I need some advice on diet

[ciggy]

Ok..it goes like this. Since I got sick and had to be on prednizone and many other drugs for so long I gained alot of weight. 60lbs heavier than I've ever been my whole life and for the last 3 years. I have been of Prednizone for over a year now but cannot manage to loose the weight. Because of my muscle/bone desease I cannot run like I used to love doing or anything really hard on my joints. I use the treadmill three times a week with 4 sets of sit-ups 20 count each and then lunges and squats. This takes alot out of me and I'm really sore throughout the day and I live with pain as it is everyday so it can make it worse. My diet has not changed in many many years and I still eat the same way. I usually don't eat breakfast just coffee, slimfast or PB sandwitch for lunch, and then a big dinner. I believe my problem is after dinner. We eat around 5-6pm and then I'm craving something sweet around 8pm so I grab sugery crap which I think is the major culprit in loosing my diet. Problem is I can't help it! I have to have something sweet. So I need some advice on what's sweet enough to curb my crave yet light on calories and fat. Any help would be awsome!!

 

[jmatkins]

Hey Ciggy, I too strugle with the evening snacks. I sometimes have a qt of crystal light ready to go at night. For me it is usu sweet enough and keeps me in check. Also could you push your evening meal back a little bit. That might keep you fuller a bit later at night.
John

 

[USNStoops]

I usually get random fruits from the galley or those bags of little carrots but my favorite is cottage cheese, not really sweet, but the type of protein it is is the longest lasting & I have found this keeps me full longer. I also try not to eat two hours before my average bedtime.

 

[benday]

i'm right there with you on this one...i came out of the navy with spondylolisthesis and the inability to run, bend, or lift...oxycontin was the medication culprit (i tried prednizone...didn't like it) and i gained 60lbs over the last 3 years.

now, i went to the VA in october of last year and requested a new doctor. in december of last year i told the doctor of my gaining weight, unable to do extensive exercises problem and he changed my pain medication to morphine sulfate.

since on morphine, my appetite is very little (wonderful side-effect) my pain is somewhat gone, and i've changed my diet to not sleeping within 4 hours of eating, and only eating a full meal when i eat (about 3 times a day sometimes two) (one veggie, one meat, and one carb)...no snacks (don't crave thanks to new meds). the medication makes me never really hungry so my portions have been halved. since december i've lost 15lbs and hopefully i'll be able to get rid of the rest soon.

 

[stroke]

bananas, Tom. They are sweet and 2 or 3 will fill you up. They still have sugar, but a good alternative to Little Debbie! You may also look into making smoothies. Check out Acai, it's a berry that only grows in Brazil. It's really sweet and packed with ant-oxidants. I love it and when I stop by Smoothie King it's what I get every time. You can buy Acai online.

 

[Slow Burn]

southbeach!! my and the old lady are on it for the second time....

managed to loose 10lbs in 2 weeks and another 10 over the following 4 weeks.... all we did was eat differently. we found guidelines, recipies, help, etc. online all over the place.

the only thing that sucks about it is the first almost 2 weeks (phase 1) i would never feel full nomatter how much i ate! it got better....

hope this helps

 

[messerjocke2000]

Hmm, for exercise that isn´t too hard on the jooints: swimming rules!

Plus, eating breakfast is considered important. I would try to get at least some muesli and fruit for breakfast.

Snacking is one of my problems too. Solution: Fruit and some nuts. we don´t have chocolate at home anymore ince i tend to eat the whole thing, once i get started.

 

[Glennet]

Ciggy-

I've got some bad news for you brother - if you think moderating or changing your night time snack is gonna help you lose weight - it won't happen. You need to make some changes in you entire eating regime. If you want to lose weight or just eat healthier - your diet should look something like this:

Breakfast - Gotta have it pal. It sets up your entire day. Now I'm not talking about Captain Crunch, doughnuts, or Bear Claws here. I'm talking maybe an egg or two prepared to your liking with maybe a piece of ham or bacon and some toast (whole wheat bread please - easy on the butter).

Mid morning- Great time for your Slimfast. Personally - while I don't use it - Carnation makes an excellent milk additive that is very high in protein.

Lunch - Your PB sandwich sounds good. If you need the J - find something that is made with a sugar substitute. Also maybe a lean hamburger here or a turkey club sandwich. All on whole wheat bread please.

Mid afternoon - See mid morning.

Dinner - Now here is where I may disagree with my colleagues. I suggest you consider moving your dinner time up to 4:00 - 5:00pm. Now the trick here is to go easy on the carbs. A moderate portion of lean meat while loading up on the veggies. If your a potato guy Ok - just go easy.

Night time snack - Fruit - Slimfast - Carrot sticks - Low carb ice cream - you get the idea.

I think where your getting off the track now is that your getting a high portion of you dinner time calories from carbs and causing a sugar rush in your blood. Now after your body processes the free sugar in your blood - about 2-4 hours if just sitting around - your brain gets nervous as the insulin levels in your blood call for more sugar - hence - it tells you to seek food high in carbs and you get your sugar craving. If you can avoid the carbs at mealtime - you can control the munchies later on.

Further - you've reached the point in life my friend that diet alone is not gonna help you drop the pounds - you also need exercise. Now get on that treadmill and DO NOT run or jog - walk. Easily at first - what I call boardwalk speed - you know when your walking the boardwalk at the beach looking at the bikinis but not wanting to walk into anything too fast. Yeah - that speed. But DO IT EVERYDAY !! Gradually build up your distance and speed. If you could get yourself to the point where you could walk 2 miles or so in half an hour - combined with the diet you would have seen the pounds melt off by now.

Also - FORGET the lunges and squats. They are putting unnecessary stress on your joints. I suggest you substitute some moderate stretching exercise and begin to build some tone in those muscles. At some point you would want to begin a very moderate weight lifting program using common household items as weights. However - I don't know the particulars of your illness - so you would want to consult with your physician(s) before any rigorous exercise program.

This sounds like a lot to change - but after a few weeks - especially after you've lost the first 5-10 lbs - the effort will all seem worth it.

Best of Luck !!

 

[Alwayslit]

Eat small 4 to 6 times a day high protein low carb. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Don't eat after 7p and the weight should start coming off.

 

[benday]

Further - you've reached the point in life my friend that diet alone is not gonna help you drop the pounds - you also need exercise. Now get on that treadmill and DO NOT run or jog - walk. Easily at first - what I call boardwalk speed - you know when your walking the boardwalk at the beach looking at the bikinis but not wanting to walk into anything too fast. Yeah - that speed. But DO IT EVERYDAY !! Gradually build up your distance and speed. If you could get yourself to the point where you could walk 2 miles or so in half an hour - combined with the diet you would have seen the pounds melt off by now.

i would agree that this is a great method for losing weight and getting in shape...but if ciggy has any similar condition that i do, even a walked could induce great pain...and i must disagree that a diet alone will not lose weight as that's exactly what dieting (starving) yourself will do. it won't put you in the best physical condition but not feeding one's body definitely makes it lose weight.

 

[Glennet]

Sure - you could starve yourself to lose weight - but how healthy is that ??

Your trying to make a HEALTHY lifestyle change - not starve yourself.

Doubt sincerely that any doctor or responsible medical professional would recommend starvation as a weight loss technique - IMHO.

 

[benday]

Sure - you could starve yourself to lose weight - but how healthy is that ??

Your trying to make a HEALTHY lifestyle change - not starve yourself.

Doubt sincerely that any doctor or responsible medical professional would recommend starvation as a weight loss technique - IMHO.

anyone with a severe enough disability that prohibits extensive physical activity would have to do this...go visit a pain management / physical therapy ward and you'll see a lifetime of doctors prescribing diet without exercise. It's a different way of life to you but many people live it successfully.

 

[stroke]

then theres bulimia....

 

[funkejj]

From a medical provider stand point the healthiest way to lost weight quick is the hCG diet. If you want to know more about it please pm me. It burn off adipose tissue that is fat and does not effect lean muscle mass at all.

 

[Nupe05]

I'm no medical expert, so I can't comment on the drug effect on your body, but the first thing that jumps out at me us that your not eating anything from dinner to lunch.. Not eating is just as bad as over eating.. Your body will store fat instead of burning it. As recommended I would leave the treadmil alone.. Either swim or elliptical.. Next you must eat breakfast.. Oatmeal, egg beaters, whole wheat toast.. As someone else suggested 4-6 small meals a day.. Next , buy healthy snacks don't bring junk food in the house at all.. Almonds, dried cranberry's, cottage cheese, or Greek yogurt (chobani) That's typically my snack through out the day.. Drink a shit ton of water.. Instead of jelly.. Use honey. Dinner should always contain some type of veggie and a meat with protein, and good carbs baked potato , sweet potato.. Same for lunch.. I also have brown rice and tuna in between, breakfast and lunch.. 2 hrs after lunch I'll have a protein shake, or greek yogurt almonds and a apple.. Hit gym workout have a shake directly after workout(dark matter) roughly 1 hr to 2 hrs following that I'll have dinner. If I'm in training . I'll have cottage cheese with a scoop of casein protein before bad..

I would suggest you make a journal of everything you eat for a week, anything that's not healthy replace it. Develop a strong diet that you can maintain.. Develop a workout routine. The hardest thing is sticking to the plan.. If you need any suggestion or pointers I'll help you as best I can

 

[Glennet]

anyone with a severe enough disability that prohibits extensive physical activity would have to do this...go visit a pain management / physical therapy ward and you'll see a lifetime of doctors prescribing diet without exercise. It's a different way of life to you but many people live it successfully.

I guess you missed the point where Ciggy mentioned he was already on a treadmill.

 

[kmckinn3]

The workout routine you have sounds good enough. The only other thing I would add is some swimming! Great excercise and pretty low impact.
Now you just need to focus on consuming less calories than you're burning. For snacks try to eat things with negative calories (ex. celery) or fruit. Also, force yourself to eat a good breakfast for a week and it will catch on and I think it will be very beneficial to you. In America it has always seemed the norm to have small breakfast and lunch then a big dinner... but other countries (and me personally) seem to function better and maintain a healthier body with a big breakfast, big lunch, and small dinner. I mean... if you think about it, getting your dailys required food earlier in the day gives you more time to burn it off rather then eating a big meal late at night and sitting around. Also, do your best to keep track of how many calories you take in every meal. Make a plan and stick to it bro. Those 60 lbs will be gone in no time! Keep us updated

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

Eat small 4 to 6 times a day high protein low carb. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Don't eat after 7p and the weight should start coming off.

I definately in agreement with Jim on this one.

 

[amgracing]

glennets plan is the best health-wise diet out there, being the son of a nutritionist this very plan has been ground into me since birth! and if followed correctly will help you lose a great deal of weight and not harm yourself in the process as well and leading a better life.. the problem with people now a day is that they think throwing money into a diet or "starving themselves " will solve it all but in reality i will make it worse, common sense is cheap and effective...

Ciggy breakfast is huge!(easy on the bacon and ham) it jump starts your metabolism if you dont have it your starving your body and when you do get a meal your body will "store" in the form of fat for the next time you starve it. so over time this builds the stockpile(fat).

 

[MichaelJ]

No fat/sugar free chocolate instant pudding made with skim milk and a scoop of chocolate protein powder. Give it a try...pretty good.