exmsde Member

Update, I'm now into my second week on Contrave. I realized my comment about "light-headed low blood sugar feeling" was indeed side effects. I was light-headed and very slightly nauseous, so it felt more like an empty stomach hunger. I was also very sleepy. These symptoms declined on day 5 and did not recur on days 6 and…

I have no doubt that there are people, many more than are clinically diagnosed with a problem, that don't handle lactose or gluten or whatever well. There are also conditions we still don't have a good handle on (CFS and Fibromyalgia come to mind). And there are previously unknown conditions still to come to light, because…

After a long talk with my doctor I decided to give Contrave a try and just started it this week. Of course during week 1 you are only taking 1/4 of the ongoing dosage (including none in the evening when I'm usually the most challenged) so it is hard to really give a read. So far no apparent side effects, though when meal…

https://www.fitbit.com/user/26B645

I signed up for Fitstar yesterday, so the answer is probably yes.

I used to weigh myself every day, only log on Monday. But with a Fitbit Aria if I get on the scale it is automatically logged so that strategy is out the window. New strategy is to weigh and log a few times a week.

Yes. Sometimes I bundle though. Example, I find that one small date will substitute for a craving for sweets. So usually if it is just one date I don't log right there and then, I do a calorie add at some point. But if I eat a whole serving of dates then I do a full log entry. Usually though that nibble happens only once…

I picked one up yesterday. So far so good. Took the dog out for a 3 mile hike and loved having that much information on my wrist. I've always worn a watch, and was wearing an LG G watch before this (and using a Fitbit One for fitness tracking) so it took me about an hour to forget I'd switched devices. But otherwise I…

The problem with self-checkout is all the theft detection features they tried to build in, particularly the scale. It slows the machines down, makes them misread what you put in them, require attendant intervention (from an attendant who often is not present) if you bring your own bags or have something too big to fit on…

Discussions like this make me so happy to be in a 30 year long committed relationship :-)

I learned it was a lifestyle change thing about 25 years ago, but the changes only last so long. Fortunately this time there is a pretty good chance they can last the rest of my life. Anyway, my interest in making this a permanent change probably started when I had foot surgery a couple of years ago. Trying to get around…

I love my Fitbit One. It particularly keeps me active on days I'm not heading to the gym.

Another way to do beginner pushups is to rest your hands on a bench or stairs. Easier than traditional pushups but more challenging than the so-called girly ones. I used an exercise bench until I could do 3 sets of 20 easily.

Honestly I go for a slice (or at most two) of "real" pizza at a NY-style pizza place as the only way to really address my pizza cravings. They fit fine into a calorie budget. But at home I'll do a pizza bagel. I tend to use a real bagel (generally from Einstein/Noah as this is the most authentic thing you can get almost…

First, keep in mind that not all fiber is the same and that you are really in need of soluble fiber. And while you may get enough from foods for normal health purposes, it seems almost impossible to get enough that way to help with drug-induced constipation. Psyllium seems to be by far the best option as a supplement for…

I skipped almost a week between Week 4 Day 1 and Day 2 because of a cold. WOW, was day 2 difficult. I almost had to bail out in the middle of the second 5 minute segment, but pushed through to the end. Now I feel great about it. I did slow things down a bit given the time off, but hopefully I can push my speed up when I do…

Sounds like you did GREAT under very adverse conditions. Imagine how you'll do under better conditions!

One other thing, if you are going to Physical Therapy (or know the PT) for the hip then you can ask them for exercises for general fitness that won't interfere with the hip recovery.

I've been thinking that the next time I have foot surgery I'm going to look into renting or buying a stationary Hand Cycle as a way to exercise. Also, I find using crutches exhausting. Even if you don't need them for normal walking, you could actually look into taking a pair out and "walking" a mile with them. Assuming you…

I've alternated upper and lower strength training before and will probably do it again soon. The problem with trying to do it all in one day is twofold. First, having enough time can be a problem. Second, I find that if I really push things on lower then I get tired before finishing off the upper. So my upper is suffering.…

I love my Fitbit One. I will give it half the credit for keeping me motivated and changing my lifestyle to 'Active'. Even on days I don't do cardio per se I almost always insist on hitting my step goal because of the Fitbit. And because there are a few people I've connected with as friends (mostly not in the U.S., btw) who…

You sure have a lot going on here. Increasing caloric intake and getting more protein does seem to be key, but even after you fix that nights are going to be a challenge. I always keep about 150 calories in reserve for a mid to late evening treat. Something I really like, even if it isn't the healthiest choice. With your…

Be glad there is oil there since it greatly increases absorption of certain vitamins. When I cook at home I do find that a small amount of olive oil can leave a sheen on things. So oven fries for example, where I try for 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per serving, have a nice oil sheen on them. And flavor. I recall the same thing with…

Wow, that depends on my craving. I do use fresh fruit as a sort of mandatory between meal snack to avoid getting too hungry. And that's probably my best bang for minimal calories. Nuts are great when I'm not getting enough protein, or crave something slightly salty. Not exactly low calorie, but well inside my budget for…

Did you see the ;-)

I'm mostly going to echo what others have said. Many, perhaps most, people find exercise unpleasant. And when you are obese it is 100x more unpleasant. So it isn't like, even under the best of circumstances, you start exercising and say "Wow, this is great! I'm so motivated to get out there every day." It's a struggle. Now…

It was handy :-) And I thought the cone would be perfect for representing keeping things away from your mouth. My dog is humiliated however.

I just finished Week 3 Day 1. I slowed myself down to 4.5mph and had no problem with the 3 minute jogs. I'll likely try 5mph on Friday, backing down if that is too much.

I can pretty much go through the day and count approximate calories in my head. Earlier in my life I was able to go years without constant logging by combing those in-my-head calorie counts with weekly weights. If I bumped up a couple of pounds then I would go back to logging to force myself back into good habits and get…

Right data, wrong conclusion. All those other countries have massive starvation problems and the average American male is how we're supposed to look if you are healthy ;-) It is sad how badly we've skewed things so that the average is approaching Homer Simpson. I'm now on a personal quest to be able to blend in with a…