... Info on my past attempts to lose weight ...

Posted on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 04:27 in Tips and Tricks

I have a VERY difficult time losing weight. I thought I'd take a few moments to write up some info about my current condition and what all I've tried to do to lose weight. In the sidebar, I've added a link to some basic information on insulin resistance and PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). I was diagnosed with that several years ago. Because PCOS is in a vicious cycle with insulin resistance (also known as metabolic syndrome or pre-diabetes), they put me on glucophage, a typical medication used to treat Type II diabetes. It sometimes helps people lose weight because it regulates the blood sugar better, but it didn't help me in this area. I went off of it for several months in late 2007, but began taking it again several weeks ago and I feel better when I am on it.

I have tried all of the low-carb diets and have found them difficult to stay on for too long. However, eating lower carb and making sure they are good carbs and following the precepts of a low-glycemic diet worked for me the last time I lost weight. I had the best luck with The Insulin Resistance Diet. I coupled this with several other books - Superfoods Rx and The Schwarzbein Principle - and lost about 12 lbs. in no time and I wasn't exercising excessively either. I have since read The Abs Diet for Women and am going to combine some of the principles from all of the books. I do believe that I can succeed this time! I have created a section in my sidebar listing books that I have read AND KEPT here at home to help me again.

One thing I have learned is that fiber is my friend! We should shoot for a minimum of 25 grams daily, but most of us don't even get half that! If you eat a pear (6g) and apple (3g) (both with skin on) and eat a grapefruit like an orange (5), then you are more than halfway to your daily goal! I try to eat each of these fruits daily. I love eating oatmeal - NOT INSTANT! - for breakfast and I usually add 1-2 Tbl. of ground flaxseed and that gives me a bunch more fiber. A salad for lunch or dinner and some side veggies at dinner and I have my 25 grams each day and usually more! You can also add ground flaxseed to smoothies. I bought some berry-flavored CVS-brand 'metamucil' today and it tastes pretty good! I wanted to have it around for those days when my fiber intake is a bit lacking.

My mom lost almost 90 lbs. on LA Weight Loss, but it didn't work for me. I'm not sure why, but in 3 months, I only lost 5 lbs. I was following the plan and even exercising. I did lose some inches, but  not as much as they thought I should have lost. Eventually I got frustrated enough and I just quit ... that was a ton of money gone. Oh well, live and learn! My mom is currently on maintenance and doing well. She does not have insulin resistance or PCOS and so I often wonder if that made a difference for her. She never even hit a plateau! Weight Watchers works for a lot of people and I have tried it, but it worked best for me when I followed The Wendie Plan. This plan keeps your metabolism working by mixing up the # of calories taken in each day. You have high and low days ... your body is kept guessing and you lose weight. I will be applying this strategy again, too, as it worked for me several years ago.

Something else that worked for me a few years ago was to split my exercising into 2 sessions - morning and night. I would do 30 min. each time, often just walking in the neighborhood. Exercising this way revved up my metabolism again in the evening and kept that burn going a lot longer. I intend to apply this to my exercise routine this time around, too. A good 30 min. on the treadmill in the morning and either a class at the gym or a walk in the evenings. Stress also increases our chances of belly fat and there is evidence that yoga helps reduce stress, cholesterol levels and cortisol levels, too. So, I plan on taking some yoga classes at the gym before my membership runs out in March 2009 and learn enough that I can continue it at home, maybe with a video.

The final strategy that works is to write everything down and be sure that I am not taking in too many calories. I mentioned SparkPeople.com on my other blog today. Once you sign up, you can enter what you are eating and it keeps track of your calories, fat, carbs, protein, etc. for you. I have created a sheet at home for my own use. It does take time to write everything down, but I keep these sheets and refer to them at future times. I've already looked up the information for all of the food counts, so it saves time to just keep them in a notebook.

I know that this is a LOT of information, but if you've read something here that you have NOT tried, then maybe I have helped a bit. I intend to use MOST of these strategies again. I am getting older and so it is going to take more work this time around to get healthy once and for all!

Weight

Posted by smmagers on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 05:49 - Link

I have been there and am still there. My wieght is also caused by a health problem, anaphlyxis. The medicine I am on keeps my weight up. I start to loss weight and then I have have an reaction and well my medicine goes up and so does my weight. I have learned that I rather be over weight and alive, tha thin and dead. God Bless. mj

Fellow Cyster...

Posted by Hisirishgem on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 07:00 - Link

Kris,

Would you believe I too have PCOS? I was dx'd in 2000. My sugars are JUST getting under control. I too have had an awful time losing weight. I joined Sparkpeople a year ago and am in the PCOS group as well as one for hypothyroid and diabetes. My name is HISIRISHGEM on there if ya ever want to look me up.

I'm going to save your page. Maybe we could both be a good support to each other. I have to lose weight. I feel as though I'll die early if I don't. I'm working on a membership somewhere through my aflec account at dougs work.

Anyways, just thought I would let you know there's another cyster here who also struggles with weight and PCOS not to mention the traditional fertility issues we've been dealing with for the last 7 years. I happen to have the type II diabetes AND hypothyroid so my metabolism is sluggish as well.

Rebekah

Untitled Comment

Posted by stitchnchick on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 07:13 - Link

Thank you for the links, Kris! A lot of the things you are mentioning, I can relate to. I agree about the fiber. I add ground flax to straight (no sugar at all) cranberry juice and drink it down. It actually tastes pretty good. I use "BalanceLog" by HealthEtech software. Have you ever heard of it? I LOVE it. I type in what I've eaten at each meal and it calculates the calories, fat, carbs, etc., for me. It also adds up all of the exercise and keeps track of my goals. Now, I just need to stay focused! Thank you for sharing your journey--I'm sure it will inspire many!

Amy

calorie counting

Posted by sam7260 on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 08:42 - Link

I have found that when I write down exactly what I eat I tend to do much better because I know how many calories I have left rather than just guessing....I still do that even though I am currently pregnant. It has really helped me not gain excessive weight. Thanks for adding that as a tip.

I have been here with you........

Posted by patintenn on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 11:40 - Link

through much of what you have written. I know that you have tried hard to get your weight off and you have shared with me your troubles along the way.

I will still be here with you and we all can encourage each other to a healthier new year !!!

Thanks for the links !!

Pat