Trying hard to lose the pounds!!!!!!!!!

Nancy - I learned something at WW years ago regarding not eating past full. I'll try to explain, hopefully it makes sense:

The size of your stomach is the size of your fist (this is true although I find it hard to believe). [Now imagine that your one hand is your stomach and your other hand is your diaphragm.] When you eat, your stomach expands. When the stomach hits the diaphram, you will naturally sigh. Anything eaten past that point is extra calories. So eat until you hear the sigh (breath) and you should be able to lose weight.

Note: It takes a while to find the sigh. I've been trying it for a while and it does seem to work. My ww leader recommends at first eating a few bites past the sigh because you will probably be saying "no I can't be full yet." But apparently it does work. Let me know if you try it. - Janet

HI ladies
I have so enjoyed reading these posts and it sure makes me feel better about my lack of progress. I just came back from the 60 mile San fransisco walk
and tragically did not lose a single pound!!!

Poor Lois, heeellloo there, was with me and had to put up with me saying "is my bum smaller yet?? Lois am I thin yet???"
Anyway I had a chocolate donut for breakfast this morning!!!
Thanks for the laughter. Good luck to all of us trying to lose the pounds, you know when I was in my twenties I just had to think about skipping dinner and I lost 10 LBS, now forget it!!! I walk past a cake shop and instantly my hips grow at least one size up!!!
Keep the laughter coming.
Much love Cari

Where the hell was I when this thread was started??? OH well, at least I found it now.

For me, a change in my antidepressant was the key thing that made my weight finally drop. I was taking Paxil b4 dx two summers ago, and didn't realize it was the culprit...gained 20 lbs. slowly, took two years. Then, BC, chemo and rads. I actually LOST 16 lbs. during chemo b/c I was always nauseous and when I wasn't, the foods I normally ate didn't appeal to me. I lived on fruit, ice pops and Diet Sprite. No wonder I lost weight.

Then, came Tamoxifen....couldn't hack the s/e's, one of them was weight gain!!! Yikes, I gaind the 16 lbs. I lost during chemo right back and THEN some!

I then did something really stupid...went back to SMOKING, b/c I thought I could lose the weight really fast if I could pick up a cigarette instead of something to eat. (I had quit smoking TEN years before this!! ) Needless to say, I SMOKED AND ATE...not a lb. lost.

I now was in deep shit...still gaining weight and now I'm hooked on nicotine again! I went to my pdoc and told her I needed to change med's and be put on something to stop smoking...enter Wellbutrin...it did the trick, but I almost lost my mind while I was at it. Had horrible panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia, depression....I was on the WRONG kind of antidepressant! I needed an SSRI, not a dopamine booster A/D.

Well, I did quit smoking, the WB makes the cigarettes taste really bad, and I lost 20 lbs. from being depressed and anxious! My pdoc prescribed Lexapro, and I've been taking it ever since, no weight gain.

My remedy for weight loss is really simple. You can have your fat, your carbs, your sweets BUT do NOT exceed bet. 1200-1400 calories a day. No eating at night, after dinner...that's a hard and fast rule.

I walk every day for about 4 miles, sometimes I jog part of the way there and part of the way back. Takes me about a hour. I tried Pilates but I really didn't see any noticable results.

Of course, it's harder to keep off now, I never used to exercise and ate whatever I wanted to years ago, but being thrown into chemopause has a lot to do with it also. I wasn't menopausal when I had chemo, but my periods stopped cold and have never returned. IT's been over 2 yrs. now and I don't think that they will. I think your whole metabolism goes into shock esp. when menopause hits all of a sudden.

Well, that's my story, hope I didn't bore you too much. If anyone's needing any advice, just let me know. I'll do my best to help out.

Laura

Hello Divas!!!

Well, even with walking allllllll those miles, I didn't lose any weight. Must have been jinx by Cari - I'm just "mortified". So now after a 4 week hiatus, I'm trying to get back on track. I gained 4 lbs. over the 4 weeks - 1 lb a week. Arghhhhh!!!! Maybe it's muscle????? Like to think so.

Anyway, going to get back to the treadmill since it's been raining here plus don't feel quite like venturing outside to walk the bloody "hills" in my neighborhood - had enough of those for a bit (Cari's rubbing off on me).

Well, I hope everyone has a great weekend and "stay on track".

Floss - Definitely switch to white. I had 3 glasses on Saturday night and lost .8 (lol). Congrats on the 20. Are you doing Core? - Janet

Janet. no I am still doing Flex but must admit have been very social last few weeks, lots of retreats so that may hav aided and abetted the lbs gangsters
I still need to lose 4lbs before i see the surgeon in 3 weeks. looks like i will get my surgery done in early December. i will try and be real good this week and then if dont lose will switch to core for a week and see if that helps. definately will try white wine this weeeknd. Floss

I dont really drink very often but do have a great big bottle of champange sittiing waiting for the big 2 year checkup

Have a good weekend everyone and happy halloween. Going to get my hubby to put halloween candies in the trunk of car so i cant eat them. Hope does everyone else handle the deluge of candies etc.

Ok believe it or not I have stayed on the Atkins plan for 4 1/2 weeks and O have lost 14 pounds! I am so happy I was even able to stay on the plan when I went to a wedding which was very hard!

I am so excited that the old me is coming out from this extra weight that came on after my b/c diagnosis, and treatment.

I can't say that this is for everyone because it does take a lot of will power. But I figure I am still getting to eat and my treats have been decaf flavored coffee sometime with a bit of whipped cream.

Did I tell you that I am going to Jamaica the week after thanksgiving! My husband gave me the trip for a anniversary present earlier this year. So dieting will have a payoff in that I will not be causing aftershocks (LOL) on the beach while on vacation.

Mel

Mel

Patti - Welcome back! With what you've been going through the past few weeks, you deserved a little time off with bad behavior!! Hope your hubby & mom are okay. In getting back to the ww program, I would highly recommend giving the Core program a try. I finally decided I love the program and don't feel deprived (still have my Edy's Grand Light ice cream once or twice a week). It takes work figuring out what to eat but it's worth it. Give it a try. Glad to have you back. - Janet

Hello Divas,

I've been awol for a bit. I've been trying to get back on track after the SF walk, haven't been too successful. I really tried last week and thought I was doing well with the eating - no binges or splurging and no exercising. Weighed myself Friday am and gained 2 lbs!!!!! How? I don't know. I had some "IBS" problems a couple times last week and don't know if it's from the new medication or my new health issue - so you'd think I would have lost weight!!! I was soooo good yesterday, I even cooked last night and made myself a low fat pasta dish (with veggies and tuna with a splash of white wine for flavor) THEN I decided to bake chocolate chip cookies - need I tell you more!

Congratulations Floss on the 25 lbs. that's great!!!!!

Well, I better get busy with my project for this weekend - making Xmas cards . . . going to try to keep my hand out of the cookie jar!!

Laura, sounds like you are doing really well with your exercise program - wish I could be so motivated to exercise. You're right you shouldn't weigh yourself everyday - it's a "NO NO". Once a week the same day and the same time. From your exercise routine, I'd say you are building muscle - and muscle weighs more than fat. Try taking your measurements and then take them again in a few weeks (3 - 4) and see if you can see a reduction - if so you're building muscle and getting "tighter". As far as shaking up your metabolism, don't know what to suggest other than maybe switch out some days of walking/jogging with bike riding or some other activity. Maybe the change in what muscles you're working will help.

Keep up the exercise program, I think you're doing great.

Diane, glad to see you posting again. I know it's hard to catch up because things seem to move toooo fast here.

Sounds like you haven't changed your eating habits! LOL I wish you luck today getting back on track, I've been off too for quite awhile. With the holidays just around the corner, don't think I'll be too successful getting on track. But of course, with an attitude like that, I'm sure I won't. I need an attitude adjustment!!!!!

I have gained weight during this whole bc thing & now need to lose about 40 pounds.I know if your overweight it increases your estrogen but its hard getting started.Today I went for my 2 week post rad treatment visit & the dr told me I needed to lose some weight.I think thats what I needed to hear.So back to the WW core plan.I already 4 1/2 miles 6 days a week so now I'll work on the eating

No you're not the only one on WW, I'm doing EDiets, although not so successfully the last month. Haven't been able to get on track since the SF walk and now with new health issues and Thanksgiving. I'm trying tough. Congrats on the 16 lbs., I couldn't do Aktins I'm too much of a carb lover. Atkins is available through EDiets - they have a number of different diets you can select.

Janet, I just love all your "healthful" tips. I'm definitely going to try it this year. How many of those dessert triangles can I have????? LOL