New Here & Searching for Weight Loss Buddies!

[Lee73]

Hello everyone! Please bear with me; I'm new here, and really searching for some Christian "friends" who are going through the same things as me. Currently, I am interested in others who have read or are reading "Thin Within" by Judy Halliday. I just started it, and I went to the Thin Within web site to join there, but it costs money. Frankly, I don't have any extra money to spend on something like that, but I really need the support. There are no support groups in my area, and even if there were, my schedule wouldn't allow it!

Please understand that I am searching for some people to talk to who can truly understand me and relate to me. For me, it's not a matter of "just eat right and exercise." It's not like that for everyone, and I'd like to start a forum for others who are in this boat with me!

I have an eating disorder, and it's not the kind that makes you thin, either. I've been on fad diet after fad diet for about 11 years now, and I just keep getting bigger. Please believe me when I say that this is in no offense to anyone, but I'm not looking for the average person who's looking to lose those extra ten or so vanity pounds. I am currently 125 pounds overweight, and my problems stem from much more than just the love of food. I have a wonderful, loving husband and three daughters ranging in age from 1 to 11, and if I can't lose weight for myself, I've got to do it for them. I don't feel the need to be skinny or beautiful, just healthy and fit so I can be the wife and mother I should be!

If you'd like to get to know me and join me on this journey, please let me know!! I'm looking really forward to meeting you and becoming great friends in this process!!

Thanks for listening, and if you're interested, there's lots more to tell!

[Lee73]

Hi again. I just realized that my first post here may be a "double-post." I first put it in Introductions, and someone kindly suggested I try Women at the Well. I didn't want to type all that out again, so I copied and pasted and just found out that's a no-no. Sorry!

But anyway, on the chance that the administrators will see it and delete it or something, please do go to Introductions and find me there. I really need some support and understanding, and I don't know where else to turn!!!

You can find the post in Introductions under the same title (if that doesn't get deleted as well.) Anyway, it's titled "New Here and Looking for Weight Loss buddies." Please go there and meet me, then jump on back here and we can continue getting to know each other.

And to all the members here, THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH US NEWBIES!!!!!

[karenmot]

Hi Lee, and welcome to the board!


There are several of us women who are struggling with weight issues, and I hope that you can find the support you need here.


I started out over a year and a half ago at about 205 lbs (I am 5' 5" ), and I am currently at 164 and holding (where I have been for several months now.

I made a post last year titled "Love / hate relationship with food....." that you may like to read:

http://bibleforums.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14193&highlight=food


I also had a thread going for a while about my diet:

http://bibleforums.org/forum/showthread.php?p=148142&highlight=diet#post148142


Many of us are trying to incorporate exercise into our weight loss plan -- the thread discussing that is here:

http://bibleforums.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33753


I have never heard of the Thin Within Program, but I am going to do a search for their site and read about it -- I'm curious!



Once again, welcome!


Karen

[seek_joy]

I have the Thin Within book at home, and think it's wonderful. I like ther grace filled approach to eating, rather than the diet mentality. I can't say enough good things about it. I started using their principles this spring, and have lost a little weight. I am currently pregnant and not able to eat much, but will still follow their guidelines so I don't get back into the bingeing habit again.

Since I'm preggers I won't be dieting with you, but I still wanted to give you a warm welcome aboard. I hope you find some ladies interested in joining you on your journey. :hug:

[moonglow]

I don't have that book but I happened to listen to Dr. Dobson's show with a Christian dietician on....he was really funny too but gave good advise on losing weight.

http://www.family.org/fmedia/broadcast/a0037023.cfm

Guest Biography
David Meinz is a registered dietician with a master's degree in human nutrition from the University of Missouri. He is a full-time professional speaker, delivering a message of healthy living to audiences around the globe. He is a fellow of the American Dietetic Association (FADA) and author of the book Eating by the Book.

This was actually part three and so far I haven't been able to figure out how to got back and listen to part one... :hmm:

here is the link to listen online...this works best if you have cable or DSL...with dial up you get alot of breaking up and long pauses. http://www.oneplace.com/Ministries/Focus_on_the_Family/Default.asp

I thought he was good! I can't diet like most people do as I have to eat due to having a low blood sugar problem and I already avoid sugary foods and junk food but he was focusing more on watching the fat in foods.... :hmm:

I thought it was interesting anyway!

God bless

[hidi74]

Welcome , welcome.
I haven't read the book, but I REALLY need to lose some weight. My husband and I are trying to conceive, and the doctor told me my weight may be an issue when I get pregnant ( gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.) I have never participated in a weight watching group, but I am all for trying it.

[Lee73]

Wow! Thank you for all that great information, everybody! I'm definitely going to have to check some of that stuff out when I have more time. I really appreciate your insight!

For those of you who are interested in "Thin Within," it's really a good book. The premise is so basic, that it's just amazingly simple. Only eat when you're hungry, and stop when you're full. Huh, who'd a thought? No, really, there's more to it than that, but I just can't explain the sense of release you feel when you know that you don't have to buy special foods, and you don't have to count calories, and you don't have to weigh your meat. It's just so freeing! You just have to trust God! I mean, think about it, who in biblical times ever went on a diet? Was anybody even overweight back then?

This book is so great because not only teaches you the basic principles of hunger and fullness, but it teaches you how to truly enjoy your food, and take in the experience mentally as well as physically. If anyone here is overweight like I am, I truly recommend this book. Let me know if any of you have it or get it, so we can all discuss it! I'd love to start a forum where we can discuss what we're learning from this book and how God has revealed himself to us through it. It would also be nice to have some friends here to share our triumphs and struggles with. I'll start a thread for it now, and hopefully I'll be hearing from ya'!

[Lee73]

Hey again, folks! I posted a new thread last night titled "Starting a "Thin Within" Weight Loss Support Group" and have had one reply already! If you're interested, hop on over and join us there; We'd love to have you!!

I posted that I just started a new job recently at an animal hospital, and it has motivated me to start anew (again!) I feel better about myself already, because I feel like I'm doing something else important with my life now, aside from raising my three children. I also have a large dog scale there that I can use each week to help keep me in check. I'm really hoping to find success this time, once and for all. I'm almost 300 pounds, and I keep going on like this. I started reading Dr. Phil's book a while back, too, and one comment that really sticks out in my mind is when he said, "You will NOT weigh the same amount this time next year. You will either weigh less than you do right now, or you will weigh more than you do right now. The choice is yours." Ugh...... Powerful, isn't it?

[karenmot]

I started reading Dr. Phil's book a while back, too, and one comment that really sticks out in my mind is when he said, "You will NOT weigh the same amount this time next year. You will either weigh less than you do right now, or you will weigh more than you do right now. The choice is yours." Ugh...... Powerful, isn't it?




I just checked back through my old weight loss thread, and last year at this time I weighed 170 by that scale I had just bought, which turned out to be inaccurate -- it was off by 4 lbs. - so I really weighed 204 to start, and weighed 174 last year at this time.

I weigh 164 now, by my accurate new digital scale.


So I lost 10 lbs. in this past year, 40 lbs. since I started.


I'm glad I looked that up -- it was very encouraging............

[LauraMegan]

Hello ladies, I couldn't resist jumping into this discussion. I'd love some friends to start a "healthy eating program" with. I'm 5'3" and I weigh about 205 to 210 lbs. I honestly haven't tried everything I can to get rid of the weight, but I haven't been finding the time to try anything either. I'd love to buy the book that's been mentioned here (the Thin Within one). I offer my friendship and encouragement to anyone else here going through the same feelings: frustration, depression, a sense of defeat. I think all of us can do it. We just need to band together.

Laura

[Lee73]

Welcome Karenmot and LauraMegan! It's great to have you here with us! I might as well tell you right off the bat that I have tried everything to get this weight off, and everything ultimately backfired on me the moment I stopped working hard at it.

I am 5' 1" and currently 272 pounds. (I was 275# when I joined these forums and started these threads.) I am 32 years old, which to some may sound young, depending on who you are and how old you are. But to me, it's a dreadful number, because everything changes when you hit 30! I can remember being a size 14 and always thinking I was "chunky" when I was in high school, but I was also very active back then, so it wasn't as noticeable. I went to the Under 21 Dance Club almost every weekend, and I was constantly running around with friends. I started to gain weight at age 18, when I got engaged. I already landed the guy, so I didn't have to think about it quite as much. When we finally got married and moved in together, forget it! I was snuggling on the couch every night instead of running around, and it was all downhill from there. 12 years and 3 kids later, I am almost 300 pounds and wanting nothing more than to see a size 14 again!

Because of some past issues, I have an eating disorder, too, so that clearly doesn't help matters. I can say, however, that it's definitely encouraging to have some "friends" here that I can talk to about this. My husband, God love him, is one of the most loving and supportive men you'd ever want to meet. But, he has broken down already and told me how frustrating it has been for him to watch me year after year slowly killing myself and not being able to do anything about it. That was like a knife through the heart, and still, I was unable to succeed. Now, with God's help, my trusty "Thin Within" book, and this group of supporters I have here, I am hoping, no PRAYING, that once and for all, I will beat this thing and be the healthy wife and mother God intended for me to be.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm skeptical, because as I said, I have tried everything. I've been down every road there is including Weight Watchers, Atkins, Oriental Trim Tea, diet pills, laxatives, and yes, even another Godly program called "The Weigh Down Diet" with Gwen Shamblin. I don't know why I think this time will be different, and frankly, if I think about it too much, I'll convince myself that I'm just going to fail again. But I know that not doing anything isn't going to make it go away, either. I hope I can make everyone see that they ARE NOT ALONE in this battle, and hopefully, together, we can win this war!!!!!

[LauraMegan]

Hey, Lee73 (or may I call you Alicia? Whichever you'd prefer)!

Your story there just hit a note with me, because I'm 19 going on 20 and I see myself doing the same things you've described. Instead of going out for a bike ride, I stay in and write. Instead of joining a gym or even just going out for a jog in the evening, my family and I'll stay in or I'll go out for coffee with friends. And instead of eating regular lunches and dinners, my boyfriend and I'll go out because it just seems like more of a treat. And I've got to change all these habits, or they'll get TOO far out of control.

I work at a drug store. I've been there for a little over two years, and I can tell you ladies right now: forget the miracle diets. I've talked to our pharmacists extensively, and talked to my customers often about their own failures and successes. And here's what I've heard: forget the miracle diets, the miracle pills and any book that says you can eat ANYTHING you want, whenever you want it, and still take the weight off. Apparently those "miracle" diets only work when you're a size 7 or 8 to begin with... and let's face it, I haven't seen that size since childhood. In seventh grade I fit comfortably into a size 12 pair of pants. By highschool I was a 14. At the end of highschool I was a 16. Hitting University I was an 18. And now, going into 3rd year of a 4-year program, I'm a size 19. On a good day.

Maybe the key really IS just to follow the Canadian/American food guide (pretty sure they're the same, or similar)... get some basic exercise.. and when you feel nibblish, instead of grabbing the chips or a couple cookies, grab a bottle of water and some carrot sticks. I've always been told "when you feel hungry, wait. Grab a drink of water. If you still feel hungry, then eat something healthy, like baby carrots or an apple."

I'm at a loss for what to do. (Which is ironic, since I certainly am not at a WEIGHT loss! hee hee..) But I think ONE thing's right: forget the miracle pills and the miracle diets... we've all got miracle SUPPORT here and we've found it in each other. :hug: :pp

Laura

[karenmot]

I started out strictly counting calories - limiting myself to 1500 to 1800 calories a day. I got virtually no exercise at all, because if I do what comes natural, I am basically a lazy couch potato.


After about 11 months of strictly counting calories, I had lost 44 lbs, but had reached a plateau -- not only could I not lose any more at all, but if I ate more than the 1500 to 1800 calories, I gained weight. I gained back 4 lbs very easily by simply eating normally, not even overeating.


I joined the fitness club and paid for 2 additional sessions with a personal trainer beyond the 2 free ones you get with membership (for $88.00 extra!!) She explained to me that I had screwed up my metabolism by dieting with no exercise -- my body had gone into like a starvation mode. If I did not exercise I would have to diet just to maintain my weight for the rest of my life. She set me up with a routine of exercising on the elyptical trainers and arc trainers, and doing weight lifting on their machines. That was about 9 weeks ago.


I have not lost any more weight, but I am definitely thinner all over -- I can see and feel it in the way my clothes fit. I can also eat more normally -- I am eating about 2000 calories a day.

I feel great.





In my opinion the only way to lose weight is to limit your calories -- and increase your exercise. One or the other alone won't do it. And I don't think fad diets are worth the paper they are printed on -- but like I said, that's just my opinion.....

[Lee73]

Oh my gosh, I don't care if I never see another carrot as long as I live. When I was on Weight Watchers, that's what they told us. (If you feel nibbly, have something healthy like raw carrots or fruit.) HELLO! After six months of that, I HATED vegetables! I don't think that's the answer, only because when that's all you're allowed to have, that's exactly what you end up not wanting. It's true what they say.... "If someone tells you you're not allowed to have something, that something is exactly what you'll crave the most." I'm a firm believer in that, because I've lived it. Nope. No thank you. No more raw carrots for this girl! That's what I love about this Thin Within approach. You can have whatever you want, (honestly, you can!) as long as you're truly hungry!!!

Let's just think about this for a minute. Let's just look at this in a different perspective. Say you're on a 1200 calorie diet. Okay, fine. Now, if you are only eating the "right" foods, all the heathly stuff like raw veggies, when all you really want is something chocolate, you're going to eat them until you're blue in the face, because you're not going to truly satisfy your craving. You can overeat on healthy foods, too, really. Even if you're only eating healthy stuff, you could still go over your 1200 calories, because you're going to keep eating and eating, because you're not feeling satisfied.

Now, if you're feeling that way, and you simply treat yourself to a small piece of cake or one candy bar, you've satisfied your craving, and you'll stop eating everything in your path. Doesn't that sound like a much better lifestyle, and frankly, yummier? That's the beauty of this book I'm reading. I know it's hard to believe, but you truly, honestly can have anything you want. As I said, you've got to be at a 0 on your HF Scale, (see my Thin Within thread) but you can still have it.

Afraid you won't be able to stop with just one piece of cake or one candy bar? That's where GOD comes in! It's a prayerful journey. He's there to help you and give you the strength that you do not have on your own! Besides losing weight, this book is also about growing closer to God, and who here doesn't want that?????

The bottom line is, what's your first instinct when someone tells you, "Don't look!" The same goes for, "Don't eat that." This book teaches that these food rules are man-made, and our heart's desire should only be what God intended for us.

As far as exercise goes, yeah, I believe that's important, too. There may not have been any obese people in biblical times, but then again, they all worked harder than most of us do today! I don't necessarily think you can't lose weight without it, but I do know that's it's a big help, and healthier for your heart, too.

Well, take care all, and I'll be chatting with you!!!

PS: (Yes, you can call me Alicia.) ;)

[serapha]

HI there!

:)

I think that weigh issues are always a concern for women... we just look at food and gain weight... well, most of us anyway.

I've lost 19 pounds in the last 18 months, but it has been a real struggle. But I had steadily gained weight over about 5 years and couldn't get it off, even with exercise and watching the diet.

I've been on a high protein diet for about 10 years (hypoglycemic) , and even that didn't seem to help keep the weight off, but I'm happy to just be losing 1 pound a month. 18 more pounds to go.

My children have thyroid problems, one has to take medication for an underactive thyroid and she really struggles with weight. I know that younger women feel the "pain" more... the weight issues are more emotional for younger women.

I think older women are more into "reality" ;)

<grins>

I like the way I look... I just don't like the way that "clothes" look on me.

Can I wear pajamas all day long?


~serapha~

[serapha]

I feel great.






:pp :pp :pp

That's what it is all about...

~serapha~

[Lee73]

You know, it's funny that you would mention clothing. Something interesting happened to me lately, and I thought I'd share.

Okay, now to get the full picture, (and I never give out this information! :eek: ) I'm going to tell you that I wear a size 22-24 pant and a 30-32 top. I do like my tops to be very loose fitting and comfortable, so I tend to buy them a size too big. I am big-busted, though, so I feel more secure in loose tops as opposed to tighter fitting ones. However, there was a Just My Size tank top at Wal-Mart I wanted to get, and they did not have the 30-32, so if I wanted it badly enough, I was going to have to settle for a 26-28. Likewise with my new work uniform. We had to order through a catalog, and I did order the 30-32; It's not because they didn't have it. But I did find out after I got it that, apparently, they run a little on the snug side. It fit like a 26-28. Not tight, mind you, just a little "snugger" than I prefer.

Now here's where the story gets interesting. Would you believe that everytime I wear one of those two tops, I am complimented on how I look? Once I was asked if I was losing weight, and two other times I was told that the outfits looked really nice, and they really "thinned me out." I've been told that buying clothes too big will make you look frumpy, but I always thought that if something fit snuggly, it showed too many "love handles." I'm finding out that this theory is virtually useless. I guess what I'm saying is, save those jammies for nighttime! Treat yourself to an outfit that fits properly, and don't buy something that you're going to try to hide in!! ;)

[Sola]

I definitely agree on the clothing thing. I've always bought my shirts so big. Recently I found a shirt I wanted, at a great price, but they only had it in in a size that was 3 smaller than what I wanted. I got it anyways. It was still a little loose, and so many people complimented me saying that they thought I lost weight. It's still tempting to want to hide in bigger clothes, even though I've lost a lot of weight now.

[Lee73]

Another thing I've heard of people doing is purposely buying clothes that are too small, because it motivates them to lose weight. It gives them something to look forward to, and if nothing else, they don't want to waste their money! A good helper for this plan is if you have a certain date you want to set for yourself as a deadline. A good example is buying a dress that you might want to wear to a wedding that's coming up in a few months. Or, like that yogurt commercial, the girl who has her bikini hanging up in her kitchen where she can see it everyday, so she can commit to losing weight before beach season. Just some ideas to ponder. Take care, all!!

[earthmom]

Hi Lee!

I just lost 55 lbs and am still ticking. I'd love to be your buddy!
Susan

[Lee73]

Congratulations, Susan! Welcome! Tell us your secret! Are you following a certain diet plan, or have you tried Judy Halliday's "Thin Within" book, too? How long has it taken you to lose the 55 pounds, and if it's not too personal, how much did you weigh when you started out? All of us here sure could use some encouragement, and we could all stand to have a little faith that it really isn't impossible if you have God on your side! For some of us, me included, it feels like such a helpless and hopeless battle. Our "ideal weight" or true, "God-given" size often seem like insurmountable goals, and we get discouraged easily. Anything you can say to boost our spirits would surely be a blessing!!!!!

[Lee73]

Hey, Everybody! I don't know what happened within the last couple of weeks, but it seems like the two Weight Loss forums I started are slowly dwindling down. I hope not! I was so excited to have such a great response! Hopefully it's just because everyone is so busy with the new school season starting. I know I sure am! On Monday evenings, my 11-yr-old has piano lessons, Tuesdays, she has cheerleading, Wednesdays, my 7-yr-old has soccer practice, Thursdays in cheerleading again, Fridays in soccer again, then on Saturdays are soccer games, and Sundays are the football games! AAAaaaahhhhh!! It's crazy! I don't know how these poor kids keep up, especially when they're in more than one thing! With my oldest starting middle school, I'm really concerned about her keeping up with the increased homework she's going to get. Her cheerleading practices are from 6-8, and she doesn't even get home from the bus until 4:00, and she goes to bed at 9:00. That's too much for an 11-yr-old, I think.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand, hopefully you all are still out there. :confused I need this support so badly. It was helping me stay motivated and on track, when I was checking the forums every night and getting some feedback from others who are going through this with me. As I said on the Thin Within forum, I don't know if it's my "time of the month" or not, but I've been doing really bad lately, and my weight has been the same the last two times I weighed myself at work. I've got to get back on track, and I need help! :pray: I haven't read in my book lately, either, :blush: and when I finally do take some time for myself, it's usually on the computer, so I look forward to coming here and hanging out a while. I hope to hear back from someone soon! Keep in touch, All!

[christymac22]

Hey Lee! I've been trying to lose weight since 6/3 of this year and am down 21.5 lbs. When I started, it was for the glory of God...so that I could be the healthy and happy person He meant for me to be rather than the cynical overweight person I had become. Well, things were going well but then, like you, I hit a slump. A few days back I was googling Christian weight-loss help and found a website that did the trick for me...it has a course called "The Lord's Table" and man, has it made a huge difference in my outlook!! I'm on Day 13 now, and feel better about my diet than ever! It's at settingcaptivesfree.com (there's actually a bunch of courses on there about various different vices, so if you have other problems it might help too!)...this might help you out some. Otherwise, I'll chat with you about weight loss if you want! I'm not following any specific plan anymore...I was counting calories, but this course teaches that we're not supposed to focus on the type of food we eat and you're not allowed to count calories and such (it's about changing your heart and your mind for the glory of God), so now I'm just trying to listen to my body to eat when I'm hungry and not OVEReat. I also get in some exercise whenever I can. Anyway, let me know what you think about that site...talk to you later!

[rabidchipmunk]

Ok...maybe not weight loss...although that would be really good. But I am riding my bike at least 2 mi everynight. I need to lose but don't know that I'm willing to diet due to other issues, so I figured I should at least exercise since I'm sorta outta shape.

[KingdomBound]

Exercise is so important. If you want to get in shape, exercise should be the second most important thing you should do. The first is to pray, pray, and then pray some more. Anything that we ask of the Lord if it's according to His will He will give to us.
There's nothing that we can do without God.... but when we have God in our lives there's nothing that we cannot do if we trust in Him completely.

I've had problems with my weight since the babies started coming. For many years I struggled with my weight and everytime i told myself that I would start eating less, I'd end up eating more and gaining even more weight.
It wasn't until I truly prayed hard about it that I finally started seeing results.
God helped me to stay motivated and gave me the willpower that I had always lacked.

A year ago I weighed close to 200 lbs. (I have weighed even more than that in the past) I'm only 5'2". Through prayer first of all, and lots of walking, and watching what I eat off and on, I'm not too consistant with that cuz I love to eat (mainly I try not to eat late at night and try to avoid too many sweets, although the last week or so I've been eating nothing but sugar!)...
I've lost over 40 lbs.! Praise the Lord! I give God all the glory and honor because I never could have done it without Him. I'm now in the 140s and I never thought I'd see the 140s, but nothing is impossible for God. And I know with God's help I'll be able to lose the rest of the extra weight... all for His glory and honor.

Lee, I know you've said before that you don't like to exercise, but walking is very low impact and it's so good for you. Give it a shot, I bet after you get started, you'll really enjoy it and look forward to it.

Here are the many benefits of exercise, but like I said nothing is as important as a close relationship with God through lots of prayer and the reading of His Word. Nothing beats that!

Benefits of Exercise

It uses up excess calories that otherwise would be stored as fat.

It elevates your metabolism so that you burn more calories everyday. The higher our metabolic rate, the easier is it to lose weight. In this way, exercise helps to overcome the 'plateau' effect.

It gradually reduces your fat ratio and increases your muscle ratio. Muscle cells are 8 times more metabolically active than fat cells. So the more muscle you have, the less fat you have and the easier it is to lose weight.

It increases the oxidation (breakdown and use) of fat.

It aids digestion.

It boosts energy and stops you feeling tired.

It decreases a woman's risk of developing endometriosis by 50%.

It decreases blood levels of triglycerides (fat).

It decreases the tendency of the blood to clot in the blood vessels. This is important because small clots traveling in the blood are often the cause of heart attacks and strokes.

It decreases your blood pressure.

It enlarges the arteries that supply blood to the heart.

It helps protect against many other diseases, including cancer, strokes, bowel disease and diabetes.

It helps you to get a good night's sleep

It helps your body to get rid of toxins and other waste products. It is particularly beneficial for smokers as it combats lung-damage and helps protect against poisons in the bloodstream.

It improves control of blood sugar.

It improves your circulation, thus improving your skin, hair and eyes.

It improves your sex life.

It increases HDL (good) cholesterol.

It increases hemoglobin concentration in your blood. Hemoglobin is part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

It increases the amount of blood that flows to the skin making it look and feel healthier.

It increases the thickness of cartilage in joints which has a protective effect on the joints.

It is good for the brain.

It maintains, tones, and strengthens your muscle. Exercise also increases your muscular endurance.

It makes the heart a more efficient pump by increasing stroke volume.

It reduces stress, improves your mood and combats depression.

It strengthens your bones and muscles which helps to prevent aches and pains as well as osteoporosis and arthritis.



Lee, don't get discouraged. You're in my prayers. :pray: Keep this verse in mind. :hug:


I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Philippians 4:13

God bless,

Claudia

[Ta-An]

Exercise is so important. So true Claudia....
BUT my problem is : I build muscle as if I am on steroids when I exercise :B ...so instead of losing weight, I firm up, and bulge out :(

[christymac22]

So true Claudia....
BUT my problem is : I build muscle as if I am on steroids when I exercise :B ...so instead of losing weight, I firm up, and bulge out :(

Are you lifting weights or something? Maybe you should do cardio instead...while that may give you a little definition, it shouldn't bulk you up at all. Also, your intake does have a lot to do with it...if you're working out PLUS eating 7000 calories/day, you're muscles are just going to get bigger under whatever layer of fat you have and push it out rather than replacing the fat (does that make sense)?

[rabidchipmunk]

I rode 4 mi last night. I'm 5'5" and last time i checked 222. i wanna be 180.

[KingdomBound]

That's great rabidchipmunk! Keep up the good work! :hug:

[KingdomBound]

So true Claudia....
BUT my problem is : I build muscle as if I am on steroids when I exercise :B ...so instead of losing weight, I firm up, and bulge out :(
I agree with Christy, doing any type of cardio workout should not bulk you up, like walking, running, bike riding, swimming...
When I walk or run I do not bulk up... it's only when I weightlift that I tend to build muscle mass very fast and end up looking like a wrestler but only if I go into the weightlifting when I'm heavier and don't cut down on calorie intake (like Christy pointed out).
But when I go into weightlifting weighing a normal weight, I don't have that problem. I'll still build muscle very fast, but without that extra layer of fat I'll tone up nicely and not bulk up horribly.
ACCM, I know that this is most likely not the case with you since you look thin to me from the pictures I've seen of you.
If you stick with cardio workouts you shouldn't have a problem with bulking up. :hug:

[rabidchipmunk]

I did 4 mi on my bike last night....and didn't feel great.
.
.
.
.
.
.

.
It made my butt hurt.

Once I actually tried riding with a pillow on my seat but I couldn't reach with it or something like that.

[Lee73]

Oh my Gosh, it's so great that we've gotten some more posts here; I was starting to worry! :pp Thank you all for your great input!! Well, I have to tell you that I did lose another two pounds according to the scale at work today. Though I don't know how, I'm just glad I did!! I've been trying to keep an eye on what I'm doing, but I've had a rough two weeks. I really did bad today, because I had an ice cream cone, and then later, I had a donut! I haven't endulged like that in a couple of months!!!!

I have made a decision, though! I'm going to start walking!!! Anyone ever hear of Leslie Sandstone's "Walk Away the Pounds?" I have three of her videos, and a while back, I was doing the one mile video 3-4 times a week. I don't really know how I fell out of it, actually, but I do miss it. Though it was hard on my body, I felt great for doing it. It helped keep me motivated and feeling good about myself for making the commitment. Summer has been really laxed for us, and now that school season is upon us, I'm going to get back into the swing of things. I'm going to start getting up early in the morning with the kids like I was, and NOT going back to bed, for one! That should give me plenty of time to do that 15 minute walking video each day. I would like to do it five days a week, but I definitely don't want to do it less than three. I'd like to set a goal for myself of when I'd like to be on the 2-mile video, but since I'm far from being an expert on exercise, I don't know what would be a logical and obtainable time period for me. Any suggestions? I'm 5'1" and I weigh 270 pounds. What would be a realistic goal for me, so I don't expect too much of myself and feel like a failure if I can't do it?

OH! One last thing: Thanks so much for that settingcaptivesfree website!!! I haven't looked at it yet, because I was so excited to post a reply right away. But, I'm going there as soon as I'm done here, because I definitely want to check that out!! You know it's interesting. They say that the hardest part of a 12-Step program is the first step: Admitting that you're powerless. But that was always the easiest part for me, because I know full well that it's not within my own power to overcome this. I know for a fact that I can't do this without God, so when you mentioned that website, I was so excited to check it out. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a prisoner to my food addiction. Thanks again, and thank you, everyone, for your continued prayers and support!!!! :hug:

[Ta-An]

I just read this in my inbox .... exercise and diet goes together like a "Horse and carriage" ...or like "Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum".... :idea:

Rememeber to drink enough water :idea:

This is a vey different approach... I have never heard of this way of dieting before... The Plus Minus Eating plan
http://www.health24.com/fitness/SARIE_Health24_Uitdaging/16-2594-2596-2154,32952.asp
it looks quite interesting

[rabidchipmunk]

I used to walk and did lose weight doing it but I get blisters pretty easy so I stick to riding. I think it's more of a work out.

[LauraMegan]

*hops back into the thread*

Hello ladies! :hug: Just wanted to post a word of encouragement... exercise DOES pay off. I've been biking everywhere lately and it's been WONDERFUL. I haven't lost any weight... yet... but I FEEL healthier and I actually have some muscle in the backs of my calves.. :o :D

I just want to encourage all of you. Sometimes exercise REALLY hurts. (combining it with a good diet hurts even more ;) )... but it WILL pay off and I know all of us can do this. I've been praying for all of you here who are longing to be healthier (as am I!).

:hug: I'll be checking back later, may God bless you all.
your sister, Laura

[Lee73]

Yep. It sure does go together, doesn't it? Bummer. Well, kiddos get back to school tomorrow, so I guess that means I get back to my Leslie Sandstone walking video, as planned. Welcome back, LauraMegan! Glad to hear from you again! I was starting to wonder where everyone from the "Thin Within" forum got to! You don't know something that I don't know, do you? Everyone was really excited about being there, then all of a sudden, they all just kind of disappeared! I hope it wasn't something I said!!!! Maybe I was pushing that book too much, but after all, it was right there in the title of my first post! I've been trying to keep up with both this one, and the Thin Within posts, so at least one of them is still going strong!! I'm glad, too, because I need it!

Has anyone else checked out the Setting Captives Free web site yet? I joined the weight loss bible study on there, but I have to say I'm a bit skeptical about it. There's like this food calendar that you're supposed to follow, and every week it repeats itself. Well there are only a few "normal" eating days a week. Like, there are some "Half Days" where you cut all your regular meal portions in half and just eat half of what you'd normally eat, then there are liquid days, where you can't eat any solids, and then there are regular fasting days, where you don't eat or drink at all, except water. Well, following that schedule, it's no wonder people lose weight on it! :o It is an optional schedule, though, so I'm just going to continue with my other book and just keep paying attention to my body's hunger and fullness signals. I want to see if I can do it that way, because then I know it will be me doing it, and not the fact that I'm eating less because it's on the "meal plan," ya know? The whole point is overcoming your addiction. I don't totally disagree with fasting, as long as it's for the right reasons. My problem is learning to overcome my food addiction, and being able to control myself when I'm eating no matter how many meals a day I eat. That's the real challenge for me. In a weird sort of way, fasting would make losing weight too easy. It's like putting a band-aid on the issue, instead of facing it and learning how to not give in to it. Does that make sense?

Anyway, I'm not saying that the program is wrong for everyone, though! By all means! I'm just saying that for someone like me, it doesn't really treat the real problem. At least not that I can tell yet. I just started. We'll see what happens as time progresses. Well, it was great chatting with you all again! I look forward to more and more posts here as we continue to support each other! Here's to Autumn, Back-to-School Routines, and getting back on track with a daily exercise regimen!!!! Cheers, Ladies!!! (With water, of course! ;) ) Chat with you soon, Lee

[christymac22]

Hey Lee! I'm on day 18 now of Setting Captives Free, but like you I am NOT following the eating plan...but the program has still helped me in a huge way psychologically-speaking. I agree...of course people are going to lose weight if they're fasting and having "liquids days" (after all, I HAVE been anorexic in the past) so I didn't subscribe to that part of the program at all and I made my reasons very clear to my mentor. Like you, my problem is controlling what I eat on regular days, so I'm just sticking to those. Following your other eating plan (listening to your body's signals) will actually work PERFECTLY with this program. The only time the lessons even mention their eating plan is during the first paragraph, just to let you know what day they're on. I've lost about 1.5 lbs/wk with it so far, which to me is a perfect rate of weight loss (much less likely to have the saggy-skin/flabby thing going on after you lose the weight if you do it slower). After you've been on it a few days let me know how it's going...day 5 was especially hard hitting for me. Talk to you later!

[rabidchipmunk]

I lost 2 pounds!!!

[qbee]

They must of flew into me ..
because after you said that I went and weighed myself
and I gained 2lbs .. :confused

[christymac22]

I'm stuck right now and tomorrow is offical weigh-in day for me at The Lord's Table! :blush: Luckily no gain, but no loss either!! :(

[rabidchipmunk]

Sorry it went to you qbee. christymac...don't worry..no loss is better than gaining.

[Lee73]

Hey, all! I weighed in at work this past Tuesday, and I lost one more! Hooray! Now if I can just get rid of the last 124 pounds! LOL! I have some good news and some bad news. I have only completed Day 1 of "The Lord's Table" at Setting Captives Free. I'm so busy! I just can't keep up with everything! I went for about four or five days straight without even getting online! I'm definitely doing Day 2 tonight, though. It was comforting to know that there was another person out there not following their eating plan, though! Thanks! That gives me hope that it may work after all, even if I don't follow their fasting plan.

My good news is that I committed to doing my Leslie Sansone walking video this week, and I have! I did it three out of five days this week. I wanted to do it today, as well, but I've been on the computer almost all day catching up with everything I got behind on over the last four days! I just love her video! I can actually do it without collapsing! Just when you think you can't do it anymore, it's over! It's over before you know it, and it makes you feel good, too! (Okay, muscles are a little sore, but that's to be expected.) It's the "Walk Away the Pounds for Abs" version that came with this resistance belt thingy that you wear. You do some arm motions while you're walking, and it gives you a total body workout. I just love it! For those of you who are new to exercising, this is the video for you! I finally found a workout video that someone like me can handle. If I can do it without fainting or something, I know you all can!!!!

Well, keep up the good work everybody! And keep posting! I just love this forum!!!

PS: Have any of you ever tried those One-a-Day vitamins for weight loss? What did you think?

[christymac22]

Yes, I tried the One-A-Day weight-loss vitamins...they're a crock. The reason they say it's "weight smart" is that there are elevated levels of chromium in there which has been speculated, but not proven, to increase metabolism. They made me nauseous, and I've talked to a bunch of other people they made sick too. It's best to just take a regular vitamin IMHO.

As for weight loss...I'm now down 24.5 lbs!! :pp Definitely keep going on the Setting Captives Free thing...it brings great enlightenment!! ;) And great job on the 1 lb loss...slow and steady = weight loss for life!!

[buffedstuff]

they have a weightloss forum here then look for christian support

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/

[charleslclemens]

Any one try Medifast weight program i read an article about medifast that Medifast Design A Menu, all you do is pick your favorite flavors and foods and we'll create a customized Medifast (http://allnutri.com/medifast_dwlp4.aspx) 5 & 1 plan for you. You'll receive your food along with a Quick Start Book containing all the information you need to get started. is that correct or not tell me because i need to lose my 50P without any medicine.

[lovely5]

Hi Ladies, I have a hard time sticking eating right too. I am such an emotional eater, however, I had read this book called "Lose it for life", and the authuar was saying that if you are overweight you have an underdeveloped soul . That we used food as a comfort instead of going to God for healing our emotinal pain. We seek instant gratification of our problems instead persevering going through the pain and get healed. I found myself being that way. I wanted instant gratification on everything. But, now when I do feel the need to eat because I am bored, anxious, mad or sad, I just read some psalms and talk to God about what is troubling me.

[masimeo]

What are some inexpensive weight loss centers?

I have been researching different options of weight loss centers(Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, LA Weight Loss) They are all quite expensive. Weight Watchers being the least. Does anyone know of any that do not cost too much money but are still effective and provide support?

[L'Ange]

Just wanted to add my 2 cents on something that has helped me lose weight: Something called Cellfood. I heard about it on a forum (liver cleanse, not weight loss) as an antidote to feeling drained. It got great reviews on Amazon.com for energy increase, so I tried it to see if it could help me lose weight without feeling so weak and weary in the process. It worked! It gives more energy, definitely, too. It can be found in some health food stores and of course on the net.

Cellfood originated with research in the army during the Korean war. Before I tried it I just couldn't seem to lose weight at all month after month and I was already taking tons of supplements. Since I tried it I have lost weight at a consistent and healthy rate.

I thought it was kind of steep, about $35.00 for a month's supply. On the other hand if it makes one not eat as much, maybe it evens out?

Cellfood is a natural product, with no side effects. It has enzymes and other nutrients and somehow increases the oxygen content of the blood. Even Winnie Mandela, Nelson Mandel's wife, gave a testimonial for it in behalf of "my people." Just a thought.