Introducing myself...

[FirstLight]

I am here because I just started up the old 'gotta get healthy' actions in my life once more and thought that brancing out to others in the realm of it would be a good idea. My friend just started a "Team Fit & Strong" group on FB and i signed up to monitor workouts and found a place to do menu/calorie count... but that was Tuesday and I have been slacking this first week...

Been overweight since the last kid/divorce/etc and now it is 8 freaking years later and i have only gotten bigger the last year. I was a size 5 when i was 20, and at least back into an 8 by my 30's...but now I am 42 and it's sticking more. Not to mention the stupid sedentary lifestyle of writing/design/webwork at home...

we recently adopted a dog, and i love the fact she needs to walk every day, though with the still wintry weather it is harder to do everyday...but i try. I have had my share of health issues, but I also know that the weight compounds most of them, so i need to do the uphill work to get to feeling better. I finally got a hysterectomy last fall, and am ready to move again, and the loss in my belly from that alone was amazing. Though when I asked the doc why she didn't suck out some of the fat too, she said "it wasn't covered"

I am statistically over wt by 50 lbs, but i'd be happy to lose 20-30. I am 5'1" and 175...i believe my life will be decidedly better at 140.

So, yea... that's me, I am hoping to get off my ass and get moving more, and could use the group consciousness to help me stick to plan and not flake on myself...

that's all i can think of for now

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. welcome! And congrats on undertaking this - and good luck!

It took a family intervention type of meeting last January (my wife and daughter sat down with me and told me how concerned they were with me - 6 feet, 258, and a couch spud that often seemed depressed).

Wife and I joined WW together, which took off the first 50 lbs in about 6 months - we took on some really good eating and activity practices that we've managed to maintain. Then this January, we undertook the Engine 2 Vegan Challenge through Whole Foods - and I joined a health club.

So I am 14 months removed from the "intervention"....and 198 lbs, and feel just great. My aim is to drift downward and end up at 185 for my maintenance weight - but even now, my back, my awful, torn ACL knees - my mood - it is all good!

Ask us anything....and come here for support!

[FirstLight]

2. wow, great success

I am glad for you!

Ya, diabetes runs in the fam, and i should watch out as i get older... I have high BP, and a narly auto-immune arthritis, but both are under control so far, i know certain foods flare my joints, so it will be good to curb my bad food habits.
I was doing better early last year, had a nutritionist for a while till the insurance refused to help...said i wasn't morbidly obese enough... :rolleyes:
so when i fell off the wagon, i just didn't stop, and then waiting for surgery to come thru last fall was a good procrastination measure... now there's no more excuses! and the clincher was i realized I could no longer take a NON fat-face picture!

been jamming around the house today, sweating to music and cleaning, gonna just try to move every day, and recognize my food pitfalls, like eating late at night, drinking (too many calories!) and potatoes!

[handmade34]

3. love your doc story

I did the same years ago... surgery on broken leg... going in asked to doc to suck out some of the fat while he was at it... he smiled at me and said compared to many people he sees, I looked pretty good! he was a great doc!!

My turning point was last fall and I started with a quasi-fast (bentonite clay) and cold turkey on all sugars and processed food (already was a veggie)... I have lost 20 lbs since last Dec. Hoping to go faster but I am more than happy at this point. ...probably would have lost the full 40 if I gave up alcohol but I am not willing to do that at this time

I do something everyday... walk, bike, swim, etc... even if it is not far or for long (usually do 2+miles or 10 biking, but if all I can manage is to go to the local mall or store and walk around the aisles, I do it)

your situation is similar to mine and you can do it!!! BUT, it is really hard, but worth it

I always remember that old stupid (but correct) adage "no food tastes better than being fit feels"

my new bike to get me out on the trail

[FirstLight]

4. cool bike!

ya, i have been looking for a cheap/freecycle stationary bike (not an electric fancy one, but the OLD SCHOOL kind)..i think if i can get my muscle memory back then i can hit the trails this summer. i'm too chicken about falling to just jump on and ride as weak as i am right now,lol

I just cleaned the house and rocked out and sweat for over an hour, and i keep telling myself that when i am in shape it won;t be such a big deal to mop the floors!

I am thinking of doing a cleanse to get the big boost going. I have a new juicer that I love, so i may decide to go overboard on the producwe section this week...if that's possible? invested in some green tea/magniloa and vit B supplements to also boost the metabolism, but I have to check with the pharmacist to see if it is bad with my BP medication. hope not!

so yea, i am going to peruse here to find recipies, etc too...
looking for a good green smoothies recipe, I had a teacher make one once at her house and it was awesome, but i tried to make it and accidentally added something gross, so now i am a chicken!

[noamnety]

5. I've been spending the last half year getting back in shape

and reading a ton on how to do that smarter and most efficiently.

One tip I have for you is if you are going to go for walks with your dog, maximize the amount of fat (vs. muscle) that you burn when you do it. Things that help: do the walk on an empty stomach, then come back and have your meal. Have caffeine before you go for the walk (unless it's right before bed of course). The caffeine will release triglycerides from your fat cells into your blood stream to make them available to burn as fuel. Also, do about 10-15 minutes of high intensity exercise before you head out for the walk. That could be lifting weights (lifting the dog?), doing squats, etc. That will also release triglycerides into your bloodstream. When you combine any of those things, you make the walk way more effective for losing weight (specifically fat).

[FirstLight]

6. Right on! great tips!

I have done the walk on an empty stomach, but the weights etc before are a great thought! hope to have some good stuff to report/share soon.