Re: Re: Advice for a newbie?

[Guest guest]

Gay: at this point you should just be focusing on changing WHAT you eat (as

recently posted). If you were losing a pound a week, that

sounds like a lot and you should slow down, especially after the initial

rapid weight loss. A half pound a week or even less is probably better.

Especially since you are middle aged. Do not go under 1000 calories a day

in any case. That would be dangerous Walford warns against this. This is

not a race to lose weight. That could shorten your life rather than

lengthen it.

The slower you lose, the better. Actually, it's not even about weight loss.

Weight loss is a " side effect " of the diet, not the goal. It's about eating

optimally on fewer calories than before.

Again, read the folder " BEGINNING CRON " especially the file:

CRON MADE EASY. The auto e-mail you received upon joining and that file

gives you the instructions to: START THERE.

on 5/3/2005 5:40 AM, Gay e at @... wrote:

> Thanks Jack. I've ordered it.

>

> I guess what I'm stuggling with is since I've switched to my new

> lifestyle, healthy eating, calories 1200 calories, am I pretty much in

> the right direction anyway?

>

> Gay

[Guest guest]

Another thing you can do is search the two books at amazon.

My impression of CR is that each has to learn for himself, the least he can eat, stay healthy, accomplish work, feel good.

Most Americans can easily feel better eating less of the fast foods, for sure.

Don't know what you have in the UK, but people here are so busy, fast food is a necessity. One day downtown Houston, in a Hospital, I had to select just Mac's fries as a vegetarian food and I got it without salt. Didn't have tome for breakfast. I can't eat the greasy sauces, etc.

The trick is to know how many calories to eat and control calories.

Gradually I'll get to 155/165# maybe, but I'm not in a hurry.

Regards.

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

From: Gay e

Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 4:40 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Advice for a newbie?

Thanks Jack. I've ordered it.I guess what I'm stuggling with is since I've switched to my new lifestyle, healthy eating, calories 1200 calories, am I pretty much in the right direction anyway?Gay

[Guest guest]

Reduction in calories versus reduction in weight is the issue. I needed to lose weight, and had no idea what intake level I needed. The insurance table is just a goal, IMO.

So I dropped from 3200 to 3000 kcals and nothing happened. Then to maybe 2700 and nothing happened. Then to 2300, then 2000 spaced 2 to 6 months. I was surprised how little I could eat and stay active and not get hungry. The key to hunger was choosing the right foods. Finally I ended up at 1800 kcals and I still maintain 175 -180# (down from 234#), for 5 yrs. It's amazing.

So do I judge the reduction by calories or by body weight?

That's the big unknown.

Regards.

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

From: Gay e

Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 7:53 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Advice for a newbie?

Thanks everyoneI think the biggest thing I am going to get my head round is that I might be losing weight too quickly. I am all geared up to the idea of losing 1lb a week, half from exercise and half from calorie restriction.I guess I could slow down a bit now I'm half way to my target. I can't wait for the book to arrive so I can work out my set point. I'm guessing it's about 136 lb which will give a BMI of 22 but I may be missing something. I'm 10lb over that at the moment.I think my bottom line may be about 1300 calories which I would have no trouble with. I was quite happy on a 1000 but I was worried that was too low so I increased it.At the moment my only regret is that I don't really like fish. I eat it once a week under protest and also have prawns. I am amazed that I've begun to like yogurt, muesli (which I add flaxseed to) and beans. I am eating more fruit too although I could do to increase the green vegetables. At the moment I am tending to eat most things raw apart from the beans, salads rather than a cooked meal etc.. I grow wheat grass sometimes and juice it.I take a cal-mag supplement since I don't like drinking milk and there is quite a bit of salt in it which puts my BP up. Maybe I ought to work on the calcium angle a bit harder. I love cheese but the salt and saturated fats are a problem. I have small amounts of half fat cheese.I think I will go to the supermarket and get something green for tea <grin>How close to a 30% reduction do most people get, by the way?Gay

[Guest guest]

I would recommend you have your resting metabolic rate measured to know exactly how many calories your body is burning without exercise or activity (to stay alive). You should also have it remeasured periodically as you reduce body weight and reduce calories.

Lorri

[Guest guest]

Although I haven't been to a Micky Dees lately, I was under the impression

that salads were now offered as a menu choice. Especially considering that

JW was in a hospital.

The fries are fried in bad stuff.

on 5/3/2005 2:09 PM, drsusanforshey at drsusanforshey@... wrote:

> You " had " to select fries?? LOL You would be better off fasting at

> that particular time than eating fries.

[Guest guest]

You can go to many fitness facilities (like 24 Hour Fitness, Bally and others) and have your metabolism measured for around $49. The company that makes the device is HealtheTech and their website (www.healthetech.com) has a listing of both medical and fitness facilities that offer RMR measurements.

The device is an indirect calorimeter that measures oxygen consumption on a breath-by-breath basis to determine calories burned at rest. You basically just breathe into the device for 5 to ten minutes and it measures volume of oxygen in and volume of oxygen out with each breath and calculates the difference between the two. Our bodies take in oxygen for one reason and that's to combine with the nutrients in the food we eat to release energy (calories) into the body. So by measuring oxygen consumption, you know exactly how many calories your body needs to stay alive. If you ate your RMR in calories every day, you'd lose weight because you're burning additional calories through lifestyle activity and any purposeful exercise you do. It's amazing to learn what it is and it's often much different than a Benedict equation that doesn't take into account things like body composition (lean mass vs. fat mass). You do have to fast four hours, no exercise or stimulants for 4 hours prior to taking the measurement. Much like a fasting glucose test.

You've probably seen indirect calorimeters (or metabolic carts) before. They are often used by athletes to determine calorie burn. The athlete is usually on a treadmill with a face mask and hose hooked up to a computer. This does the same thing, but is handheld and only measures resting metabolism. It's ideal for practicing energy balance without starving yourself or eating more calories than your body needs.

Lorri

[Guest guest]

There is no doubt about it.

Each year according to the Benedict Eq, we require a little less intake per day like 7 kcals.

Or a little more exercise.

Regards.

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

From: Gay e

Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 2:26 PM

Subject: [ ] Re: Advice for a newbie?

That really is amazing.Do you suppose you would gain weight if you tried to increase your calories again?Gay> Reduction in calories versus reduction in weight is the issue. I needed to lose weight, and had no idea what intake level I needed. The insurance table is just a goal, IMO. > So I dropped from 3200 to 3000 kcals and nothing happened. Then to maybe 2700 and nothing happened. Then to 2300, then 2000 spaced 2 to 6 months. I was surprised how little I could eat and stay active and not get hungry. The key to hunger was choosing the right foods. Finally I ended up at 1800 kcals and I still maintain 175 -180# (down from 234#), for 5 yrs. It's amazing.> > So do I judge the reduction by calories or by body weight?> That's the big unknown.> > Regards.> ----- Original Message ----- > From: Gay e > > Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 7:53 AM> Subject: [ ] Re: Advice for a newbie?>

[Guest guest]

I don't believe in fasting. I run out of energy. Clearly fries are energy.

With intake near minimum, I see no reason to lower intake by fasting.

Regards.

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

From: drsusanforshey

Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 1:09 PM

Subject: [ ] Re: Advice for a newbie?

You "had" to select fries?? LOL You would be better off fasting atthat particular time than eating fries.> Another thing you can do is search the two books at amazon.> My impression of CR is that each has to learn for himself, the leasthe can eat, stay healthy, accomplish work, feel good. > Most Americans can easily feel better eating less of the fast foods,for sure. > Don't know what you have in the UK, but people here are so busy,fast food is a necessity. One day downtown Houston, in a Hospital, Ihad to select just Mac's fries as a vegetarian food and I got itwithout salt. Didn't have tome for breakfast. I can't eat the greasysauces, etc. > The trick is to know how many calories to eat and control calories. > Gradually I'll get to 155/165# maybe, but I'm not in a hurry.> > Regards.> ----- Original Message ----- > From: Gay e > > Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 4:40 AM> Subject: [ ] Re: Advice for a newbie?> > > Thanks Jack. I've ordered it.> > I guess what I'm stuggling with is since I've switched to my new > lifestyle, healthy eating, calories 1200 calories, am I prettymuch in > the right direction anyway?> > Gay

[Guest guest]

The restaurants in Houston hospitals leave something to be desired.

They are fried in oils, admittedly not the best choice.

Salads are not "fast" food, and they are small.

Regards.

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

From: Francesca Skelton

Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 1:23 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Advice for a newbie?

Although I haven't been to a Micky Dees lately, I was under the impressionthat salads were now offered as a menu choice. Especially considering thatJW was in a hospital.The fries are fried in bad stuff.on 5/3/2005 2:09 PM, drsusanforshey at drsusanforshey@... wrote:> You "had" to select fries?? LOL You would be better off fasting at> that particular time than eating fries.

[Guest guest]

The other thing is, if you can actually FIND the restaurant from your section of the floor, that's a plus. St. Lukes has red, orange purple, blue elevators, that go to diff sections of the building. They are NOT painted those colors anymore. Some nut decided a dull blue gray would be nice for all elevators.

Mac's is near the orange, or yellow, I think. Once I found the elevator nearest the room on floor 6, I went down to floor one and behold a friendly sign. Just plain lucked out. But it doesn't go to the parking garage.

There's another pretty good fecalteria, but it's slow. And it's near one of the other colors. Really a confusing place. You can't walk to all elevators on any given floor - the floors are blocked off into functional areas.

I heard one nurse say of a dr: "He's been here 20 yrs and he still doesn't know where the elevator is." (no kidding)

When my son and I left the bldg, we ended up in Texas Children's Hospital and walked around the outside to the Luke's parking garage.

From the time I left my wife's room, it took 44 mins to bring the car around to the front, call to bring her down, and it's right across the street. Couldn't be more than 200 feet horizontally between the room and the car.

Ever notice how things are coded? Like the door you'd consider the front, because it's out front, is called the Baker entrance, (I think). That's why you grab the first food you see, going by the food place - you may not see it again.

Next time, I take a bottle of peanuts, a bottle of water and an orange.

Regards.

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

From: Francesca Skelton

Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 1:23 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Advice for a newbie?

Although I haven't been to a Micky Dees lately, I was under the impressionthat salads were now offered as a menu choice. Especially considering thatJW was in a hospital.The fries are fried in bad stuff.on 5/3/2005 2:09 PM, drsusanforshey at drsusanforshey@... wrote:> You "had" to select fries?? LOL You would be better off fasting at> that particular time than eating fries.

[Guest guest]

But you bring up an important point. Of the 1800 kcals I eat each day, I figure 1200 is energy. It matters not where I get those calories, carbs or fats. Some CRonies prefer fats, some carbs. With a minimum intake, we don't have 4000 kcals stored in the gut. Who's to say which is better at a minimum intake?

Regards.

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

From: drsusanforshey

Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 1:09 PM

Subject: [ ] Re: Advice for a newbie?

You "had" to select fries?? LOL You would be better off fasting atthat particular time than eating fries.> Another thing you can do is search the two books at amazon.> My impression of CR is that each has to learn for himself, the leasthe can eat, stay healthy, accomplish work, feel good. > Most Americans can easily feel better eating less of the fast foods,for sure. > Don't know what you have in the UK, but people here are so busy,fast food is a necessity. One day downtown Houston, in a Hospital, Ihad to select just Mac's fries as a vegetarian food and I got itwithout salt. Didn't have tome for breakfast. I can't eat the greasysauces, etc. > The trick is to know how many calories to eat and control calories. > Gradually I'll get to 155/165# maybe, but I'm not in a hurry.> > Regards.> ----- Original Message ----- > From: Gay e > > Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 4:40 AM> Subject: [ ] Re: Advice for a newbie?> > > Thanks Jack. I've ordered it.> > I guess what I'm stuggling with is since I've switched to my new > lifestyle, healthy eating, calories 1200 calories, am I prettymuch in > the right direction anyway?> > Gay

[Guest guest]

Your device measures heart rate and uses a calculation on calorie burn based on your height and weight which are often highly inaccurate. The only weight to actually measure resting metabolic rate is to measure oxygen consumption which is what they would do if you went to a medical facility or hospital.

Lorri

[Guest guest]

I've wondered why I should do that. In another group someone mentioned it, and my comment was I want my BMR to be low. I'm not interested in what it IS now. CRonies report symptoms of a low BMR, like being cold. They do that for longevity.

Now if the measurement says I'm burning say 1800 kcals and I'm eating 1800 kcals, so what?

the HB Eq gives me an idea how many calories based on my weight and age, etc, and it works for me for what I want to do, which is CR.

I want the lowest kcal intake corresponding to my desired weight. I need to choose the right weight and exercise program to get me what I want.

I don't see CR so much as weight loss as it is eating less calories. Most people eat too many calories - they must excrete it in some form, either energy or waste. I waste a lot less since I eat less. I also am very noticeably less hot in 98deg weather. I can work, walk easily - even roof work in 98 deg. Others (the fat guys) are sweating profusely saying how hot IT is, Actually THEY are hot, which means to me they are trying to overcome an excess of stored energy.

I notice if I eat low fat, eg, I am much more comfortable.

I think the RMR measurement might prompt me to eat more calories, whereas the HB tells me very closely what I need.

Unfortunately I haven't found a way to scientifically determine the magic "set point" for me. I have no intention of getting 10% below my 20 yo weight of 135# soon even if it is the set point. For now, I'll accept a weight of <180#. Next year maybe <175#.

There are many factors to take into consideration.

I plan to be below 137# at age 100 (30yrs from now), <102# at age 130.

I've plenty of time to get there.

Regards.

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

From: lorrcomstock@...

Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2005 5:02 PM

Subject: Re: [ ] Re: Advice for a newbie?

I would recommend you have your resting metabolic rate measured to know exactly how many calories your body is burning without exercise or activity (to stay alive). You should also have it remeasured periodically as you reduce body weight and reduce calories.

Lorri