How it's done, tips from me to you

SHBoss1673

I went in and changed it to what Banks suggested - looking back that actually put me lower on protein so I think I'll be ok - new challenge to work eating into the new goals

Bring it on....

Chrissy, make sure that carb/protein/fat outline is right for you. I only do 3 cardio days a week, which is why I'm at 45%, and I do 3 weight training days a week which is why I'm at 29% protein, plus I'm trying to gain muscle. This may or may not be right for you though, so be aware of that. The more cardio you do, and the less weight training you do, the higher the ratio should be. 15% protein is far lower then it should be IMHO for anyone exercising (even cardio only). But I think 20 to 25% protein is fine for someone with only cardio in their routine, or if they are just trying to define muscle and not increase.

tashjs21

Banks and Kerri, you ROCK my socks!!

And Kerri, thank you so much for pointing out the time issue...Now that I am in a "healthy" range...it is taking a lot longer, thanks for the reminder that patience is a virtue! :drinker:

arewethereyet

to the TOP I say...........:glasses:

arewethereyet

I totally agree with the whole moderation verses a full cheat day..Im glad to see others here agree as well..Good luck!!!

How many times in our lives have we had one cheat day turn into 5 years!

mommared53

Ii can't read it all right now because I'm at work, but I printed it out to read later because I know it's going be be worth reading. Thanks Banks. :flowerforyou:

nwfamilygal

Thank you Banks and Kerri great read:bigsmile:

loser4real

Bumping so I can read this later tonight. Thank you for all the enlightening and helpful posts!

SoupNazi

I guess my 50 lbs lost means nothing.

Just kidding Banks.:flowerforyou:

Great post!

SHBoss1673

I guess my 50 lbs lost means nothing.

Just kidding Banks.:flowerforyou:

Great post!

Ohhh Soupy. Why ya gotta be mean to me?

You were in my et all group. I can't name ALL of my secret crushes, or else
they wouldn't be secret ... :noway: Um... I mean .... ahh.

Forget it.

sarabear

this will be loooong, bear with me. I encourage other sucess stories (Tam, FC, Kerri...et all) to give their stories or tips as well.


I wanted to write a post on some of the combined knowledge that we have learned by being on MFP. Becoming healthy isn't easy for most of us. And along the way we hear rumors, myths, and plain lies about how to lose weight. We so desparately want to lose that we listen to almost any crazy, extreme, and odd diet around, usually having limited or initial sucess followed by long term failure, and sometimes permenant medical conditions.

So with that said, here's my little diatribe on how to think about the notion of becoming healthy.

This is all my opinion, take it for what it's worth, but know that I have done extensive research on the subject of the carbohydrate metabolism, weight loss, cardio and weight training exercise, and nutrition. That doesn't mean I'm THE expert on any of it. It just means I have facts, clinical trials, and empirical evidence to back up my prepositions.

First thing you need to focus on when you are attempting to lose weight and become more healthy is your attitude. Asking yourself WHY you are overweight is far more important than people think. Many many people bury their emotions and use food as a crutch. Until you solve your emotional issues, you will NEVER EVER be able to consistantly stay at a healthy weight. Losing weight without finding out why is like treating the infection from an open wound, without ever closing up the wound itself. You don't need to solve all these underlying issues (although that would obviously help), but you do need to recognize them and see them for what they are. A key way to help do this is to carry a diary. Every time you eat, write down what you are thinking about. It doesn't matter if it's food related or not, you can figure that stuff out later.

Second thing to focus on is where you are with regards to weight. Are you morbidly obese, obese, overweight, a healthy weight, or underweight. Each of these areas has a different requirement for calories in vs calories out as well as types, amount, and levels of activity (I.E. cardio, weight training, intervals, isometrics, plyometrics...etc). Once you figure out where you are, you can find out (either by asking people on here, or seeing a CERTIFIED personal trainer) what you need to be doing in order to get where you want to be. So many people on here try to eat less then they should. There are some very good posts on here about exercise calories and the metabolism. You should make sure you have a thorough understanding of where your body's internal chemistry is before you start trying to do any caloric deficit stuff. Go to the main message page and look at the Sticky notes at the top of the General topic, read those posts, they will really help you have a better understanding of all this.

Third thing to focus on is your nutrition. Calories in vs Calories out is great, it's a start. But really, eating the right amount of calories is 1/2 the battle. if you eat the right amount of calories every day but it's in Twinkies, well... guess what, you aren't making it very easy on yourself, and you'll probably fail. The nutrition pyramid WORKS people. No need for nutrient restrictive diets, or some weird detox to get your body healthy, eating a good, balanced healthy diet, slightly taylored to a deficit, works just fine.

Fourth thing (and I find this vital). Don't expect miracles! You don't drop 50 lbs in 3 months normally. And no, pills won't do it either. Until they find a pill that allows you to store undigested calories, boost your metabolism, and stimulate muscle growth while blocking fat absorbtion with no side effects and can be taken for life, then a pill isn't the answer. Be sure to check your facts. If a pill claims something like this, look for clinical trials by 3rd party groups, look for empirical evidence by government sponsored trials, and look for FDA (in the US) approval, if they have none of it, toss the pill, it's a scam.

Fifth thing, do your research. There are a TON of great sites out there that have lots of good info. Before you decide on an approach, see what the facts are. Some great basic sites are the following.


WebMD : http://www.webmd.com

the presidents fitness pages : http://www.fitness.gov/

the Mayo Clinic : http://www.mayoclinic.com

and for those who can read medical documentation

new england Journal of Medicine (pay) : http://content.nejm.org/

American journal of clinical nutrition : http://www.ajcn.org/

I hope this helps some people. Best luck to you all.

-Banks

Love this!!! I'm having one of those emontional days, don't know why, prob stress of the up coming weekend. But non the less recognized it, but do have to say one thing I don't agree with, you needed to say the CUBS not the Red Sox

SHBoss1673

Love this!!! I'm having one of those emontional days, don't know why, prob stress of the up coming weekend. But non the less recognized it, but do have to say one thing I don't agree with, you needed to say the CUBS not the Red Sox

BAHH HAHAHAHA HAAA! Cubs, right.



Couldn't help myself. Thanks SB for the compliments.

MTGirl

Thanks Banks . . . um, er, ah, Boss! :flowerforyou:

And Kerri - both great posts!

cmriverside

I'm adding this to the "Links you want to read again and again" thread - one of the sticky threads mentioned above.... Maybe I'll ask Mike to update it when it gets to 500.

Steve and Kerri, thank you!

Bumparoni.

chulie

Hello all,
Just wanted to add to this love-post.....I have only been here since the begining of January and have already been able to soak up so much wonderful information thanks to you guys. I have learned so much about myself, my body and the "why's" of eating.

I grew up with a sister who definitely had an eating disorder and we all pretended it wasnt there. I,apparently went to the other extreame. What I have learned is that as wonderful as my family is, we definitely have had an unhealthy approach to food. I see it in my extended family as well(cousins,aunts ect), some of them are 1 extreame(over eating) and then a few are the other (severe dieting and medical procedures to be thin, one cousin of mine is already really skinny and had the band put on to keep it that way, instead of just eating well) So, I cant even explain in 1 page how much I have learned in the last month about my relationship with food and how messed up it was!! I was SO the typical dieter who was GUARENTEED to fail and didnt realize it....and always did after a few weeks and gained more!!

The "d" word (diet) is no longer in my vocabulary and I am finally free of feeling guilty about food!!!!!! Thanks everyone!!! I am finally on a path that feels like me!!!!!!

SHBoss1673

Hello all,
Just wanted to add to this love-post.....I have only been here since the begining of January and have already been able to soak up so much wonderful information thanks to you guys. I have learned so much about myself, my body and the "why's" of eating.

I grew up with a sister who definitely had an eating disorder and we all pretended it wasnt there. I,apparently went to the other extreame. What I have learned is that as wonderful as my family is, we definitely have had an unhealthy approach to food. I see it in my extended family as well(cousins,aunts ect), some of them are 1 extreame(over eating) and then a few are the other (severe dieting and medical procedures to be thin, one cousin of mine is already really skinny and had the band put on to keep it that way, instead of just eating well) So, I cant even explain in 1 page how much I have learned in the last month about my relationship with food and how messed up it was!! I was SO the typical dieter who was GUARENTEED to fail and didnt realize it....and always did after a few weeks and gained more!!

The "d" word (diet) is no longer in my vocabulary and I am finally free of feeling guilty about food!!!!!! Thanks everyone!!! I am finally on a path that feels like me!!!!!!

I think this is probably the best thing I could have ever heard about this post. Congratulations chulie. Recognizing your issues with food is probably one of (if not the) most important things we can teach and learn here!

SoupNazi

I guess my 50 lbs lost means nothing.

Just kidding Banks.:flowerforyou:

Great post!

Ohhh Soupy. Why ya gotta be mean to me?

You were in my et all group. I can't name ALL of my secret crushes, or else
they wouldn't be secret ... :noway: Um... I mean .... ahh.

Forget it.

So I've been pushed to the "et al" group, huh?

I'm gonna find a new stalker. A new stalker, you hear?

{runs away crying}

SHBoss1673

I guess my 50 lbs lost means nothing.

Just kidding Banks.:flowerforyou:

Great post!

Ohhh Soupy. Why ya gotta be mean to me?

You were in my et all group. I can't name ALL of my secret crushes, or else
they wouldn't be secret ... :noway: Um... I mean .... ahh.

Forget it.

So I've been pushed to the "et al" group, huh?

I'm gonna find a new stalker. A new stalker, you hear?

{runs away crying}

As long as still get to watch you run away (I have awesome binoculars) :smokin:

SoupNazi

I guess my 50 lbs lost means nothing.

Just kidding Banks.:flowerforyou:

Great post!

Ohhh Soupy. Why ya gotta be mean to me?

You were in my et all group. I can't name ALL of my secret crushes, or else
they wouldn't be secret ... :noway: Um... I mean .... ahh.

Forget it.

So I've been pushed to the "et al" group, huh?

I'm gonna find a new stalker. A new stalker, you hear?

{runs away crying}

As long as still get to watch you run away (I have awesome binoculars) :smokin:

You always say just the right things.:blushing:

chrissyh

I went in and changed it to what Banks suggested - looking back that actually put me lower on protein so I think I'll be ok - new challenge to work eating into the new goals

Bring it on....

Chrissy, make sure that carb/protein/fat outline is right for you. I only do 3 cardio days a week, which is why I'm at 45%, and I do 3 weight training days a week which is why I'm at 29% protein, plus I'm trying to gain muscle. This may or may not be right for you though, so be aware of that. The more cardio you do, and the less weight training you do, the higher the ratio should be. 15% protein is far lower then it should be IMHO for anyone exercising (even cardio only). But I think 20 to 25% protein is fine for someone with only cardio in their routine, or if they are just trying to define muscle and not increase.

So I am a bit confused - I do mainly cardio - I am doing some strength after cardio session like leg curls, leg presses, what I call arm pulls - but not sure how much

I'll see what happens with the changes I've made and adjust if I need to-won't be the first time

tashjs21

Just wanted to say Hi Soupy!! :drinker:

I misses you :smooched:

SoupNazi

Just wanted to say Hi Soupy!! :drinker:

I misses you :smooched:

Hey Natasha!

I misses you too love.:smooched:

Psst...be careful.....I think I saw Banksy running around here with a pair of high powered binoculars and he was wearing a guilly suit.:noway:

hopetobeinshape

THanks for the great advice and stories! It is a huge motivator to us all :flowerforyou:

arewethereyet

:noway:

SHBoss1673

just wanted to give it a quick bump to the night owls.

Dave198lbs

just wanted to give it a quick bump to the night owls.

YO...NIGHT OWLS...this one is worth reading
double bump

Losing_It

Thank you so much, Banks! I've been here for a while & I still need to read all this good stuff you write!!! You rock!!!!:flowerforyou:

Heather125

Thank you for taking your time to write this :drinker:

SHBoss1673

Your very welcome guys. It's kind of a pleasure to know that what I have learned doesn't have to die with me.

TamTastic

Great post Banks!:happy:

I have told my "secrets" to many people. I will put it here too!!

Let's see. Where to begin!!

I remember getting to a point where I had enough. I was snoring, had little energy, was super self-conscious about pretty much everything and I got sick and tired of food dictating my life anymore. I decided to take control of it once and for all.

I have yo-yo dieted in the past and lost a lot of weight, which of course came right back on. So, I knew if this was going to be done for good, it would have to be done a different way than I did it before.

TIPS from TAM!:bigsmile: :

1)BABY STEPS I think a huge part of why I was able to do this and stick to it for so long is because I didn't put so much pressure on myself to be perfect from day one. I slowly changed the way I lived, thereby easing into a healthier way of living. I made one small change after another. I started with just counting calories. Once I got the hang of that, I started to pay closer attention to where they were coming from. It was the same with exercise. I started slowly. I would do 20 minutes on the elliptical at level 3 and a few weights. Every time a level got easier, I would bump it up and add 5 minutes. I am now up to over an hour at level 19. But, by slowly easing into everything, I didn't get burned out or frustrated.

2)RESEARCH! If you are on MFP, you have access to the internet and the abundance of information out there to help you on your path to a healthier lifestyle. I would check several sites and read and educate myself. I learned about what foods would fuel me and keep me going. And that is a huge part of staying on track. Feeling satisfied. I also researched exercise (and bugged Banks! LOL!) If nothing else, just open Google and type in what you are looking for and you will find a ton of information.

3) VENTURE OUT: Try new foods. Herbs and spices are a great way to flavor food without adding calories. Keep your mind open to foods you might not think you will like. And keep it interesting. Check out new healthier recipes. But, also learn which healthier staples you know you want around each week and keep them on hand. By having these items around and not getting bored, you will feel much more satisfied and able to stick with it.

4) WATER! I know how difficult it is to get used to drinking a lot of water but I just know I drink a ton and I can honestly say it helped me. I start each day with 24 ounces. It used to take me 30 minutes to drink that. Now I can get it down in about 10 minutes. It's a healthy start to my day and I would make it sort of a challenge and had it be how I earned my cup of coffee that followed. And the cool thing is, as soon as I hydrated myself with that 24 ounces, I would immediately start to wake up, even without the caffeine. Water helps to keep you feeling full, and often when you think you're hungry, it's really thirst. Also by drinking a lot, you keep your body from retaining it so much. My goal is to drink at least 80 ounces a day. Other than my one cup of coffee in the morning and a decaf tea and a cocoa here and there, it's all I drink.

5) CHEAT MEALS. I will chime in on this one. I wouldn't have a cheat meal weekly. However, I would allow myself to relax on occasion. I started my weight loss in September of 2007. Right before the holiday season. I found that if I relaxed here and there (like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Super Bowl Sunday, etc), it WOULD help to keep me from feeling deprived. I wouldn't go CRAZY but I wouldn't count every calorie those meals either. I would eat and enjoy it and stopped when I was full. My loss that week might not have been quite as big or I might have even maintained but I would get back on track the next day and keep going. Taking that break once in awhile helped me a lot because you do get burned out sometimes. And each time I was successful at getting back on track, I would get more confident in myself to do this forever. The confidence is what is different this time around!

6) TOOLS: I used measuring cups, spoons and a food scale. I still do, though I am pretty good at eyeballing it now that I have done it so long. By using those tools, you are teaching yourself about proper portions and you get a huge eye-opener as to why you gained weight in the first place. It may seem silly to some to measure every tbsp of sour cream, but at least you know for a fact that you are getting the amount you are counting on the food journal! And you are teaching yourself portion control in the process.

7)MOVE YOUR BODY: Exercise is fantastic!! I have so much more energy now (when not in my first trimester of pregnancy that is!! lol!) My resting heart rate is at an athletic level and it takes me a lot to get winded. That is a huge change from before. Plus, exercising allows you to eat more. I was one of those that would eat at least half of my exercise calories back. On exercise days, I would be eating 1800-1900 calories. Not exactly hard!! Haha! I would often enjoy a nice plate of pasta those days. (we all know how fast pasta calories go!) Even if I was watching TV, I would stand up and do some lunges, squats, etc. Every little thing you do (if done on a consistent basis) will help.

8)EXPERIMENT WITH CALORIES: Remember that the calories given to you on here should only be used as a guideline. Sometimes it takes some trial and error to find what will work for your body. I never went lower than 1400 on non-gym days. I would eat that Mon, Wed and Fri. And on my gym days, by the end...I would eat 1800-1900 cals because I burned a lot. That was Tues, Thurs, Sat and Sun. I honestly think I made my metabolism VERY happy and kept it at an almost constant burn by doing this. I would eat plenty and exercise plenty. And my body thanked me for that!!

*Side note. Make sure your calories burned are accurate. I never used a HRM. I read in a fitness article that a good way to to get a pretty accurate reading if you use a machine is when it asks for your weight, enter a weight 5 to 10 lbs LESS than you are and then after you work out, deduct about 10-15% from the final number. That is what I did and it worked fine for me. Granted, I never ate ALL my calories back but I ate plenty!

Good luck everyone!!!! You can do this!! :flowerforyou:

chrissyh

Between Kerri, Banks and Tam's posts I think this is my new favorite post
Thank you all for sharing!

It helps to read it over again even thought you've all had various posts in the past. Keeps me going!