of the scale are not an accurate predictor of your real weight. I'm trying to weigh myself monthly. I figure that I'll save myself the angst of daily fluctuations and if the general trend of my weight is downward, the scale will show it after a month.

That's great, Darilyn! I'm so glad you posted because what you wrote makes a lot of sense to me. I need to start setting some short-term fitness goals myself.

I used to eat 3 meals a day with 2 snacks, and I did lose weight, but I never felt satisfied with my main meals. Because I snacked, I never felt that I was able to have a substantial meal. Also, too much of my focus was on food---planning meals and snacks. I really hated that it took so much of my time.

In the long run, I think it makes very little difference (if any) in terms of weight loss as to whether you eat snacks or not. As a matter of fact, this idea of 5 "mini-meals" a day is a fairly recent phenomenon. For the most part, our grandparents didn't eat that way. They also didn't count calories, and that generation didn't have nearly the weight problems that our generation has.

But I digress. Everyone has to do what works for them, but for me, I'd rather not snack.

I don't count calories per se, but I do it by default by having three reasonably healthy, one-plate meals a day with a couple of days where I allow myself treats. So, I don't snack, and sometimes I do get hungry between meals. However, it's nothing really bad, and sometimes I just say to myself, "So, I'm hungry. So what? I won't die from it."

Also, I've found that when I'm hungry before eating my next meal, I enjoy that meal so much more.

One of the problems I think we have in our society is that we've been trained to fear mild hunger when, in actuality, mild hunger is the very best seasoning for any meal.

Welcome! I don't post as much as some people, but this is a friendly forum, so I'm sure you'll get the encouragement you're looking for (and give some as well . My mother is blind, and she goes to the gym with my sister in the mornings and walks for an hour on the treadmill. She does a heck of a lot more than I do!

I'm not sure about the logs, but perhaps someone else will chime in with the info. you need.

I don't eat anything before I work out. I work out very early in the morning (6 a.m.) and cannot stomach the thought of food that early. I do just fine. In fact, I often do a HIIT workout in the morning.

I usually let negativity get me down. For example, if I have an especially bad day at work or with family, I'll say, "What's the use of trying to improve at all!" Then, I either stuff my face or go to sleep.

Another thing I do is negotiate with myself (this seems to be a popular excuse based on some of the answers here). I'll say, "I'll just do extra on Saturday." When Saturday comes, of course, I don't feel like doing "extra."

One way I've found to combat these excuses is to simply shut off all thinking and get ready to work out as if I'm robot. I don't allow myself to start thinking. I just go through the motions, and when I'm finally working out, I get into it.

Denise, I know what you mean. Although from high school on, I seemed to be on a diet at least once a year, that was mainly due to vanity, not really a problem with me being fat or anything. However, various sad circumstances in life and just the diet mentality that I cultivated in high school have led to me being around 170 now (don't know the exact #--too scared to weigh myself), and I'm only 5 ft. 4!

I, too, have this closet full of nice clothes that I'd love to be able to wear again. However, I just packed up a bag of them and put it in my trunk to give away. I realized that I'm only doing myself a disservice by constantly contrasting myself today with who I was in the past. When I go down that road, my weight won't be the only thing I'll focus on; I could discuss how my hair has thinned and gotten gray, how I have cellulite now when I never had it before even when overweight, how the elasticity in my skin is not what it used to be, . . . I could go on, but what's the point? I realize that I just have to try to be the best that I can be NOW. I'll never be 25 again, but why can't I be the best 41-year-old that I am willing to be? I says "willing to be" because I've accepted the fact that I will never get down to 125 again, but I'm willing to accept 145 because I want to be able to have a sweet treat once in a while or not worry about eating out if I want.

Reading between the lines of your post, it seems as if you might be expecting to achieve that 5% body fat you had as a teen. But it's a fact that it's more difficult to achieve something like that as you get older. One reason is that the body has changed, but another is that adults have obligations that teens do not. You have kids and a job, etc., whereas when you were a teen, you could focus solely on homework and getting/staying in shape. There's no comparison, really, so please don't be so hard on yourself.

So, my advice: Don't look back. Be the best that you in the PRESENT.

This is from a book by Michael Pollan, right? It sounds like him. I love Pollan. He is a great writer and has researched and written about the horror of factory farms and the meat that's available for us in grocery stories. I stopped eating all factory-farmed meat after reading one of his articles in the NY Times.

Thanks for the post.

This is a crock. It provides yet another excuse for people to be victims and not take responsibility for their weight.

My abs are my worst problem area, and unfortunately, I hate working them (no connection there I'm sure! ). Anyway, I used to do the Firm's 5-day abs, and that really does work for me. However, it's a real pain to have to watch the video every time I want to work my abs. It's just another step in the process and another reason for me to not do it. Besides, the boredom factor on it is big.



I'd like to do abs without a video. I did 60 bicycles the other day (i.e., counting one as touching the left & right knees), but I didn't feel sore at all the next day.



Can someone share with me a good ab routine that doesn't involve any bells and whistles (no balls, no need for the t.v., etc.)? I want a rountine that will make the sore the next day (that way I know it's working).



Thanks!

My husband has always contended that it's not exercise that makes someone lose weight: it's food intake. He NEVER exercises formally (he does do our yardwork, though, and he's not lazy about doing things around the house), and he has NEVER had a weight problem.



My own experience has shown that exercise helps in MAINTAINING weight loss. I find that I can be a bit more relaxed with my eating while maintaining my weight if I exercise regularly. For instance, I might be able to eat a couple of cookies after dinner because I've burned off 300 calories on the treadmill that morning.

I'd definitely ditch the gym. I don't know about you, but I have precious little time as it is to exercise, and I certainly wouldn't want to wait around at a crowded gym. Besides, exercise is supposed to de-stress you, but the gym experience you described would increase my stress level.



There's absolutely no reason you can't become fit and toned and build muscle right at home. Some tough bodyweight exercises (e.g., push-ups) combined with some weighted work (e.g., squats, lunges, etc.) are all that you need. You'll save time, money, and spare yourself some aggravation in the process.

I find that if I can do without sweets for four days or so, it gets much easier. I could never swear them off for good, though, because life just wouldn't be worth livin' ---LOL! (just kidding . . . I think).



I also find that artificial sweeteners do not help to ween me off the sugar. They keep the desire for sugar in my system. That's just me, though . . .

My mother and sister: My mother is blind, but she manages her weight wonderfully, and she exercises 6 days a week. When she stays at my sister's house (quite often), she and my sister get up at 4:30 in the morning (yes, you read correctly), and they powerwalk for an hour! Even at home, my mother does 20 minutes a day on the Schwinn stationary bike (the one with the moving arms).



I also admire my sister because she makes exercise a daily habit, and she varies her routines quite a bit. She'll walk with my mother, but she also kayaks on the weekends, uses her Trikke, bikes to the library, etc. I really admire her because she has a terrible time losing weight, but even if she doesn't lose a pound in a month, she doesn't let that deter her from exercising.



So, whenever I feel lazy and don't want to exercise, I think of my mother and my sister, and that usually is enough to get me into gear.

Hi, Just Jess. I don't know what the solution is, but I just wanted you to know that I sympathize with you. I'm just coming off a period of 3 years where I felt very similar to how you're describing yourself above. I think the problem is that it takes more time and energy to be healthier---at least in our society. Also, food is the easiest, most convienient way to feel good fast when you (general "you" not YOU specifically) feel stressed.



What has helped me get back on track is to actually start a strict calorie-counting diet again. I know that seems counterintuitive (and it might be in your case), but by the time I was three days into it, I felt SO much better, physically and mentally. Also, I'm already planning on my maintenance plan, so I have an end-game plan in mind. But I realize that this may not work for you.



Perhaps you could make just a few small changes, concentrating on instilling habits rather than just losing weight. For example, replace your whole milk with 1% milk. Get on your treadmill for just 10 minutes each day (don't try more than that; just try to get the habit down for now). Eliminate one snack a day. These are just examples, but the point is that it's probably a good idea to try to work on habits rather than weight loss at this point.



Good luck to you!

Adding some beans (e.g., garbanzo) to salads can be filling.



Also, I find that when I combine a carbohydrate (e.g., bread) with a protein (e.g., sliced turkey) and a little fat (1/2 tablespoon mayo) I'm always more full than if I just each a carbohydrate or protein by itself.