Ewe's not fat, ewe's fluffy!

[risnerrose]

I suspect that MS fatigue and spasticity have contributed to my "fluffy" figure, but I've had enough!!!  I know several of you have managed to maintain or return to a healthier state.  What do you recommend?

I'll be having a slice of cake, while I await your answers :)

Sherry

[LLWB]

From one "fluffy" person to another. I read an excellent book called "The Metabolic Typing Diet" by William Wolcott and Trish Fahey. Wolcott is a pioneer in the field of metabolic research. His book is based on science. (Attention Quix!) In the book are simple questions that will enable you to identify your metabolic type. As we all know, some diets work bettr than others for each of us.By answering simple questions about what you like, you determine what type you are. Proetin type, carbo type are the two that come to my mind. He states by eating to your body type, you can heal a lot of your body's problems, and lose and maintain weight naturally, without extreme exercising. See why I like the book?!! Exercose is not on my ajenda.I already suspected I was a protein type, and this confirmed it. By following the low carb diet, I have lost 38lbs since Spring. I feel much better, relatively speaking, and have been able to quit taking metformin for my type 2 diabetes. I know that eating processed foods and wheat products affects my fibro. It's not a cure-all by any means, but has improved my general outlook. And losing the weight has helped with my degenerative disk disease, and osteo-arthritis. I bought this book thru Amazondotcom. If anybody has any questions about it, feel free to pm me and ask. Low carb eating can be very healthy, and for me it's benifits are numberous. And I'm never hungry. I do cheat with plain popcorn, but that's about the only cheating I do. Good luck to all.

Maggie

[risnerrose]

I have never ventured to other MedHelp forums . . . there's a whole new world out there :)  I just took a look and ended up spending half an hour.

[wonko]

Hi All,

I'm a big fan of the MedHelp trackers to work on my weight/fitness.  I've had a weight tracker for months and recently added the new exercise tracker.  You can set them for just you, only friends, or everyone to see, which is nice if you're not sure how comfortable you are sharing.  

Anyway, over in the WL&D (weight loss and dieting) community, ppl check up on each other's trackers to offer encouragement.  I think it's fun.  There is also a healthy cooking forum here.

Lots of ppl in WL&D are also from the thyroid community, and there is in general understanding that everyone has different obstacles.

I'm a MedHelp junkie, so just thought I'd share about these other places.

Hope everyone has a good Sundae, er, eh, I mean Sunday!

[mary_kay]

Morning everybody.  I too need to take off some body fat.  I honestly think that sugar and flour are the things that make me eat too much.  I like just about everything, but I always want some bread or cake even if I am full.  In the world of addiction,(OA, AA, etc)  sugar and flour are the drugs that one eventually identifies as the "drugs" they need to abstain from.  
Quix, I think your gaining control of your appetite on Atkins is because of the absence of sugar and flour.  You can still eat other carbs to some extent.  I am not taking my own advice these days.  I think I am medicating myself with these devilish "drugs" for sure.  Check out the Glycemic Index of foods to find out which carbs are better than others.  There are some good websites on this.  Maybe we can encourage each other to do better with our "addictions"
Blessings,
Mary Kay

[Fluffysmom]

I picked up a flier at my neurology clinic on Yoga for MS Patients.  Of course, I didn't go, since I don't have a diagnosis, but I figure if they have one at a Whole Foods Store here in Portland, they must have similar stuff all over.

I wear a pedometer and try to increase how many steps I take in a day.  OK, so that's not so easy to do all the time.  I'm thinking once again of going back to my water aerobics class tomorrow morning (telling the instructor ahead of time that I'll not be up to pace).

I try to eat lots of veggies and some fruit, high fiber, only healthy fats (except for the fat in some chocolate now and then), and have treats like an organic granola bar instead of a candy bar, fat free frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, etc.

I should have said, in the past, what's worked for me is the above.  For some time now, I've let all that slide some, and ate take-out that my roommate brought home, or went out and had pumpkin pancakes for breakfast (hey, I left off the whipped cream), and ate cookies at soccer matches and so on.

I'm making a concerted effort to go back to the healthier eating; I had at one point dropped more than 100 pounds, dropped my cholesterol almost 30 points, improving the ratio, and had awesome blood pressure.  Since the fatigue and everything hit I've gained too much to mention, my cholesterol ratio is still good but the total  number crept up.

And for every extra pound, I have four extra pounds of pressure on my knees.  OK, I've gained back around 35 pounds, so that means I'm carrying an extra person on my knees
My left one is protesting loudly.

I truly prefer healthy eating; my main problem is in adjusting my portions because I can't exercise much, and not eating for comfort because I can't exercise as much.  One more adjustment in a long line of them.  

In a way its comforting to know that I'm not alone in this "fluffyness".  Maybe we can be supportive and continue to share ideas that we have to increase our exercise and decrease our, well whatever we need to decrease!

I've got great healthy recipes to share, if anyone's interested.  Cooking Light has great recipes online, and I get an e-mail from My Recipes that has recipes from different sources, not all healthy, so you have to pick and choose, but I've found some good ones there.

Hugs,

Kathy

[Quixotic1]

Realizing that discussing dieting is akin to discussing religion or politics, I will just say that before I chose that option I throughly read the science behind all of them.  The low carb physiology (mechanism of action) and evolutionary background won me hands down.  I lost 50 pounds, quite easily, never had hunger, kept it easily off for 3 years until I started feeling sorry for myself after the MS thing.  I did full Atkins.

My triglycerides plummeted from 300 to normal,  My HDL rose markedly, well into the healthy realm.  And my other values dropped modestly.  My mom went from overt diabetes to a normal glucose tolerance test with very little weight loss.  I will not attempt to convert anyone, but no one will convince me that we didn't evolve with systems that expect a low carb diet.  I have answers for all the myths surrounding the low carb diets if anyone want to ask privately. (like increased cardiovascular risk, gall bladder disease, kidney disease - all false).  'Nough said.  I believe it as a scientist.

I will probably need to delete this.

Quix

[risnerrose]

I've read mixed reviews on low carb diets, but my husband is quite interested in giving this one a try.  I assume it must be okay if Quix approves.  It looks like tossing the ice cream and chips is a must, but I actually think I'm at a point where I'm ready to give it a try.  

[Rena705]

I don't know if you have a local MS society but on the National MS Society website in the U.S. and the MS Society of Canada do have information of different types of exercise programs that are available and I know that I have been referred to a dietician in the past by my gp.  I personally am on a program through the lung function clinic but I am sure that you can find more information that would be pertinent to your individual situation through the MS websites.  I wish you luck and I have successfully thrown out all ice cream and potato chips that were in my house and I stocked up on low fat yogurt and baked pretzels and lots of fruit and veges for the munchies.

Lots of Hugs,
Rena

[Quixotic1]

ME, too.  My earlier resolution to start my low carb diet that was successful the only other time I ever tried was thwarted by a medical test that made me eat two slices of white bread.  I've been on my maintenance ice cream diet since then.  

I have to add that I have had a horrid time controlling my appetitie because of the sugar and because of the recurrent high-dose steroids.

This will give you an idea of how slothful I have become.  Currently my increased exercise is driving to the grocery store (Yes, to buy ice cream) and walking the entire store using the basket as a walker.  I can barely lift my feet after that.  I am getting to our huge Safeway about every other day.  Honestly, this is increased exercise for me.  And my weight is stable.

And good news.  The increased weight has had one good outcome.  I had a DEXA scan.  My neuro was worried because 1) my Vitamin D level was very low, 2) I am incredibly sedentary (having successfully defended my World Indoor Endurance Reclining title again this year), 3) I am on monthly high-dose steroid infusions (steroids leech calcium form bones and are a major cause of osteoporosis), and 4) I am 15 years post-menopausal.

My DEXA scans show my bones are healthy in all scores, not only when compared to women of my age, but also compared to healthy pre-menopausal women.  YIPPEEEE!!

A normal test resutl that I am happy about!

Quix

[doni54]

I'm there with you, I want so badly to lose some weight, but haven't figured out how to manage it.  

Between the fatigue and my legs and feet not wanting to work I haven't found a way to exercise.  I know without the exercise it will be hard to lose much weight.

Hopefully someone will jump in here and give us some good ideas!!

doni