I am doing it, you can too! My 30 lbs day

[Riven]

Today was my 30 lbs day. You're saying what? Yes... today is the morning when I weighed in and lost THIRTY POUNDS!

So you're thinking what's the gimmick, what am I selling, etc. Weight watchers, those pre-pared meals, slim fast, diet pills. None of it.

It all started several month back ( yes, I've lost over 20 lbs of this somewhere around 4-5 months time) when my gall bladder started acting up. I don't have tonsils or an appendix and I'd kind of like to keep what else I have left. Plus the stories that come with having it gone... I didn't want that. So I changed through trial and error. If it made me sick, it was bad. Pretty simple huh?!

No soda ( none, at all ), no coffee, no tea. Water and juice is okay. I rarely eat burgers, large amounts of ground beef make me sick. Anything you can cook in the microwave that you didn't prepare before that... no good. Anything severely processed ( my children's entire school menu, tv dinners, most stuff from a can ), did we mention dairy yet? no-fat everything dairy ( this is from someone who drank a glass of chocolate milk EVERY night before bed, and LOVES cheese ) I now have small amounts of cheese ( grilled cheese or cheesy corn ) occasionally, no more than once a week. Corn in general... not a good idea either. Hot dogs, brats, sausage, chips all gone. Bacon... wasn't a fan anyway so no big loss there.

So you're thinking what's left right? Sandwiches on whole grains, fruits, veggies, most soup, chicken, pastas, cereals... Once I quit eating and got past the cravings of the junk I ate, I can now feel when I'm full. I've accidentally drank soda by grabbing the wrong cup since, and it's the equivalent of chugging a bottle of syrup to me now.

I eat about every 2 hours. I eat at 8:30, 10:30, 12, 3, supper around 6, and usually fruit before bed. At least 64 oz of fluids a day, water or juice, usually water.

And the best part.. I did not exercise, just did normal chores and stuff.

The proof...

Me Spring of '08

A photo from today, which I don't even truly shows the amount of loss, but Hailey thought it was a good one.

I know a lot of people out there are trying to lose weight, you can do it. The first couple weeks is easy, because you're motivated. But it's not until at least a month before the weight starts coming off, and once your taste buds change, it's so much easier!

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

"Weigh" to go! :congrats7: I know how hard the struggle to lose can be, especially with gall bladder problems! I had mine out a year ago and have had a constant battle with the weight since then.

I fought long and hard to keep mine, for the same reasons as you, but unfortunately ended up having to have it taken out. But lucky for me, I did it because they found 12 stones in there, one being the size of a ping pong ball. but that is super awesome that you have found a way to keep yours and get a little healthier!

You go girl! keep up the good work!:cheer2:

 

[CJR]

That is awesome. Losing weight is so hard... congratulations!

 

[Pyronymph]

Woohoo!! Congratulations! It's amazing what can happen when we give our bodies the proper fuel that it needs, instead of a bunch of junk it doesn't really know how to process, isn't it?!

 

[Sesame]

Congratulations!!! I'm trying to slowly change our diet to a more healthy lifestyle. It's hard, as it's always easier to just fall back on bad eating habits (darn you college eating days).

Keep up the great success!

 

[mishellyshel]

wow.........congrats to you!!! you look fantastic.

 

[fanofdmb84]

Wow a BIG congratulations! I'm battling with it myself, but just can't seem to ditch the pre-packaged foods. Good for you for beating it and eating right!

 

[Riven]

I think that part of the problem is that society makes if very hard to eat good. Most places around here water is free if you're eating out right, but they give you a tiny 12 oz cup, usually one that no lid fits on. But for $1 you can get any size soda... You can go to any gas shop and pick up process foods, chips, or candies, but not fruit ( usually, sometimes you can ). It's cheaper to buy a $1 double cheeseburger than a salad or fruit... there are lots of ways, and sometimes it's so hard to just say no. My super weakness is home made fried chicken with tator's and gravy. Society ridicules people for being overweight, but make them that way by enabling it...

 

[caiti]

Impressive. I wish I could do that, I really do. I'm probably a good 20 lbs overweight. Not too too much, but enough that it bothers me sometimes.

I love the taste of food. I don't think I could do what you did. How do you get used to the change? I remember being about 12 or younger and having eating contests with my neighbors. I once ate a large pizza from dominos at that age. Another time I downed nine tacos in one sitting. And I used to be made fun of for being so skinny. It's catching up with me now, though. And I could never eat nine tacos today, I'd make myself sick.

Unfortunately, I'd probably have to have some sort of medical problem as well to give me any chance of following through my goal to be healthy. I'm glad you have found a way to keep your organs and be a bit healthier!!!

Do you find your energy level has changed or any other effects from your different eating habits? I'm curious.

 

[~SG~]

Congrats!!!

 

[Riven]

I no longer have troubles getting off the couch... I can get on my horse without a step stool... and my energy level is much better as well as my over all happiness level ( probably partially due to being more active).

Even if you don't think you can give up food, try a few things that I do...

Never eat a full meal, TRY to leave half of it on your plate, or just dish up half as much. When you eat your first portion ( the smaller portion) get up and doing something, go to the bathroom, let the dog out, pick up some dishes from cooking, etc. right away. If you're still hungry after that, have a little more. Usually you're not.

Visualize everything you ate being in your stomach. The human stomach is normally about the size of your fist. Imagine it that size, then imagine the food you just put in it, you'll feel fuller faster when you do, lol.

A lot of stuff I used to love is now a specialty treat, like 2% milk with chocolate in it... I have only had twice in the last four months, I used to have a glass every night.

Eat often, not a lot. Take your breakfast, cut it in half, eat half at 8, half at 10... snack at 3. At first you'll feel not hungry. I snack at those times even if I'm not hungry, because then I'm not STARVING later.

Eating health is hard, especially if you're busy and going places a lot, carry snacks with you, like a granola bar, small bag of animal crackers, saltine crackers, a piece of fruit.

DO NOT try to cut out all the things you love, no matter how "bad" they are. Look for healthier ways to cook them, and reduce how often you eat them, but life's not about wishing you could eat something! It takes a while for your tastes to change, but after about four weeks the cravings go away ( they get really bad around week three!) and then after that you can intro little bits. Some people write down everything the eat, but that doesn't work for me because then I eat less, and really you just need to eat more often in smaller amounts usually. Starving yourself doesn't work because your body tries to store everything extra it can.

 

[Ziora]

Way to go and fabulous tips. I have been eating this way since my 20-lb. weight loss 8 years ago. Lots of little meals is the only way I can get through the day. I don't drink as much water as I should anymore, but that was what helped get the weight off. Luckily, I don't like sugar, but salt is my demon. I love Mrs. Dash, though. You are so right that it's all in the mind. I don't think of it as depriving myself, because food will always be there and I go for a few weeks sometimes to just eat what I want and after all these years, I've only gone up by 5 lbs. and take it back off when I go back to my healthy food. Eating healthy is much more expensive, though. No fruit and veggies on the dollar menu.

 

[Pyronymph]

Eating healthy isn't more expensive if you stop going to the fast food places all together (and, I think you can get apple slices on the dollar menu)! There are ridiculous calories in the salads they serve at those places anyway, they're barely healthier than a burger. Make yourself a green smoothie at home and take it along with you and sip it throughout the day! Great way to get your veggies in (you can get an amazing number of greens in a green smoothie and still have it taste good) and feel like you're treating yourself at the same time.
Bring your lunch to work with you, then you know you're eating healthy, and it saves you money. It's also easier to get variety in your diet this way (I find when I eat out I tend to always order the same thing, not great for getting the best vitamins and minerals the body needs). Take come carrots and hummus, a pita sandwich and a piece of fruit for dessert, next day make it apple sauce and a different pita filling, and some yoghurt (plain, maybe with some honey. Definitely not the fruit on the bottom kind, that stuff is no better than candy) It's real easy to eat healthy on a budget. Just keep reminding yourself that you have more money for good stuff, because you're not buying the junk anymore.

And when your body is getting what it needs, you actually don't need to eat as much.
I find that I eat far more when I use white bread, because there is no nutritional value, and therefore it doesn't fill me up. I have to eat (3) white english muffins to fill me to the point that (1) 100% whole wheat would. Sprouted grains are even better! I <3 Ezekial bread!

 

[arf2184]

Congrats!

We did our own 'biggest loser' competition at work this spring and I came in 3rd. I lost over 20lbs just by cutting out most of the processed foods and having salad for one meal a day (usually lunch), in addition to walking the dogs regularly (which I love!). I've never been a big soda, coffee, fruity drink, or snack food person...my vice is ice cream (and milkshakes). I started back up with the ice cream and I've gained back about 10 lbs...ugh! Time to quit buying it again.

I'm looking into a CSA program for next year. One problem we have at home is that we don't go grocery shopping regularly so there's not a lot of fresh produce around the house (except right after a shopping trip). We'll usually eat it if its here, but we also try to only buy about a weeks worth of produce at once because it spoils. Sometime we only make it to the store every 2-3 weeks though. With the CSA thing, we'll get an ice chest full of local produce every week. I just have to stop at the farmers market on my way to work to pick it up. They'll also send us home with more variety than we usually buy so we can try new things. Hopefully I can get a share!

 

[SusieJJ]

Congrats!

I'm looking into a CSA program for next year. One problem we have at home is that we don't go grocery shopping regularly so there's not a lot of fresh produce around the house (except right after a shopping trip). We'll usually eat it if its here, but we also try to only buy about a weeks worth of produce at once because it spoils. Sometime we only make it to the store every 2-3 weeks though. With the CSA thing, we'll get an ice chest full of local produce every week. I just have to stop at the farmers market on my way to work to pick it up. They'll also send us home with more variety than we usually buy so we can try new things. Hopefully I can get a share!

We have the same problem! If I don't go to the foodstore once a week, I don't get my fresh fruits and veggies! I looked at a CSA too late this year Start looking in like January!! They're expensive, but I really think that you'll save money cause you won't be throwing tons of veggies away cause they went bad!! And it'll force you to eat them I'm going to try to sign up for next year! My friends shared one this year, and they had almost too many veggies, but it forced them to eat more of them than they usually would! I'd love to find one where you can offset some of the cost by actually working the farms. That's my goal!

 

[JennyBug]

I am TERRIBLE at eating right! I will always get started off right, but then I just can't seem to stick to it. I've gained a ridiculous amount of weight in the past five years, and I need to drop about 40 pounds. I love exercising, but it seems like every time I get into an exercise program, I get sick for about a week and have to give it up until I get well again.

My big thing is soda. I don't go through caffeine withdrawl anymore when I don't drink it, but when I have a head cold, soda is all I want! I only drink skim milk, but I love, check that, LOVE cheese. I'm not a huge salad person either, so that doesn't help.

I picked up my awful habits in high school. I remember weight 105 pounds and eating reese's cups for breakfast while drinking root beer. Needless to say, when I hit twenty, that particular diet did not work with my changing body chemistry.

I'm so happy for your weight loss, and it's awesome that you found a diet that works for you! I think I'm going to take some inspiration from you and focus more on eating small and well. I'll just have to bite the bullet and try foods that I haven't previously enjoyed.

GOOD for you!!!