Re: 8 pounds a month

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/19/03 2:52:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

lynnedurham@... writes:

> Eight pounds a month is very doable...I've lost 50 pounds in less

> than 5 months. I am not a doctor or a health professional of any

>

Be very carful if you lose so quickly - I did this and it came back just as

fast for me.

~~ in NJ~~

So Many Books, So Little Time

Currently Reading: The Lake House by

Just finished: The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst (A+/10)

Prayers for Rain by Dennis Lehane (A/9)

The Mulberry Tree by Jude Deveraux (B/6)

No Second Chance by Harlan Coben (C/3)

Green Angel by Alice Hoffman (A+/10)

Home Before Dark by Wiggs (B+/7)

Next Reads: Say When by Berg

Beach Music by Pat Conroy

The Song Reader by Tucker

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/19/03 2:52:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

lynnedurham@... writes:

> you'll need at least three types of exercise: endurance,

>

What kinds of exercise do you do for this?

~~ in NJ~~

So Many Books, So Little Time

Currently Reading: The Lake House by

Just finished: The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst (A+/10)

Prayers for Rain by Dennis Lehane (A/9)

The Mulberry Tree by Jude Deveraux (B/6)

No Second Chance by Harlan Coben (C/3)

Green Angel by Alice Hoffman (A+/10)

Home Before Dark by Wiggs (B+/7)

Next Reads: Say When by Berg

Beach Music by Pat Conroy

The Song Reader by Tucker

[Guest guest]

Great tips Lynne, 8 pounds is not unrealistic if you have done it before.

This month so far (3 weigh in's) I have lost 9.4. I average about 8 a

month (2 a week). You really should start incorporating exercise into your

day, you will not only start dropping pounds, but you will feel much better.

Figure your weekly average from the beginning of your program and see what

that is. Good luck, and yes no one will probably notice that you lost 8

pounds but they will notice the confidence you will have for achieving your

goal. Don't take the negative comments personally, and don't let them get

you down. Be determined that you are going to do it and keep that mentality

and if you don't by some chance, set another goal and work for that one.

-- 8 pounds a month

Eight pounds a month is very doable...I've lost 50 pounds in less

than 5 months. I am not a doctor or a health professional of any

kinds. The following tips are based solely on my own

experience. They may sound tough, but hey...this list is for

*serious* weight watchers, right?

Tips:

- Adjust your thinking. Make your goal ( " I will weight X by DATE " )

and then relentlessly pursue that goal. To achieve your goal,

everything you do should move you toward it.

- Measure everything. Do NOT trust that you're eating the right

size portions. Whether we admit it or not, most of us who have

been on program for awhile experience " portion drift " ...where

portion sizes miraculously grow when we don't measure. I

honestly believe this is the cause of many plateaus. And when

we admit it and start measuring again, poof! Plateau busted.

- Stick 100% to program. Do *not* put food in your mouth while

cooking. Do *not* take " just a taste " or " just a sip " of anything.

- Plan every single day BEFORE you eat. So, before you go to

bed on Monday, you know exactly what you're going to eat on

Tuesday. Then, when you eat it, WRITE IT DOWN. Immediately.

- Exercise *aggresively.* If you want to lose 8 pounds this month,

you'll need at least three types of exercise: endurance,

high-intensity, and strength training. All three. Exercise at *least*

5 hours/week; if you want guaranteed 8 pounds/month loss, try

for 10/week. I've been doing at least 10/month since January and

I honestly believe I can do this for the rest of my life.

- Drink your water. All of it.

- Avoid soda, sodium and anything else that bloats you.

- Try eating for health, rather than just concentrating on points,

meaning lots of fresh veggies, fruits, whole grains, low-fat

proteins. I know, I know...it's really only about calorie deficit. And

technically, you could create a calorie deficit even if you only ate

chocolate. But that won't fill you up. And eating a healthful diet

*will*. So you'll be well-fueled for your workouts, your metabolism

will roar and you'll be less likely to want to fall off the wagon.

- Okay, here's a controversial one: I'm not so sure you need to

eat your APs to achieve this goal. I never did and I lost FAST.

Then, I slowed for a couple of weeks, ate some APs and lost

again. I thought I was sold on the eating the APs thing. But I'm

not sure I wouldn't have lost anyway...I think my body was just

going through an adjustment. (I'm not eating them this week just

to test my theory.) I've heard all the stuff about our bodies going

into starvation mode, yadda, yadda...but tell me. If this is so true,

how do anorexics get so freakin' thin? They continue to lose

despite the fact that they rarely eat anything. NOTE: I am NOT

condoning this type of behavior, I do NOT find anorexia in any

way attractive, I DO know this is a very serious disease. I'm

simply challenging the " your body goes into starvation mode "

line of thinking.

Now, to speak out of the other side of my mouth: I do believe

there is a place where your metabolism is optimized and runs

most efficiently. Mine seems to be efficient with or without extra

calories. Yours may need extra calories.

So, I guess I'm saying workout like a fiend. Stick STRICTLY to

program. Eat within your point range, even at the top of it. Eat APs

only if you want to.

I think you can lose 8 pounds in one month!

Good luck,

Lynne

Lapsed Lifer, Recommitted 1-22-03

217/167/159/145?

Start/Current/WW Goal/Personal Goal?

[Guest guest]

Hi .

For endurance, I run long...between 40 min and 1 hour right now,

three times weekly (40 mins twice weekly, 1 hour once weekly). I

up each of those numbers by 5 minutes each week. Additionally,

I walk 30 minutes and bicycle 20 minutes 3x weekly and do

Aquacize twice weekly.

For HIIT, I do a treadmill workout that includes 2 min walk for

warm up, 3 min slow run, 1 min hard sprint, 1 min fast walk, 1

min slow run, 1 min hard sprint...and I alternate that until I've

done it for 30 minutes, then cool down with a 3-5 min walk.

For strength, I lift full body three times weekly, but I'm thinking

about switching it up to a 3-day split program for greater muscle

gains.

I also stretch 5 days/week because my program is geared

toward overall health. I don't think stretching increases my weight

loss, though, so I didn't include it in my recommendations.

So my current week looks like this:

MWF, 5 am: 1.25 hr strength, 35 min HIIT (includes cooldown),

5-10 min stretching

MWF, lunch: 30 min walk (and sometimes run)/20 min bicycle

TTh, 6 am: Aquacize class

TTh, lunch: 40 min run

Sa or Su: Long run

BTW, I lost fast last time I was on WW, too. I didn't start gaining it

back until I stopped following program...and that was 6 years

later.

2 pounds/week isn't too fast. In fact, I'm pretty sure experts say

you can hit up to 3 pounds and still be doing weight loss

healthfully. And of course, that's just an average. For instance,

my first week, I lost 5.25. There have been weeks that I've only

lost .5. But over the entire time period, it averages out to just over

2/week.

Anything over that, of course, might be a different story.

Lynne

Lapsed Lifer, Recommitted 1-22-03

217/167/159/145?

Start/Current/WW Goal/Personal Goal?

> In a message dated 6/19/03 2:52:32 PM Eastern Daylight

Time,

> lynnedurham@y... writes:

>

>

> > you'll need at least three types of exercise: endurance,

> >

>

> What kinds of exercise do you do for this?

>

> ~~ in NJ~~

> So Many Books, So Little Time

[Guest guest]

> > Eight pounds a month is very doable...I've lost 50 pounds in less

> > than 5 months. I am not a doctor or a health professional of any

> >

>

> Be very carful if you lose so quickly - I did this and it

> came back just as

> fast for me.

How can you " be careful " about how fast your body responds to weight

loss?

And how can you gain it all back if you stay on program?

I lost fast and honestly, I get tired of being told that I will " gain it

all back just as fast. " That's so not supportive! She won't gain it all

back if she truly has made a lifestyle change. You, obviously at that

point, did not. I'm assuming you have now since you're here with us and

share a lot of great advice.

I always ate within my point range, exercised, even dug into the bank

and yet I lost an average of 2 pounds a week (92 pounds in 46 weeks, 102

pounds in 51 weeks...WW goal and personal goal respectively). I could

have eaten MORE I suppose and slowed down my loss, but that would have

been silly and it would NOT have changed how my body reacts to weigh

loss. It would have just been eating more calories a week and taking

longer to get to where I was going in the first place. Eating more

during the loss cycle of the program would not have made any difference

in how fast I gain weight after losing (if I had gone off program)

because my body is still going to react the same towards calories.

[Guest guest]

> > you'll need at least three types of exercise: endurance,

> >

>

> What kinds of exercise do you do for this?

Endurance exercises are exercises that increase your heart rate and keep

it up there for an extended period of time. Things like brisk walking

(for a long time), jogging, swimming, etc.

[Guest guest]

Dear Tory,

I've been thinking about this situation. I read it in your blog

before about the lady at Curves saying something about you gaining it

all back, etc. I don't know why people do those sort of things. Is

it insecurity or jealousy? I don't know what gives someone a right to

make such a rude, flippant remark on a very seriously admirable topic

such as your weight loss. Clearly, you have an iron will.

I've said snappish things to people on other topics and was mortified

at what came out of my mouth. I am in no way making excuses for

anyone doing that. I just wanted to let you know that I remember

what you said and I hope that I can be more conscious in my treatment

of others because of it.

P.S. way to go on your certification test!

Amy

> > > Eight pounds a month is very doable...I've lost 50 pounds in

less

> > > than 5 months. I am not a doctor or a health professional of

any

> > >

> >

> > Be very carful if you lose so quickly - I did this and it

> > came back just as

> > fast for me.

>

> How can you " be careful " about how fast your body responds to weight

> loss?

>

> And how can you gain it all back if you stay on program?

>

> I lost fast and honestly, I get tired of being told that I

will " gain it

> all back just as fast. " That's so not supportive! She won't gain it

all

> back if she truly has made a lifestyle change. You, obviously at

that

> point, did not. I'm assuming you have now since you're here with us

and

> share a lot of great advice.

>

> I always ate within my point range, exercised, even dug into the

bank

> and yet I lost an average of 2 pounds a week (92 pounds in 46

weeks, 102

> pounds in 51 weeks...WW goal and personal goal respectively). I

could

> have eaten MORE I suppose and slowed down my loss, but that would

have

> been silly and it would NOT have changed how my body reacts to weigh

> loss. It would have just been eating more calories a week and taking

> longer to get to where I was going in the first place. Eating more

> during the loss cycle of the program would not have made any

difference

> in how fast I gain weight after losing (if I had gone off program)

> because my body is still going to react the same towards calories.

[Guest guest]

For the record, I wasn't saying that anyone here was insecure of

jealous, i just meant what is the basis for those remarks?

Wow, now you're as skinny as I

> am! " (Delivered to me at a size 10 by a cow-orker who two weeks

later

> confided that she was a size 16, in a very very catty manner.)

Mmmm....you could secretly shoot birds to your co-workers from

underneath your desk.

I agree beauty has no size. Just look at Star .

" You look so pretty now! Isn't it great to feel pretty? "

Nothing like being talked down to.

ugh!

> > > > > Eight pounds a month is very doable...I've lost 50 pounds in

> > less

> > > > > than 5 months. I am not a doctor or a health professional of

> > any

> > > > >

> > > >

> > > > Be very carful if you lose so quickly - I did this and it

> > > > came back just as

> > > > fast for me.

> > >

> > > How can you " be careful " about how fast your body responds

> > to weight

> > > loss?

> > >

> > > And how can you gain it all back if you stay on program?

> > >

> > > I lost fast and honestly, I get tired of being told that I

> > will " gain it

> > > all back just as fast. " That's so not supportive! She won't

gain it

> > all

> > > back if she truly has made a lifestyle change. You, obviously at

> > that

> > > point, did not. I'm assuming you have now since you're here

with us

> > and

> > > share a lot of great advice.

> > >

> > > I always ate within my point range, exercised, even dug into the

> > bank

> > > and yet I lost an average of 2 pounds a week (92 pounds in 46

> > weeks, 102

> > > pounds in 51 weeks...WW goal and personal goal respectively). I

> > could

> > > have eaten MORE I suppose and slowed down my loss, but that

would

> > have

> > > been silly and it would NOT have changed how my body reacts

> > to weigh

> > > loss. It would have just been eating more calories a week

> > and taking

> > > longer to get to where I was going in the first place. Eating

more

> > > during the loss cycle of the program would not have made any

> > difference

> > > in how fast I gain weight after losing (if I had gone off

program)

> > > because my body is still going to react the same towards

calories.

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I agree with you Lynne, that it is doable for some people. As of my

weigh in Wed. night, I lost another 3 pounds for a total of 32 in 15

weeks. I have pretty much done almost everything Lynne said in her

post. I am obsessive about not eating over my point range. I also

don't eat activity points. My metabolism seems to chug along pretty

well. I realize that not everyone's does and some may need to eat

those points. However, chances are that if you've only been

losing .8-1.2 pounds per week, it's not suddenly going to be 2 or

more per week.

The one thing I'd add is that if you are working out, you probably

need to drink even more water because you're sweating some of it

out. I started working out about a week ago and had a big loss. I'm

planning on keeping it up at least 4 and I'm trying for 5 days per

week. I've noticed that I need more water on workout days. I

usually shoot for 80-90 oz. I don't drink much of anything besides

water.

I stick to the program obsessively. It seems to work if you do

that.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

To answer your question, yes. But you know what I found after

thinking about it? It was people I know who are either overweight

or totally obese who didn't say anything. Whether it is jealousy or

their feeling self-conscious about their weight, I'm not sure. But

hey, no skin off my nose if they didn't say anything. I'm happy I

made the decision to lose weight. I wouldn't let it bother you too

much.

Cliff

240/190/189

started at 284 before joining WW at 240...lost the first 40 on my own

>anyone

> says as I reach goal again. Anyone else have any circumstances

where people

> didn't say anything??

>>

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Pimentel [mailto:angelap@q...]

> Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 8:33 AM