My husband and I began the first leg of our vacation today, traveling from Cleveland to West Palm Beach, Florida. In the process, I was reminded how grateful I am for meal replacements--especially when traveling.
Instead of having to choose between bagels and donuts for breakfast at the airport, I enjoyed a nice protein bar with my coffee this morning. Then, when hunger set in around 10:30 a.m. I poured 8 oz of water into my Blender Bottle, added the contents of a protein shake, and shook my way to a satisfying snack that held me over until 1p.m. Later, when our flight was delayed and we had to wrangle with the car rental facility about a price adjustment, putting us into our final destination much later than planned, another protein bar saved the day.
You see, in any one of those situations, had I not been prepared by having the right snacks on hand, the combination of hunger, fatigue and frustration might have led me right into the arms of Ronald McDonald. But, because I know the incredible importance of having quick, healthy options on hand when traveling, today's events barely required a second thought. There's some real truth in the statement that if you "fail to plan, you plan to fail." Thankfully, my mindful planning paid off today.
We'll see how well I can apply these lessons over the next week as I prepare to board the ship we'll be cruising on tomorrow. I look forward to sharing more with you all when I return in seven days time.
In the meanwhile, safe travels as you navigate this tangled path to maintenance. It is, as they say, "a jungle out there."
A community of successful weight loss maintainers looking for the answers while finding themselves.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Recipe: Individual Pumpkin Custard Cups
Ingredients:
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 egg whites
- 1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
- 1/4 cup sucralose (Splenda)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cups evaporated skim milk
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- fat-free whipped topping (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Lightly spray 8 4-ounce ramekins with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs and egg whites. Add the pumpkin and mix well. Blend in the sucralose, salt, cinnamon, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Fill each ramekin with 1/2 cup of the mixture. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and add enough warm water to come 2/3 of the way up the cups.
- Bake 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center of the custard comes out clean. Remove from the oven.
- Serve warm or room temperature, and top with fat-free whipped topping, if desired.
Recipe: Cranberry-Orange Compote
Cook Time: 10 minutes
This classic, jewel-colored fruit sauce is the perfect companion for turkey meat. Low in calories, cranberries are also a good source of vitamin C. If you like a sweeter compote, add a little more sugar substitute.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup granular sugar substitute (less if using something such as liquid stevia, or another more concentrated product)
Directions:
Place cranberries, zest, cinnamon, and water in a medium saucepan a over medium heat; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until berries have popped and compote has thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sugar substitute to taste. Serve at room temperature.
Back on Track...Hopefully!
First and formost I have to thank Jen for setting up this blog site for us. I found that while participating in the News Herald contest blogging was a very effective tool for me. I got my invitation e-mail at a very appropriate time. It is the day before Thanksgiving and my boss ordered in a pre-Thanksgiving lunch of pizza, wings and salad. Needless to say, since I am writing this first blog during my lunch, it was not difficult to just eat a big salad with my own chicken on it and be satisified.
I met Jen for the first time at our last maintainers meeting. I almost didn't attend the meeting because I was so disgusted with myself because I had put on 6 of the 22 lbs. that I had lost during the contest in just three short months from the end of it. After listening to Jen's story, I was totally inspired again to "nip this in the bud!" I spoke with Dr. Berkeley after the meeting, and she suggested that I make an appointment with her nutritionist to get help in getting back in track. I called the very next day and went to see her on Saturday. So I am back to watching what I do very carefully. I have vowed to myself that I will take that off by our next meeting on December 16th.
Now all I have to do is make it through the Thanksgiving weekend. I am confident that by writing these blogs, I should be able to do it.
I met Jen for the first time at our last maintainers meeting. I almost didn't attend the meeting because I was so disgusted with myself because I had put on 6 of the 22 lbs. that I had lost during the contest in just three short months from the end of it. After listening to Jen's story, I was totally inspired again to "nip this in the bud!" I spoke with Dr. Berkeley after the meeting, and she suggested that I make an appointment with her nutritionist to get help in getting back in track. I called the very next day and went to see her on Saturday. So I am back to watching what I do very carefully. I have vowed to myself that I will take that off by our next meeting on December 16th.
Now all I have to do is make it through the Thanksgiving weekend. I am confident that by writing these blogs, I should be able to do it.
Cleaning House
Perhaps one of the trickiest things about this weight loss and maintenance gig is trying to figure out which foods you can allow into your diet, and which ones you can’t. It’s tricky because you have to stay on top of things. A nibble of something may not cause you any harm, but a handful might. And you have to be prepared to retreat and go running in the other direction when you find those things that really shouldn’t be a part of your daily life.
I’ve had a couple of these experiences lately. For a while now I’ve suspected that nuts in limited quantities (such as on a salad in a restaurant) are just fine for me, but that in more robust quantities (Costco-sized package of walnuts, anyone?!) they could be really dangerous.
You see, I don’t have an “off-switch” when it comes to nuts. Though they’re not bad for you in limited quantities, handfuls of them add up quickly—especially in terms of calories and fat. And, before anyone suggests it, pre-portioning them or buy pre-packaged portions doesn’t work for me. It’s still just too darned easy to pad back into the kitchen and rip open another bag, take another handful, etc.
A few nights ago, I found my hand in the raw pecans one too many times. Before I knew it, I’d easily devoured the equivalent of over a half a cup. I keep my nuts and seeds in the freezer to ensure their freshness, and to make it that much harder for me to snack on them, and yet I still found myself wearing a path to the refrigerator.
Since this isn’t the first time this has happened, I made a decision. The nuts had to go. I took stock of how many I had in the freezer, and when I realized there weren’t enough to bother passing them off to someone else, I took action. I opened each bag and dumped them into the trash. Done.
Then, last night, I had a similar experience. I haven’t experimented much with dried fruit since adopting this new way of eating last year. But lately, with the holidays approaching, there’s been a lot of it around. Of particular interest to me were some dried apricots and organic black mission figs (which if you’ve never had one, are much like the inside of a Fig Newton...minus the cookie, of course).
A few days ago, I opened the figs and enjoyed four of them—one serving’s worth—as an after dinner treat. Afterward, I found myself craving more of them. “Unusual,” I thought, “as I’m normally plenty satisfied after eating a piece of fresh fruit.” I don’t, for example, find myself pining for another apple after I’ve already polished one off. But I let it go.
The next day, I found myself battling a bit of an urge for something sweet. Again, this is something I normally don’t struggle with at all. “Could it have been the dried fruit?” I wondered. There was no way of knowing for sure, but I was pretty certain I’d identified my culprit. Last night I confirmed my worst fears.
Following dinner, I attempted the same experiment. I placed four figs in a little dish and began eating them. “Mmmm.…” I thought. “These are fantastic. Sweet, soft, delicious…gone!” What? How could that be?! “But there were just four in the dish!” Then I rationalized with myself. “Well, a few more couldn’t hurt, right?” Uh-oh. Warning bells went off in my head. “Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!”
Now, remember, dried fruits are a very concentrated source of both sugar and calories. Still, I went back to the package for a few more. As I was devouring the second batch I realized something: You see, one of the things I’ve learned about myself is that I have this little switch in my brain. As long as this switch stays in the off position, I remain in control of my cravings and my eating behavior. But if that switch gets flipped on? Look out world! I lose all control, including the ability to think rationally about anything, which usually leaves me sitting with an empty package of something and a huge stomachache, wondering, “what in the heck just happened?!”
I’ve also learned that consumption of what Dr. Berkeley refers to as “’S’ foods,” or sugars and starches, are largely responsible for the flipping of this switch. And guess where those dried figs fall? Yep….squarely in the S food category. Sure, the sugars are natural in a dried fig. But they’re still sugars.
I snapped to, and realized I needed to do something. I could feel that imaginary finger on my switch, just waiting to flip it on. While I wished I’d realized this before devouring another three or four servings of figs last night, at least I realized it! This, folks, is a HUGE win for me, and, I’d venture to say, for most of us in this weight loss and maintenance game. After all, you can’t do something about a problem if you don’t know you have it.
Needless to say, this morning the remaining figs are resting in the bottom of my trash can. And me? I’m only a little worse for the wear. After suffering from a little stomach distress last night—yes, our bodies are sometimes smarter than our brains!—I’m still not feeling quite myself. But if the worst thing that comes out of this is a little gas and a slight increase on the scale, I’d argue that I’ve still come out ahead.
How about the rest of you? What are your “switch-flipping” foods, and how do you handle the process of learning what you can and can’t allow into your home or your diet?
I’ve had a couple of these experiences lately. For a while now I’ve suspected that nuts in limited quantities (such as on a salad in a restaurant) are just fine for me, but that in more robust quantities (Costco-sized package of walnuts, anyone?!) they could be really dangerous.
You see, I don’t have an “off-switch” when it comes to nuts. Though they’re not bad for you in limited quantities, handfuls of them add up quickly—especially in terms of calories and fat. And, before anyone suggests it, pre-portioning them or buy pre-packaged portions doesn’t work for me. It’s still just too darned easy to pad back into the kitchen and rip open another bag, take another handful, etc.
A few nights ago, I found my hand in the raw pecans one too many times. Before I knew it, I’d easily devoured the equivalent of over a half a cup. I keep my nuts and seeds in the freezer to ensure their freshness, and to make it that much harder for me to snack on them, and yet I still found myself wearing a path to the refrigerator.
Since this isn’t the first time this has happened, I made a decision. The nuts had to go. I took stock of how many I had in the freezer, and when I realized there weren’t enough to bother passing them off to someone else, I took action. I opened each bag and dumped them into the trash. Done.
Then, last night, I had a similar experience. I haven’t experimented much with dried fruit since adopting this new way of eating last year. But lately, with the holidays approaching, there’s been a lot of it around. Of particular interest to me were some dried apricots and organic black mission figs (which if you’ve never had one, are much like the inside of a Fig Newton...minus the cookie, of course).
A few days ago, I opened the figs and enjoyed four of them—one serving’s worth—as an after dinner treat. Afterward, I found myself craving more of them. “Unusual,” I thought, “as I’m normally plenty satisfied after eating a piece of fresh fruit.” I don’t, for example, find myself pining for another apple after I’ve already polished one off. But I let it go.
The next day, I found myself battling a bit of an urge for something sweet. Again, this is something I normally don’t struggle with at all. “Could it have been the dried fruit?” I wondered. There was no way of knowing for sure, but I was pretty certain I’d identified my culprit. Last night I confirmed my worst fears.
Following dinner, I attempted the same experiment. I placed four figs in a little dish and began eating them. “Mmmm.…” I thought. “These are fantastic. Sweet, soft, delicious…gone!” What? How could that be?! “But there were just four in the dish!” Then I rationalized with myself. “Well, a few more couldn’t hurt, right?” Uh-oh. Warning bells went off in my head. “Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!”
Now, remember, dried fruits are a very concentrated source of both sugar and calories. Still, I went back to the package for a few more. As I was devouring the second batch I realized something: You see, one of the things I’ve learned about myself is that I have this little switch in my brain. As long as this switch stays in the off position, I remain in control of my cravings and my eating behavior. But if that switch gets flipped on? Look out world! I lose all control, including the ability to think rationally about anything, which usually leaves me sitting with an empty package of something and a huge stomachache, wondering, “what in the heck just happened?!”
I’ve also learned that consumption of what Dr. Berkeley refers to as “’S’ foods,” or sugars and starches, are largely responsible for the flipping of this switch. And guess where those dried figs fall? Yep….squarely in the S food category. Sure, the sugars are natural in a dried fig. But they’re still sugars.
I snapped to, and realized I needed to do something. I could feel that imaginary finger on my switch, just waiting to flip it on. While I wished I’d realized this before devouring another three or four servings of figs last night, at least I realized it! This, folks, is a HUGE win for me, and, I’d venture to say, for most of us in this weight loss and maintenance game. After all, you can’t do something about a problem if you don’t know you have it.
Needless to say, this morning the remaining figs are resting in the bottom of my trash can. And me? I’m only a little worse for the wear. After suffering from a little stomach distress last night—yes, our bodies are sometimes smarter than our brains!—I’m still not feeling quite myself. But if the worst thing that comes out of this is a little gas and a slight increase on the scale, I’d argue that I’ve still come out ahead.
How about the rest of you? What are your “switch-flipping” foods, and how do you handle the process of learning what you can and can’t allow into your home or your diet?
Happy Thanksgiving
Hello Friends,
This holiday season is very special for me because I have so much to be thankful for. I just finished my daily 30 minute run as I prepare for the big eat tomorrow. Last year at this time I couldn't even run to my mailbox! The scale showed a very nice number to me this morning and my goal is to keep it that way through tomorrow and beyond. My weight is like the gas prices, the way it jumps up quickly sometimes by 5-7 lbs and then drops slowly after 3-5 days. As a new maintainer, I have to exercise daily to keep myself in control of the scale and I have to say that running 30 minutes a day at a very slow easy pace seems like a very worthwhile price to pay. This year a good gift for me may be in the form of some new clothes as my current wardrobe is useless. I guess it is a good problem to have and I am certainly not complaining. 2010 has been a life changing year for me and I want to reach out to as many people that need motivation to lose weight. I can motivate you to get moving and change your life.
Bob
This holiday season is very special for me because I have so much to be thankful for. I just finished my daily 30 minute run as I prepare for the big eat tomorrow. Last year at this time I couldn't even run to my mailbox! The scale showed a very nice number to me this morning and my goal is to keep it that way through tomorrow and beyond. My weight is like the gas prices, the way it jumps up quickly sometimes by 5-7 lbs and then drops slowly after 3-5 days. As a new maintainer, I have to exercise daily to keep myself in control of the scale and I have to say that running 30 minutes a day at a very slow easy pace seems like a very worthwhile price to pay. This year a good gift for me may be in the form of some new clothes as my current wardrobe is useless. I guess it is a good problem to have and I am certainly not complaining. 2010 has been a life changing year for me and I want to reach out to as many people that need motivation to lose weight. I can motivate you to get moving and change your life.
Bob
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Product Suggestion: Sistema "Klip It" Storage Containers
If you're looking for a BPA-free storage container for carting your meals and snacks around, you just might find true love in Sistema's "Klip It" line. Dishwasher-safe, mircowaveable, and freezable, these handy little containers are designed to stack within each other for easy storage and transport.
Klip It containers can be found locally at Sur la Table. Bed Bath and Beyond also carry these little gems, as does the Container Store and other retail outlets such as Amazon.com.
Klip It containers can be found locally at Sur la Table. Bed Bath and Beyond also carry these little gems, as does the Container Store and other retail outlets such as Amazon.com.
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| Learn more about Sistema's fabulous line of "Klip It" containers at: http://www.surlatable.com/product/630277.do |
Recipe: Baked Kale Chips
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Here's a tasty way to get the crisp texture and slightly salty taste so many of us crave, along with a healthy dose of vegetables.
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch (about 6 ounces) organic kale (Lacinato or “Dinosaur” Kale works very well)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Celtic sea salt, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse and dry the kale well, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet (or two). You may also line your sheet(s) with parchment paper, if desired, for easy clean up. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until chips are crisp to the touch, but still bright green. (Brown kale chips will be bitter.) Cool for a bit, then eat and enjoy!
Meet Our Bloggers: Jen C.
Jen is no stranger to weight loss…or weight gain. For over 25 years, she’s been trying to lose weight and keep it off. “My mom put me on my first real ‘diet’ in the eighth grade, but I knew I had a weight problem even before that. Looking back at the pictures from elementary school, I’m actually surprised no one tried to help me lose weight sooner.”
She lost about 20 pounds during this first attempt, and managed to keep it off for around a year before a growth spurt and a move from their home in Europe, back to the United States, in 1991 reversed that trend. “The combination of naturally gaining some weight due to normal teen causes, and the reintroduction of fast and junk food that I hadn’t eaten for almost five years really did a number on me, she says.” I went from about 117 pounds to 140 in that one summer, alone.
Unfortunately, a steady diet of French fries and Nutty Bars in the high school cafeteria didn’t help this cause, and by the time she graduated in 1994, Jen weighed around 160 pounds.
“I started college with the best of intentions,” she says, “but found myself eating very large amounts of food I normally wouldn’t have given a second thought.” Cookies and ice cream at lunch and dinner, along with very little fresh produce, a serious case of home sickness, and late-night study sessions (which often involved a call to Papa Johns) just worsened the situation. “Most folks joke about gaining the ‘Freshman 15,’ she says, but I put on something closer to the ‘Freshman 20.’” And it only got worse. By the time she graduated from college in 1994, Jen weighed in at 194 pounds, and found herself engaged in frequent binge eating behavior. “I can’t explain it,” says Jen. “I would just find myself alone in my dorm room, eating everything in sight. It was always in secret, because I was so embarrassed by my behavior. And no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get it under control.” Donuts, crackers, candy, and cookies…the weight gain continued.
It wasn’t until Jen was out of college for about of year, and her weight reached an all-time high of 218 that she felt she had to do something. She obtained a prescription for the weight loss drug, Meridia. “It worked like a miracle for me,” says Jen, “but I was constantly worried about developing high blood pressure or some other side effect.” Eventually, after losing about 25 pounds, Jen stopped taking the drug, returned to her old habits, and began to regain the weight.
In 2003, shortly after the South Beach Diet was first published, Jen was encouraged by her parents to go on the diet with them. Her mother, who has never had a huge weight problem, wanted to drop a few pounds, and her father, who suffers from many of the same issues Jen does, wanted to drop close to 100. Together they embarked on this new plan, which proved hugely successful for them all. “I lost a solid 40-plus pounds,” says Jen, “and for the first time in my life, I really felt great. I was enjoying my exercise regimen more, and had no trouble following the plan to a ‘T.’”
In the summer of 2004, however, Jen moved from the city that she’d called home for 10 years, and found herself relying on more fast and processed foods out of convenience. “At first the effects were very minimal,” she says. But then, the more I started meeting people and going out for drinks, meals, etc. the more I started to fall back into my old habits.” Steadily, the weight crept back on from 180 to 190…200…210….
When she and her fiancé got engaged in 2005 she’d topped out at 218 again. “I still can’t bring myself to look at the pictures from that night,” she says. They’re in a box somewhere in my attic, which is a pretty sad statement. What should have been one of the happiest moments of my life wasn’t because I felt too fat.”
Desperate to lose the same 40 pounds again, Jen consulted a doctor about doing a Protein Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF) before her wedding. “It had worked for a friend,” she says, “and I was pretty sure it would work for me.” The plan did work…for a while. “I lost somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 pounds before I just couldn’t bring myself to follow the plan any more. Yes, I wanted to be thinner, but I also wanted to enjoy my life, too. A diet full of nothing but lean meat and half-cup servings of vegetables just wasn’t cutting it. I wanted to enjoy a plate of broccoli or a piece of fruit on my terms.” She continued to work out for an hour and a half a day and counted calories diligently until her wedding in September 2006. The result was an additional 20 pound loss.
“But it didn’t last long,” Jen says. “The minute we flew out for our honeymoon, all bets were off. I put on 15 pounds in just those two weeks alone. And, sadly, one of the things I remember most about our honeymoon was the horrible, bloated, over-full feeling I had most of the time we were there.” Jen’s weight did hold fairly steady for a while, but then it slowly began to creep back up. “We were eating out regularly; I’d stopped getting up early every morning to work out. It was just a recipe for disaster.” Jen settled in around 215 and then real disaster struck.
In February 2009, Jen’s mom was admitted to the hospital with what turned out to be life threatening complications from a ruptured bowel. She’d go on to spend six weeks in the hospital, and endure a total of three procedures before finally being deemed healthy enough to go home. “What happened to me and my dad is what happens to so many caretakers,” says Jen. “We stopped taking care of ourselves so we could take care of her. We were eating fast food two, maybe three times a day; drinking all of those flavored coffee drinks, and eating things like cereal and toast for dinner so we didn’t have to cook. We were also constantly exhausted. We’d get up at 5:30 a.m. and spend from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. each night at the hospital before coming home, falling into bed and starting all over again.” Jen’s weight, and her dad’s, continued rise. “By the time Mom was well enough for me to go home,” Jen says, “I was at a new all-time high of 224 pounds.”
At home, she worked hard to get back on track, improving her diet and exercising again. She’d seen the effects of both good health and bad first-hand, and knew she needed to do something. She and her husband took a much-needed vacation together, walking around and exploring Europe for hours on end. Near the end of their trip, however, Jen started experiencing severe pain in both of her feet. “I’ve never felt anything like it,” she says. “It was this intense, burning pain that felt like it would never stop and literally brought me to tears.” That pain turned out to be plantar fasciitis.
The plantar fasciitis eventually became so crippling that Jen couldn’t even stand in the kitchen long enough to prepare a meal. In August 2009 she sought the help of a podiatrist who began a course of treatment that would eventually heal her feet and return her to a more normal state of affairs. But as her hopes for a recovery rose, so, too, did her weight. “I couldn’t walk or do any kind of physical activity,” Jen says. “So eating became the only thing I could do, and even when I was careful about my intake, the scale just continued to go up. I couldn’t believe the numbers I was seeing. They were in the 230s…a place I swore I’d never go.”
One day, in October 2009, Jen stumbled across Dr. Berkeley’s name on a website she frequented. “What appealed to me was Dr. Berkeley’s use of lower carbohydrate weight loss techniques. I knew that the closest thing I’d ever seen to success was my time on the South Beach diet,” she says. “And, by now, I’d realized that I couldn’t do this alone. I was tired of finding myself in the throes of a binge; of feeling helpless, fat and unhealthy. Every other aspect of my life was great. I had a wonderful family and home life, great friends, and a good job. I was a well-rounded person who was generally happy with life. But this had held me back for too long, and after developing the plantar fasciitis, which was no doubt related to the extra pounds I was hauling around, I decided that I had to do something about it.”
On October 22, 2009, weighing 236 pounds, Jen began working with Dr. Berkeley and her staff, and she hasn’t looked back. “Thanks to their support and the incredible understanding I’ve gained of my own body and how certain food substances affect it, I’ve lost just shy of 80 pounds.” Now 157 pounds, Jen is working to maintain what she’s lost so far, and still hopes to lose a little more. “Another 15 to 20 pounds would be great,” she says, “but I know now that this is a process I only have so much control over. My biggest goal is to keep everything I’ve lost off, and to sustain this new lifestyle from here on out.”
“One of the most important things to me,” says Jen “is that what I’m doing isn’t just some fad or crash diet plan. It’s a way of life that has allowed me to incorporate the things I really believe in, such as organic, local and sustainable agriculture, and eating a whole foods diet. It’s also helped me to see that the struggles I’ve had with overeating and binge eating for so many years aren’t my fault. They’re not due to a lack of will power or some emotional weakness, but rather are a direct result of a biochemical response my body has to addictive substances in the Standard American Diet, such as sugars and starches. I hope that my participation in Dr. Berkeley’s maintainers group and in this blog helps someone else who may be struggling with similar issues. I want them to know that they’re not alone and that, with some effort, there is a way out.”
Meet Our Bloggers: Bob Kaseda
Bob Kaseda was also a contestant in The News-Herald's "Lighten Up in 2010" challenge. Losing 85 pounds in just six months with the help of Dr. Berkeley and the use of Optifast supplements, Bob took an easy second place.
At 52 years old, Bob decided that he had to make some permanent life changes if he was going to be around long enough to walk his two daughters down the aisle one day. "I was an average kid," Bob says, "but I started gaining weight in high school and have yo-yo dieted ever since. I went from 240 to 185 pounds between between 1975 and 1976. By the time 1994 rolled around, I was a solid 300 pounds. But I dropped to 235 by the end of that year, after meeting my wife." By January 2010, however, when The News-Herald's contest began, Bob tipped the scales once again at 304 pounds.
"The third time is the charm for me," says Bob. "I'm now 218 pounds and determined to do whatever it takes to keep the weight off. This is for myself and my family. I need to be around for them."
At 52 years old, Bob decided that he had to make some permanent life changes if he was going to be around long enough to walk his two daughters down the aisle one day. "I was an average kid," Bob says, "but I started gaining weight in high school and have yo-yo dieted ever since. I went from 240 to 185 pounds between between 1975 and 1976. By the time 1994 rolled around, I was a solid 300 pounds. But I dropped to 235 by the end of that year, after meeting my wife." By January 2010, however, when The News-Herald's contest began, Bob tipped the scales once again at 304 pounds.
"The third time is the charm for me," says Bob. "I'm now 218 pounds and determined to do whatever it takes to keep the weight off. This is for myself and my family. I need to be around for them."
Monday, November 22, 2010
Meet Our Bloggers: Sue Billhardt
Sue has struggled to maintain a comfortable weight her entire life, yo-yoing up and down, as so many of us do. "It seemed," she says, "like I was on a continual diet."
She finally reached her goal weight shortly before her 50th birthday, when she underwent a hysterectomy for endometrian cancer. The procedure, of course, put her into instant menopause.
While she was recuperating from her surgery, she discovered a lump in her breast which turned out to be breast cancer. In January 2007--a month shy of turning 50--she underwent a double mastectomy, followed by a full course of chemotherapy. After completing chemo, she was put on a medication called Arimidex, which stops the body from producing estrogen.
Through it all, Sue attempted to keep up with her running regimen. But she was still putting weight on. "I began to have problems with my hip," she says, "and it turned out that I needed a hip replacement." Needless to say, that was the end of the running, and Sue continued to put on additional weight.
In September 2009, Sue had her hip replaced and was told not to run for at least six months. By the time January 2010 rolled around, Sue weighed more than she ever had, except when she was pregnant. "I was really afraid that if I didn't do something, it would just keep coming on," she says. "I still had two more years of taking the Arimidex ahead of me, and I was afraid of how much more I might gain. I had to quit making excuses and do something about my situation."
It was at this point that Sue found out about a weight loss contest sponsored by a local newspaper, The News-Herald. "I just knew I could lose the weight," Sue says, "but I had to drastically change how I was eating."
Sue was successful and lost 22 pounds in 6 months--her exact goal. "But it's been three months since the contest ended," Sue says, "and I've begun to 'slip off the wagon.'" She's gained back six of the twenty-two pounds she lost, and is very afraid of the potential to gain even more.
Sue is now working with a nutritionist in addition to attending the monthly meetings of Dr. Berkeley's Refuse to Regain Maintainers group. She looks forward to losing the six pounds she gained, while learning how to keep the weight off permanently, and to sharing her journey here on this blog.
She finally reached her goal weight shortly before her 50th birthday, when she underwent a hysterectomy for endometrian cancer. The procedure, of course, put her into instant menopause.
While she was recuperating from her surgery, she discovered a lump in her breast which turned out to be breast cancer. In January 2007--a month shy of turning 50--she underwent a double mastectomy, followed by a full course of chemotherapy. After completing chemo, she was put on a medication called Arimidex, which stops the body from producing estrogen.
Through it all, Sue attempted to keep up with her running regimen. But she was still putting weight on. "I began to have problems with my hip," she says, "and it turned out that I needed a hip replacement." Needless to say, that was the end of the running, and Sue continued to put on additional weight.
In September 2009, Sue had her hip replaced and was told not to run for at least six months. By the time January 2010 rolled around, Sue weighed more than she ever had, except when she was pregnant. "I was really afraid that if I didn't do something, it would just keep coming on," she says. "I still had two more years of taking the Arimidex ahead of me, and I was afraid of how much more I might gain. I had to quit making excuses and do something about my situation."
It was at this point that Sue found out about a weight loss contest sponsored by a local newspaper, The News-Herald. "I just knew I could lose the weight," Sue says, "but I had to drastically change how I was eating."
Sue was successful and lost 22 pounds in 6 months--her exact goal. "But it's been three months since the contest ended," Sue says, "and I've begun to 'slip off the wagon.'" She's gained back six of the twenty-two pounds she lost, and is very afraid of the potential to gain even more.
Sue is now working with a nutritionist in addition to attending the monthly meetings of Dr. Berkeley's Refuse to Regain Maintainers group. She looks forward to losing the six pounds she gained, while learning how to keep the weight off permanently, and to sharing her journey here on this blog.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Welcome
Welcome to our new blog! The Refuse to Regain Maintainers are a group of successful weight loss maintainers who meet monthly, under the guidance of leading obesity specialist, Dr. Barbara Berkeley.
Members of our group have undergone a life conversion or are seeking to achieve that goal. In other words, we've not only lost weight, but support serious changes in our lives. Our eyes are open to the dangers of our food environment and physical culture, and we're constantly seeking knowledge and support to avoid them.
Our group is always looking for ways to build the population of our "maintenance island." As working maintainers, we commit to spending some time each month working on community initiatives that allow us to share what we've learned and help throw a life preserver to those who are going under. This blog is just one of those efforts.
Our mission is to teach others how to maintain while we teach ourselves. The group remains creative, open to new ideas, and willing to experiment.
We look forward to sharing our experiences with you, and hope you'll learn as much as we do.
Members of our group have undergone a life conversion or are seeking to achieve that goal. In other words, we've not only lost weight, but support serious changes in our lives. Our eyes are open to the dangers of our food environment and physical culture, and we're constantly seeking knowledge and support to avoid them.
Our group is always looking for ways to build the population of our "maintenance island." As working maintainers, we commit to spending some time each month working on community initiatives that allow us to share what we've learned and help throw a life preserver to those who are going under. This blog is just one of those efforts.
Our mission is to teach others how to maintain while we teach ourselves. The group remains creative, open to new ideas, and willing to experiment.
We look forward to sharing our experiences with you, and hope you'll learn as much as we do.
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