Talk Me Down From the Cliff

BelovedHeather

BelovedHeather

Cathlete
I need encouragement or a kick in the butt. I am not sure which. I am so frustrated with my body and do not know whether to cry or scream! Most of y’all know that I have been battling my weight for a lifetime and fighting hard for over 4½ years. The goal of getting below 200 pounds in 2007 eluded me. I got close but kept gaining and losing the same 20 pounds. I was determined that this year would be different. I had a good game plan and great workouts in my arsenal and a personal trainer and the support of my Biggest Loser team at church. I have been keeping a daily journal. As much as I hate logging, I started planning menus a week in advance and saving them in case I got stuck. I lost 4 pounds the first week of this year and consistently lost 2 pounds a week for the next 4 weeks for a total of 12 pounds in January. Slow and steady! I was pleased with that. Then stress hit at work, and I got stuck in the mud. My weight did not budge for 3 weeks. I resisted junk food too! I have not even tasted a drop of sweet tea since I started the 12-week challenge on New Year’s Eve. Even my weekly planned treats have been something relatively nutritious like Amy’s organic burritos or whole wheat pot pies. Processed and not clean but no junk ingredients like HFCS. (And, yes, I am willing to sacrifice these treats for the sake of a greater goal.)

My waist and hips were getting smaller. I was lifting heavier too, so my scale weight is the only thing that was stuck. I did not cry over that. I did not drink enough water or my cranberry lemon cocktail last week. My fingers were puffy and my rings were tight. I knew I was retaining water. Maintenance was good in that case, and I was pressing on with my workouts even though I was not sleeping well at night and battling fatigue during the day.

My trainer encouraged me to increase my calories from 1,400 to 1,800 to fuel my Cathe workouts (4-Day Split plus 2 cardio workouts plus Stretch Max on my rest day). I am not a calorie counter by nature and did not realize that my intake was that low. I took her advice and still maintained. The game plan for this weekend was to intentionally relax my eating for a few days (without returning to junk or getting out of control) then return to around 1,800 calories Monday morning to hopefully jumpstart my weight loss again. As much as I hate planning and dealing with numbers, I am willing to do what it takes at this point in the journey. I have been watching my weight like a hawk this weekend and holding steady. It was all good. Then I ate a protein bar with soy in it this afternoon and swelled up like a water balloon. (I can handle soy oil and soy lecithin but not soy protein and did not carefully read the label.) Within an hour, my jeans that were big in the waist were suddenly choking me. I stepped on the scale and just about passed out when I saw that I gained 12 pounds in an hour! :eek: (*insert string of not Sunday school words here!*) Yes, it is water weight, but still. Dag nabbit! My feet are killing me, and I need to get this weight off sooner rather than later. How on earth will I explain this to my Biggest Loser team Wednesday night when I weigh-in? :-(

My body does not digest meat well. I am a slow oxidizer and do better on 60 percent carbs. I also have a lot of food allergies and sensitivities. I reviewed my journal and realized that I have been eating string cheese or cottage cheese every day. I can handle dairy in moderation but not every day. That is likely why I started feeling sluggish and foggy mentally. Thus my experiment with a different source of protein this afternoon. That was not one of my better plans. Now I am back at square one where I started on New Year’s Eve. Two months of hard work down the toilet with a few bites of an icky protein bar with a bad aftertaste. x(

As part of my Biggest Loser challenge at church, we will be given access to a nutritionist in another week or so. I desperately need help with these stinking food allergies. I cannot eat seafood, mushrooms, MSG, or soy (including tofu). I would like to stay plant-based as much as possible and need to limit dairy and eggs (even though I love them). It is hard to get enough protein for heavier weight workouts with these restrictions! I can only eat so many beans and nuts! (Thanks to Kathryn, I have and love Nutiva hemp protein powder.) Can anyone recommend vegetarian cookbooks that are soy free? As soon as I get this stuff out of my system, I will be free to add dairy and eggs in moderation. It usually takes 3 weeks to get back on track after an allergic reaction like this, and 100 percent plant-based is the most effective way to detox. Yes, this has happened before with MSG. I am not returning to the doctor this time because there is nothing he can do for me at this point.

I am so frustrated. If I have to gain 12 pounds of bloat in an hour, I would at least like to know that it was over something yummy like cheesecake! Sigh. When I get to goal, even the atheists will know that there is a God in heaven because it will be a divine miracle since I cannot seem to get my act together and stay out of the pit for longer than a month. I am standing on the edge of the cliff. Help!

Blessings,
Heather B.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).
 
Hey Heather,

I first have to say that I've been reading about your struggles for awhile and I personally think you have done an amazing job while keeping a very realistic and optimistic state of mind.

Having said that, I think that worrying too much about "bloat" and the fact that your weight has stopped going down for a few weeks is going to drive even the sanest person out of their minds! Everybody's body goes through fluctuations, various ones to various degrees. I guarantee you that (barring major medical problems) if you stay genuinely consistent with great healthy eating and exercise, you will get to where you want to go. A person's weight goes up and down on a scale throughout a single day, from day-to-day, week to week. We aren't a perfect mechanical object that is going to run with 100% efficiency and lose exactly the poundage equivalent to the number of calories we burn or deprive the body of. Other things are always going on. The body is more than calorie in vs calorie out.

You said yourself that things became stressful. Stress ALONE will cause all sorts of different things to go on in the body, not to mention the psychological effects it has that in turn causes us to lose focus and get off track. I unfortunately think that these contests give a very unhealthy perspective of losing weight and getting healthy - even if they can be motivating. You have food allergies you are dealing with and you should be concentrating on feeling better and getting healthy and not the water pounds on the scale because of this competition.

My main recommendation is that you eat as many vegetables as you can manage, then fruits, then nuts and beans, and then other things. I think you can easily get by without soy (as I do) when making recipes... a lot of times, just leave it out of recipes. Vegan Planet has so many fantastic recipes, and we just don't use soy in things that ask for it if we want to use that recipe. Mostly, we just pick through and use the ones that don't use soy at all. Hopefully others will have better diet recommendations, as I don't have many cookbooks, and when left to my own devices, I'll just eat a salad every single day.

Anyway, what that all boiled down to is that you are doing a great job!!! You have more discipline and motivation than most, but if you get hung up on being perfect, always losing pounds in a linear fashion, and beating yourself up if you don't make a perfect goal with very imperfect circumstances, you might in the end not appreciate everything you are doing for yourself, everything you are going through, and you might get burnt out on trying. This is going to be a life-long journey, so you should do everything possible to turn it into a positive experience intended to make your life better; if you get too hung up on the details and agonize over them, you will hurt yourself in the end.

Good luck! I hope you feel better and definitely pat yourself on the back for everything you are accomplishing.

Sara
 
Dear Heather,

I feel for you. I do understand what you are feeling. It's horrible, I know. Try this: Zig zag your calories, from 1400 for 3 days, then on the 4th day go to 1600-1800. Then back to 1400. Keep drinking that tea you suggested throughout the day. (cranberry, dandelion root, lemon...)

5 days of cardio, in a week (20-45 minutes). On your cardio days, upon wakening (do this before you eat, this is called cardio fasting) and drink a cup or a mug of black coffee with a teaspoon of L-Glutamine powder (Fred n Meyer) about 20-30 minutes before your cardio workout. When you do your cardio, make sure you do it at 65-75% of your maximum heart rate. Then after your cardio, have a protein shake: 1/2 c. of water or silk light plain soy milk . 1/2 fruit of your choice, 1 teaspoon of equate Fiber Therapy, 2 soft capsules of flaxseed oil,(take out oil from the capsule), 1/4 cup of whey protein concentrate (at Fred n Meyer in the organic section) and another teaspoon of L-Glutamine powder. Blend and drink.

Also zig zag your eating habits and keep your fat intake close to 20%. Day 1 and 2: about 60% Protein foods. Day 3: about 60% Carb foods. Day 4: About 40% mix of protein and carb. Day 5: about 60% Carb foods. Day 6 and 7: about 60% Protein foods.

If this is confusing try it this way:
Stagger your protein and carbohydrate intake, and don't worry about percentages. Just go by the palm of your hand. For two days, consume 3-5 meals per day with a serving of protein (lean meat, chicken, tuna, tofu, etc.) about 1.5 times the size of the palm of your hand. Consume about half the palm of your hand in slow-burning carbs (brown rice, yams, whole grain bread, oatmeal, etc.) Consume this combination at each meal along with as much salad or veggies as you please.

On the third day, alternate—consume 1.5 times the size of your palm in carbs and 1/2 the size of your palm in protein. Keep your fats consistent and do not add butter or excessive oils to your foods. A little olive oil is good to use.

Repeat this cycle over the next three days. So, if you being on Monday, you would eat higher protein/lower carbs on Monday and Tuesday, higher carbs and lower protein and Wednesday, higher protein and lower carbs on Thursday and Friday, higher carbs and lower protein on Saturday, and Sunday would be a free meal day. Begin Sunday with a nice high-protein, low-carb meal to get your day started right. Then, eat in moderation some of the other foods you enjoy. This is a good day to have a “free” meal—something you have been craving during the week.

Remember: your body is "not" a machine. You do not need to be so caught up in numbers all the time. The palm-of-the-hand trick works really well when you don't need to be precise.

When you are trying to loose weight and gain muscle at the same time do cardio fasting in the morning and if there is weight lifting for that day, then do the weight lifting at night. Make sure when you lift weights, it is at least 8 hours after you have done your cardio. Those two workouts need to be that far apart or you may risk losing muscle.

I'm still learning the hows and whys here, but using this method really works for me. I've struggled for (oh) so many years as you have. If nothing else is working for you, then try this, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Take care,

Janie

The idea is to die young as late as possible

http://www.picturetrail.com/janiejoey
 
Heather,

Sending you warm, comforting hugs to help you through this situation. I know from the past how these food allergies cause you so much grief so please try and hang in there. Have you talked with a doctor about the food allergies and what, if anything you can do, take or eat, if and when you accidently consume one of the forbidden ingredients? Hopefully you'll get a chance to talk to the nutritionist soon too.

Hugs to you.

Jean
 
Heather,
I too have watched and cheered you along this past year. But gaining 12 pounds of water weight is not normal. Could there be an underlying medical reason you put water weight on so easily? That just doesn't seem right for some reason? Forgive me if I am out of line asking that, but if I ate something and gained that much water weight, to the point of pants being all of a sudden too tight it would freak me out too!:eek:
I am not very familiar with food allergies, so maybe the body can react like that.
Can you use whey protein? Jay Robb makes a yummy one called "Yams and Whey" he uses stevia to sweeten. I use Lean Dessert protein which tastes so good it feels like you are cheating!
I am currently working with a nutritionist who works with fitness models, regular folks like you and I, and best of all Monica Brant who has been a source of inspiration to me. She is a Christian and has such a healthy attitude towards life. Oh, she does physique contests on the national level and has competed for over a decade. His name is Kim Oddo, he offers a 12 week program tailored to your individual needs,and will work with you concerning allergies, etc...
The diet plan he gave me was a little too strict, so I added my own "cheat" day, and still have leaned out quite a bit in the last 4 weeks.If you are interested his web site is www.bodybyo.com
I know this can be frustrating, believe me, I am right there with ya!
:)
 
Heather,

I must say, I love how you maintain your sense of humor through anything! But I feel your frustration and am sorry for the setback. Dang allergies! You know your body well, though, and know that it's only temporary.

ITA that high-stress situations wreak havoc on the body and make losing all the more challenging. Hang in there & be good to yourself! You know we love & support ya. :)

ETA: And oh yes, you are not alone in the battle!

[font face="heather" font color=black size=+2]~Cathy[/font]

http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee296/runninteach/exercise/th_skj.gif

http://img16.glitterfy.com/53/glitterfy084824T933D37.gif
 
Heather,
Big hugs to you. I so sympathize and struggle with the fluid retention too. You are working so hard and are an inspiration to so many of us. Hope the nutritionist can help with the sensitivities.

Jeanette
 
Allergic Reaction

Thanks for all the encouragement and advice. There is nothing NORMAL about my body. LOL!

I am doing my best to maintain a sense of humor, but this is so not funny. I am itching all over with a bad asthma-like reaction this morning, and my pants are choking me. I am having a hard time breathing this morning, so no cardio for me. :-( This is looking like an unplanned recovery week. :-( I called my doctor’s office, and his nurse scheduled an appointment for me during my lunch hour. I will write more tonight.

Blessings,
Heather B.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).
 
RE: Allergic Reaction

Hi Heather - With the reactions you have to various foods, my suggestion is that you look into a raw food diet to help you detox and lose weight. It's normally vegan - although some raw foodists eat raw dairy as well.

pm me if you are interested and I can recommend some books/resources.
 
RE: Allergic Reaction

{{{{{Heather}}}}}. I don't know what I can add to what's already been said, but you know you have my prayers, and I firmly believe that you'll get through this and come out on the other side with fantastic results! Slow and steady wins the race every time. Just keep on keeping on and know that you're not alone. We're all in this thing with you! Difficulty breathing sounds very scary -- please let us know what the doc says.
 
RE: Allergic Reaction

Hi Heather! You have gotten great responses here and I don't know what else to add but just wanted to add my prayers for you. I KNOW the frustration of the SCALES! I battle them all the time. Just keep up your hard work. It WILL turn around. Let us know what the doc said....BIG HUGS!



http://www.PictureTrail.com/gid8692709


Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH (AKA "Den Mother Debbie") http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/aktion/action-smiley-066.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance, I Hope You DANCE!
 
RE: Allergic Reaction

Heather - This seriously sounds like an allergic reaction. Hope your doc can get to the bottom of it quickly.
 
{{{ hugs }}} to you Heather!

It certainly sounds like a bad allergic reaction ... I would take the lable from the protein bar to your Dr. ... I hope he can get to the bottom of it.

As far as your frustrations go ... everyone here can probably sympathize w/you .. we have all been there!! let the numbers go for now .. get your allergy taken care of ..

after that is solved ..

The dreaded scales .... I am not a big believer in the scales .. everyone's weight can fluctuate during the course of the day/night .. try not to get hung up on the "magic number" .. you are doing great .. and have served as an inspiration to so many people .. so many more than you will probably ever know!! So forget the cliff (it is just a mirage) .. you ARE strong .. and you WILL succeed .. !!

:)
 
RE: Allergic Reaction

Hey Heather:

Sara's response to you was fantastic. This is a journey you are on. Journeys have set backs. This is a set back. But you can recover from this and avoiding foods that trigger your allergic reactions, no matter how tempting they may be, is your first step. We all do it in some ways: we eat crappy foods or overindulge in alcolhol or some other stupid beahviour, make ourselves feel bad and usually repeat the experience multiple times before we are forced to accept that the first step to health and fitness is stop doing the things that cause you harm and make you feel bad. In this you are completely human, and you can never berate yourself for being human. Right? The good thing is that we learn and learning what works and what doesn't is an essential part of the journey.

I'm glad you are going to see the doctor, especially considering you have an asthma-type reaction. That needs attention. You know, a recovery week may not be a bad idea. Let yourself calm down over this situation. Think things through. Do some research on your allergies, alternative foods and approaches to eating. And, take the time to reflect back on what you have achieved so far. From all that you you have shared with us on these forums, I have to say, I am in agreement with everyone here: you have already achieved great things. And you can do more. Recovery weeks and reflection, never exclude the mental process as part of the journey, are an important part of that.

Please come back later and tell us you are OK and have the doctor's assurances. Stay strong Heather. Everyone here is rooting for you, you know that, right?

Clare :)
 
So so sorry about what has happened.

One thing that came to my mind was how about eating some veggies that are natural diuretics: cucumbers, asparagus, etc. That might possibly get it to go down a bit faster so you can at least be comfortable in your clothing and not have that "tight" feeling in your skin.

I know many times my calves will increase 2" during the day all from water weight retention and they actually hurt. I understand the frustration too.

Continue venting to us and use us to continue to support you to keep going with your challenge. You are very strong and doing very well. Don't let this set back make you quit the healthy way of life you have given yourself.
 
Food Allergy Reaction--Update

I am feeling the love tonight! Thank y’all so much for your support and encouragement! I have been dealing with food allergies for 20 years. I went on an elimination diet supervised by an allergist when I was younger in addition to blood tests. I have known to avoid seafood, mushrooms, and MSG for years. One bite of a mushroom dish has caused me to gain 15 pounds overnight. MSG does the same thing. Grilled chicken at Chick-Fil-A will puff me up overnight too. Most people do not know this, but grilled chicken and “healthy” options at restaurants are often MSG land-mines. It is really hard to avoid MSG, but I have learned. Soy is another ingredient that is in almost everything processed. I can handle soy lecithin and soy oil. Soy protein is the problem because allergic reactions are triggered by the protein in food. I could tolerate soy in moderation a few months ago. I think this shocked my body because I have not touched the stuff for 8 weeks.

I went to see my doctor today, and the bloat has not departed yet. My Tanita scale is right on target for what that is worth. He is more concerned about my breathing. If antihistamines do not get this asthma reaction under control, I have to go back tomorrow for a cortisone shot. That will cause me to swell even more, and my doctor does not want to take that step because my hands and feet and face are extremely swollen already. Please pray that God will heal my breathing tonight!

He gave me a referral to a clinical nutritionist. I have been battling food allergies for years but this reaction was alarming enough for him to tell me that we cannot risk another episode like this. The dietitian charges $130.00 an hour that is NOT covered by my health insurance. I talked to her this afternoon, and she has a lot of experience with food allergies. I have an appointment with her Friday morning and need to make the most of one meeting so I do not have to return again.

I am caught in a hormonal hurricane too. My skin is breaking out, and my chest is getting bigger every week. My sports bras are choking me. (Sorry if this is TMI for the guys.) My weight has been stuck for 3 weeks. My doctor believes there is a connection. He encouraged me to lose 50 pounds. He wants me to lose 100 pounds eventually, but 50 pounds is the immediate need. He is prescribing 90 minutes of cardio at least 4 days a week. I asked if that much cardio is really necessary, and he asked if I really want to lose this weight. He reminded me that I am up against genetics, food allergies, and hormones. My personal trainer friend (who is awesome and a different personal trainer than my Biggest Loser trainer) came to the same conclusion after working with me for years. As for weight workouts, he wants me to do total body and circuit workouts and give my best energy to cardio so my body can focus on healing instead of devoting energy to recovering from heavy weight workouts. I can return to heavy lifting after I get my allergies and hormones under control. It is time for a change after 8 consecutive weeks of the 4-Day Split. I was aiming for 90 minutes of cardio 6 days a week last year when I injured my foot. I need to be wise this year, pace myself, protect my joints, and do water workouts in the pool for a good part of my cardio time. As far as nutrition, he is a big believer in plant-based eating with a few small servings of free range meat a few times a week. He is not a protein pusher. I am likely looking at a modified version of Eat to Live or something similar. I am willing to eat a few ounces of organic free range chicken every other day if the dietitian thinks I need it.

I just sent an e-mail to a friend who is the wife of the guy who is leading our Biggest Loser challenge at church. I would like to continue participating and supporting my team, but the weekly weigh-ins are not good for me spiritually or mentally. I do much better with a monthly weigh-in, and I am starting to obsess over the numbers again. I was concerned about this before I started. I do better when I think of exercise as an act of worship and eating as something I do for God’s glory instead of a competition if that makes sense. I could have asked for a prescription fluid pill to get this weight off by Wednesday night. With a history of eating disorders (including abusing laxatives and water pills), I am not going there. I was sad and felt like I had let my team down. I did not binge. I carelessly ate a protein bar without reading the label. Food allergies are hell. Thankfully, I just received a very encouraging response from Emily. I am not alone. Many of the women who are participating in this challenge are dealing with thyroid issues, a history of eating disorders, discouragement about the scale, etc. This is a mind game, and we are planning to address these issues. The pressure is off.

It is time to relax and start enjoying the journey again. I am blessing my body with a recovery week. Reclaiming my health is my top priority. My game plan for the immediate future includes cardio, circuit training, and mostly whole plant foods for nutrition. I am hoping to shed 50 pounds by the time STS arrives, but I do not want to focus on the scale. Weighing once a month when I flip my Cathe calendar allows me to celebrate my progress without stressing and obsessing over the weekly highs and lows.

Blessings,
Heather B.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).
 
Re : "Talk me Down from the cliff"

Sounds like your well on your way down, good girl.

All I was going to say,

"GET DOWN OFF THAT CLIFF OR SO HELP ME.............. YOUNG LADY.......I WILL COME UP THERE AND GET YOU MYSELF!!! AND BELIEVE ME YOU DO NOT WANT ME CUMMIN" UP THERE!!!!!!!!"}( }( }(

Andrea
(you know you read this post with a :) )


P.S I've seen women swell up. Their bellies swell and they look 8 months pregnant! Its not a food allegery but another horrible thing and theres nothing they can do for it or about it. So in many ways you are lucky, you can at least sort out food to stay away from.
 
Hi Heather,
You've been through the wringer this week girl! I'm so glad you went to the doctor for your allergic reaction and I'm glad you're going to see the nutritionist re: food triggers for you. Can your doctor go to bat for you with your insurance company so maybe they'll consider coverage for the nutritionist? Or, can he/she recommend someone similar that your insurance plan will cover? Please keep us all posted and I'm very glad to hear your backed away from the cliff!

Jonahnah
Chocolate IS the answer, regardless of the question.
 
Heather, I'm sorry you went thru that. I can't believe a 12 pound gain in one day!!! Did your doctor say where those pounds come from? It was a good decision to go to the doctor, in case there was something else going on.

I hope your nutritionist can help you figure out a way to avoid thise triggers.

Good luck and many hugs to you.
 
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