Weight loss, was Food processors

August 10, 2004

>Ah well, this weight will come off, be it ever so slowly.

Actually, for what it is worth, IMO slow is better for weight loss!

Just in the way of encouragement (I think what you are doing is great!):

1. If you take it slow, the chances are that most of what

you lose will be FAT, not protein/muscle/water. The bodybuilders

say you should go for a 200-300 calorie deficit, which works out to

a pound every 10 days or 2 weeks or so, to avoid muscle loss.

Most low-cal diets produce a weight loss that is 75% fat, 25% muscle loss.

2. When you lose fat, it releases toxins into the blood, which

your body has to handle. Fat stores toxins (such as PCB's and dioxin).

So slow is better.

3. If you lose weight fast, chances are it will come back fast ...

your metabolism will slow down and soon you just can't

eat ANYTHING without it turning into fat.

4. If you are on a " diet " you can live with (i.e. it's nutritious,

you like the food, etc.) then you won't have to jump off it

as soon as you are at your " goal weight " . And THAT is the real

crux. If you live off WW fast food, you can either stick with it

for life or watch the pounds come back when you stop eating it.

5. When you eat nutritious food, you are less likely to " binge " ,

because your body feels satisfied. Low-nutrient foods just make

your body want to eat more, to get the nutrients.

Anyway, I lost a bunch of weight once and watched helplessly

as it all came back, and then some. I'm losing weight now, but

slowly, and basically just changing " how I eat " with a little bit

of portion control (mostly just tracking calories acts as enough

portion control, you eat less when you have to write it down!).

It's really difficult to NOT eat like this, now that I'm in the habit,

and if I go out to eat and have a big dinner and some burnt cream

etc. I don't gain 4 lbs as a result.

What does work for me though is to track what kinds of foods

seem to produce the most weight loss for *me*, and which

foods are the most satisfying (don't make me hungry again

in 3 hours). Popcorn, for instance, is a loser on both counts,

but beans are good, and steak is the best.

So when you get discouraged, keep thinking you are in it

for the long haul!

-- Heidi

August 10, 2004

Thanks for the reminders Heidi. I'm discouraged because I'm *so* overweight and

have been so for a long time. Also, I'm trying to learn how to cook NT style at

the same time, which is causing me so much stress. Plus, my kids are whining.

They are being troopers for the most part, but I " m exhausted trying to plan

meals with foods I either can't find, are cost-prohibitive, or I don't have the

proper equipment to make.

I do find the whole food keeps me satisfied much longer than 'diet food'. I

just forget to plan ahead, find myself famished, and grab whatever I can to eat.

I don't want to lose muscle either. I'm hoping my walking everyday is helping

protect it. I will also begin weight lifting in the next month. I have a VERY

difficult time eating protein. I don't know how to prepare it, I don't crave

it, and it's expensive. I was a nearly-vegetarian for many years. That has

probably been the hardest part of doing this NT stuff. And I don't like

cultured dairy. I guess I'm up a creek, lol.

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement.

cindy

Weight loss, was Food processors

>Ah well, this weight will come off, be it ever so slowly.

Actually, for what it is worth, IMO slow is better for weight loss!

Just in the way of encouragement (I think what you are doing is great!):

1. If you take it slow, the chances are that most of what

you lose will be FAT, not protein/muscle/water. The bodybuilders

say you should go for a 200-300 calorie deficit, which works out to

a pound every 10 days or 2 weeks or so, to avoid muscle loss.

Most low-cal diets produce a weight loss that is 75% fat, 25% muscle loss.

2. When you lose fat, it releases toxins into the blood, which

your body has to handle. Fat stores toxins (such as PCB's and dioxin).

So slow is better.

3. If you lose weight fast, chances are it will come back fast ...

your metabolism will slow down and soon you just can't

eat ANYTHING without it turning into fat.

4. If you are on a " diet " you can live with (i.e. it's nutritious,

you like the food, etc.) then you won't have to jump off it

as soon as you are at your " goal weight " . And THAT is the real

crux. If you live off WW fast food, you can either stick with it

for life or watch the pounds come back when you stop eating it.

5. When you eat nutritious food, you are less likely to " binge " ,

because your body feels satisfied. Low-nutrient foods just make

your body want to eat more, to get the nutrients.

Anyway, I lost a bunch of weight once and watched helplessly

as it all came back, and then some. I'm losing weight now, but

slowly, and basically just changing " how I eat " with a little bit

of portion control (mostly just tracking calories acts as enough

portion control, you eat less when you have to write it down!).

It's really difficult to NOT eat like this, now that I'm in the habit,

and if I go out to eat and have a big dinner and some burnt cream

etc. I don't gain 4 lbs as a result.

What does work for me though is to track what kinds of foods

seem to produce the most weight loss for *me*, and which

foods are the most satisfying (don't make me hungry again

in 3 hours). Popcorn, for instance, is a loser on both counts,

but beans are good, and steak is the best.

So when you get discouraged, keep thinking you are in it

for the long haul!

-- Heidi

August 10, 2004

, yes the Cuisanart pulses. Mine just has a pulse button and an on/off

button. I rarely use the on/off as a few pulses is plenty most of the time.

Don't expect to transition your eating style overnight. I've been at it

almost three years and still feel like a newbie. When i see other people

eating tons of pasta every night i realize transitioning to more protein can

be an adjustment. But honestly, it's so easy to cook!!! It is expensive

though unless you can buy in bulk (1/2 cow, etc.). I buy four or five

chickens a month and once every four or five days i throw it in the pot,

pick the meat off the bones after about an hour of boiling (which the kids

love plain), then make stock with the carcass and eat broth every day --

cook my greens in it, or a couple of eggs. Sooo easy! Then i keep ground

beef and stew beef in the fridge and some good canned salmon in the

cupboard. Stew beef -- i just throw it in a pot with a couple cans of whole

tomatoes, some veggies and some spaghetti seasoning (premixed from oregon

spice co.). I don't bother browning the meat. Dh always raves about the stew

and it's always a little different. Ground meat can be stretched all sorts

of ways and is kid-friendly.

I am really enjoying the WW point system. It has helped me cut out the riff

raff in my diet and see how much less i need to eat and still feel fine. I

still eat good amounts of fat and protein. Just have no points left over for

breads when i do and just as well.

Elaine

August 11, 2004

So glad to hear you're 'adjusting' to the points system. Ditto for me about the

bread *grin* I'm up for getting a list going like you suggested with NT foods

and their point values. I " ll post mine tomorrow....or we can just email them if

others aren't interested.

And hopefully I'll get to order my Cuisenart this weekend!

Re: Weight loss, was Food processors