I know WVDL has been doing her healthy eating and exercise thing lately... how's it going???

I'm trying to drop a few pounds, too.

Anyone else?

I am not trying to, but I can tell you a good place to start:
South Beach Diet.
yummy food, great recipes. I loved it.

me also. salads for lunch everyday trying as hard as I can to drink more water and walking everyday

I got REALLY sick in 2004, doctor put me on steriods for 3 months. Went back for a minor issue last week and I've gained SEVENTY POUNDS since 2004. Doctor yelled at me, and I had to fricken pay a $15 co-pay to be told I'm fat (gee...the mirror didn't charge me anything!).

So...I'm joining Curves. Get this logic...if I buy a package of Slim-A-Bear Ice Cream Sandwiches and present the UPC to my local Curves, I can use the Curves program for 2 weeks free! Then, after 17 July, the price of joining is 1/2 price (7$79 instead of $149).

This time next year I'll be slim and trim again and my fat doctor can kiss my skinny little butt.

I go to the Y and watch the women's aerobics classes and run a couple miles on the treadmill first, then lift weights. I'm not on a diet, I just try not to eat too much junk food, but I'm not a stickler about that either. There's no real secret to it. Just eat right, exercise and stick with it. You aren't going to see results overnight, so don't get discouraged.. it takes a little time.

I just got my BMI done today! (how'd ya know?). anyways,I've lost another 1.1% so that makes it a total of 3.1% since dec.!!!! ( I actually got a free shirt for being the first person to go 100 times! )
I still use no salt. Low fat,hit the slim and tone 5 days a week(usually,there are days that med tests and such make that a no go).
My weight has not dropped at all! I'm so frustrated!! I'm losing mass but not weight!!!
jelsey: I understand the rapid weight gain. and the doctor telling you something you already know .

Don't be too concerned with the numbers. If you're exercising, you'll be burning fat and building/toning muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat. The numbers can be decieving.

You crack me up!

I've discovered that it's more of a lifestyle change than anything. I had surgery last year, and it was so tough after recuperating to get up and get moving. I've been taking "baby steps" since then and gradually working out more. I started out like crazy, working out, dieting, the whole nine yards; but then I burned out and became frustrated. Now I eat healthier, but indulge once in a while. Got rid of the junk food in my kitchen and went organic. I work out 3 times a week, and adding walking in gradually. When I get to a pool, I definitely swim...that's the best!

I've lost over 7" total, but gained 4 pounds over the past 6 months.

You have me cracking up ! Your bad, but in a good way..............

...don't encourage him....

Call me old fashion but i feel we need all four food groups in our diet everyday. Also before eating each meal drink a glass of water this will help you eat less. Take all the surgar in your diet and replace it with equal <<<<<<<<<<<this really helps ! With salads you have to watch the dressing that is where you will find all the calories at. Try and stay away from junk food ( this is hard ) and start out taking small walks, even if it's five mins. Don't change everything in a day or you will give up on yourself, if you slip so be it there is tomorrow.

As for exercise the best i have found is the ball, you are using all your muscles because you have to use balance. It's fun but hard at first, it makes you get nice and tight......................

I hope this helps

Where's the ?

What's those 4 food groups again?

I can only remember three (1) milk (2) dark (3) semi-sweet

Oh...that's right, # 4 is GODIVA!

I watch my mother try to lose weight for years on end. She would measure, eat very little and she never lost over 5 pounds. It seem no matter what she did. Even the doctor put her on a diet. Nothing ever worked.

I always said to myself. I wasn't going to worry about my weight. As long as I love myself the way I am, I could careless what other people think. I'm only about 30 pounds over weight and I'm only 5'2". I'm sure not going to stress over it. I have seen some women so skinny, they look like their sick and should be in a hosiptal. They think, they look so good, their only fooling themselves.

No one should lose weight because of what other people think.

Weight loss should be about health, self-esteem and overall well-being.

This is true, no one should lose weight because of what other people think. I wasn't trying to imply that. I said, I'm not going to stress about my weight. At least the doctors said, I healthy, my heart is good, and I like myself just the way I am. But I do like working with my weight set, I have a home.

I still have a whole person to lose. I have a med I want to be able to stop taking. So in order to do that I need to lose alot of weight and I need to get fit and toned. There are different kinds of heart problems in both sides of my family,so I certainly don't want to go down that road!
So far the weight isn't dropping very fast. I'm not on a diet per say. I'm learning portion control. I eat what I want,just not so much of it as I used to do. I've lost 3% body mass from that and exercizing 5 days a week. When I started,I could barely walk because of surgeries and my weight. Now,I go up flights of stairs with no problem.(comming down is another story. stupid knees).
You don't have to be "sick skinny" to be fit and healthy.
You're doctor may have said that you're healthy,but those 30lbs. are putting a strain on your heart. Believe it. And your knees. And your back.
I'm done abusing myself and I'm starting over(alittle late I'm thinking), and starting to take care of myself. I've got stuff I want to do and places to see before I leave this earth. I can't do that all sick and wheezing and trailing an oxygen tank or I.V.

WVDragonlaady, I know what your saying, My father died of a heart attack 29 years ago, he was only 43. My mother died age 65, this Christmas will be three years. Of a heart attack or stroke not sure.

I always had trouble with my knees hurting, every since I was a kid. I have arthritis, that runs in the family. I never had trouble with my back, even after I fell off a ladder 20 feet down, I was painting the house.

More the likely, I'll probably died of a heart attack. Most of my family members died from that. Grandma, Grandpa, Father, Aunts, Uncles, even a few cousins. That's the number one killer in my family. It's the heart attack, where you have one and your gone. It's bad.

I do watch how much I eat. Not so much as what I'm eating. I just didn't want to stress out about it, like my mother did all them years. Being stress out all the time, isn't good for your heart either. The much as I lift weights , hopefully I have more muscels then fat cell on me.

Have lost 70 pounds over the last 2 yrs and want to lose another 70. But am taking it slow and easy and just making life style changes...
I still have all the "fat foods" I like, but not all the time and in moderation.
My wife and I belong to TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) a fantastic support group that does not try to sell you food, or any other "tricks" to get you to lose weight quickly...

Wow, that great Griz! That's the best way to lose, slow and steady...and the most permanent!

Yep. thats the only way I can go. I've asked my doctor about some of those "wonder pills",you know,leptropin,and others. He said some of them actually mess with your thyroid! and since I have thyroid disease to begin with I can't touch any of those things. I have to go the slow route. *sigh*

Anything is possible, if you set your mine to it.

hey the weight wasnt put on in a day so it wont come off in a day , just skip some thing , or 2 it does come off, i know.

I know with all the different diet views out there, it is hard to figure out what is right and wrong, so most of the time I just say "screw it" and stuff something in my mouth to stop my growling gut. However, I've been trying to cut out all the fast food and eat less junk when I'm at home. This means not buying it in the first place, but it's so hard for a carb-junkie to give up chips!!! Anyway, I came across a nice little shopping list in Seventeen (yes, I still read the teeny-bopper stuff...more so I have an inside track on my daughter's world, but I like keeping up with the fashions, too...not that I can afford or would fit into any of them, lol!)
It is geared for the school week, but I'm applying it to the work week, and maybe some of you might want to do the same.

This is a shopping list that will provide breakfast, morning snack, and lunch for 5 days.
1 box of multi grain cheerios
1 box (6 bars) Special K bars
1/2 gallon of low-fat milk
6pk whole-grain english muffins
trans-free light margarine
6pk 8oz cartons of 100% fruit juice
15 pieces of whole fruit (1 each for breakfast, sncak, and lunch)
1lb lean deli meat
loaf of whole-grain bread
5 cartons light yogurt

I know the article talked about more fiber and less fake sugar boosts to keep up your energy throughout the day and so you actually felt like working out and not slumping into a chair when the day is done. Unfortunately, I only saved the list, and I can't find a link to the article on the website. Anyway, good luck to all my fellow flabbies! Some day, we will be out ideal weight....I'm just hoping it isn't after the worms have chowed on me for a few months!

those cereal bars are junk. better to snack on a small box of dry cereal instead. and the rest is ok,but where are the greens? all you're eating are grains and some fruit. need some vegies in there too.

yup your right need them greens , i had 2 tomatoes and a cucumber , for dinner i may have a few ears of corn ,,,, nutty buddy befor bed,, thats plenty of food for a day , makes you fell better , not being bogged down with a lot of food

Yeah, I hear ya about the veggies. But keep in mind this was a school day menu for the high school/college set, so I think it is good guidance compared to eating poptarts, candy bars, and soda. The goal is to be easy and portable and still have nutritional value. I think the girl profiled in the article worked after school at a diner where she ate late night greasy dinners, skipped breakfast, and then felt too pooped to exercise due to the fact that all her energy was derived from short bursts of sugar. The "diet" was designed for her needs, but I felt it might apply to some of us here. Since it doesn't address after school and evening snacks or dinner, I'll just assume that the veggies get included there!

I get the Orville Redenbacker's Popcorn Cakes for snacks. They tasted pretty good to me.
They have: 45 Calories per serving. 1 cake per serving
0g Trans Fat, 0g. Saturated Fat, 0g. Polyunsaturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 20mg. Sodium.
Total Carbs. 11g. Dietary Fiber less the 1g., Sugars 3g. Protein less than 1g.

I like popcorn with the spray "Can't believe it's butter" stuff. I eat the whole bowl myself, though. Anybody in the family that starts looking at MY popcorn gets growled at with teeth showing!

But, it is awfully hard to lose as you get older. So, keep you weight down while you can. WVD, I have thyroid problem too and can't lose weight unless I exercise. Which is hard for this bookworm.

Does anybody else find it hard to curb the munchies at night? That's the worst time for me. Just wanna eat and eat and eat. I know I am a sugar addict. I don't smoke, but can imagine how hard it must be to quit, since I can't go a day without something sweet. I remember in the past, telling my Weight Watchers teacher that I was proud to say I limited myself to one sweet a day. She said, 'Do you have to have one EVERY day?" I told her that my usual was to have a sweet every two hours, so once a day was a big improvement!

Sounds pretty good, all them foods I eat now. You have Breakfast, Morning Snack, and Lunch. So, What's for Dinner?? I'm hungry We need some Greens in our diet. Have you found a dinner in that magazine:D

Def. is a LOT harder to lose as you get older!!! I quit smoking when I was about 38 or so, right before the BIG 40, yes it was much worse than 30 to me. 30 didnt bother me at all, 40 just sucked, and I did notice that I was slowly putting on extra pounds withour doing anything different!!!! Ughh SO I make 2 suggestions, #1- if you smoke quit while you are YOUNG, it messes with your metabolism anyway, but if you wait until you are older and your body has started to shift in really weird ways, it is harder to NOT gain weight. #2- I agree with Checkingin, if your weight is a problem when you are younger, better to get it off earlier than later when it loves your body too much to leave!!!!

Wife has been on me to lose a few. I have stopped drinking soda and have lost 8lbs! I still have 10 to lose. It's not fun to skip the sweets but if the weight keeps coming off I'll stay away from them.

Well after my doctors visit i am now at the heaviest I have ever been This is after trying to eat salads for lunch everyday. sodas are next on my hit list. The doc thinks it might be something with my meds so we are ditching 1 and hopefully that'll help. I feel like Cartman on southpark when he does the i'm a little piggy song

I read in a nutrition newsletter that just one soda a day,regular or diet, puts 15lbs. on you in one year. I'm glad I stopped drinking that stuff for about 4 yrs now.( unless it's liquored up)

Don't forget to exercise, too!

Yeah.... sodas are bad. I try to avoid them entirely, though sometimes a girl just wants a rum and coke.

Diet Dr. Pepper is supposed to be the best of the diet sodas. I prefer iced tea with Splenda. Cheap, zero cal, lotsa antioxidants. Good luck.

Easiest way to lose weight:

Put the fork down and push your fat behind away from the table.

If one soda a day, makes you gain 15lbs. in one year. Well I should be as big as a a house. I'm not buying that one. The problem I have is simple, I eat to darn much, I like my snacks and don't do enough exericse. I gain most of my extra weight when I moved up here. That's because while I was remolding my kitchen, I had no choice but to eat out. All that fating food went to my hips and backside.

As we all know, are body's don't burn fat like it use too. When we was younger. It just wants to follow behind us. Never thought I had a big butt, until my children said something. Then I looked in the mirror and said oh my At least it's all behind me, I don't have to look at it.

The theory behind diet soda causing weight gain is that some artificial sweeteners actually increase our appetite. So, in theory, diet soda could make someone eat more.

Personally, I like to eat as close to the earth as possible. (And no, I don't mean lying the floor, LOL). But I'm a sucker for anything white. Rice. Bread. Pasta. Potatoes.

I <3 carbs.

The one soda a day equal 15 pounds in a year could be close to accurate. A can of regular soda is 120 calories. Multiple that by days in a year and you get 43,800 calories. 3,500 cals makes a pound of fat, so a little division gives us 12.5 lbs. for a year of soda. Of course, this is an over-simplified theory that doesn't take into account how much or how little else you're eating.

SMan = addicted to Diet Pepsi for 15+ years

Gosh, I hope they never find out all those artificial sweetners cause cancer or something.

For everyone worried about their weight and the latest health reports, try adding this book to your to-do list: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry by Dr. Dean Edell. You might weigh the same later on, but you’ll likely stress over it less.

Does that mean you'll be fat and happy? J/K. Seriously though, how does this book help you?

Um... some people probably should stress over their weight. Because excess weight can lead to health problems, which ultimately leads to more stress.

If you're happy with your weight, that's fine, and more power to you. But anyone who wants to drop a few pounds (or eat healthier or get more exercise) in order to improve their health should be commended, I think.

Not everyone's body works in the same way. You may have miss piggy over here, and she eating like a pig and never gain any weight. Then you may have the average person, that watches what they eat. And only loses a few pounds every so many months.

It's certainly a up hill battle, it's sure is hard work. I don't see how you all do it, really. Especially when you eat and you never feel full. Your always hungry. Then what you do? Fill up on water. I ate two tomatoe sandwichs on wheat toast, and still feel hungry.

If I recall correctly, it debunks many myths about weight loss (and other health-related issues) and puts into perspective what various "healthy things" you can do actually does for your "bottom line" (no pun intended) as far as overall health. There were many studies cited from respected places, but it went beyond headline grabbing sound-bites like "extra weight dangerous" and tells you what it really means. For example, the study might go on to say you can live 3 months longer on average if you weigh 160 instead of 220, but these kinda details often get lost in the hype of the story. It was an entertaining and enlightening read, even if I did not agree with every point made. But the overall premise was it ain't as bad as you might think.

My first instinct would be that your sandwiches should have contained more protein and more fat, both of which will help make you feel full and give your meal "staying" power.

It IS hard to make the right choices all the time, especially when it comes to diet and exercise.

I think that a lot of the problem is people just don't really know how to eat right. As Snoop's book points out, a lot of the headline news about weight and diet is just a bunch of bunk once you really examine the actual research.

Like some people think 'organic' means healthy. Well... not if you eat organic mac n cheese all the time!

That said, I'd say it's impossible to refute the argument that our dietary and physical activity choices can make a dramatic impact on our health. Unfortunately, really arming yourself with knowledge about health and diet requires a lot of time and energy--you have to read everything, learn to recognize the bullspit, and understand your own body as well. (For example, wheat and salt almost instantly bloat me, and sugar makes me tired.)

I'm also a big proponent of the "moderation in all things." I don't think any food should be restricted for dietary health reasons, but I do think we should moderate all things. Variety is the spice of life, anyway.

Personally, I don't like to focus on "diet" or calories. Instead, I just try to eat few processed foods (except beer, which is processed, I guess LOL) and get as much physical activity as I can without going overboard.

And then again, you can eat healthy and exercise and still die of some disease next year.

Still, life's a craps shoot. But you can play the odds.

I thought beer was only pasturized? Is that "processed"? It's more for health reasons isn't it?

I consider beer "processed" because it's fermented, which is a chemical process. Also, the ingredients used to make beer are often processed. <shrug> I'm drinking it anyway!

I'm finding that it's all in portion control for me. I'm doing much better at losing now that I'm eating "mini meals" during the day instead of 3 huge meals. I'm a snacker anyway, so it comes naturally. I've just subsituted my unhealthy snacks to healthy ones rich in protein, such as a hard boiled egg & chunk of cheddar cheese, or a salad and leftover chicken breast. Gone are the hamburger and french fry combos for lunch!

mmmmmm.... french fries.....