weight gain

[floridamom2]

Hi everyone!  I was just reading the "leg shaking" thread by Johnny and I realized that we all have these involuntary muscle actions everyday and yet I have gained 20 pounds since this whole thing started.  My thyroid has been checked (TSH w/ Reflex to Free T4) and was normal.  I have only taken the Medrol dose pack once so no real Prednisone weight.

Anyone else have this same problem?  I am starting the South Beach Diet today since it has worked well in the past for me but just wanted to see if anyone else has gained significant weight since symptoms started?

Thanks guys!
Have a nice day!
Kristin

[grannyhotwheels]

WOW!  That's a lot to digest.hahaheehee (pardon the pun)

I can't walk very far at all.  I have to use my walker unless in the house and then depending on how I feel I can use my cane.  I have pretty good upper mobility.

I do have a stationery bike but I have a hard time staying on it because of balance issues.  I use a foot/hand pedal at my PT for 15 min. 3 days a week.  I also have an ab-lounger that I can work out on without any problems.  The only thing now is I just had knee surgery so it's still gonna be a week or 2 before I can do that again.  I use ankle weights (5lbs ea) when I'm doing my leg exercises.  I do a lot of strength exercises on my legs so I can keep out of the wheelchair.  That's about it for exercise equipment.

About my tea.  I usually drink about 4 glasses (12oz.) a day.  I make 2 gallon at a time and I put 1 1/2 cups on sugar in that.  There's no way I could drink it unsweetened that would just be nasty.  I don't really eat a bad diet and I do try to limit my portions.  I never get seconds.  My biggest problem is I think I have to have bread and butter at every meal.  I know, me bad.  

The biggest problem I have is I usually have to fix a big dinner.  It's usually me, my husband, my son and his wife, and my youngest son.  With them it has to be meat and potatoes.  You fix around that.  Oklahoma country food.  Lots of fried stuff and lots of gravy and biscuits.  I try to eat other things like salads and yogurt.  Sometimes I'll steam myself a bag of veggies and rice, but it's so hard to do that when all of this good food is staring me in the face.  Plus I cooked it.lol  Another bad thing is my hubby doesn't get home until 6:30 or 7:00, so it's a late dinner which is the worst kind.

You all are gonna have to keep me motivated to not eat what they eat.  If I do at least stay away from the more fattening portions.

Your right, you should write your own diet book.  You really could make a fortune if this all turns out good.  I'll try and do my part for you.

Trust me I will really be praying now,
Carol

[floridamom2]

Go Team Go!!  See you Monday for my star!!
Good luck and Happy dieting!
Kristin

[Super_sally888]

Hi Carol,

Start your food journal immediately if you can.  Get a headstart. No time like the present.

Ideally do 30 minutes of exercise a day.  This can be very light. This can be broken up into several sessions.  You may also need to build up to this.

You need to find something you can tolerate.  Are you affected by heat?  Do you have access to a pool?   Or a stationary bike?  Or one of those foot / hand pedal things.  Will see if I can find a link.  Think they are very cheap often sold on the advertising TV channels along with the other miraculous promises of perfect bodies in just 5 minutes a day.  

What do you have available?  How much can you walk. What's your upper body coordination like?  Please give me some idea and I can try to come up with something more concrete.  Do you have other problems like arthritis (sorry, I can't remember everything) or other limitations?

Regarding diet. I would tend not to want to give a strict diet. Rather some starting principles, and then we tweak it from there based on how you are going. And also from looking at what you're actually doing, from your food diary.

Principal 1:  Never eat until you are full.  You should always eat no more than about 50 - 60% of what you think you could eat.  (D*mn!  Just broke that one at lunch today.... :0)

Principal 2:  Eat your vegetables first.  Most of what's on your plate should be vegetables (except potato, corn, starchy veges).  So about 50% of your plate should be vege. 25% protein, and 25% starches.  Your protein serve in one meal should be about equal in  and thickness to the palm of your hand - no fingers. :)

Principal 3: Eat a wide variety of foods as possible.  Fresh and minimally processed.
Control alcohol consumption and minimise things like processed meats and high fat cheeses.

Principal 4: Eat healthy fats in moderation at every meal.  My definition of healthy is the unprocessed fats; including from animals (only what comes naturally with the meat); butter, nuts, avocado, unprocessed, ideally cold pressed vegetable oils like olive, etc.  Avoid margarine or man-made fats.  Go very light on things like mayonaise.  Use vinaigrette or mustard dressing, instead.

Principal 5:  Go easy on the white foods.  This includes white rice, white bread, white pasta, potatoes.  These are high in calories, low in fibre, and not very nutritious.  

Principal 6:  Stay away from / minimize processed foods, particularly deep fried foods.  This also includes foods with high fructose corn syrup listed as one of the first ingredients.  From everything I have read, high fructose corn syrup is bad for most people.  

Principal 7:  If you want your sweets, go ahead (we all need our ice-cream), but keep the portions small.  Don't deny yourself when you want something.  Else you'll be likely to lose control later.  My fridge isn't cold enough for icecream, so if I want it I go out and buy it.  I also buy my chocolate in small portions (hersheys kisses are great portion-wise) which makes it easier to limit it.

Principal 8:  Make sure you are always well hydrated.  Thirst can be mistaken for hunger.  Broth type soups are great starters to meals, and they will help fill you up.  Drink a glass of warm water before eating. This will also help.  If you want to drink juices always drink the pure juices (not the ones with corn syrup added) and dilute them by at least 50%.

Principal 9:  Don't skip meals.  Eat at leat 3 moderate meals a day.  I personally like a moderate breakfast, a big lunch and a very light dinner.  I rarely snack.  However, some people find they need to snack.  this is also fine and it is ofter recommended to eat 3 light-moderate meals + 2 - 3 snacks per day.  When I am training I add in snacks to get the energy I need.   Use fresh fruits and nuts for snacks.  Peanut butter on whole-wheat toast or a cracker is also a very filling and nutritious snack.

Hmmmm.... maybe I need to publish my own diet book and make my fortune.

Regarding the sweet tea, how many cups a day, and how many teaspoons of sugar/day?  If it's not so many (3 or 4) don't worry too much.  If it's a lot, slowly cut back on how much sugar you use.  

Sugar is a huge source of empty calories if you are trying to lose weight.  For example: if you usually put 2 tsp of sugar per cup, cut it down to 1, then 1/2 then none maybe over a period of a week or two. I agree with Quix and don't recommend artificial sweeteners.    If you can get used to drinking your tea unsweetened, you may not need to do too much else with your diet.  

Can you try some of the herb teas?  Some of these are naturally flavoured and you may find you don't need sugar with them.

Hope this helps.  Sorry it is long.  This topic is one of my great interest areas. :)  Gotta get back to work now.

Sally

[grannyhotwheels]

One more thing.  I'm a huge tea drinker.  I would probably die if I had to stop drinking it.  Yes it is sweet tea.  I hate lemon sweetener.  I use real sugar.  Anyone have some advice on this one?

Thanks,
Carol

[grannyhotwheels]

Is the first day of our food journal today or do we start on Wednesday?  It will be a short week since we weigh in on Monday.  So if anyone looses this week that will earn you a star!!!

Let me get this straight, do we do 30 min. of exercises a day?  Because of balance and mobility issues I can't do a whole lot.  Does any body have some recommendations for me?

Another issue is that I have never had to diet in my life.  I was always small and still ate anything but I was very athletic and active.  I guess that helped.  I have no idea how to diet.  Can someone set me up on some kind of plan for food and exercise?  Remember that I am very limited on mobility.  Terry as team captain can you help me out here?  I would love you forever for it.

I am so excited about this.  For the first time in a long time I feel motivated to do something.  You all totally ROCK!

I'll be praying for us all,
Carol

[AussyRose]

I say we don't have to tell our weight if we don't feel like it.  I think Monday weigh in is good because it will keep me honest on the weekend!  So, next Monday we can just say how much weight we lost...no need to post initial weight if it makes anyone uncomfortable!  And as far as "low fat" or "reduced fat" I am with you on most things, however SB Diet says low fat cheese and lean meats are the way to go.  No sense in clogging the old CVS.  

We should do weekly posts because of the length, good idea Sally

I am so excited!!!