Looking for a diet that works...

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dawn2203
dawn2203 Member Posts: 119

Hi all, I am looking for a good diet to help me shed some of the weight I have put on in the last 12 months, can any of you ladies help please. Hugs

Dawn.x  

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  • car
    car Member Posts: 492
    edited December 2008

    My onc recommends Walter Willett's diet based on the Nurses and Professionals studies. He's got good credentials, working on at least one of the studies (he's at Harvard). He recommends the diet as a good anti-chronic illness diet (Willett himself says the data on the food/cancer link is equivocal), but it also includes regular physical exercise (even walking) as the bottom "tier" of the pyramid. You can get his books at Amazon for about $11. The one focusing on weight loss is Eat, Drink & Weigh Less.

    What is less equivocal is the link between exercise and cancer--some recent studies indicate that losing weight can reduce risk of recurrence substantially. I realize that it's based on statistical risk (I got BC even though I was very active and thin), but it is something you can control and can't hurt.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2008

    My girlfriend is a nurse and she has me stuck on oatmeal (plain) and putting one tablespoon of natural peanut butter in it, topped with some brown sugar.

    I am sooooooo happy she did this.  I am full in the morning until lunch.  I make a bunch of oatmeal on Monday and it lasts for the week.  Try steel cut oatmeal for the best nutrition.  

    Regarding the peanut butter, she has me buy the natural kind and instead of stirring it, I pour off the oil.  Removes a ton of the fat that way.

    hmmm wonder if I should start saving the peanut oil for cooking or something???

  • mumito
    mumito Member Posts: 4,562
    edited December 2008

    I like the oatmeal idea but sugar is suppose to be bad for cancer patients.  I heard that honey is a better substitute.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2008

    Sugar is not bad for cancer patients ...  sugar is what is in the dye that they use to detect cancer in the SNB ... the sugar goes right to the cancer for some reason. Sugar may not have any cancer fighting qualities so it's not a benefit, but a little will not hurt you or cause cancer.

    Here is an answer to that question from searching this site:

    Jennifer Sabol, M.D., F.A.C.S.: It's an old wives' tale that sugar feeds breast cancer. 

    Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D.: The most important thing during the holidays is enjoyment of traditional foods, with a sense of control or moderation. The last thing you want to do during the holiday season is to eat so much food, whether it's sugar or fat, that you start gaining weight because it is probably more than the sugar per se that is potentially a problem for breast cancer recurrence. It probably has to do with some of our body's hormones that are responsive to sugar that have more to do with cancer recurrence.
    Jennifer Sabol, M.D., F.A.C.S.: I think what Diana is really trying to say is that the overall negative impact on the cancer has more to do with consuming too many calories in a short period of time. It really has more to do with taking in, say 2,000 calories in half an hour, as opposed to breaking it down over the course of a day. So a bit of sugar to enjoy a dessert or treat in moderation will not increase your chance of developing cancer or having a recurrence, whereas sitting down and consuming half a gallon of ice cream in half an hour may.
    Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D.: I also think the foods that are high in sugar should be special treats, and I think of them mindfully with intention, thinking how much of it will satisfy this craving or memory I have. How much does my soul need? This is not food that has cancer-fighting molecules in it, so I look at food as either nurturing my soul or nurturing my cancer recovery. So the bulk of my food does come from food I know has an abundance of cancer-fighting molecules in it.
  • mumito
    mumito Member Posts: 4,562
    edited December 2008

    Thankyou for this info but the last two books I read said the opposite. My husband is driving me nuts about diet bought me all these books which I have been reading.Even started taking extra supplements recomended.  I think in general I will continue with my usual diet with less red meat more fish and vegetables and alittle sugar now and then.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2008

    Muma, the best person to decide what's right for you is your oncologist and you ... good luck!

  • vivre
    vivre Member Posts: 2,167
    edited December 2008

    "Diets" never worked for me. I finally decided just to eat healthy foods and the weight dropped off. I eat constantly, small amounts through the day. Instead of chips, I snack on seeds and nuts. I eat a lot more fruits and veggies, and only have small portions of meet. I also eliminated dairy. I use rice milk to wet my cereal and only use imported, hormone free cheeses and butters, on rare occasions. And you must exercise daily to raise your metabolism. Do weight bearing exercises that build muscle because muscle burns more calories than fat. You can do it!

  • car
    car Member Posts: 492
    edited December 2008

    I second vivre's post. The bottom tier"of the food pyramid in Willett's book is regular physical exercise. He then suggests replacing animal protein w/nuts and legumes, eating healthy oils such as olive oil and avocados, and watching the glycemic index and eating whole grains rather than refined. The only thing I miss is sushi (which also contains soy, which my onc has suggested I restrict)--but I can have that on the one or two "blow-out" meals I enjoy every month.

  • sbmolee
    sbmolee Member Posts: 1,085
    edited December 2008

    Skip the diets and change you eating habits for long term changes.  www.eatcleandiet.com

     has as couple books by Toaca Reno that tell you how to change eating pattens.  Best books I have ever purchased.  She discussed food changes  such as small meals and always protein and carbs with each meal and exercises in combo.  GOOD LUCK!

    Hey Car - what part of sushi is soy?  I love sushi but also avoid soy.

  • artsee
    artsee Member Posts: 1,576
    edited December 2008

    Muma....I have to agree with you on the sugar subject. I too read it was bad for us.

    Car....I think  you hit it on the head with the things you mentioned that we should concentrate on.

    Soy, is a big no-no, but where is it in sushi? Do they put the seeds in it?

    Artsee

  • car
    car Member Posts: 492
    edited December 2008

    Ah, sushi. Soy sauce for dipping, some in cooking, such as the eel, and of course the wonderful edamame. I miss it all!

  • JapanLynn
    JapanLynn Member Posts: 471
    edited December 2008

    Great thread for the new year!  I've been putting together my plan to get healthier in the new year.  The first order of business: I'm trying to give up my dependence on diet coke.  I haven't had one in two weeks, but I haven't gone cold turkey; I've switched to water with Crystal Light iced tea, but I use one packet of the flavoring/32 oz. of water.  Hope to wean myself off to plain water soon.  I want to give up Splenda, too, so I plan to start working on drinking my coffee black.  I won't give up my coffee completely; one must have some pleasure in life.

    I've been reading the magazine Clean Eating...I want to eliminate as many processed foods as I can, and concentrate on fruits, veggies, and healthy protein.

    Next, exercise...I'm pretty good about the cardio but not the strength training.  I've ordered a book that's supposed to be good...Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess.  I just want some upper body strength in particular; it would be wonderful to feel good in short sleeves (never mind sleeveless).

    I'm not sure about the soy in sushi...and I live in Japan.  Maybe it refers to the soy sauce dip or the wrappers on some sushi...or maybe there's soy in the wasabi, which I love and use a lot in sauces and things.  My onc said I could have some soy as long as it isn't my main source of protein.

    Rocktobermom, what a great idea to pour the oil off the natural peanut butter instead of stirring!  I'll do that with my next jar.  I also like the idea of putting it on my steel cut oatmeal w/ brown sugar...I'll try that, too.

    My big problem: being an all-or-nothing thinker when it comes to eating.  The old "I've already blown it for today...might as well have a ton of __________ (fill in the blank with fried chicken, junk food, etc., etc.)."

    Lots of good ideas and info here...sorry for the long post, but it's good for me to put my plan into writing.  Thanks for listening!

    Lynn

  • car
    car Member Posts: 492
    edited December 2008

    The personal double-whammy for me w/the sushi is the soy (soy sauce and the edamame appetizer) and the white rice. I eat nothing but whole grain now. And sashimi just doesn't do it for me--I want the whole thing.

    I'm pretty sure that wasabi is OK (it's ground radish) and the wrap is frequently seaweed or rice paper.

  • DebbieK
    DebbieK Member Posts: 116
    edited December 2008

    I have been on Arimidex for about 16 months and about 4 months ago decided I really needed to get serious about losing weight.  I began writing down everything I ate and the number of calories.  I aimed for 1200-1500 calories a day.  So far I have lost 23 pounds.  I was blown away by the number of calories I had been unknowingly eating!  This has been the easiest diet for me, and I have been on a lot of them and paid lots of money for very little results.  Today I signed up at Curves to get some exercise so I can keep losing.

     Just wanted to share in case this might work for someone else.  The best calorie book I found is the Calorie King which can be ordered online.  

  • vivre
    vivre Member Posts: 2,167
    edited December 2008

    JapanLynn and Debbie K, good ideas to write it all down. It will make it more real and keep you motivated. Keep up the positive attitude! In  a year you will look back as I do and feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment. The bad part is none of my old clothes fit and I hate to shop for clothes. I am taking in my pants. I know it is stupid, but I like my comfy clothes, I just need to bite the bullet and buy some new ones.

  • roseg
    roseg Member Posts: 3,133
    edited December 2008

    I think about any "diet" will work if you get your portions under control.  After that it's a matter of developing eatting habits that you can maintain. Like Debbie I can snack and "sample" my way through untold numbers of calories. 

    I like oatmeal for breakfast too. I'd guess the peanut butter adds some protein and fat that sustains you past a stop at Dunkin Donuts or the local coffee shop. If I feel hungry then I'm out of control. 

  • Raye99
    Raye99 Member Posts: 1,350
    edited December 2008

    Debbie K,

    That is exactly what I do - I eat 1200-1500 calories per day and keep a food journal to the best of my ability (it's sometimes hard to determine how many calories are in some dishes, so I wing it- thanks for the tip on the calorie book!). Works great for me.

  • sbmolee
    sbmolee Member Posts: 1,085
    edited December 2008

    Lynn - the mag Eating Clean was started by the same gal who wrote the books I wrote of above.  Great magazine. 

    Raye - love the doc picture!

  • lvtwoqlt
    lvtwoqlt Member Posts: 6,162
    edited December 2008

    I try to follow the First Place diet, you write down everything you eat, increase vegetables & water, decrease carbs, and regular exercise. The meal plan itself follows the American Diabetic diet which can be adjusted to the individual with portions based on the calories for each day, men get more calories than women. I try to stay around 1200-1500 calories a day. It also helps to have someone else on the same plan and you can 'check up' on each other (look at each others log and make notes where they were lacking) and support each other. Before my BC I lost 20 lbs on this diet in 6 months, since my bc I gained 15 lbs but not followed the diet that close. I am however going back on the diet with my sister as my partner

    Sheila

  • DebbieK
    DebbieK Member Posts: 116
    edited January 2009

    Yes, Shiela, I agree it helps to have a partner.  My sister is mine and has lost a similar amount of weight.  We compare notes all the time.  The thing I like is the lack of pressure that I have always felt on other diets.  This one just seems to be a matter of choice and I don't feel I need to binge or go off for various reasons.  It just is more of a way of life which really helps me.

    Debbie

  • Ivylane
    Ivylane Member Posts: 544
    edited January 2009

    I'm starting Weight Watcher's on Sat.

  • JapanLynn
    JapanLynn Member Posts: 471
    edited January 2009

    Happy New Year, everyone!  Lots of great ideas on this thread, but the best so far--peanut butter and brown sugar in my oatmeal.  Yum!  For months I've kind of endured my oatmeal breakfasts, trying to dress it up w/ Splenda, raisins, and cinnamon.  I'd feel virtuous afterward but never really enjoyed it.  Today was different, though...thanks, Rocktober!

    I also had my coffee black, my next step in weaning myself off Splenda...it wasn't half bad.

    Enjoy your celebrations but stay safe...Lynn

  • Jorf
    Jorf Member Posts: 498
    edited January 2009

    The only thing that has been shown to consistently work for weight loss (as well as diabetes self care) is writing it down. There are a couple of web sites that are great for that - fitday.com and sparkpeople.com. Some people really like the community support at sparkpeople and you can also sign up for really good newsletters/emails.

    I ate the way we're "supposed to" eat to not get breast cancer before I was diagnosed so I'm not changing anything now. My general focus is on eating real food (as in cooking with individual ingredients that when you buy them look like real food). When I lost 40 pounds (10# a year without really trying) it happened when I changed from eating more processed, going out, cheap/easy/student food to being much more conscious of eating real food. Just had a conversation with the nutritionist in our office and she said she's beginning to believe more and more that it isn't so much how much you eat as whether or not it's real. Drives me absolutely crazy when I read in the diabetic cookbooks about using artificial sweeteners and canned soups, etc. When my patients ask me what to I say real food and that I'd rather they have sugar than the alternatives. Make that apple pie with 1/2 the sugar instead of with some crappy sweetener.

    I have a major sweet tooth and that's my downfall - big one. My husband and I just figured out if we do indeed eat our .23 oz of dark chocolate daily and, believe it or not, it's about exactly what we eat!

    And exercise. Period. When we lose weight quickly or without exercising we are more likely to lose lean body mass - in that case our metabolisms slow down and it makes it harder.

    I've got to quit avoiding that fitday tab in my bookmarks!! But, hell, it's the holidays and you gotta live it up sometimes. Otherwise, why did I go through the hell of chemo?

  • KatherineA
    KatherineA Member Posts: 54
    edited January 2009

    There is no such thing as a good diet. You need to think about lifestyle changes and also figure out what your triggers are. There is a wonderful book by Brian Wanskin call Mindless Eating. It describes all the cues and triggers we are bombarded with constantly about food. It also tells you how you can mindlessly lose weight. I have been using this for myself and my clients for a couple of years. It is not a quick fix but it works.

    The other method I use is Intuitve Eating. It teaches you to reconnect with your true physical hunger and again it teaches you to recognize when you are eating for emotional reasons or because of long held cues you have been getting since you were a kid.

  • everyminute
    everyminute Member Posts: 1,805
    edited January 2009

    I just heard a natropathic doc interviewed yesterday and they asked him how he felt about exercise.  He said "Only exercise on the days you eat"

    Yep - that sums it up!

  • KatherineA
    KatherineA Member Posts: 54
    edited January 2009

    Correction on book author. It is Brian Wansink. Mindless Eating.

    Why we eat more than we think.

  • JERSEYGIRL
    JERSEYGIRL Member Posts: 4
    edited January 2009

    I gained 50 pounds in the year following my chemo treatment and starting Tamoxifen.  That was 3 years ago.  I joined Weight Watchers this past summer and have lost 40 pounds so far.  I also joined a gym and work out with trainers from time to time.  I feel better now than I felt before I was diagnosed!

  • KatherineA
    KatherineA Member Posts: 54
    edited January 2009

    Jerseygirl,

    Congratulations! What an accomplishmentSmile

  • sunshine787990
    sunshine787990 Member Posts: 147
    edited January 2009

    What to eat or not eat??? 

    Is there a list out there that tells you in simple terms what to eat or not eat.

    I know to eat fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains; avoiding red meat, processed foods and sugar .   So you can eat chicken..fish... whole grain pasta? But not anything with soy or cheese right?? What is the rule for flaxseed? 

    I absolutely need help in the food department. All I know for sure is that I do love to EAT almost anything!

  • AnneW
    AnneW Member Posts: 4,050
    edited January 2009

    Is there a nutritionist available to you at your oncologist's office who can help you with resources? In general, I think Weight Watchers is a good plan, and you get recipes, if that's what you're looking for. On-line there's WW, and sparkspeople.com (I think that's what it is.) It's not cancer centered, but has good meal ideas, calorie counters, tips, etc.

    I don't know any rule about not eating cheese. We need our calcium. It's just that cheese is loaded with fat and calories, and we always eat way more than the one ounce recommended!

    Soy is avoided by many people, even though maybe it's okay in small amounts, depending on whose opinion you're getting at the time.

    I'm with you, I love to eat. And I pretty much eat as I please, but have really made an effort to cut the portion size and cut waaaay back on my alcohol intake. And, get more heart-rate-raising exercise.

    Anne

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