Overweight Mommy

Rule #1 - Quit going on diets! Diets are typically only a band-aid solution to a larger underlying problem. You need to adopt an eating plan that will last for the rest of your life. Do you want to take diet pills for the rest of your life? Can you live with only having a shakes at meals for the rest of your life? No, and both of those decisions would be unhealthy ones. The nutrition plan is easy; include as many whole and natural foods as possible while avoiding processed foods and junk. Sticking with it is the tough part.

Rule #2 - Get some exercise! You do not need to join an expensive gym or buy a bunch of workout gear. Start by walking 20 minutes a day at a brisk but comfortable pace (you should be able to carry on a conversation).

Nutrition plan - as a diabetic who is insulin-dependent, you probably already know that you should eat about the same time every day in order to avoid cravings and extreme fluctuations in blood sugar. You also probably already know that simple sugars wreak absolute havoc on your body. Simple sugars enter the body and are absorbed too quickly and violently into the bloodstream. So, if you've ever wondered what that quick rush of energy followed by a headache and possible bloating was, only to end up in fatigue and more hunger (the 'crash')...well, that's a result of a simple sugar overload. Instead, try to include more complex carbohydrates that are burned more slowly by the body. These complex carbohydrates leave you feeling fuller longer, help to suppress appetite, and if fibrous will work in the intestines to collect and bind toxins and 'take them with them' on their 'trip out of your body'.

Shop the perimeter of your grocery store - more fruits, veggies, whole grains, low fat dairy products, lean meats.

Eat 3 meals a day and 2 snacks, timed 2-3 hours apart. You'll never go hungry plus you'll keep your blood sugar levels consistent. Not only will this make you feel better, you will also be working on managing the diabetes issue.

Eat at least 1 raw fruit and 1 raw vegetable a day. Try to get at least 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Do this by having a piece of fruit with breakfast and lunch, and having at least one serving of vegetables at lunch and dinner. To add more fruits and vegetables, have them as snacks. Fruits and vegetables are typically low calorie but high nutritional value foods that your body processes rather easily.

Don't make meat the focus of your meals. A serving of meat like poultry, fish, or beef should be the size of your palm (fingers not included). Complement your meals with a salad, a vegetable, and a complex carbohydate (starch).

The best way to weight loss and weight management is to remember that you'll need to consume fewer calories than what you expend. It really is that simple, but the billion-dollar diet industry would have you think otherwise. Pills and gimmicks are only short-term solutions to a long-term health issue. Don't waste your money.

Walk all you can! It is very effective and makes you feel great! Also don't buy any sweets at the grocery. You'll save a lot of money. No soda either! Even the diet stuff is terrible for you. Eat all the fresh veggies and fruits you want. Even whole wheat bread is Good. But if you make yourself walk everyday you'll feel so much better. Walk as far as you can one day and farther the next. When you get a craving for something sweet, you won't have it in your home so you'll have to go out and walk to get it! Don't completely deprive yourself. Just change your habits one at a time and soon you'll have healthier habits!

I also had been struggling with weight loss. You have to find something that's easy for you to stick to. It's also important to get your heart rate up for at least 30 min everyday. I had to see an Endocronologist about my thyroid they also specialize in weight mgmt. and he said not to count calories because it's too frustrating and to get my heart rate up (I jog on my treadmill) for 30 min everyday. The first step I did as far as dieting was cutting out all the saturated fat. No fried foods, No fatty red meats. I still eat lean beef sometimes. But I try to treat myself about every 10-12 days or so with just a little something to keep me from going on a binge and eating everything in sight. Since the first of the year I have dropped a pants size. It's coming off slow, but it works for me.

Hi J.,

I am a two year post-op bariatric patient. I had the RNY (gastric bypass) surgery. Before surgery, I had type 2 diabetes, gastroesophogeal reflux disease (GERD) and high blood pressure (2 meds per day). Diets rarely work. You have to change the way you eat and relate to food forever. This is true whether you have bariatric surgery or lose the weight through "diet" and exercise (also required of weight loss surgery patients). Please think again about having the surgery. I no longer have diabetes, GERD and I'm only on 1/4 of the bp meds I was on pre-op. If you need a good place to learn more about it, come to one of the Clarian Bariatric support group meetings. All are welcome and I think you may find that many of your fears of surgery can be relieved by talking to people who have had the surgery and talking to some absolutely wonderful medical staff. The doctors and nutritionists at Clarian art definitely "top of the line" and so is their after care program. You deserve to live a healthy life and live it in the arms of your family. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. You should be able to do so throug Mamasource.

C. P.

I have the same problem and have been thinking about the lap band surgery also. I have not been able to loose weight because I have a high stress life, arthritis, and other health problems. I have gotten the books You on a Diet and the Superfoods Diet book. The last is sort of involved and I just don't know!!

Have you ever tried weight watchers? I started weight watchers 2 months ago and have lost 18 lbs. To me this is the easiest diet I have ever tried. You can eat what you want, you just have to watch your portions. I think it worked great for me. I also work out to an aerobics video about 5 times a week as well and drink lots of water, no pop. The video is only about 30 minutes long. I think this is the best one so far!! Good Luck.

Hello
I am 35 and have a 3 year old. I am also overweight and have just been diagnosed within the last year with haveing type 2 diabetes. I, like you, have been struggling with loosing weight. I have recently lost 9 lbs in 3 weeks and am very proud of myself. I have been working at a Subway and have been running around during my shift and eating a 6 inch sub for lunch daily. That is what I attribute my weight loss to. I do believe that I also don't eat as much for dinner any more either. Good Luck to you. Keep us all posted.

J.,
I wanted to let you know that I feel your pain. It took me several years to get "sick of myself" enough to finally commit to doing something about it. I'm proud to say that I've lost 70lbs in the last 9 months. How did I do it?
Change.
That's it.
You have to know that what you're doing isn't working, right?
And, you have to know that no matter what, time is going to pass one way or another. With that passage of time, either you're going to be healthier....or unhealthier.
So, if you *choose* to be healthier....SOMETHING has got to change.
I joined weight watchers online....and am now going to meetings. I always thought WW was for "Fat, Old people", but finally discovered that it's not. The meetings consisit of all ages, sizes, and lifestyles. Anyway, the lifestyle of WW is completely do-able. It's REAL food. You can eat out. You can eat anything you want...but you have to be accountable for it, and sacrifice when you want a "treat" to accomodate for it in your diet. But, you know what? That's real. It's calories in vs. calories out. Very simple. If you're hungry, they give you a weekly "allowance" that you can use for extra food, and you can earn extra food by walking, running, biking, doing yardwork, yoga, or some other kind of simple exercise...etc. They stress healthy eating - fruits/veg, dairy, protein, etc....and it's simple. The first 2 weeks are really annoying, until you get the gist of what's what....and then it's pretty simple.
But, like anything else, you just. have. to. do. it.
And, like the others have said...it's a lifestyle. You have to change your habits. I have found that I have to treat food like an addiction...and treat the meetings like my lifeline. I am a cake decorator. I know my triggers are "texture" foods, like brownies, cakes, etc...and have to just stay away from them or know that I very well may eat the entire thing. I just try to stay away from that stuff. Now that I've lost my weight, (and just ran my first 10K race! Never thought I'd do that!) I do allow myself treats from time to time. But, I treat my food as an addiction, and know that I can fall off the wagon any time. So, I try to keep myself on the straight & narrow & be proactive.
Anyway...my point of all this is:
When you're *really* ready to make a change - to change your habits, to change your food choices, to change your lifestyle...then it's time to find support. Try finding a weight watchers center in your area (www.weightwatchers.com) and sign up there - you can sign up at the center for the "E-tools" too....they were HUGELY instrumental to me. Or, you can just do it online, if you don't think you need the in-person support. There's a great online community there.
Best of luck to you!

My husband and I are independent distributors for a health and fitness company. There are some GREAT weight loss products and seem very easy to follow through with. My husband has tons more energy and has dropped a few pounds, although he does not need to. A friend has been on the weight loss products and she has had people notice dropping weight.
Anyway, if you go to a-khealthsamples.com or call 800-496-9432 and leave a name, number, best time to call, etc, my husband, or I if you prefer, will get you a free sample pack sent out. The sample pack has some items you can try. Good luck.

Weight Watchers.
I have been on them for a month and a week and lost about 15 pounds.
Someone else mentioned walking, I'd reccomend that too. If you can't get out and walk, buy a couple "Walk away the pounds" dvds by Leslie Sansone. You can get them at wal-mart for cheap, and it makes walking in your house super easy.

good luck.

Try the new Flat Belly Diet from Prevention magazine. The first four days are tough, but after that you really don't feel hungry, the meals are filling and very adaptable to your own likes and dislikes, and the structure of it works great for me. (it's based on four smaller meals,and they require you to eat every four hours so you don't get so overly hungry that you eat the first thing you can grab) Also, it's not really some fad diet, but a way to change the way you eat to keep you more heatlhy overall. For details look at the website at www.flatbellydiet.com. I think I even saw some information on the site about diabetes, and they have a nutritionist available to answer questions posted on their message boards.

What about talking to your doc about Byetta? It controls sugars and helps to lose weight. Just a thought. My mom lost weight on it.

In order to achieve your goal you have to change your lifestyle. Diets come and go but lifestyle are consistent. Look into the Bloodtype diet. There can be foods that you are eating that are causing you to not lose weight.

Hi, I can relate to your story. You sound like you have great motiavion in the fact that you have health issues you can imporve with the weight loss, as well as family you love. Please remember that you didn't put the weight on overnight and it will not come off overnight. This is a lifestyle change. The biggest thing is that you start the lifestyle change when you are ready to do it for yourself.
I am taking slow steps to the weighloss changes in my life and I am starting to see a difference. I started with portion control when eating. I don't follow strict diets because there is always a party somewhere, so have foods you love, just less. I started walking and enjoying fresh air and light weight training three times a week. Weight training is an awesome tool to help shed fat. You put on muscle weight and your body burns more calories in a day trying to maintain that muscle.
Also, please remember that this will take time. If you slip and don't workout for a week, no problem, just get back into the swing of things the next week. Don't give up and you can do it!

Start walking. Every day. Start for 10 minutes the first week, then take it up to 15 minutes the second week. Then 20 minutes and get up to walking at least 1 hour a day and hopefully - once in the morning and once in the evening.
Take one of the grandchildren with you for your walk.
Cut back on fats - limit yourself to 20 grams of fat a day and you decide where they come from. Eat as much fresh foods as you can - as the canned and frozed ones are loaded with "other stuff." Drink herbal teas and water and skim milk as opposed to diet sodas - get rid of all the sweet stuff - so that you don't crave it.

Pay attention to everything that you put in your mouth and ask why are you eating this - are you really hungry or bored or what? Diets are short term - changing your behavior is for the rest of your life.

Give the South Beach Diet a try. You will loose weight and it will help with your diabetes.

I know somebody already told you to try weight watchers but I just have to say that it does work. My husband joined online and lost 40 pounds. You don't have to do weigh-ins or anything because you manage your progress all online. They have tons of recipies on there too that are good. I have made a few of them. Hope this helps. Good luck!

my husband has type 2 diabeties, and the dr. at the diabeties clinic at university of cncinnati put him on a new injectable medication that controls his blood sugars VERY WELL. it is called Byetta. it also has the GOOD side effect of appetite control, AND some weight loss.

if you are seeing a family dr to help control your diabeties, you might concider switching to a diabeties dr as thay know all the latest treatments...

I made a life change using the book _The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Program_ by Kathleen DesMaisons. Goodbye hypoglycemia, pain in my knees and wrists and cellulite! You don't have to be a sugar addict to do the food and it helped me lose more than half my body weight. Good luck!

Hi J.,
I am a mother of three. 13,9,3. I too am very overweight. It didn't bother me until my sons friends were teasing him about me. For most of my life I have been very active in sports and other extra curricular activities but the last 7 or 8 years I have slowed down a lot and I hurt. Last year I married a wonderful man who doesn't care how I look but I new I had to do something for me so I wouldn't miss out on so much with the kids. On Feb.18th I had the Lap Band surgery and I would definately recommend. It was a breeze!!! I've already lost 20lbs. and havent had my first fill of the band yet. I feel better already. I encourage you to at least look into it more. Why waste your time in pain and taking medicine you might not have to and being more involved with the kids and grandkids activities?
I am 37.

my parents just recently had the lap band done and are doing great with it. They are in their late 50's and just wanted to make sure the rest of their lives were being lived to the best of their ability. They have offered to pay for the procedure for myself and my siblings but I wasn't to sure of it myself. I am not quite ready to do it myself yet. I want to see more of the long term effects of things. It has been over a year since they have had it done, and like I said every thing is going great. I think maybe next year I will plan on doing it myself. You have to do what you feel is best for you.

I had the lap banding, I am am happy I did. The surgery wasn't that bad. I was up and moving the same day. I have five children, only one 16 year old at home still...and five grandchildren with another on the way. I wanted to lose weight for much the same reasons you did. You still must make changes in your lifestyle, but the band makes it oh so much easier to cut back the foods you eat. If you have tried other methods and failed, I would suggest you give the banding another long hard look. I did it on January 10th, and have thus far lost 38 pounds.
P.

Hi J.

I would love to help you, as I have helped many others. I am a certified personal trainer and wellness coach (certified through the American College of Sports Medicine).

The key to becoming healthy is to change your current habits to healthy habits that will last your lifetime. I will work with you step by step to accomplish small goals toward the bigger, long term goals. Be mindful that it is a slow process, but one well worth the effort to take, especially because you want to change for your self to feel better and to be able to play with your grandchildren. Please let me know if I can help you with this journey to a healthier life!

S. McGoff, Fit 4 Life Coaching

My husband and I have just been introduced to some nutritional supplements that are AWESOME! I don't know if most people know this, but most of the vitamins out there don't even get absorbed into your system. Seriously, you can talk to people that empty septic systems or Port-a-Potties and they see vitamins floating around still whole. You can even read the name on some of them! How gross, I know. Anyway these vitamins are ranked with the highest absorption rate. And the levels of nutrients in them are the best in the country (based off of an independent study of 1,500 vitamins). Well, there is a doctor who works with this company who has personally seen 17 of his diabetic patients REVERSE their diabetes with the supplements and his "Healthy for Life" style of eating (there is no guarantee that it will reverse everyone's, but if there is a chance, isn't it worth it?!) . He doesn't want you to call it a diet either. He says it is a way of living with a side effect of losing weight. :) My husband and I have been doing both since January and he has lost around 35 pounds. I have lost about 9 pounds because I only had 10 pounds to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight(plus I am still breastfeeding and your body needs fat for the milk!).You can get the book on Amazon for about $12. His name is Dr. Strand and I would recommend two books..."Healthy for Life" and "What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutritional Supplements, May Be Killing You." He is a GREAT guy with sound values and personal experience. His wife got Fibromyalalgia really bad and the only thing that worked for her were these supplements. Up until then he was COMPLETELY against nutritional supplements, but when he saw them work, he couldn't deny them. He spent the next 7 YEARS researching and what he came up with, WOW. Well, this is already long enough, so if you want any more info. you can contact me personally. Good on ya girl for wanting to change!! Your grandbabies need their grandma around!! :)

I saw on Good Morning America not too long ago. That in Australia they are curing Diabettis by doing surgery to remove half of the stomach. It is not like the other bariatric surgeries that are done for weight loss. This does not have all the side affects like the lap band or gastric bypass. You can probally still find info at gma.com Good luck, D.

Hi J.,
It is a little pricy but check out Isagenix. It is a cleansing program. If you drink soft drinks (even diet) stop! You will not believe how well you will feel just by doing that alone! I also have Type 2 diabetes and had also considered lap band but I work at a local hospital and I know several people that have had not only the lap band but also the gastric bypass and not one of them looks healthy, they have this sad, depressed look about them now when they used to be very jolly happy people and I just don't want to look like that. Also, swimming has helped me. I had trouble exercising because I have fibromyalgia and high blood pressure and my reumatologist suggested swimming, even just moving around in the water for 30 minutes 3 times a week or walking back and forth across the pool, in two weeks I felt so much better and I don't feel the pain in my muscles like I would if I was doing regular exercising. Anything to keep you moving. I've found eating 6 small meals per day instead of 3 larger meals has also helped and watching the pasta (my weakness!) Hopefully some of this helps. If you can't afford the whole Isagenix program if you could at least go to some place like GNC or even Wal-Mart in the vitamin section and get a cleansing product (colon cleanse especially) also does the trick. Getting rid of the toxins that have built up in your body over the years is a good start towards a slimmer/healthier you.
R. B.

A little about me:

I'm 45 years old, married with one son age 22.

I think dieting can be questionable... depends on how you're dieting. I think the biblical principle of "moderation" is a good one. Make sure you're eating healthy and avoiding the pitfalls of stereotypical dieting (starving yourself, binges on things you've "not allowed" yourself, etc)... but above all, make time for EXERCISE! Every day, challenge yourself to "beat" your previous day's workout. There are good books out there on exercises, I like the Body Sculpting books for women, on abs, legs, express, etc., etc. Sensible advice on getting healthy, losing weight... reasonable expectations about food and especially good advice about working out. Get a gym membership. Dieting alone is not going to get you very far. Have you ever watched "The Biggest Loser?"

I find that putting exercise into my "schedule" as part of my routine makes it easier to accomplish, and also if you have an accountability partner, someone who expects you to meet them and who will (lovingly) give you a hard time when you don't. My husband (bless his heart) is a great partner. Knows when I'm giving up on myself, knows when I'm slacking versus when I really need a break, and though he loves me just the way I am and shows me, also wants both of us to be healthy. He's doing it for himself as much as for me, we enjoy working out together and challenging one another, so get your friends, family, husband involved.

If you can't stick with a diet, have you ever heard of Intuitive Eating? There are several books about the subject and there is a yahoo support group of people like yourself who need to relearn how to eat intuitively. I'm on that journey now myself, and am working with a coach who specializes in non-dieting. Sounds like you might want to check it out.

Hiya :-) don't beat yourself up over neding/wanting to lose weight and having a hard time sticking to it ..it is hard to do with life's stress's or hectic times anyway I have tried several if not all diets! LOL Not sure what you like most I for one need to not be thinking of food every day as far as what I am going to eat when and counting points and stuff Weight watchers is a GREAT program for alot of people and you dont have to really buy alot of products you can just eat "normal foods " just watch portions and count the points and stuff like that I did Medifast which I loved! I then switched to Cambridge cause it is cheaper BUT it is hard for some people cause it is mainly shakes 3 X a day BUT it has all the vitamins and important things in it we need. I switched to that from Medifast cause Medifast was kind of expensive for me altho I got quick results ..on Cambridge I have as well BUT I do much better on low amount of choices to have I don't do well being allowed to eat whatever I want and just watch the size of the meal. It makes me pay to much attention to every little thing and it tends to consume my thoughts . Anyway I have been doing the cambridge for about 1 month and have lost 2 sizes already I have some more to go tho :-) if you have ever done slim fast? It is like that you may want to ask your DR about it and do some research on the products I love it like I said so much I decided to sell it as well but honestly I dont I mainly use it for myself. I am not a sales type person and I truely believe different people may get better results from different diets :-) But you may want to look into that or medifast I know the medifast hasa diabetic line of foods too..the food takes getting used to but I learned to like that as well :-) the MF plan is about 15.00 a box of 7 meals which is either shakes..soups..pudding..oatmeal..some bars. Cambridge is about $23.00 a can for 15 meals they have shakes and a few soups and oats I have only used the shakes cause I wanted the weight to come off fast and was told i could lose 30 lbs in a month doing this which I am sure I did I dont get on the scale it either makes my day or ruins it lol so I go by my clothes Hope this helps :-) If you have any Q's about the Cambrdige feel free to ask I can try to answer them or MF as well I did that plan for a while as well :-) Have a great day :-)
D.

Hi! My husband and I went on the Fat Smash Diet last summer. We noticed some friends of ours were looking incredible, and discovered that they had started this. I hesitate to say diet, because it is more of a lifestyle change than a diet. It basically teaches you how to eat the way God intended us to! Lots of fruits and veggies! We never realized how much sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and other chemicals we were eating! I recommend you take a look at the book, "The Fat Smash Diet" by Dr. Ian Smith. There is also a website that a friend of mine just emailed me, fatsmashforum.com, that has all kinds of information, recipes, etc. You will be amazed! Good luck!

Try writing down EVERYTHING you eat. A couple months ago I decided that instead of 'trying to lose weight' I would just write down every single thing that I ate. So I bought a cheap little notebook that would fit in my purse and started writing... After a couple of days I decided to include the calories if I knew what they were. I didn't pressure myself to restrict calories or anything but after about a week I started to not eat some foods because they were so high in calories. I decided that a certain food (like my coffee creamer, 45 cal per Tablesppon) wasn't worth it. (I swithced to using Fat Free Half & Half, its the same price as creamer but only 10 calories per Tbls!) Before I knew it I was eating healthier and focusing on what I knew was good for me food. I have been focusing on what I CAN have that's healthy so I won't have to feel guilty about it (I eat lots of fruits, & veggies now) The result... I've lost 12.5 pounds (in 2 months) so far and I feel like I have'nt been 'dieting'!

You should give it a try and see how it works out for you! Good luck and hang in there.

Hi J.,

I don't know if this will help but it's worth a shot! The Learning Channel is hosting a new show called "I can make you thin". It just started last night and will run each week. Maybe you could check out the TLC website for more information. Good Luck!

If you haven't tried Weight Watchers, you should. It is the best solution to dieting. You go each week, so you have incentive. They give you a real working solution, something you can use your whole life. And it is excellent for diabetics.

have you ever heard of michael polin. His book completely changed my perpective on food. I HIGHLY suggest it to anyone who cares about their food intake and about the environment around us. It is called 'in defense of food'. the basic message is to eat more whole food, less processed boxes of foodlike substance. you know the old message of more fuits and veg. if you read it, it will change your outlook. good luck!!

Just one little thing to try, drink lots of water. Every chance you get. I know that seems so basic, but it is a very easy way to lose pounds and offer yourself a healthy habit, to make your own.
Switching your beverage of choice to water is so much easier than a surgery. Give it a shot... and BEST of luck!!!

I am a certified personal trainer w/ over 30 years experience. I"ve trained and mentored trainers for over 20 years. I'm also a certified posture alignment and pain management specialist w/ alot of study in nutrition.

What are you currently doing? Just know that DIETS DON'T WORK!! If you want change..and PERMANENT CHANGE.......you have to develop a new lifestyle. Where are you located?

I would recommend Medifast. It is great for people who need to loose alot of weight and also it has a great program for people with diabetes. It is a program with 5 suppliments a day (soup, outmeal, shakes, bars, etc) and then one meal with veggie and protein. I have two kids at home and 3 stepkids and it is so good not to have to think about what I am doing. I eat every 3 hours and then I eat dinner with my family. And you can add exercise after the 3rd week and work up from minimal exercise into something you feel comfortable with. It is lower carb/higher protein and doesn't affect your muscle mass and gives me a ton of energy. Also the suppliemnts are soy based which is a natural appetite supressant - so sometimes I have to force myself to eat. I have been averaging about 2-3 pound loss a week. Check out www.makemethinner.com for more info and feel free to contact me directly to answer questions. I have lost 60 llbs in 7 months.

K.

Hi J.,

Have you considered Weight Watchers? If you go to the meetings, I believe it helps because you get the support from others with the same problems, and you make yourself accountable for your success.

Also take time to exercise. There are all types of tapes/DVDs available from walking to kickboxing for those days when you just don't want to go outside. You don't have to buy them. You can get them from your local library. I chose to workout at home. If I'm going to sweat like a pig, I want to do it in the privacy of my own home. :)

Take it one day at a time. You're not a failure, if you keep trying.

B.

Hi J.....first, read Valerie Bertinelli's new book called, "losing it" and then go to Jenny Craig. Best plan ever!

Have you tried Weight Watchers? I highly recommend it. I committed to it after baby #2 and it really helped me. They teach you more than a diet...more like how to have a healthy lifestyle. Good luck!! =)

Weight Watchers teaches you how to eat real food and just learn portion control... I think WW is the best program around for anyone - you can't think of it as a diet - you have to think of it as a new way of life...

1. Invest in a series of meetings with a registered dietitian.

2. Make a list of some small, specific, and permanent healthy changes you can make in your life. Incorporate one or two every few weeks.

Beware of diet books and supplements. Anyone can claim to be a "health expert". You must see a registered dietitian in addition to you physician; otherwise you can get yourself into a unhealthy and just plain treacherous yo-yo diet situation and your weight loss won't last.

J.....My husband went on a diet when he discovered he had Type 2 diabetes. He counted carbs and tried to stay under 50 a day...You have to read the ingredients on everything. He buys Low Carb bread...Low carb spaghetti and eats a lot of veggies.You can eat meat, but I don't...I think meat makes you gain weight, even tho it is ok for diabetes. He lost 80 lbs. He also walked on his treadmill 45 mins a day..and took Sundays off. It took him about 4 months . Good luck....

Have you talked to your doctor about getting a referral to a dietitian? I'm a type 2 diabetic myself. I know the first time I went I kinda fluffed it off (but then again I was in a college dorm and was limited to eating what the cafeteria served and well when the cafeteria workers can't identify what they're serving . . .), but when I was pregnant I was referred again (and paid attention this time) and I've actually lost 8 pounds while I was pregnant (when you take my pre-pregnancy weight minus my postpartum weight, so it was actual fat, not baby).

Another thing to consider is all the little changes you can make. Buying lower fat milk, eating whole wheat bread, baking instead of frying, putting herbs/salsa on salad instead of dressing, etc. can help.

Also, take little steps at a time and give yourself treats for a goal set. (I'm not necessarily talking about food treats; it could be going to a movie or taking a day with the grandkids. Food treats don't have to be bad either - it could be making a recipe you've wanted to try but haven't had the time)

And if you do go a bit off track and/or gain a bit, don't beat yourself up over it - its going to do you no good. Just keep on going.

Best of luck dear!

wow! 57 responses! If they weren't all so long, I would read them.

Check out
http://www.wdworkshop.com/

it is THE best way to lose weight - you don't have to give up anything but your WANTs and DESIREs of food! I lost 22 pounds and am working on more! It is the NATURAL way to go! It will save you $$$$ too! Your whole family and close friends will benefit from it, too!

Hi J.! I would recommend weight watchers. I lost 55 pounds before the twins were born. I lost all the weight that I put on and another 20 pounds since last January. If you follow the program and be patient, it works great! Just remember, the weight won't come off over night!

K.

It's not really about "dieting", it's about a lifestyle change. You need to focus on the lifestyles people live who are at a normal weight. They don't eat a lot of junk food, they watch their portion sizes, they cook differently, and they drink a lot of water. Exercise is obviously a very important part of the weight loss process, but once you get to where you want to be, it's about maintaining a healthy lifestyle with healthy eating habits. My mom, for instance, is always "dieting", but she doesn't realize that she can't stay on a diet forever, and therefore unless she changes her life choices, she will never lose the weight and keep it off. One really easy thing to do is start out by using smaller plates when you fill your plate for dinner, also, be sure to drink a full glass of water before you eat, it helps make you more full. Then, when you get hungry, always drink a glass of water, then wait and if you're still hungry, grab something healthy, like crackers or fruit.

Weight loss is a problem for so many people and staying on a diet is the hardest!!!
I think making a life change is much better than thinking about diets.
I went to the doctors last year and found out, in addition to being over weight, I had high Cholesterol. He wanted to put me on meds but I insisted he give me one month to get it under control. That is when I changed my life style....for good. I started walking daily and after 1 month, I joined a running club. I had made plans to run a 20K walk/run to raise money to help a school. When I started, I could not run 30 secs. Today, 1 year later, I have run a complete marathon (with 1/2 marathons before that). A marathon being 26 miles. Also, I don't buy anything at the store that I don't want to eat at the house. It is much easier to say no at that point. If it is in the house, I eat it....I know my weakness and work with it. It's hard but only until it becomes natural. I have lost most of the weight I needed to lose. Best of all, I lowered my Cholesterol and no need for meds!!
Find out what works best for you. What type of support you need. For me I had to be accountable to myself and also to others. SO, I started a news letter to outline my progress and sent it to the family. I wrote about the training and how much I did not like it....at first. You see in the letters how I began to change my thoughts about running and the foods I could now eat. I did not want to let them down nor myself. Not that you have to go run a marathon. Maybe your goal is to walk 3 miles 4 times a week. What ever it is do it slowly at first and build up!!! Get some friends to do it with you. If you are meeting a group it is less likely that you will skip doing it. It could be loads of fun. Best of luck!!! Feel free to email me back if you want to just chat about it.

YOu need to be seeing a nutritionist. YOu can only lose weight by tackling the food and exercise issue. I started by walking 1 mile a day (either by treadmill or indoor track for winter) I am now up to 3 miles a day. I started in September. The weight has still been tough to get off but I have more energy and feel so much better. I am also battling thyroid disease. YOu really need to be talking to your doctor to make sure you don't do too much too soon. Best of luck to you. I am a mother of 4 kids ages 10 - 25 and wanted more energy for my active children. I am in my 40's now and boy sometimes I think my body has turned on me. Thank God for my walking.

Really try South Beach, it is healthy carbs. The first two weeks are limiting but it gets your cravings to not control your eating. Whole grain pasta's, healthy lean ways to cook, all meats, even desserts with splenda. couple that with a slow building excercise routine like walking or pilates or anything you like and that will help your metabolism and burn calories. It worked for me and I lost over 30 inches all over and 10 pounds but built muscle and lost 3 cloth sizes in 9 months. I know that sounds slow but the slower and steadier you lose the better you keep it off and build a healthy lifestyle instead of a diet.

Good luck!

I am having the same problem with weight also and I have tried every diet out there. I have considered the lap band surery also, but I can't afford it. My insurance co will only pay ubnless it is medically needed. I think it is I'm probablly about 75 lbs over weight. I don't know what to do either. I have three grandchildren and two grown sons. I would like some advice also as what I can do, I hope someone can help me too with some ideas or solutions. Nothing seems to work passed about 2 weeks for me too.

I highly recommend Weight Watchers. They will help you achieve a lifestyle change while losing the weight gradually -- the only way to keep it off permanently. The support group aspect of it is key -- finding others who are going through the same thing you are for support and encouragement. One key is to examine WHY you are overeating...most people who overeat are not hungry. They are using food as a substitute for something. If you figure that out, you will be able to conquer your weight! Good Luck.

Look into the Sonoma diet. It's just a book & I found it at Meijer for about $20 (cheaper than all those "weight loss programs and no public humiliating weigh ins). It's not really a diet, it's more of a lifestyly modification... This works in three "waves"... Wave one is the most difficult as it requires you to give up ALL sugar for ten days (that includes fruit and fruit juice). Wave two lets you incorporate fruit and juice (and even a glass of wine each day). Wave two continues until you have hit your "target weight". Once that occurs, wave three begins. This is your maintenance wave, or, the way you should continue eating for the rest of your life. Being an insulin carrying diabetic, make sure you discuss anything you choose to do with your doctor to ensure that it won't worsen your diabetes. Also, incorporate any eating plan that you do w/some low impact cardio workouts and the weight will start to drop! Walking is one of the best things you can do for yourself, but if you have a stationary bike or eliptical machine those are great too! Remember, the more lean muscle that your body has, the faster your metabolism will work! Also, make sure you are getting a good eight hours of sleep if you start any exercise program. Working out when the body is fatigued will be completely counter-productive and you'll give up because you are too tired! Good luck!

Talk to your dr about going on Meridia. You can ck out their website at Meridia.com

It tricks your brain into thinking that you are not hungry and it works!!!! The only side effect that I had was a dry mouth but it made me drink a lot of water. I LOVED IT!!

J.:

I know this response is a lot late but here it is anyway. You need to look seriously at the air force diet, which by the way, was the original diabetic weight loss diet. I don't know your body size (bone structure, height, etc.), but at 5'4" my mom was on the 1200 calorie a day one. In it you can eat a jar of dill pickles if you want to because there is no caloric value, all the raw mushrooms, lettuce, celery, cauliflower and broccoli you want as they have no calorie value either. You use the exchanges. Cut out the bread at dinner and have a cup of popcorn in the evening for your snack. You have to learn to balance out the foods so that your body can properly burn off the calories and the fat. And learn to walk, ride a bike, etc. This is a great way to tone up those muscles and keep from getting flabby. Swimming is a great way to tone up too. I can still lose 3 inches every summer swimming!!!

Talk to your physician regarding this diet. It is the one from the 1970's and works really well. You will get down to your desired weight and feel good. The nice thing is you will have trained yourself to eat correctly and it will be a lot easier not to gain the weight back when you are done and even when you go to the 1500 or 1800 calorie a day balance diet to keep your weight where you want it to be.

I have seen it work repeatedly. It is the diet I still use. How many people can eat a cup of green beans with the meat, fruit, and bread they are allowed at dinner time??? I can't!!! But that is part of the diet and you can have a salad too!!!

You can bake with sweet and low or other sugar substitutes, I made candy for my mom with no sugar, including filled easter eggs. You eat 6 times a day!!!

Give it a shot.

P. R

Dear J.
I feel that there is only one way to loose weight for good - Weight Watchers. I am a mother of 6 yrs old twins and during the toddler years of my children I had ballooned up 60 pounds (during the pg I had gained only 22 lbs which I had lost within a week!). Problem was that I had survived the sleepless nights and days with drive-through junk food (my hubby had been on lots of long business trips and I had no help as I had just moved to the area). Anyway, after feeling really bad about not being able to do all those fun things with my kids I decided to join Weight Watchers. To be honest I went in thinking that it was another money maker, but at that point it was my last hope. Wouldn't you know, 30 lbs came off in no time and I could eat basically what I wanted - just needed to meassure a bit. I then hit a plateau and let it go for a year - without gaining any weight. But I am back on it since last week. My friend's mother (grandmother to teenagers) has been on Weight Watchers. She had been obese and was on insulin as well. She has lost so much weight that she was able to reduce her insulin intake dramatically. She had started WW after having struggled with breastcancer and said she felt much better than in years.
Whatever you do, I wish you good luck and many years filled with lots of fun with your grandchildren.
M.

J.:

Hello to you, and hats off. I know of a dear friend of mine named Dan H. that had diabetes and was able to get rid of it with one of the products that I sell. It is a tremendous blessing and then I stumbled across another product that Dan introduced my family to. I've been studying nutrition for the past 10 years though and I want you to keep that mindset. If you want to lose weight, you must only eat when you're hungry and not when you're upset or frustrated. Drink lots of water, and refuse to be lazy. This will take work!! Don't give in to discouragement. With God all things are possible right?! That's just the tenacity that it takes, make up your mind that you're gonna do this and be successful at it. Decide what you want to accomplish, set some goals and write them down. Remember that housework is not first and foremost, when setting goals, sometimes we have to give up other things to do so. You can do it! God is on your side! If you need any information about the products that work, email me. Great?!

God bless, M. G.