I'm tired of trying to lose weight!

There's an excellent book called "Breaking Out of Food Jail" by Jean Antonello R.N. that you might want to read. I think it gives a lot of insight, and will explain why you're having a lot of these problems.
 
Sherry,
I was on the original WW plan and I can say it really doesn't matter which you go on they are almost the same. Instead eating at the low end of your points to save points they lowered the points level and gave you 35 points for the week. Exercise, use them or lose them. I'm 5'3" and weigh 172. My highest weight to date, I went to put on some shorts last week and guess what, don't fit and I refuse to buy a bigger pair! I think WW is an okay plan, but not enough food for an avid exerciser or one who is very active. They think because a person is overweight that they are sedentary, but thats not true for me, I exercise 3-5 days a week and am busy all day long, very rarely do I sit and watch TV, housework, kids, dogs, yardwork, etc. I wish they had a system for the active person who wants to lose weight and set the points at a more realistic level.

This week I exercised 5 and am doing yoga this morning, very proud of myself. Also, in the past I had better results just bumping up the intensity and exercising more than I ever have trying to follow all these diets.

Just my opinion,
Jen
 
I have been exactly where you are. I think the real key to losing weight is deciding you are worth the effort. You being the whole you, body, mind and spirit (soul). Once you decide that you are valuable and important and that you are worth taking care of, then you can find a way to lose weight that works for you. My story is in my signature and it's truly a daily journey for me with it's ups and downs. It took me almost a year to actually figure out why I was able to lose weight this time after many failed attempts. The "miracle" wasn't Volumetrics, WW, or counting calories, the miracle was learning to love myself and honor my body.

All of that said, while exercise is a very important part to losing weight and keeping it off, what you put in your mouth will have a bigger impact on losing weight than exercising. It's a package deal. Exercise makes you feel better, when you feel better you can control what you eat better. Exercise stokes the engine but if you eat too many calories you can still undo all the burn. I used to exercise 2-3 hours a day to lose. Now I exercise about 1 hour a day, sometimes more, but only if I WANT to. The eating was the part I really had to overcome and it's still a day by day issue for me. One day at a time. :) If I can do it, trust me, you can too!
 
I don't think you could have said it any better, Venus. For me, it is the eating. I am so hard on myself and that just makes losing any weight all that more difficult. Treat yourself well.
 
RE: Dr David

>...isn't the "Eat to Live" diet a vegetarian diet? I started
>following the Zone some years ago and believe I do need some
>protein as I exercise alot. Marathon running. I am not real
>sure a vegetarian diet would have enough protein for
>me?...what are your thoughts?...Carole


I don't know about the "Eat to Live" diet, but if it is vegetarian, there are many ways of getting whatever amount of protein you want: soy, quinoa (a grain) and hemp seeds are all complete proteins. Seitan (made from wheat gluten) is very high in protein. Many meat analogs ("fake" meats) are high in protein because of using isolated or concentrated soy protein. You can add a protein shake as a snack. If the diet is vegetarian and not vegan, eggs and whey are high in protein.

"Some" protein is quite different from the 30% protein the Zone recommends. The ADA recommends 15-20% protein. Whatever you choose, you can meet your needs through a vegetarian diet. As a marathon runner, I would think you would be more concerned with getting enough good carbohydrates, as they are the fuel your body will use most.
 
Related to the book you recommend, there is also another excelletnt book (per my wife, as I must admit I've been too busy reading medical books recently to make time to read it) called: The Pleasure Trap by Goldhammer and Lisle, a chiropractor and a PhD psychologist. This book goes into the biological cravings that we all have from having physical bodies that developed during the process of evolution. For example, our bodies tend to really get turned on by high fat foods and meat, probably because during our caveman days we didn't get fed well very often, so the drive to overeat was helpful, and a survival advantage then, as it would help us get through the next famine.
Obviously most of us don't need to worry about the next famine in current day America, but rather about "Digging our Graves with Knives and Forks" as Dr. Fuhrman puts it, due to the overabundance of food availability we have now.
But I'd still read Eat To Live first, then this one if you want a broader understanding of the motivation behind overeating after you first learn about what's good, and not, for your body!
Love,
 
RE: Dr David

Actually, the Protein Myth is one of the biggest LIES that modern business has put over on the American people. And, it was compounded some 30 years ago by the vegetarian book by Francis Moore Lappe: Diet For A Small Planet. In that book she incorrectly stated that if you ate a vegetarian diet you needed to eat both beans and grains ate the same meal, or at least within the same day to get "balanced protein", meaning all 8 of the 8 essential amino acids. Everyone since then up until recently, has acted as if that were a proven scientific statement, and I myself believed it until recently. A lecture with presentation I've seen presented by Dr. John McDougall, which included slides showing the exact amounts and percentages of the 8 essential amino acids found in multiple different foods (like corn, potato, beans etc) showed that on full, accurate analysis it has been shown that almost ANY vegetable will give you complete protein without having to combine it with other beans or grains etc.
But back to the bigger question: Yes, a vegetarian diet will have enough protein not only for you as a marathon runner, but for anyone. For example, I haven't mentioned it before, but Dr Fuhrman has been eating a diet very similar to the one he has described as being the best one for all humans, (as scientifically proven over the last 30 yrs in thousands of peer reviewed medical journal articles), himself for that amount of time. And, he used to be a WORLD CLASS PAIRS FIGURE SKATER ! ! Which obviously takes a Hugh amount of energy and endurance, not to mention the hours and hours of daily training to get to World class level. I believe to get to World class level in any athletic sport takes more energy then training for and being a marathon runner (unless, of course, you are a World ranked marathon runner.) Also, please, I mean no offense by this statement, I admire you for your dedication, but my understanding from friends who are marathoners, is that they don't do anywhere near the 6 to 8 hours Per Day of intense training that high level figure skaters do.
He and his sister were ranked in Pairs Figure Skating, Third in the World !
Now, to the broader protein question, think about it, what are the strongest animals on Earth? What are our "heroes" in the animal kingdom that we look up to for their strength?
Think about the phrases: "strong as an Ox", or similar ones about horses, rhinos, gorillas, and the strongest animal of all that walks the Earth: The Elephant. All of these are vegetarians, so they have to get their protein from vegetables, fruits, grains or leafy green vegetables !
As to "isn't it a vegetarian diet?", well, sort of. Dr. Fuhrman is obviously a very smart guy, and he states in his book that to follow the research and eat "exactly" as you should for optimum health is just not going to happen for most people, so he offers ideas related to many levels. For example, he has plans and recipes in the back of the book for people who just don't want to give up meat, that include meat to some degree, and that is just his first step down from the perfect diet. He also states that if you feel you can't take the major change in diet that is involved, even if you follow his diet only 50% of the way, you will still probably be 5 times healthier than you would if you just went on eating the usual processed unhealthy diet that most Americans eat.
 
Wow -- I'm impressed. "A-Jock" wrote sound "get real" advice, and I think it might have been "Venus" who said to love your SELF! I visit this board occasionally b/c I teach aerobics -- I love to feel strong, especially through physicaly activity involving music!

I didn't read every message, but take note that this is a popular thread. Women, especially, are bombarded with diet fads and ridiculous advertising. And, guess what? That's spilling over to not only our teenagers but also our *kids*. So, save yourself before you continue on that neverending, deadening rollercoaster.

I'm in the process of recovering from emotional eating and compulsive exercising. And, yes, it's an eating disorder, and yes, at least 80% of American women have some sort of disordered eating. The whole "what diet should I be on?? South Beach? Atkins? WW???" thinking is old. It's not real. It's harmful.

Listen to your body. But, most importantly, listen to all your inner cues. Maybe you need to give yourself some more pleasures besides thinking about being "thinner." Thinner ain't gonna make ya happy! I can promise you that. Been there, done that.

Here are some books to read that have helped me. And, I'm not just sending this message to the poster of this thread but to everyone:

*ANYTHING by Geneen Roth (she's just started contributing to Prevention magazine, so if you've got one lying around, check her out! She's honest and real. And, she gives you the lowdown on dieting reality.)

*When Women Stop Hating Their Bodies by Jane Hirschmann and Carol Munter

*Father Hunger by Margo Maine

That just mentions a few. I've also been to therapy after leaving an exhausting environment of outlandish ideals of thinness at an aerobics studio during college. What I've realized that I AM ALREADY GOOD ENOUGH -- at my "ideal" weight or 20 pounds heavier. I AM ALREADY GOOD ENOUGH in my entry level job not knowing what's gonna happen next. I AM ALREADY GOOD ENOUGH to have big ideas and dreams and wishes even though I'm not sure exactly what path life will take me. I AM ALREADY GOOD ENOUGH to love the me in this moment right now.

I'll try to visit this post after people have had a chance to read through....I hope others can come to terms with body hatred. Love yourself -- take that power walk when you need to release stress or you want some fresh sunshine. Lift weights when you want to jolt your body to some warmness! Shut your eyes when your exhausted. Ask for that raise already!

Wow -- I didn't realize I was going to write so much. Check out some more of my thoughts:

http://pages.ivillage.com/brookefinnigan2001/id39.html
http://pages.ivillage.com/brookefinnigan2001/id34.html
 
RE: Dr David

Thank you so much for your time! No offense taken at all. Even during marathon training I am quite sure I couldn't come close to the level of training of a World Class Figure Skater. Why I asked was because when I did start the Zone (nothing at all like Atkins) I got more muscle defintion and was a faster runner at 40 then I had ever been. I didn't even change my weight and cardio routine at all. I contributed that to a bit more lean protein which for me is mostly chicken, turkey, fish, lowfat cottage cheese and nonfat plain yogurt. I eat alot of vegetables and fruits just not much bread, pasta or potatoes. I had been feeling like my body needed a change because lately it has been hard to stick to the Zone for me. I started reading this thread and got interested in Dr Fuhrmans book because of all you have said. I will also add my Pastor has been telling me to go vegetarian for the last 6 years and he is a triathlete! So, thanks again Dr.David for your reply, and I'll be getting Dr Fuhrmans book...:)...Carole
 
RE: Dr David

Interesting that you mention the Zone, as I believe Dr. Fuhrman talks about how Dr. McDougall once debated on live TV with Dr. Sears, the creator of the Zone Diet. Dr. Sears was claiming that he had been on his own diet for (I forget how many) yrs, and Dr. McDougall demonstrated based on that, and Dr. Sears other statement about how much he ate in grams of carbohydrates per day (and the fact that his diet requires an exact ratio of carb to protein to fat) that Dr. Sears HAD TO BE LYING. The reason was that if he ate the amount he claimed, over the number of years he said, that he would have lost over 400 lbs, and he would have ceased to exist some yrs ago!
The problem with most of the diets on the market is they are written by Dr.'s who Speculate over what should be good for weight loss, or should be true based on what they want to believe, but are not based on SCIENCE. That's what's different about the Eat To Live book, it shows what is known to be TRUE, and he has multiple footnotes to the original sources if you want to check out what he said, instead of just taking his word for it. (I checked out some of them to make sure I wasn't being taken in, and found they were true.) (The reason I didn't check out all of them is that he has over a thousand scientific references in his book, and it would take yrs to check them all, but you can pick any that are particularly interesting (or dubious) to you, and check out those individual ones to see that they are true.)
But to get to the point of why I wanted to reply to your message, see what I said in more detail in my other post (the second one, this being the third) in this topic line. Namely, there is no need for extra protein shakes etc. See also Dr. Fuhrman's book where he has a table laying out his diet next to Dr. Atkins diet and you'll see that you get a lot more protein with Atkins, but you get more than you need in Dr. Fuhrman's diet even for massive muscle growth. What happens with the Atkins diet is you get so much extra protein that your body can't possibly use it, so what it has to do is break it down into carbohydrates and ammonia, which your body then has to over-work its liver to convert all the poisonous ammonia into urea so you can urinate it out. So basically, you're throwing away all the extra protein and endangering your liver and kidneys for no reason.
Another interesting fact that Dr. Fuhrman brings out in his book is that if you measure and compare foods calorie to calorie, (which is the way you're supposed to do it anyway) you find that Romaine lettuce actually has more protein than Sirloin steak! Sirloin steak per calorie (not per ounce remember) is only 22% protein, whereas Romaine lettuce per calorie is actually 50% protein! So, when you get protein from lettuce you get healthier for several reasons. 1. There is no saturated fat in lettuce, 2. There is almost 0% total fat in lettuce compared with almost 70% fat in Sirloin (even if it "looks" lean), 3. lettuce protein comes packaged with phytonutrients and vitamins that don't exist in steak, 4. studies have shown that one of the most significant factors in increasing longevity in humans is eating lots of salads (green leafy vegetables), 5. phytonutrients found in lettuce (and even more concentrated in things like kale, spinach, brussel sprouts etc) have been shown to increase the cell's resistance to breakdown that leads to cancer, whereas animal protein such as steak has been shown in multiple population studies and comparative diet studies in human populations to cause cancer, not cure it, 6. high concentrations of phytonutrients, as are found in green leafy vegetables Satiate your brains hunger centers, and give you a feeling of being full, and finally, 7. Large amounts of fiber as are found in lettuce etc. give your stomach a full feeling that also signals your brain that you are full, thus decreasing your tendency to overeat and gain unwanted fat; not to mention that higher fiber diets are proven to reduce colon cancer.
I'm getting tire of typing at this point, and haven't even started on how good fruits are for you. But I will say that Dr. Fuhrman recommends that everyone eat a MINIMUM of Four fruits per day. Signing off for now,
Love,
 
RE: Dr David

I just want to say "thanks" again. You have made some very strong valid points, and typed ALOT! I know you have helped many of us...:)...Carole
 
To UNLVCrjChick

Your comments about my "whining" are uncalled for. Further, I do not need to have my head examined, nor do I have an eating disorder. Perhaps if you knew my history you would not have been so harsh. I've been significantly overweight in the past to the point where climbing stairs was a daunting task. I've come a long way and if I want feedback on nutrition to lose the last 10 pounds after a 2-year plateau, then I am certainly going to ask for it on this board.
 
RE: To UNLVCrjChick

I would just like to thank all of you for your posts. They are very motivating and helpful. This site is wonderful and I'll be a member until I can no longer type.
 
Dr. David -- I don't know if you're still out there, but I just wanted to tell you that your posts on Eat To Live motivated me to try eating that way again. And after plateau-ing on my weight for several months (except for the quick weight loss when I stopped breastfeeding, which I doubt counts :) ) I've already lost 6 pounds in a little over 2 weeks with some flub-ups for a few days on Memorial Day weekend, I pinpointed the flub-ups to bread -- up to that point, I'd been using whole grains and starchy carbs for that slot and one day I made some all wheat bread and found that I kept wanting more and more. It brought back all sorts of cravings that I wasn't having prior to that. So once I got myself back together, I decided to just keep bread out altogether until these initial 6 weeks are up.

I've noticed other amazing health benefits after about a week on ETL that went away as soon as I messed up on those days (never caved to sugar or dairy, but did on the white flour :-( ). So I'm excited to see if I get back those health benefits after a few more days of doing well.

I'll probably be back at the end of the 6 weeks to give you my grand total, but I just wanted to thank you for now for getting me going with this.
 
Hi ya'll
Your thread caught my attention because I was in this exact same place almost 2 months ago before I lost 12 lbs. The success has to go to the Dr.Phil book, The Ultimes Weight Loss Solution, 7 keys to successfull weight loss. I know Dr. Phil, but he has hit it right on the head. You know he counselled overweight people before he got his own show, that is how Oprah met him. If you read the book and apply the keys to your daily life you will lose weight. Guaranteed. He has an 85% success rate, other programs have 5%. If you can get over the inital shock of Dr.Phil, because I don't care for his show either, it is a great read and it works. Just thought I would add my two cents in what is working for me, I also have done it all.
:)

Patricia
 
RE: Diabetes Cure?!!

Dr. David...I am very curious about a comment you made in one of your posts on this thread. You said that Dr. Furhman's eating plan is a CURE for diabetes...that is a pretty strong statement.

"I am "pushing" the Eat To Live" diet only because I really believe in it, and am recommending it to almost every diabetic I meet, as it cures diabetes as well as optimizing the molecular health of every cell in your body"

Is there fact-based research to back up that claim? I am surprised that if there is truth to this, that Mr. Fuhrman hasn't been on every talk show and covers of medical journals proclaiming this miracle diet. And also curious that if you do believe this to be a cure, why you are only recommending it to 'almost every diabetic you meet'? Why not all?

Diabetes is a very serious incureable disease and millions of dollars are spent annually trying to find a cure. You know there is a difference between a cure for a disease and preventing disease, right?
 
RE: Diabetes Cure?!!

I'd also like to see some factual evidence posted here to suppport the rather nasty allegations you've (Dr. David) made against Dr. Atkins, his wife and her reasons for not conducting an autopsy and the Atkins Foundation as well.

"Supposedly Atkins died from a fall, but his wife refused to let a full autopsy be done, not only because she didn't want to have it in writing that his coronary (heart) arteries were clogged up, but also because it could have been found that although he died from falling and hitting his head, it's also possible that the reason he fell down was because he had a heart attack!!!"

Do you have evidence to support any of the above comment or is this just opinion? All evidence I've read to date has been quite clear in that Dr. Atkins did hit his head during a fall due to ICE, not a heart attack. Are you a personal friend of the Atkins family? If not, how did you manage to uncover documentation that his wife would not allow a full autopsy for the reasons you posted above?

I'm not a proponent of the Atkins plan but I'm also not happy w/those who perpetuate falsehoods. Its obvious to me that you have something to promote and while perhaps promotion isn't frowned upon on Cathe's site, I don't think one should promote at the expense of spewing lies about a competiting product or service.
 
RE: To Cruncholi

First of all, my comments were NOT directed at you specifically. They were directed at anyone who feels they are hopeless and they must lose the fat because they are at their wit's end, and yet they are NOT fat whatsoever.

I phrased my post in the manner that I did because I recognize that a lot of people who go on about losing fat are in line for an eating disorder. True, they may not have one NOW, but chances are if they don't put their weight in the proper perspective, then they will grow to hate themselves eventually: self-hate leads to an eating disorder.

When I was 135, I would often say to people, "I need to lose these last 10...I can't stand it, no matter what I do I can't lose." Over time, I did grow to hate my body, despite my weight-loss achievement, and this lead to my developing binge-eating disorder.

I have been overweight 95 percent of my life, with only 1 year of actually being thin (I'm only 23-years-old). So, I definitely know what it's like to not be able to climb a flight of stairs without kneeling over and wanting to die from not being able to breathe.

I'm sorry if you considered my comments to be harsh and, moreover, directed at you in particular. This was not my intention. I was just voicing concern over those people who feel like they are a failure for not being able to lose the last 10 pounds. What I wouldn't GIVE to only have 10 lbs to lose. Furthermore, when people complain about their weight, even though they're thin, it just makes the truly overweight feel even worse about themselves (myself, most definitely, included). Remember back to what it's like to be significantly overweight, and then you might be able to see why you think I came off as "harsh" to those who don't have a real weight problem.

Sherry
 

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