Weight Loss

[waylap]

Well I'm finally tired of the "tire" I've accumulated over the last few years. I really want to loose about 45lbs and I know the best way is diet and excercise but my knees hinder jogging. Has anyone had success with any supplement that aids in weight loss? What about prescription help? Gastro surgery?

I've seen phenominal results from:

1. Divorce

2. Loss of job

3. Smoking crack

 

but none looked appealing. Give me your secrets.

[R80RTKen]

 

Divorce and Marlboros.... I lost 50 pounds... FAST

 

 

Divorce let to the famous "Aint gettin any" problem..

 

I stopped eating for a few months.. dropped from a 38 to a 34,

found myself a new girlfriend who hated smoking, dropped the marlboros, gained half the weight back.. never been happier!!!

 

[Jake]

This could be an interesting thread! Likely to rival the gun/stock market/helmet law threads of yore.

 

I'm going to, ahem, weigh in with a vote for seeing a nutritionist. If you really want to lose weight, that's a great place to start. Diet is a four letter word.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Look into a couple of web sites with diet recommendations for diabetics and follow the advice given there.

 

Since I got serious about weight loss about 2 years ago, I have gone from 246 lbs peak to my current 185. BTW, fat is the last thing to go if you just diet. You have to put some exercise in there.

 

Also, be careful about nutrition as you can easily diet yourself into a vitamin deficiency. Consider taking a vitamin supplement.

 

Forget about any of the instant weight loss remedies, all will either make you pee or poo a bunch and, as soon as you stop taking them, the weight will go right back on.

[BFish]

Well I'm finally tired of the "tire" I've accumulated over the last few years. I really want to loose about 45lbs and I know the best way is diet and excercise but my knees hinder jogging. Has anyone had success with any supplement that aids in weight loss? What about prescription help? Gastro surgery?

I've seen phenominal results from:

1. Divorce

2. Loss of job

3. Smoking crack

 

but none looked appealing. Give me your secrets.

 

get a bicycle...knees won't bother you. you will want to wave to motorcyclists you encounter and find yourself looking for the mirrors to see how your tail is.

[John Ranalletta]

Can recommend the " Fat Smash Diet" plan. It's a combo of daily cardio plus a diet that includes 4 small meals of greens and low glycemic index starches, e.g. brown rice.

 

I found it easy to follow because my SO prepared the meals each day.

 

It was very effective and I dropped 15lbs in 3 weeks following the Extreme Fat Smash Diet Plan.

[eddd]

BFish has it right...bicycling. I had a knee replacement and had to avoid running. Just keep in mind that you actually have to put some real effort into it. A slow cruise through the park doesn't burn many calories.

[Bheckel169]

Bowl of oatmeal in the morning (many varieties of flavors),

Vegetable (spinach) rollup with any number of breads (pita, whole wheat). Small dinner with lean meats or alternative veggies (Usually, no more than 350 calories). First 2 weeks don't exceed 1500 total calories per day. Next 4 weeks go to 1200 calories per day. You'll find the slow reduction of calories will allow you to get used to it or you'll cheat. Once you've normalized, you can rely on a maintenance system where you've determined how many calories you can have before you add weight.

All of this should be done with exercise. I bought a Bowflex and exercise 30 minutes 3 times a week. I then hike at least 2 hours on a Saturday or Sunday (for you a bicycle might work better). In 6 weeks I lost 20 pounds and am at my ideal weight of 178.

Oh, and one glass of red wine a night is very healthful but it does have calories so you need to count them.

 

I just had my cholesterol checked and for years I had very high cholesterol (360) and had to take statins. With this program, I take no medication and my cholesterol is 166. HDL is 60. LDL is 88 and triglycerides is 89.

I think it's a case of reducing weight, reducing helping size and exercise. It works.

 

Oh, and drink a few glasses of cold water a day just to fill your stomach between meals. Ice cold water seems to work better for me as it causes an uptick in my metabolic rate which means I burn up more calories.

 

Bruce

[motoguy128]

In the winter I start swimming more. It seems to really burn the calories without kicking up my appetite as much as running or cycling. It's easy on the knees and works everythign, especially core mustcles. The kicker is that you need to know how to swim well. Poor technique can also cause injury.

 

However, sicne you don't ahve a real winter, I'd suggest cycling. Easier on the knees if you get the bike set-up correctly (seat height is critical). It also works a lot of small muscles you use on the motorcycle and anything with 2 wheels is better than 4!

 

I've packing on 10-15 lbs since my lightest this summer. I back off my workouts since my "race" season ended for triathlons.

 

It's amazing how fast it goes on and how slow it comes off. Darn those biological survival responses!!!

 

For dieting. Just focus on protion control. You simply have ot accept the fact that you will be a little hungry at times. Try and eat small snacks every 2 hours to keep your energy and sugar level more even. Drink lots of water, and avoid all soda, including diet. You cna also drink juice, but avoid those that add corn syrup or other sugar as sweeteners.

 

Now...if I could just take my own advice...as I suck down a diet Mt. Dew.

[motoguy128]

Bowl of oatmeal in the morning (many varieties of flavors),

Vegetable (spinach) rollup with any number of breads (pita, whole wheat). Small dinner with lean meats or alternative veggies.

 

Bruce

 

 

That's what I did when I was my lightest and best fitness. I also ran 6-10 miles daily and worked out at a high intesity level almost 15 hours per week.... and I was 19 years old. But the meal streategy worked great. I've been trying to get my wife and I on it for the last year... but it's easier said than done. Now that she's pregnant, we're making a new effort and more blanced meals.

 

Some other subsittutes are a bagle or toast with peanut butter for breakfast or lower sugar cerals in reasonable portions.

 

Good luck. Start with a few new rules and eating habits and expand frmo there.

[marcopolo]

I'm now reading "You: On A Diet", written by two doctors. It's got the best explanation of weight and how your body deals with food etc. that I've seen (though it took me a while to get into it -- the book, that is). They emphasize waist size as the measure of health, not weight per se. Only at the very end of the book do they suggest a "diet", accompanied by excercise. It's pretty "user friendly".

[Dave McReynolds]

This is another approach that actually works. I chose it because I didn't want to bother analyzing all the food I ate; I just wanted to be told what to do in very simple terms, and I would do it. This is basically a high protein diet, and after a couple of days for your system to adjust, you begin dropping a pound every day or so. If you stick with the diet, you don't get all that hungry. If you start eating carbs, you get hungry and stop losing weight until the carbs get flushed out of your system. I was grumpy on this diet, because I missed eating normal things and drinking wine, but I tried not taking it out on those around me, because I knew the grumpyness was self-imposed. Losing a pound every day or so was good positive feedback, so I was encouraged to stay on the diet. The program I referenced is located in the Sacramento area, but I'm sure there are similar programs around the country. I lost the 20 pounds I needed to lose in a couple of months.

 

The big problem with any artificial way of losing weight is what happens over the next year or so after you go off the diet. Since you're not being trained in long-term healthy eating habits while you're on the diet, you have to do that on your own after you get off the diet. I probably still don't have any long-term healthy eating habits, but this is what worked for me: 1.) give up lunches, forever, and have one of the supplements for lunch instead. That makes it a 200 calorie lunch instead of whatever you might have otherwise. It probably costs me less to have a supplement for lunch than whatever else I might have, and I don't have to spend any time worrying about what I'm going to have for lunch. 2.) weigh myself every morning, and if I'm creeping up in weight, do something about it right then rather than wait until I gain 5 pounds. This might mean giving up wine until my weight goes back down, doing more exercise, not having any extra food, or some combination of the above. If the weight doesn't go back down in a few days, I cut back on something else, or exercise more, until it finally does go back down. Then it will stay down for a while until something happens to cause it to start creeping up again.

 

The stats are that something like 80% of the people who lose weight under some kind of program will gain it all back in the next year or so, so keeping it off is really harder than getting it off.

[R80RTKen]

"Losing weight without speed eatin sunflower seeds.... drinking lots o carrot juice and soakin up rays..."

 

 

 

-JB

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

Prism Weight Loss Program is a year-long program that rids your dependency on snack foods and empty calories. Valerie and I did it together and in the first 6 weeks I lost 26 pounds. You have to calorie count as well as fat gram count. You are required to drink your 8 glasses of water daily and keep a food log.

 

While it was a pain to do the log, it really taught me how much crud I was eating. The website says that it is a Christian based program. I believe it was founded by two women from a Lutheran congregation and the program materials have some scripture lessons too. We were eager to try the plan without the preaching and found a group to do that with. The fellowship aspect was helpful with weekly meetings.

 

They teach you how to read food labels and how to make better choices. Our group leader had already lost 80 pounds and was aiming to lose another 50. Due to our schedules, we stopped after the first 6-week module and need to try again.

[VinnyR11]

Trekking / walking poles significantly help with knee issues. (LEKI poles are one good choice) You can get a great knee-safe workout from hiking/walking. We day-hike a lot, and my wife was near giving it up a few years ago due to knee issues. We bought the poles on a recommendation from a friend and she's virtually back to normal. She does wrap her knee prior to a hilly hike, but it's very manageable and she says that the strengthening has really helped her knees. Of course check with your doc.

 

We also have had very good success with Weight Watchers. We started out doing it on-line with other family members, and now that we have the shtick down, we do it on our own following the W/W program. Everyone in our group of six has lost and continues to lose weight. It's not fast by any standard, but the weight loss has been significant and seems to stay off.

 

Good luck!

[Mister Tee]

The Tee eats a modified Atkins diet, minimizing starches and sugars, and replacing them with greens. This has worked well for the Tee. That is, of course in combination with a rigorous exercise progam. The Tee spends more time at 24 Hour Fitness than he does at home.

 

On an unrelated note, for all you single guys, a 24 Hour Fitness membership gets you much more bang for your buck than ten times the equivalent spent on bar tabs.

[Ron_B]

I’ve had an up and down weight problem my whole life. In the past, I’ve always been able to lose about 12 to 15 pounds a month by merely restricting myself to 2,000 calories a day. It was really not that hard when I put my mind to it. I’ve also tried Seattle Sutton with very good results. In the late ‘90s, I was down to 180, was walking a couple of miles a day, and was wearing a size large jacket. (Damn, I have so much good riding gear in my closet that no longer fits)

 

I’ve had to admit to myself that I’m a “stress eater.” A few years before my stroke, things got extremely stressful at work. It was very political, and I didn’t handle it very well. Then, I stepped in a hole and fractured my ankle. I stopped walking, started eating too much and starting ballooning up. Then, a-fib, and bam, CVA.

 

Since then, the 2,000 calories a day diet just doesn’t seem to work anymore. I think it’s because I take beta-blockers, and I’ve read that these meds can inhibit weight loss. Oh, I can and do still gain weight, and I’ve got no excuse for that.

 

The only diet that seems to work for me these days is a very-low carb diet. There’s just one problem. I hate low carb diets. A while ago, I decided that I had to do something. These days, 6,000+ mile trips pose little difficulty for me, but off the bike I can hardly get around. Some of it is the effects of the stoke, but most of it is, well, that I'm just too fat.

 

(To those who saw me hobbling along with my cain at BBR, my problems have been compounded recently by a nasty case of sciatica)

 

A couple of weeks before BBR, I went back on low-carb, with a brief respite on the trip. I’ve found a few products that make the diet easier, including shirataki noodles, and low-carb tortillas. They satisfy my cravings for carbs. For example, for breakfast today I had a scrambled egg and hot sauce burrito. Lunch was a tuna fish burrito. (I heard that, please stop laughing) Dinner will be meatballs and some low-carb veggies. The tortillas even work for my sweet-tooth. I just take some sugarless carb-free fruit spread and put it on a tortilla.

 

For the first time, this diet hasn’t got me climbing the walls, and I am losing. Have I finally got this licked? I hope so. See me in the spring.

 

To answer the original question, I have always been skeptical of any supplement/aids. There may be some that work, but I think they’re usually scams. My Sister did well with the gastric bypass, but I think that’s a drastic measure and a little dangerous too. A reasonable diet and exercise - both Aerobic and Anaerobic - is the sensible way to lose.

 

Good luck.

[leikam]

I've seen good results from Isagenix. PM me if you want more details.

[bogthebasher]

Every weekday - bicycle 45 minutes (stationary or outside on the road) and 50 crunches on one of those big Pilates balls. Three times a week Bowflex or other weight program. Walk the dog 1km each morninig and evening. Oatmeal in the morning, piece of fruit mid morning and mid afternoon. Light lunch (big salad or a six inch low fat sub. Supper as someone said, some protein, veggie and maybe rice. If you must snack go for a banana or apple. Lots of ice cold water (Bowflex recommends this as well). This was my regimine for six months and it took that long but I lost 50 pounds (now 175). Slight increase on the foot now for another six months until I found where I didnt loose or gain anymore. Wine okay - just not to excess. Never felt better. Good luck and remember just keep at it. No magic, just persistance. Once the weight starts to fall away you will want to continue and people will notice.

[KDeline]

I know this sounds stupidly simple but you just can't let yourself eat that much. I weight 5 pounds more then I did in high school and I am nearly 50. You just have to not give in. Easy no, simple yes.

[ESokoloff]

I know this sounds stupidly simple but you just can't let yourself eat that much. I weight 5 pounds more then I did in high school and I am nearly 50. You just have to not give in. Easy no, simple yes.

 

Well I'm just 50 and more like 10# heavier then High School but I'm blessed with genes that allow me to eat as much as I care too so (in my case) your logic is flawed.

[SteveHebert]

This is just like asking which oil is best. Everyone is different and not all approaches will work for the same people. I agree with the simplicity of Ken's approach but I think there is much more to it. Diet alone will not give long lasting results, but a well balanced nutrition plan and exercise regiment will. There are many out there. I have been doing the Crossfit workout. You can see it here. A neat diet to look at also is the paleolithic or "caveman" diet. Something different to look at for your research. Find something that you enjoy to do in terms or working out and your success will be sweet. I do quite a bit of stationary bike riding due to my geographic area not being too friendly to outsiders. It is enjoyable as well as walking on a treadmill and using a concept 2 rower. I walk our flight line perimeter (12K) at least twice a week and really see results.

 

Good luck on the search and remember there is no magic pill or fad diet that will work. It is a lifestyle change.

[Nice n Easy Rider]

Well I'm finally tired of the "tire" I've accumulated over the last few years. I really want to loose about 45lbs and I know the best way is diet and excercise but my knees hinder jogging. Has anyone had success with any supplement that aids in weight loss? What about prescription help? Gastro surgery?

I've seen phenominal results from:

1. Divorce

2. Loss of job

3. Smoking crack

 

but none looked appealing. Give me your secrets.

 

Eating less usually doesn't work as you grow older because your body adjusts by cutting down on its metabolism. You need to both eat less and exercise more. That was the only thing that worked for me. I also couldn't jog (3 knee operations) but I found that I could use an elliptical trainer (low impact, easy on the knees) in the morning and at lunch I would go out for a 45 minute walk. I dropped 30 lbs in a year combining this combo with a more healthy diet and felt great.

[Selden]

As almost everyone here has suggested, moderate your caloric intake (my wife recently turned diabetic, which is helping both our diets), and get more exercise. After an alarming full body scan last summer (low bone density, bad fat/muscle ratio) I started lifting free weights, and riding 1-2 miles daily in a hilly neighborhood.

 

I have found it motivating to maintain a spreadsheet of daily activity. If I slack off, it's immediately obvious. It's tempting to start too hard, then get discouraged, especially if you strain a muscle or joint. With the spreadsheet, I can see slow, steady progress.

 

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

(my wife recently turned diabetic, which is helping both our diets)

To the OP, you didn't mention any underlying health issues, like diabetes. I'm technically a Type 2, but am controlling with insulin. My doctor started me on a drug called Byetta which has a lovely side effect of weight LOSS. If you are a diabetic, you might discuss this drug with them.

[tallman]

Increase protein intake.

Eat more hot peppers.

Drink more green tea.

Gradually increase exercise level.

Depending on your initial level of fitness and cardio vascular condition, the type of exercise can vary widely.

Is your goal to just lose weight?

Or, is it to have a healthier body, better lifestyle, more resistance to illness,

Lose weight, short term goal.

Change behaviors that resulted in the weight gain, long term goal.

The results from second options will generally be long lasting and more beneficial.

Best wishes.

Oh, I dropped 30 pounds doing the above.

[motoguy128]

On an unrelated note, for all you single guys, a 24 Hour Fitness membership gets you much more bang for your buck than ten times the equivalent spent on bar tabs.

 

Agreed. When I was single in Chicago, I went to Lifetime Fitness which was 24 hours. Much better opportunities for meeting ladies than the bars... plus the advantage of better lighting and no beer goggles.

 

Now that I'm married our YMCA has everything I need, which mainly is a pool and some machine weights for winter training.

[motoguy128]

Oh... don't foget... something like every 10 lbs you drop is like gaining 1HP on the bike!!! Woohooo!!!

[VinnyR11]

Oh... don't foget... something like every 10 lbs you drop is like gaining 1HP on the bike!!! Woohooo!!!

 

Good point. The money saved in carbon fiber alone would easily support a gym membership!

[yabadabapal]

Since my desert thread is not doing to well I thought I d stop by.

I think each of you should get a dog. It will give you lots of love and 3 or more good walks a day. Great for stress, great for loosing weight, and great for the heart in more ways than one.

[Matts_12GS]

I've had good success with the http://www.combatconditioning.com/ .

 

Simple, effective and it requires no equipment.

[waylap]

Ok, no diabetes...yet. Just 5'9 235lbs. I developed a bad sweet tooth after completly cutting out the spirits and went from 180 up up up . You know, not the best eating habits and then cookies and milk after dinner every night. Mmmmmmm peanut butter cookies..mmmmmm

So I started yesterday with a brisk walk in the afternoon for 20 mins and today I ate.

1 apple (breakfast) black coffee

a medium salad w/light fat free dressing no cheese or meats.

4 oz tuna fish in water.

a peach (snack at 1500)

half cup collard greens.(dinner)

 

and water.

 

 

[Gary in Aus]

My knees have been rebuilt and one complete knee replacement and therefore too much running/jogging can sometimes become painful, other knee will need to be replaced in the not too distance future. {rugby and a range of self destructive pursuits}

 

I swim at least half an hour every day and if possible spend at least half an hour in the surf. The aerobic value of being bounced around in the surf is good for your body and soul.

 

I was 110 kg at 21 years {105 kg playing weight} and am 122 kg at 52 years . I could do to lose 5 to 10 kgs but enjoy a fortunate lifestyle and enjoy my food . With dietary changes I can drop 5 or 10 kg easily but I then just as easily put it back on , for some reason I don't go above 122 kg regardless of my diet.

 

 

[AdventurePoser]

All timely and wise ideas, and it all boils down to take in less calories than you expend. "Diets" don't work unless you can maintain the life style the diet espouses forever.

 

Cut your portions in half, eat plenty of veggies, and walk briskly four times a week, 20 minutes at a time to start.

 

Good luck,

 

Steve

[Warren_H]

Check out this book: Dr. Gundry's Diet Evolution

 

These links will let you download an interview with the Dr.

Part 1

Part 2

 

No Affiliations

[marcopolo]

...and today I ate.

1 apple (breakfast) black coffee

a medium salad w/light fat free dressing no cheese or meats.

4 oz tuna fish in water.

a peach (snack at 1500)

half cup collard greens.(dinner)

 

and water.

 

It's good that you're taking action. Just getting started is half the battle. However, I don't think this strategy is sustainable over the medium to long term. Eating like this will quickly slow your metabolism such that when you resume "normal" eating you will quickly regain whatever weight you have lost and then some. This is why I suggested a book earlier (You: On a Diet) on how your body chemistry works. It will explain this much better than I could. To lose in a sustainable way -- and get results over the short term -- you should: cut out sugar (including fruit juice); eat lots of lean protein (fish, chicken, pork etc.); eat lots of veggies of all kinds; and if you insist on starchy food, make sure it's high fibre like multi-grain bread (don't go near potatoes/pasta/white bread). Rules are:

 

- high protein;

- high fibre;

- low sugar;

- low fat; and

- eat lots of small meals throughout the day vs. 3 big ones.

 

Oh yeah, combine this with exercise and lots of water.

 

Tricks to boost your metabolism: drink caffeinated green tea.

If you're dying for something sweet, have a small piece of the darkest chocolate with the highest cocoa content you can stand (70-80%).

[Mister Tee]

One of the things that most of the diet pros recommend (as mentioned above) is to eat several small meals a day, vs. three big ones.

 

That may work for most people, but it completely DOESN'T work for me. It's basically akin to snacking all day long and it's a good way to lose track of calories, in my opinion.

 

If I eat more than two meals a day, my body automatically rejects the third. If I eat any less than a full meal, my stomach acts as if I hadn't eaten at all.

[BeniciaRT_GT]

One of the things that most of the diet pros recommend (as mentioned above) is to eat several small meals a day, vs. three big ones.

 

That may work for most people, but it completely DOESN'T work for me. It's basically akin to snacking all day long and it's a good way to lose track of calories, in my opinion.

 

If I eat more than two meals a day, my body automatically rejects the third. If I eat any less than a full meal, my stomach acts as if I hadn't eaten at all.

 

Which is exactly the opposite of me!

 

I lost 60 pounds by eating MORE oddly enough. I would go many days without eating all day so dinner was my first, and only, meal of the day!

 

I never counted calories though. I never was much of a sweet tooth, which was very helpful.

 

I started making sure I had something for breakfast, usually a Cliff Bar. I found that I could eat half a sandwich, and wait 30-45 minutes and wasn't hungry. However I did get hungry much sooner after a "meal" so I would eat the other half around 15:00 or so.

 

So the moral of the story is you have to find out what will work for you. That is why there are so many diets out there that someone can swear by and anther person will swear is worthless.

 

I do think all will agree though, calories are the final answer, both burned and consumed. (Swimming is great when you have bad knees!)

 

Good luck!

[lvnvbiker]

5 to 6 small meals a day balance your protien and carb portions, and eat lots of dark colored veg(broccoli, asaragus, spinach..) Do not worry about calories really, just figure that a portion of protien is the size of you palm w/o fingers and your carb should be the size of your fist, veg whatever you can fit in your two hand cupped. If your knees are shot try an eliptical machine. I went from 235 to 185 in 18 weeks on Body for Life, and never felt better. One good back injury later and I'm 220 and felling it, but am going to do BFL but modified to work around the injury, and add in cycling also.

[DaveTheAffable]

There is a "SECRET" about gastric bypass surgery, the "pouch", clamping, or stapling.

 

I saw a talk show a few months back that had two doctors on it... one from the Mayo Clinic, and one from John Hopkins. They said that they felt compelled to tell the american public two things.

 

#1 - THOUSANDS of people have serious complications from the above surgeries or procedures.

 

#2 - The reason they work is........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.... the patients ate less food. There is NO magic!

 

They said that anybody can get the "Post Surgery" dietary / eating guidelines for those that have had the procedure and if they follow them, eating the same foods / quantities, they can get the SAME results without the surgery!

 

Difficult, Yes. Safer, Yes. Lasting results? Better, because YOU are in control, YOU did it. Builds confidence and sustainable results.

 

(Obviously exercise and a quality diet are included here)

 

Good Luck!

[Dave McReynolds]

There is a "SECRET" about gastric bypass surgery, the "pouch", clamping, or stapling.

 

The other thing I've heard is that if you take that tiny little stomach after the clamping or stapling and continue to stuff it with food, it eventually will return to its pre-clamping or stapling size and you'll be back where you started.

[DaveTheAffable]

There is a "SECRET" about gastric bypass surgery, the "pouch", clamping, or stapling.

 

The other thing I've heard is that if you take that tiny little stomach after the clamping or stapling and continue to stuff it with food, it eventually will return to its pre-clamping or stapling size and you'll be back where you started.

 

Yup. And I'm not looking down my nose at people who have struggled with weight loss, or who have had the procedure.

No way, no how. It is DIFFICULT. We had a death in our family that was directly related to obesity and diabetes.

 

But one common key to the non-surgical approaches is a change in eating habits and exercise. The weight loss follows....

[Ron_B]

A reasonable diet and exercise - both Aerobic and Anaerobic...

 

Further explanation:

 

Aerobic exercise like walking, swimming and such burns calories, and therefore it burns fat.

 

Anaerobic exercise like lifting weights and resistance training burns carbs and boosts your metabolism.

 

Of the 2, the former is more important, but don’t overlook the latter. An older person that’s fat and out of shape (like me) can have a very slow metabolism.

 

 

Mark's comment above...

 

Eating like this will quickly slow your metabolism

 

...is also right on. Our bodies have a built-in mechanism that senses starvation and slows down metabolism. That’s why starvation diets don’t work. (Oh, eventually it works after it’s wrecked your health and kills you)

 

Mark and Tim, thanks for the tip on green tea.

 

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

There is a "SECRET" about gastric bypass surgery, the "pouch", clamping, or stapling.

 

The other thing I've heard is that if you take that tiny little stomach after the clamping or stapling and continue to stuff it with food, it eventually will return to its pre-clamping or stapling size and you'll be back where you started.

 

Absolutely. A coworker who initially weighed about 375 had gastric bypass surgery a few years ago. He quickly shed about 100 pounds, but continued to eat crappy foods (e.g. donuts every morning) in large quantities. About two years after the surgery he had regained maybe 60-70 pounds.

 

Surgery is a weapon of last resort for people who are morbidly obese and have some sort of major mental health issue that is preventing them from adopting a healthy diet (i.e. healthy foods in modest portions) - and it doesn't always work, as my coworker demonstrated. All the expense and pain of major surgery, and in the end it only helped him shed 30 pounds...

[lvnvbiker]

A large portion of the population seems to not realize the importance of weight training, and I am not speaking of bodybuilding. The facts are that muscle weighs ALOT more than fat and has huge a benefit for weight loss, it uses calories. I see alot of folks focus on a number instead of being healthy, like they must be 150 lbs instead of looking at % of bodyfat. Cardio is great but it will eat muscle tissue while also burning fat, remember the aerobics queens of the 80's. (They were skinny, but also jiggly with no muscletone to speak of.) Interval training and working with heart rate zones burn more fat than long slow burn type cardio because it uses more calories, and used in conjunction with a short but effective lifting program one can be out of the gym in less than an hour having better results than the guy on the treadmill for 15 miles. Seriously check out the Body for Life book, it works well and explians in detail why it does. I will say that it may not be for everyone as outlined in the book,but the principals can be tailored to fit ones lifestyle and still give outstanding results. Google BFL and you'll get a ton of info.

Just my 2 cents, and YMMV.

[drzep]

Surgery is a weapon of last resort for people who are morbidly obese and have some sort of major mental health issue that is preventing them from adopting a healthy diet...

My understanding is that a significant psychiatric comorbidity would EXCLUDE one from having bariatric surgery. That is why there are strict criteria regarding pre-operative mental health evaluation. No?

 

The more common surgical approach these days is to place an adjustable band around a part of the stomach (i.e., laproscopic banding). That way, over time it can be quickly adjusted to accommodate the expanding gastric pouch size.

[KDeline]

I know this sounds stupidly simple but you just can't let yourself eat that much. I weight 5 pounds more then I did in high school and I am nearly 50. You just have to not give in. Easy no, simple yes.

 

Well I'm just 50 and more like 10# heavier then High School but I'm blessed with genes that allow me to eat as much as I care too so (in my case) your logic is flawed.

 

What is your BMI, cholesterol, and percent of body fat? I will bet not good. If you are truly blessed, it won't last, for your health, be careful.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Surgery is a weapon of last resort for people who are morbidly obese and have some sort of major mental health issue that is preventing them from adopting a healthy diet...

My understanding is that a significant psychiatric comorbidity would EXCLUDE one from having bariatric surgery. That is why there are strict criteria regarding pre-operative mental health evaluation. No?

 

After a brief web search on "bariatric surgery contraindications," this reference suggests your right. So does the "noncompliance with previous medical care" (such as not sticking to a diet regimen that could save one's life) referenced here. Other mental illness issues, e.g. depression, also are supposed to be addressed before surgery is considered.

 

However, if someone would voluntarily choose painful, risky, invasive surgery over willfully limiting their food intake, that seems to me like a substantial mental health issue - but perhaps that particular one is not on the list.

[KDeline]

 

However, if someone would voluntarily choose painful, risky, invasive surgery over willfully limiting their food intake, that seems to me like a substantial mental health issue - but perhaps that particular one is not on the list.

 

 

Which goes back to my original post. Less food, less fat. Simple.

[drzep]

That's crazy.

 

For people that are severely overweight (not a BMI of 30, but real candidates for surgery), it is not as easy as simply changing behavior - like flicking a mental switch. It doesn't work that way and its short-sighted to expect that of morbidly obese people.

 

First, it is after all difficult to teach an old dog new tricks. There is something to be said for behavior and eating is no different. It becomes part of their life in a very pathologic way. They come to depend on it not just to feel normal physiologically, but to maintain a sense of normalcy in their life. I can't imagine that being morbidly obese is easy; these people feel enormous stain under the public scrutiny of being 'grotesque'. They can no longer do normal activities of daily living - some cannot even wipe themselves after using the toilet. In the face of so much internal stress, eating provides a necessary psychological relief. It just feels good, makes them feel normal. It's the same reinforcing properties that drives anyone to eat.

 

The second and perhaps more powerful drive has little to do with conscious choice. Once fat cells reach a certain size and density, they take on a new life - that of an endocrine organ, secreting hormones that act to keep the fat cells large and to even grow in size. Very self-centered. The hormones that they release stimulate hunger and independently, can drive eating behavior. It you inject them into mice, they eat. If you keep injecting them, they get fat. If you examine the blood of obese people and animals, these hormones are elevated.

 

So to just say buck and up and change - lose some weight - is unrealistic. I'm not not saying that it never happens, but its rare. And this is not the case for mild to moderate obesity, but then again these are not the people that are surgical candidates anyways.