Chiff & Fipple Diet Club

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 11:59 am

nevermind

Monster · Post by **Monster** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 12:02 pm

I just had a thought about eating and overeating. For breakfast I had two pieces of toast, and two eggs with salsa, maybe a little heavy on carbs, but for me not a totally unreasonable breakfast. As I fiinished up on the prepared meal I was thinking that I was still a bit hungry and that maybe I would have something else. But then I thought, well I shouldn't need anything else, so I drank a glass of water and waited, now an hour and a half later, I feel fine. I sometimes have to remind myself of the delayed effect of feeling "full" or that feeling "full" is not really a desirable state to be in!

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 12:06 pm

nevermind

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 12:16 pm

Thanks for the info, Jerry. This type of stuff is fine to mention.

I just had fake mocha: instant coffee (caffeine helps with the loss of carbs...one cup every three days won't kill me...I am not a coffee drinker), cocoa powder, Splenda, and some lowfat milk. Not bad, actually.

My uncle is visiting my mom to say goodbye to his mother before she dies (she doesn't know who anyone is anymore, though) and they are coming over tonight for dinner. I am cooking a lamb roast with mashed caulifower (rosemary, garlic, mint and olive oil on the lamb, and salt, pepper, fat free half and half, fake butter and dill in the cauliflower) - should be good.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 12:17 pm

sturob wrote:I weigh way too much. 5'10", my college weight was in the 200# range, now, well, it's more. I lost back down close to 200ish on Atkins, and on just not eating, but hey, shoot, I love carbs. Oh, well.

Is it common practice for people to get stuff like thyroid levels (or just TSH) checked? I'd imagine there's a big group of people who've got thyroid trouble. I realize I should practice what I preach and have my own thyroid checked . . . but I'm curious. Have many of you asked for a thyroid screen?

Stuart

I have actually had full thyroid panels done twice, but they have both been negative.

Here's some more food for thought:

The last time I complained to my doctor about my inability to lose weight, she had me do a glucose-tolerance test and, when I came back as insulin-resistant, she indicated that this was probably the reason I was having so much trouble losing weight. Insulin-resistance, however, is also a precursor to Type 2 diabetes. Common wisdom for years has stated that excess weight is a CAUSE of Type 2 diabetes, but I'm wondering if they don't have that backward...if excess weight and the inability to lose aren't SYMPTOMS of impending Type 2 diabetes, in the same way insulin resistance is? And if weight loss for Type 2 diabetics isn't a RESULT of getting the disease under control rather than part of the cure (since many of us have tried for years to get the weight under control with no luck).

Any thoughts?

Redwolf

sturob · Post by **sturob** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 12:33 pm

JessieK wrote:I just had fake mocha: instant coffee (caffeine helps with the loss of carbs...one cup every three days won't kill me...I am not a coffee drinker), cocoa powder, Splenda, and some lowfat milk. Not bad, actually.

Um, I'd prefer it if you called it by its proper name. It's fauxcha. Rhymes with mocha.

Insulin resistance . . . well, I don't know exactly how it plays a role, but probably it does. And I CERTAINLY don't mean to hijack this thread with it. Insofar as a lot of people think that "insulin resistance" is a precursor to type-2 diabetes, it probably does play a role. But, lose 10% of your weight (on average) and the insulin resistance gets better.

So who knows. I hate to say it, but I think losing weight isn't about which diet you're on, but learning new behavior. So it takes a loooooooong time.

Stuart

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 12:42 pm

sturob wrote:Um, I'd prefer it if you called it by its proper name. It's fauxcha.

I love it!

sbruyette · Post by **sbruyette** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 1:05 pm

I agree that it is learned behaviour. For me it is trying to have healthier eating and exercising habits(still have a long way to go with this one). Habit isn't really a good word, because you can break habits. Outlook and life style are better. It is a continual process for me. When I hear the word diet, I think short term. I now believe this is for the rest of my life. I am becoming more aware of the fat content in various foods as well as sugar, fiber, etc. I know my metabolism slowed down while in my 40's. Menopause raised havoc with me as well as stopping smoking. But hopefully I am on the right track now. A slow weight loss is still a good one. It makes me believe that the weight will stay off.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 1:24 pm

Everytime I am on a diet, I tell myself that when I get down to my goal, I will commit to a different way of eating, one that will maintain my (at least close to) ideal weight. I am telling myself this now, too.

RonKiley · Post by **RonKiley** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 1:47 pm

Jessie, my wife is 5' 4" tall and weighs 125. She thinks she needs to lose another 10 pounds. She has already gone from size 12 to size 8. I tell her to stop losing she weighs almost exactly what she did when I met her over 46 years ago.

I am trying to change my life style not just go on a diet. I have become a semi vegetarian. Not because of philosophical issues of eating animals but because of calorie density. I have lost more inches than pounds. I have lost about 5 inches around the waist and about an inch around the neck. I think the inches were from the exercise. 1 1/2 years ago I could only lift 30 pounds. Now I bench press 260 pounds ( at 65 years of age). Slow and steady makes progress.

As a result of this new thread I have committed myself to a renewed effort to eat better. I have greatly limited the fat in my diet. I am now going to cut back on carbs as well, especially simple carbs.

I wish all success and we can do this together.

Ron

John S · Post by **John S** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 8:18 am

It's been found outhttp://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994413 that taking 1/2 of a teaspoon of powdered Cinnamon a day can help stave of late-onset diabetes and help manage it if it develops.
I don't have it but I take it Cinnamon in my tea in the mornings.

John S

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 9:16 am

Hmm. Yesterday I got a call from my silver caster and we got into a talk about dieting. I told him I have been needing caffeine in order to function, and he suggested white (less processed than black or green) tea, which seems to have a lot of health benefits. At $24 for a quarter of a pound, it isn't cheap, but I ordered some (Silver Needle with Jasmine). It's supposed to have a mild and somewhat sweet taste. It has caffeine, but with the oral and other health benefits, I'll feel better about it than I do about coffee.

Chuck_Clark · Post by **Chuck_Clark** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 9:48 am

Weekly weigh-in results:

Week: -2.2 lbs.
Since being told to lose 15 pounds for surgery (7/1) -6.9 lbs.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 9:50 am

I think one of the hardest things about "dieting" or "lifestyle changes" or whatever anyone wants to call it is that society is dead set on sabotaging one's efforts. For the compulsive eater, food is like a drug. Unfortunately, unlike other drugs or alcohol, we can't entirely give up eating...we need to do it to survive. What that means in practical terms is, often, imposing fairly rigid controls on ourselves...controls that are constantly challenged by well-meaning friends, acquaintances and family members. "C'mon...one piece of pie won't hurt!" "Take another helping of potatoes...I made your favorite!" "Why not stop at our house for drinks and nibbles before dinner? Oh come on...a few chips won't sabotage your diet!" Our society revolves around food...church coffee hours and potlucks, cocktail parties, Superbowl parties (replete with beer, pizza and munchies). Movies mean popcorn, ballgames mean hot dogs and peanuts...even the theater usually means dinner and drinks before and dessert after!

There's no getting around it...food means hospitality and good times in our society, and that's never going to change. It would help, however, if people would be a little more understanding. "I'm sorry, but one piece of pie WILL hurt." "I'm sorry, the potatoes are delicious, but I've already had more than I should, and another helping WILL hurt." "I'm sorry, but I CAN'T stand near the buffet...if you want to talk to me, we will need to move over to that quiet corner." Understanding that some of us have that kind of compulsive relationship to food, and showing the same kind of sensitivity toward it as one would to a recovering alcoholic will go a long way to help. Think about it...if you have a friend over who is an alcoholic, you'll make sure there are plenty of attractive non-alcoholic drink choices for him, won't you? And it would never occur to you to say "c'mon...one martini won't hurt!" (at least I hope it wouldn't!).

It's often especially hard for those of us who have once been at the anorexic end of the spectrum, because the people who love us are so afraid we'll go into THAT spiral again, they won't let us talk about our concerns when our weight spirals UPWARD out of control. My mother still insists that I'm "slender and beautiful" (the latter is subjective, but the former is just flat out untrue), and won't let me even suggest that I can't have a helping of this or that, or that maybe I could stand to lose a few pounds. I can't really blame her, on the one hand, but on the other, I and others like me will NEVER be able to simply relax around food...any more than the alcoholic can get by with casually tossing back a few drinks before dinner. Especially now, when I'm so weight-loss resistant that I managed to do a 40-day limited fast one Lent (one small meal daily, totally fewer calories than I would normally consume in a regular meal), while walking daily, and still couldn't lose an ounce, I really do have to be absolutely rigid just to keep from gaining...never mind losing.

It's maybe a little easier if you're doing a trendy program. You can get by with saying "sorry, I'm on Atkins/South Beach/whathaveyou"...that's actually good cocktail party conversation! But don't try saying "sorry, but I'm a compulsive eater and I really can't have any of that"...at best, you'll get involved in a discussion/argument about "will power" and at worst you won't ever get invited back (after all, who wants to party with the girl who sits as far as she can from the chips and leaves early before the compulsion gets too strong!).

Sorry...just had to vent about that this morning. I've been fighting this for pretty much all my adult life, and sometimes it makes me want to scream!

Redwolf

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 10:40 am

Monster wrote:I sometimes have to remind myself of the delayed effect of feeling "full" or that feeling "full" is not really a desirable state to be in!

I have a friend who, like me, constantly has to watch his weight. The thing is that he runs marathons and teaches martial arts, etc. He says he only does it all so he can eat and drink whatever he wants. One of the things he lives by is that he says he never worries about how full he feels at the table after a meal but about how full he is 30 minutes later.

I have been trying to apply this philosophy but I still tend to pig out at times. Old habits are hard to break.