another newbie

[Guest guest]

Focus on good nutrition first... cut out the crap and eat only good foods.

Try to get at least some exercise, walking is good. Take you time on losing

the weight.. a common mistake is to lose it too fast and lose too much lean

body mass (muscles etc) that would be nice to keep...

Get healthy first then worry about CR. You will get an almost immediate

benefit from just a slight negative energy balance.

JR

-----Original Message-----

From: [mailto:jene1157@...]

Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 11:10 AM

Subject: [ ] Another Newbie

Hi everyone,

I recently joined the group after having read a link posted on MSN.

I have ordered Beyond the 120 Year Diet and Eat to Live and will

received them in about 2 weeks due to Dr. Walford's book taking

longer to get.

About two years ago, I was eating according to the Mayo Clinic's

food pyramid, which stresses fruits and vegetables. I loved eating

that way but slowly started going back to my lazy way of eating,

fast food, chips and soft drinks.

4 years ago, I lost 50 pounds. Not near close to where I need to be,

but I could feel the difference of what they did to my body and

every other part of my life. Through emotional eating again, I have

managed to gain back all the weight, plus 30 pounds. As

embarrassing as this is to admit to people I don't know, I'm 46,

5'1 " and 286 pounds. Right now I eat so much junk and I know what

it's doing/done to my body. I have high blood pressure (160/110),

osteoarthritis in my knees (no cartilage left at all and facing two

knee replacements in the future), venous ulcers on my lower left

legs due to bad circulation (self-diagnosed).

I am not going on another diet, but I want to eat to be healthy and

live the rest of my years on earth happy and healthy. CRON eating

will not be hard for me because I love fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds,

salmon, chicken and to a lesser degree, tuna. I don't think this

will be that hard of a diet to adhere to, if I can keep the emotions

out of it.

Has anyone undertaken this way of eating while very heavy? My first

goal is health although I want to lose this weight more than

anything else I've ever wanted. The focus isn't on vanity, but

health, which I welcome.

I have read everything I could find on these board, Walford's site

the CRSociety postings, CRCommunity, you name it. I'm learning a

lot, but I need to know how much I should restrict calories. I know

it's not good to lose weight really fast. Honestly, right now with

all the junk I eat, I probably get 2,500 to 3,000 calories a day. A

reduction to 1,800 to start eating healtfully seems to be the way to

go and I know I can sustain it with nutrient dense foods. Am I off

base here?

Any advise for starting this program at a severely obese starting

point would be more than welcome.

Jen

[Guest guest]

Hi :

First, welcome, and hearty congratulations on making the decision to

stop taking the easy way out - 'convenience foods' that are sky high

in calories and lots of other stuff that could hardly be better

tailored to shorten our lifespans.

There is lots of great advice to be had here. You have already

gotten a lot in the last few posts. But since you asked for

suggestions, here are mine. You will note I am biased in this regard

because I will refer you to a recipe of mine that I eat a lot of.

So here goes. You need to cut calories, but you also need to get all

the necessary nutrients, and it would be nice in addition to not feel

as if you are starving all day. So take Warren's advice (a frequent

poster here) and follow an " All-You-Can-Eat CR " diet. NOT joking, as

you will see below.

First, before going to the refridgerator or starting to prepare food,

always ask yourself a question. That question is: " Am I hungry? " .

If your answer is a genuine " Yes " then go ahead. But for me the

answer to that question is often " No " and then I realize I really do

not need to eat.

Second, go click on 'files' (in blue on the top left of this page);

then click 'members recipes'; then click 'soups'; then click, almost

at the bottom, 'thick vegetable soup' (#10047).

Why do I suggest this recipe? Because you will lose weight even if

you eat this until you are blue in the face ( " All-You-Can-Eat CR " ™

Warren ). It is also really quite tasty too (in my opinion!).

I never get tired of it. Yet it contains very nearly (not quite) all

the nutrients you need.

You will need a very big pot for this soup. And you can make enough

for a week at a time.

This recipe contains no animal products, so it is deficient in

certain important nutrients. To solve that problem also eat, daily,

the following: 100 grams (~1/4 pound) of broccoli; a brazil nut; 50

grams (two ounces) of fish (canned is fine but eat a variety of

types); and add a source of calcium also - I take a calcium/vitamin D

supplement (calorie-free) but fat-free yogourt would likely be as

good, maybe better.

Here is what your total daily calorie consumption will be if you

manage to get through four QUARTS of this heavy, thick soup a day

(yes, you will not find that easy!!!) plus the other four items

listed above ............... 1426 calories. This allows you to

top up your calories, to whatever you want the total to be, with some

other tasty and healthy choices - perhaps fruits of some kind. Or,

if you only manage to get through three quarts of the soup, then you

can eat still more fruit.

This recipe works for me. The reason is that most vegetables are

very nutrient dense and calorie poor. This soup is a tasty way to

eat a very diversified selection and huge quantity of vegetables, and

get full while satifying your nutrient needs with the modest number

of calories most vegetables contain.

Good luck.

Rodney.

--- In , " " <jene1157@e...>

wrote:

> Hi everyone,

>

> I recently joined the group after having read a link posted on

MSN.

> I have ordered Beyond the 120 Year Diet and Eat to Live and will

> received them in about 2 weeks due to Dr. Walford's book taking

> longer to get.

>

> About two years ago, I was eating according to the Mayo Clinic's

> food pyramid, which stresses fruits and vegetables. I loved eating

> that way but slowly started going back to my lazy way of eating,

> fast food, chips and soft drinks.

[Guest guest]

Thanks to everyone who responded. Although I have learned that diets

don't work and weight should be lost slowly, I still haven't learned

patience!!

I was let go from my job on the 15th and have enough to pay my rent

and insurance at the end of this month and very little money left.

This was a total surprise to me as I received great reviews, a raise

and a bonus just last month. Fickle lawyers! I am interviewing and

should have a job soon as I have 16 years in the legal field.

My problem is I am scared to spend any money right now. I went out

and bought lots of frozen dinners last weekend - Healthy Choice and

the like, to get me through. I don't really have any junk food in

the house, but I need to at least go and get some veggies and

fruits.

Although I want to jump into this with both feet, I am restrained

from doing so because of no income at this point and fear that it

will take awhile to find another job. I can easily cut out sugar

because I'm not a sweets eater, per se. My only source of sugar is

Cokes, and I am not buying any more and all I have in the house is

water. So I can start on CR made easy for now and supplement the

frozen dinners with veggies and fruits and some nuts. Once I know I

have a job and once I get the books, I should be much lighter just

by taking baby steps.

Thanks for your input and making me realize I don't have to do this

perfectly yet, that perfection is a goal worked towards, but never

achieved.

Jen

[Guest guest]

That's a big stressor you're experiencing. I hope a new job comes to you

soon. The frozen prepared foods aren't the worst one can do ... They aren't

perfect, but I use them some times for help with portion control & time

efficiency. Another bright side is that you aren't a sweet eater, which

I consider a diet killer.

The relationship between stress & eating is always interesting. This

article differentiates between chronic on-going stress, and acute stress

(as it relates to food choices). Based on description in article, I imagine

your situation could be categorized under acute stress:

http://snipurl.com/5xnh excerpt:

Scientists have long known that during times of stress, parts of the brain emit a chemical signal called corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), which in turn causes the adrenal gland to pump out large amounts of hormones known as adrenal corticosteroids, including cortisol. These "stress hormones" flood the body, producing a wide array of effects designed to get ready to flee or fight: The immune system gets damped down. Alertness increases. Heart rate quickens. Activity jumps.

During acute stress -- a car accident, an argument -- a feedback system kicks in and shuts down this response fairly quickly. But during chronic stress, the system keeps going, caught in a vicious cycle.

[another snip] When the rats were under chronic stress and had high levels of stress hormones coursing through their bodies, they became very active. They ingested large amounts of high-calorie lard, eschewing their normal feed,

and drank prodigious amounts of sugar water. They ignored water containing saccharin, even though it tasted equally sweet.

wrote:

Thanks to everyone who responded. Although I have learned that diets don't work and weight should be lost slowly, I still haven't learned patience!!

I was let go from my job on the 15th and have enough to pay my rent and insurance at the end of this month and very little money left. This was a total surprise to me as I received great reviews, a raise and a bonus just last month. Fickle lawyers! I am interviewing and should have a job soon as I have 16 years in the legal field.

My problem is I am scared to spend any money right now. I went out and bought lots of frozen dinners last weekend - Healthy Choice and the like, to get me through. I don't really have any junk food in the house, but I need to at least go and get some veggies and fruits. Although I want to jump into this with both feet, I am restrained from doing so because of no income at this point and fear that it will take awhile to find another job. I can easily cut out sugar because I'm not a sweets eater, per se. My only source of sugar is Cokes, and I am not buying any more and all I have in the house is water. So I can start on CR made easy for now and supplement the frozen dinners with veggies and fruits and some nuts. Once I know I have a job and once I get the books, I should be much lighter just by taking baby steps.

Thanks for your input and making me realize I don't have to do this perfectly yet, that perfection is a goal worked towards, but never achieved.

Jen

[Guest guest]

Greetings folks,

I joined this group but have been a bit shy on starting to

communicate. I have used a calorie restricted eating program

(1,000 - 1,200 calories per day) to lose weight and I felt so much

better during that time. Unfortunately, it wasnt a very healthy

menu. Well, incorporating better eating habits, exercise and less

calories has helped me to lose the weight, but I still am looking

for something where I can get optimal nutrition per day per meal.

Im glad to have read the newspaper article and found your

group. Next , to read the books recommended and learn.

Becky

[Guest guest]

You HAVE figured it out! If you are happy with your weight and no longer

have high blood pressure, then your caloric intake is perfect for your

metabolism. We're all different afa caloric intake. Don't try to imitate

anyone else or some set number. Also Fitday has been know to have many

errors.

on 5/9/2005 12:51 PM, connieann11 at connieann11@... wrote:

> Hi,

>

> I am a 52 years old and my set point weight was 136 lbs for about

> ten years. I never dieted in my life, because I never had a weight

> problem. Then, a couple years ago, I developed hypertension. I

> improved my diet tremendously and no longer have hypertension nor

> any other health problems. Gradually, with no effort whatsoever,

> other than eating healthy foods, my new set point weight went down

> to 125 lbs, BMI 20, Temp 97.6.

>

> I am very comfortable with this weight, and don't want to lose any

> more right now. The problem is, after using using Fitday.com for the

> past few months, I discovered my daily caloric intake is about 2200

> per day. I don't know what it was when I weighed more. How can I

> lower my caloric intake without losing any more weight? When I have

> deliberately eaten less, my weight has gone down and I became too

> thin. I have read Dr. Walford's book more than once, and recently

> read many of the files recommended for newcommers but can't figure

> this one out.

>

> Connie

>

[Guest guest]

Tony,

I am 5' 6 1/2 " . I am quite active and probably considered very

active for my age. I don't do marathons but I do bike, walk, yoga,

work out at the gym twice a week, etc. I read somewhere about

people that fidget and move around a lot, burn a lot of calories. I

would describe that as me. I am always busy. That is my

personality and that I don't think will ever change. My father was

like that, was thin all his life, and lived until 86, despite a

history of drinking and smoking.

I just thought there would be some way that I could get my

metabolism to be more efficient and use less calories. I would have

no problem eating less, because I only eat when I am hungry. I don't

know if this matters, but I do eat some home made fermented raw

milk, fermented coconut, sauerkraut, fermented veggies, etc. The

carbohydrates in these foods are already somewhat predigested and I

was thinking that might make a difference.

I have been averaging around 40% carbs, 14% protein (70-75

grams),and 40% fat, mostly from nuts, olive oil, coconut and fish or

fish oil. I do eat some lean meat and a cup of fermented raw milk

almost daily.

Connie

--- In , " citpeks " <citpeks@y...>

wrote:

> Connie,

>

> Your note does not mention your height which is necessary to use

the

> -Benedict equation for you. However, since your BMI is 20

at a

> weight of 125 lb, I am assuming that your height is 5 ft 6 in. A

> female of your height, weight, and age would have a Basal Energy

> Expenditure of 1265. The caloric requirements for sedentary,

lightly

> active, and moderately active are 1518, 1739, and 1961 Calories,

> respectively. If you are very active or extra active, you would

> require 2182 and 2404 Calories, respectively. So how active are

you?

> You could be burning a lot of calories if you are very active.

>

> If you are moderately active (1961 Cal), you should be gaining

weight

> on a 2200 Cal diet. There are several possibilities, some of which

> are: 1) Your calorie counts are not right. 2) The proportion of

> macronutrients that you eat is not optimal and therefore your diet

> cannot sustain your metabolism at a lower caloric intake. 3)

> Intestinal parasites could be causing you to eat extra calories.

4)

> Poor digestion or not chewing food well which may result in reduced

> nutrient absorption.

>

> If you are really eating 2200 calories and are not an avid

exerciser,

> have a stool test to check for parasites to see if that is where

the

> extra calories are going.

>

> If you eat 1961 Calories of a Zone diet (30% protein, 30% fat, 40%

> carb), you would need 147 grams of protein, 65 grams of fat, and

196

> grams of carbohydrates per day. The standard advice of 0.8g of

> protein per Kg of body weight means that your absolute minimum for

> protein should be 45 grams per day. What is the composition of

your

> current diet?

>

> Tony

[Guest guest]

Connie,

Because you are very active, you probably are not getting enough

protein. By the way, your percentages do not add up to 100% (40+14+40

is not 100). People who are active require more protein in their

diet. See for example:

http://btc.montana.edu/olympics/nutrition/eat11.html

The fact that you lose weight when you cut down your calories means

that your diet is deficient in protein at your level of activity. In

other words, you are cannibalizing the protein in your muscle tissue

with your high activity. If you want to cut calories, you need to

increase your protein (e.g., add whey protein to your diet), and cut

down on the carbs and fats.

Tony

> > Connie,

> >

> > Your note does not mention your height which is necessary to use

> the

> > -Benedict equation for you. However, since your BMI is 20

> at a

> > weight of 125 lb, I am assuming that your height is 5 ft 6 in. A

> > female of your height, weight, and age would have a Basal Energy

> > Expenditure of 1265. The caloric requirements for sedentary,

> lightly

> > active, and moderately active are 1518, 1739, and 1961 Calories,

> > respectively. If you are very active or extra active, you would

> > require 2182 and 2404 Calories, respectively. So how active are

> you?

> > You could be burning a lot of calories if you are very active.

> >

> > If you are moderately active (1961 Cal), you should be gaining

> weight

> > on a 2200 Cal diet. There are several possibilities, some of

which

> > are: 1) Your calorie counts are not right. 2) The proportion of

> > macronutrients that you eat is not optimal and therefore your diet

> > cannot sustain your metabolism at a lower caloric intake. 3)

> > Intestinal parasites could be causing you to eat extra calories.

> 4)

> > Poor digestion or not chewing food well which may result in

reduced

> > nutrient absorption.

> >

> > If you are really eating 2200 calories and are not an avid

> exerciser,

> > have a stool test to check for parasites to see if that is where

> the

> > extra calories are going.

> >

> > If you eat 1961 Calories of a Zone diet (30% protein, 30% fat, 40%

> > carb), you would need 147 grams of protein, 65 grams of fat, and

> 196

> > grams of carbohydrates per day. The standard advice of 0.8g of

> > protein per Kg of body weight means that your absolute minimum for

> > protein should be 45 grams per day. What is the composition of

> your

> > current diet?

> >

> > Tony