Exercise, Losing Weight, BrightLine Eating

lisab99

lisab99

Cathlete
Hi Cathe and forum members. I have been reading about Bright Line Eating - and although I think the concept is good, the author says that research shows that exercise and losing weight are not compatible. Her program advocates ZERO exercise because she says it drains will power - and changes to eating habits take all the will power. I am a firm believer that exercise should not be used to lose weight. A change in nutrition is 100% required - exercising can never make up for a bad diet. But I am also not sure I agree with ZERO exercise. I thought you might have more insight on this matter. I am in my early 50s - and there is no way I will stop lifting weights for any period of time. Just curious about your thoughts on this research. Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.
 
Hi! I did Bright Line Eating the way it said for 3 weeks! And No Exercise! Guess how much weight I lost! 4 pounds! And I was at the time! 5’8” and 230 lbs! I lost 2.5 pounds the first week and then 1 pound and then .5 pounds! After the 3 weeks with no exercise, I felt so depressed! I didn’t feel like myself! Also, in Brightline Eating, you have to do a morning mediation and then in the evening you write in a journal and then you write what you are going to eat the next day! I found it was to many things to do! Exercise was never the bad guy for me! It actually made me feel good! These other new things mediating, writing every night was to much structure! It seemed to me, this author, wanting to put you on this brightline eating life! And then everything center on the author idea of how you can lose weight. It was either her way or no way! And what I learned if someone tells you it is all way or no way, run! This sounds what a cult leader does! And it will cost you too! It starts with the book, then it goes to the website, and then you have to pay for those mods and videos she makes you watch. People save your money! From what I learned from being obese to normal size and gaining, is weight loss is a tricky animal! If you really want to lose weight. Write on a piece of paper all of the food that you love to eat. The reason why I say love because people that are big, like me, food is use an addiction. People of normal weight don’t have that many food issues because if they did they would be big! If you can look at the list of the food that you love to eat (and the food are not fruit and veggies) and you can honestly say to your say you can cut down and eventually not eat again, then you are on your way to lose weight! Then after that you need to weigh your food and count calories! Eating like 1800 calories a day! Or something like that! I have found that when you have a calorie deficit you do lose weight! For example, the people on Naked and Afraid, they lose weight because they don’t each much in a day (calorie deficit). People say that you gain weight with a calorie deficit and that is not true. You gain weight is when at the end of the day you ate you 1800 calories and your mind lies to you a says I want more! That is when you gain weight! This is what I have learned! As adults, you can do whatever you want. And I could be completely wrong! Maybe standing in your head for five minutes and drinking green tea works for you! Also, you should eat a balance diet. They say people do good on low carb high fat diet! I am not one of those people! I need a fat, protein and yes a carb! But, if you do well on a low carb high fat diet, God Bless! But, what the common theme I noticed from
people losing weight is that they have a calorie deficit, even if it is a low carb high fat diet!

BrightlineEating was the only diet plan that was I lost the least amount of weight on. I did WW and I lost 10 pounds in the first week and I did exercise!

I do not recommend WW! I have done it and it is too complicated and makes no sense! Before in the past it was a really good plan, but now it is the worse plan out there with Brightlineeating!

Like I said if you really want to lose weight know it is a commitment for life! Also, your problems will not go away when you get to your goal weight. What happens you get more problems because there are jealous people (family members, friends and even spouses). Your body changes and you will not have the extra cushion, so you will have to get pads for your beds, etc. The clothes that fit you in the plus size section and now you shop in the normal section maybe different. Nobody told me that! People think when you get to your goal weight your health is better! Yes it is! But, mentally your situation changes cause your body changes! But, you can get through it! If you are committed!

If I were you trash or even burn that BrightlineEating book! I do agree eating processed foods like sugar and wheat is not good for you! But, don’t we all know that! Did anyone go to McDonalds and say “This Big Mac looks healthy! If I eat this Big Mac, it will make my heart healthy!” No! I gave up the wheat and the sugar for 3 weeks and then I couldn’t live myself! I got in my car, went to the store and binged on all the cake and cookies I could eat! Healthy eating plans doesn’t make a person do that!

As for exercise, if you are new or haven’t exercise in a long time, I would incorporate that in your healthy eating plan. I found that walking helps with hunger and makes me awake! But, don’t over do it! Lido 15 mins or may 10 mins to start!

As for the Catheletes out there, and I was one of them. I would do a cardio like Imax2 and after that I crave something sugary! My suggestion is to eat a snack with protein and carb before or after your workout! Like a little cheese and a banana! Or almonds and apple. That should help with the craving!

You know what is interesting, there was an article in Women’s World about Brightlineeating and the lady did the plan and I think like 3 months into it, so added exercise! The lady in article said the excerise did help along with healthy eating plan!

When people are changing their health there are many factors. Each person is different, but to a person calling herself an expert saying no to one part of that equation is criminal. My opinion, first look at the food and concentrate on that first part of the equation because exercise didn’t get you to gain weight (even though she claims that in her book). Once you worked on your eating habits, then my advice you could start an exercise routine. But, if you were working on your eating plan and you felt you wanted to do a 30 step dvd. I don’t think you will go in healthy eating hell for that! It is how your body feels!
No big person said, doing 45 minutes of Step cause me to gain 50 pounds! They would say he or she ate fast food 2 times a day and drank soda that is why they got big!

Hope this has helped! If you know what to do on your own! Do it! Don’t let me or this BrightLineEating book tell you what your body needs to lose weight!
Jen Den
 
Jen Den said "No big person said, doing 45 minutes of Step cause me to gain 50 pounds! They would say he or she ate fast food 2 times a day and drank soda that is why they got big!"

I love this. Very true. For me it was drinking about 1 litre of soft drink a day, eating fast food, lots of chocolate, etc, that made me overweight and gave me diabetes. Eating a proper diet, cutting out all the excessive sugar, carbs and processed foods, and exercising is what caused me to lose weight and return my blood sugar levels back to normal, with no medication. I wouldn't say my diet is low carb, I still eat some carbs and have the occasional treat but I am conscious of my carb intake now.

The main trick to eating healthy is to wean yourself off excessive amounts of sugar. You need to get yourself off the sugar/insulin roller coaster; you know the one where you eat sugar, you feel good, insulin soaks up the sugar, your blood sugar drops, you feel bad so you eat more sugar and feel good again. This is a lot harder than it sounds. Sugar is addictive and your body will crave it. It is like weaning yourself off a drug. You need to do it slowly, in stages. It took me a good 3 or 4 months. But then I found all the healthy foods tasted better and it was easier to maintain a healthy diet.

Also don't feel bad about struggling with your diet. When you start to look at ingredients in food and see just how many foods contain hidden sugars and added sugar you will start to understand why it is so easy to become addicted to sugar, eat badly and become overweight.
 
Dear Hazlady! You are so right! You summed this up, way better then I could! You actually said what I wanted to say! Thank You for writing this!
Also, thank you for quoting me! Nobody ever has!

Here is your quote, “The main trick to eating healthy is to wean yourself off excessive amounts of sugar.”
This is so true!

“You need to get yourself off the sugar/insulin roller coaster; you know the one where you eat sugar, you feel good, insulin soaks up the sugar, your blood sugar drops, you feel bad so you eat more sugar and feel good again. This is a lot harder than it sounds. Sugar is addictive and your body will crave it. It is like weaning yourself off a drug. You need to do it slowly, in stages.” This is where I am at in my life! I use sugar as my drug of choice. I know in my heart I have to stop it.

You have given me hope!
Hazlady “It took me a good 3 or 4 months. But then I found all the healthy foods tasted better and it was easier to maintain a healthy diet.”

I know in the past when I got off the sugar roller caster, food starts to taste better, but it does take time! And I lose weight too!

Thank you Hazlady for writing!

By the way! I have found for myself exercise does help my sugar levels. If it wasn’t for Cathe and her step and other exercises I would have type 2 diabetes by now! But, it doesn’t give you the excuse and right to eat a dozen doughnuts and do Imax2 thinking your body will be find because you won’t. You will still have this addiction. Exercise is important, no matter what! And sweat is too, but balance with resistance training and stetching and balance training!

You wouldn’t put sugar water in you car for fuel, you would put prime unleaded.
That is the way you need to think about fueling your body. If you put junk fuel the engine won’t work right!
Jen Den
 
Eat what your body needs, not what your mind wants. Learn to listen to your body. I find a "lower" carb diet (no sugar, because my body buzzes) with high protein does work for me. I eat smart carbs, not refined foods. I don't enjoy meat, so I have to keep up the proteins in other ways. I will not give up exercising because my body needs to move. I live in my whole body, not just my mind. I see a red light when I hear "don't exercise." Exercise isn't my way to control weight. Exercising is my way to have a healthy mind, a better mood, and a body that is there for me (fell the other day, no damage!) that lets me walk in the sunlight and hike in the mountains, and swim in the ocean, and so many activities that I love. It's so much more than weight control.
 
Thanks Jen Den. And what you said about still having the addiction is so true.

Exercising regularly has helped too as I have more energy and am more likely to seek out healthier foods when I'm not so tired. Where I live I have about 15 different fast food outlets within a 2 mile radius, so it made it really easy when I was tired and didn't feel like cooking to access unhealthy food. And obviously with carrying the extra weight around I was tired a lot. Now I am more likely to cook my meals.

For me a lot of my bad eating was habit based and convenience. A lot of progress I made was by finding sugar free/low carb substitutions. Low carb protein bars instead of candy bars, herbal tea instead of soft drink, frozen steamed veggies that can be cooked in a couple of minutes in the microwave, instead of starchy foods like potato and rice.

While my blood sugars are good now I will always have diabetes. Even though I am exercising regularly now, if I go back to eating the way I was I will have high blood sugar again.
HazLady
 
vivbc said:
Eat what your body needs, not what your mind wants. Learn to listen to your body. I find a "lower" carb diet (no sugar, because my body buzzes) with high protein does work for me. I eat smart carbs, not refined foods. I don't enjoy meat, so I have to keep up the proteins in other ways. I will not give up exercising because my body needs to move. I live in my whole body, not just my mind. I see a red light when I hear "don't exercise." Exercise isn't my way to control weight. Exercising is my way to have a healthy mind, a better mood, and a body that is there for me (fell the other day, no damage!) that lets me walk in the sunlight and hike in the mountains, and swim in the ocean, and so many activities that I love. It's so much more than weight control.
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Totally agree with you! I watched a documentary about people trying to lose weight and what it came down to is what you said! By emphasizing controlling weight by exercise doesn’t work. Controlling weight by food does! But, exercise does everything else that food doesn’t. “Healthy mind, a better mood, and a body that is there for me (fell the other day, no damage!) that lets me walk in the sunlight and hike in the mountains, and swim in the ocean, and so many activities that I love. It's so much more than weight control.”
Thank You for your comment! Vivbc
 
What I find about Food Addiction is they make it in terms with Alcoholic Addiction. I have listen to the Food Addiction meetings on the phone and what I got from it was they put guilt and shame that by me eating a box of doughnuts that I was neglecting myself and my family. And by eating the box of doughnuts was causing financial ruin for my family. And I was a shellfish person because of those doughnuts. I was like what? I give so much to my family! I never ran over a kid while I ate doughnuts. Don’t get me wrong there are people at there that cause stress and harm by their eating, but most of the time they put their family first and themselves last.

I could never understand how food addiction be like alcoholism because it is so different. The alcoholic only care about himself. While the food addict care about others. The reason why the food addict eats because it is cheap and it is a relief.

JennDen
 
Hi all - thanks for the replies. I have personally experienced a slow down in weightloss when I started HIIT workouts regularly. Long story - but for a couple of months, I could only walk after some surgery. I was watching what I ate and lost a lot of weight. When I was able to start back up with intense workouts - I no longer lost weight even with the same diet.

I am hoping Cathe might pop in to offer some perspective. And TRULY APPRECIATE all of the wonderful feedback I received from all of you. THANKS!!!
 
Dear Lisab99,

I am not an expert, but why not stop the Hiit workouts that you been doing and see if you lose weight.

There isn’t a Exercise Police out there, that will breakdown your door and arrest you for not doing exercise. Or if you feel you need to try doing a Hiit work twice a week or once a week. Maybe you are doing to much. Cause it sounds like you had surgery. Instead of doing Hiit, try easing your body into it. Maybe do yoga or Pilates. Or go for a nice easy walk. It’s okay! Remember you had surgery! It is okay to take it easy! Your body was going through a lot and still is.

You will get to your old self in on time. Maybe, you need a little more rest and it okay!
Hope that has help!

Jen Den
 
Hi Lisab99,

You said you experienced a slow down in weight loss when you started doing regular HIIT workouts. This could be due to the HIIT workouts increasing your cortisol levels. How often do you do HIIT training and how long are the training sessions? You may need to reduce the frequency and/or the length of the workouts.

The high intensity training stresses your body far more than steady state exercises such as walking. When the body is under stress it increases cortisol production which causes the body to shift to a fat storage metabolism and increases appetite. The shift to fat storage could be why you are not losing weight even though your diet hasn't changed.

The cortisol increase is meant to be temporary but if you have other stressors, are lacking sleep, or are doing HIIT workouts too frequently this may be causing your cortisol levels to stay elevated. While HIIT training is effective and a good way to get a workout in when you lack time you need to give yourself sufficient time to recover between workouts. Also you could try getting a good long stretch in, say 15-20 minutes, after a HIIT session to help destress the body and turn off cortisol production.

Hormones can also affect metabolism and cortisol can affect hormones, so this could be another factor involved.

Hope this helps.

Hazlady
 
Hi!

Thanks Hazlady for the explanation of cortisol in the body!

I found this on the internet. Lisab99 I know you want to workout, I know I am in this boat with you. I found this on online that might help you!

“As the name suggests, cortisol-conscious workouts aim to give you an efficient session without triggering the body’s stress response. They tend to be shorter in duration (think 30 to 40 minutes) and veer away from high impact, high-intensity training styles like HIIT. Instead, we’ve seen the rise of HILIT(high intensity, low impact interval training) in gyms around the world.

These classes still achieve the same fat-blasting, endorphin-boosting benefits of HIIT, but without all the jumping and burpee-ing. In fact, your feet never leave the ground—instead, relying on equipment like water rowers and resistance bands to burn up to 1000 calories per class. The result is a super effective workout that is kind to both your joints and stress hormone levels. You can find HILIT classes in both globo-gyms like Equinox and Crunch and boutique studios like LIT Method in LA.”

Thought this might help!

Jen Den
 
Hi! I saw a YouTube Video to help with stress is to look into magnesium. I am not a doctor or a health professional. Before, anyone does this please get more advice on this subject. And as a good rule of thumb always eat food that is rich in magnesium. I don’t recommend taking a supplement. I have read supplements are not FDA regulated and you really don’t know what you are getting. Now, if you eat let’s say a orange. We know that orange has Vitamin C in it. But, if you take a Vitamin C supplement, you don’t know what your getting even if it says 100% grade, etc.

Hope this has helped!
Jen Den
 
Any program that advocates NOT doing something that is proven to be good for us (that is exercise) sounds fishy to me. I would be very wary of something like this. What will they come up with next? You wouldn't go with a program that advocates no sleep would you? Or how about no green vegetables allowed? Everything in moderation . . .
 
snowlover said:
Any program that advocates NOT doing something that is proven to be good for us (that is exercise) sounds fishy to me. I would be very wary of something like this. What will they come up with next? You wouldn't go with a program that advocates no sleep would you? Or how about no green vegetables allowed? Everything in moderation . . .
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Agree 100%. Everything in moderation.
 
I remember now about why exercise is not recommended in BrightLineEating. According to the author research she found that doing exercise doesn’t burn that many calories. It only burns like an additional 40 calories according to the author calculations. And you feel more tired causing you to eat more calories. The author theory is you workout, do exercise, you are more likely to eat more. But, when you exercise you are not burning that many calories, like 40 calories. The author theory is you are doing more work (exercise), you are more likely to eat more, causing you to gain weight.

This is what I have experience, when I do any exercise I eat a small snack, protein, fat and carb. I find when I do that I am not so hungry like I use to be. And if I am then I eat a small snack afterwards.

You have to remember, BrightLineEating, you can only eat three meals a day. So a small snack is out, according to the author.

The only problem with the author theory is the other benefits you get with exercise. If you don’t do exercise for weight loss, but for other health reason. It makes me breath better, it makes me sleep better or it makes me stay awake during the day!


Personally, I use to exercise for weight loss, but the problem with that I would do massive cardio and no weight training! But, I changed my views on it. I do both and let my food choices roll the dice on weight loss.

Hope this helps!

I don’t mention the BrightLineEating author because I don’t agree with her and I find her advice isn’t truthful!

Jen Den
 
Hi!
I am doing WW. I know I said in the past I would never do it, but they allow the old SmartPoints Program Back, but with a twist! Still have the terrible and complicated Freestyle, which the call the blue plan. But, the the old SmartPoints program is called the Green Plan! The Green Plan, take into
account calories! But, instead of counting calories, you count points! And you can eat anything you want as long as you count it and track it! You get a set of points based on your weight, sex and age! But, the lowest is 30 points (which I calculated to 1,200 to 1,300 calories), but remember you probably weigh like 165 or below and your body can take it. And you get weekly points, so if you off your daily points you get wiggle room!

Ok weigh in! I lost 9.6 pounds! And yes, I did some exercise! When I did BrightLineEating I only lost 2 pounds! No exercise!

Also, my attitude was really good with WW.
When I was on BrightLineEating, I was isolated, and didn’t have a community. I always thought about sugar because you couldn’t have. It was terrible.

What I like about WW is they don’t restrict anything! Once you restrict something, you constantly think about it. For example, I go to the store, I am like I want some ice cream! So I go to the freeze for the little ice cream. I count the points. It says 16 points. I say to myself is it worth it? I say, no not today. And leave it. But, I could have taken out of my weekly.

Now, in BrightLineEating! I am in ice cream aisle. I look at the ice cream. My voice says, sugar can’t have it! I leave and come back. Then I think to my self this BrightLineEating is to hard I buy a half gallon of ice cream, instead of the little one. I take it home and eat it.
That is the difference.

Jen Den
 
jennifer319_2013 said:
out WW is they don’t restrict anything! Once you restrict something, you con
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jennifer319_2013 said:
Hi!
I am doing WW. I know I said in the past I would never do it, but they allow the old SmartPoints Program Back, but with a twist! Still have the terrible and complicated Freestyle, which the call the blue plan. But, the the old SmartPoints program is called the Green Plan! The Green Plan, take into
account calories! But, instead of counting calories, you count points! And you can eat anything you want as long as you count it and track it! You get a set of points based on your weight, sex and age! But, the lowest is 30 points (which I calculated to 1,200 to 1,300 calories), but remember you probably weigh like 165 or below and your body can take it. And you get weekly points, so if you off your daily points you get wiggle room!

Ok weigh in! I lost 9.6 pounds! And yes, I did some exercise! When I did BrightLineEating I only lost 2 pounds! No exercise!

Also, my attitude was really good with WW.
When I was on BrightLineEating, I was isolated, and didn’t have a community. I always thought about sugar because you couldn’t have. It was terrible.

What I like about WW is they don’t restrict anything! Once you restrict something, you constantly think about it. For example, I go to the store, I am like I want some ice cream! So I go to the freeze for the little ice cream. I count the points. It says 16 points. I say to myself is it worth it? I say, no not today. And leave it. But, I could have taken out of my weekly.

Now, in BrightLineEating! I am in ice cream aisle. I look at the ice cream. My voice says, sugar can’t have it! I leave and come back. Then I think to my self this BrightLineEating is to hard I buy a half gallon of ice cream, instead of the little one. I take it home and eat it.
That is the difference.

Jen Den
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Absolutely you should do what you find works for you. And absolutely complete denial leads no where. Great on the weight loss!!!
 
This makes me angry! Bright Line's creator basically cribbed and rebranded the Overeater's Anonymous program, minus the spiritual component. OA works (I've been, it's free, so don't pay for Bright Line :) ), and there is NOTHING in OA about the incompatibility of exercise and dieting. Just the opposite! I do think that when beginning any new program, huge, sweeping life changes don't always stick, unless implemented incrementally. Exercising is good for you and helps curb hunger, boost mood, etc. And, studies show that the number one shared trait in people who enjoy long-term successful weight loss is about an hour of exercise a day. NPR has a great Life Kit podcast on fitness and common sense weight loss. The Biology is a Bi*ch episode really explains why it's SO hard to lose weight, and withholding exercise has ZERO role.
 
Hi Bookwrmmm!

All I know the author of BrightLineEating states she was OA(Overeater Anonymous) for more than 20 years and left. She felt it never helped her.

I know a little bit about OA, and they are a free organization, but they do pass the plate for donations if you want to give any. I have listen on a few OA calls, the only thing I don’t like is I felt they make people feel guilty because they are eating themselves to death! Having a box of doughnuts is like hurting my family like a drunk that drinks and drive can kill a person. I can’t wrap my head around a person who eats a half gallon of ice cream to that of an alcoholic that doesn’t only wants their drink and neglect their family. I have found that most obese person put themselves last while an alcoholic puts himself first.

That is why I like WW. There is no shame nor guilt. You come as you are. You want to change and you do it one day at a time.

If OA has worked for you, keep doing it! I am not going to say stop! OA is great because you don’t isolate yourself! Keep working your OA plan! I am telling you my opinion of it.

Thank You,
Jen Deb
 
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