Any Weight Loss Stories Out There?

[old] RowedandRode · Post by **[old] RowedandRode** » July 11th, 2005, 9:13 am

I'm going to boast a bit.... Here's my weekly cardio exercise: Run 40-45 km, erg 25-30 km, cycle 20-60 km (depending on time available). Plus I school my horse in dressage ~5 hours per week. I'm 5'8", and I've always hovered around and 150 lbs. I'm not fat. But I've always carried around 15 lbs that I could never shake off. I've always had that little paunch under my belly button, a little jiggle in the upper thigh, and a bit too much "hip" behind for my liking. Some days I would suffer from low energy, and I often got "the nibbles", especially in the evening. I loved eating out in fancy restaurants (I travel to Europe quite often with my job) and could never refuse dessert if it were offered. Then I would get up from the table with that wretched, whoops-I-ate-a-bit-too-much-again feeling, and feel a crashing guilt at having "indulged". I had always thought of "binge-ers" as desperate, depressed women who sit in front of television with a litre of chunky brownie ice cream and one spoon. That wasn't me, of course! So with all that exercise, why couldn't I lose weight? I hated trying on clothes in stores, and my overriding obsession was always whether or not my butt looked too big. But then I had a very critical, hard look at my eating habits, and I realized that I was allowing food to control me. So on Canada Day, 1 July, I gave up eating refined sugar. I started eating salads and vegetables with balsamic vinegar at every meal, and limited starchy carbs to two slices of toast with breakfast. I don't even bring sandwiches or pasta for lunch anymore. And no snacking at night after dinner. And I don't feel "deprived" or that I'm missing anything...I feel free. I feel the way a heavy smoker must feel when she realizes that she doesn't want a cigarette anymore. They say it takes 3 weeks to form a habit... good or bad. So I'm still working on maintaining and enjoying this wonderful feeling of control. It's now 11 July and I stood on the scales this morning. I've lost seven pounds since the last time I weighed myself in mid-June. My everyday 10k training run pace has dropped from 6:45/km to about 6:20/km, without doing any hills or speedwork. I can see my abs! Keep on rowing, girls! M.

[old] woolsmith · Post by **[old] woolsmith** » July 17th, 2005, 12:18 am

Hey M! I started a serious workout thing last November using my NordicTrack and a Schwinn AirDyne Evolution Comp. I lost about 17 pounds by doing that, and *trying* to be better about my food choices. Like you, I've been trying to cut down on anything with refined sugar, lowering my fat intake, eating more fruit, and NO SECOND HELPINGS! It's getting easier, and the "habits" are starting to take hold. I've had to work up from doing about 15 mins on the AirDyne at 35 rpms, but now I can do over an hour at 50-plus RPMs. On my NordicTrack, I can do over an hour on that as well, and I actually prefer it to the AirDyne--I feel like I get a more complete workout using more muscle groups. Anyway, I got stuck in one of those dang ol' plateaus where I could NOT get past that 17 pound weight loss mark (and I have 90 pounds to lose all together). Then one of my Internet buddies told me about a C2 Model D I could get from her, so I bought it after her glowing recommendations and after carefully researching the beasties. It arrived mid-May, just as I was in the peak of an abscess formation from a root canal retreatment. Felt like crud, so I wasn't even excited about getting a new toy. Then once I felt worth a hoot, I started up with the rower. Is there such a thing as love at first pull?? It's like I became instantly addicted to this thing, like, when I walk by it, I want to sit down and ROW. Anyway, something about this rower seemed to click with my body, and I've now lost 31 pounds. I've always had problems getting a good ab and arm/shoulder workout and getting those areas in shape. With the C2, my "wings" are gone from tricep areas, and my arms actually look like they've got some form. I'm losing some of the "apple" shape from the excess abdominal fat I've been hauling around, my blood pressure's back to normal, and I have much better flexibility resulting from the simple yoga routines I've been practicing. Got another 59 pounds to go, but I have to say this has been relatively painless compared to prior weight-loss efforts. I can't put into words how much better I feel, and how much more energy I have. I really think I'm addicted to exercise now, but ya know what? I think that's okay! I try to do 45-60 minutes/day, 5-6 days/wk with the rower, NT, or Airdyne. I like the variety, and they seem to work different muscle groups. If I happen to miss two days in a row, I start to get cranky. I think eating more fruit has really helped. I have a bowl on my *** DELETE - SPAM *** island with fruit in it, so the fruit is "in my face," and easier to go to instead automatically heading for cookies. And I'm finding that the fruit is really doing an excellent job of handling my sweet tooth, and it seems to be more satisfying/filling as well. I know I'm just not good at turning down the food, so the only other thing I can do is get out there and work it off! Great topic. I know there are more stories out there, and hey, maybe we can give each other a hand with the motivation and ideas! Thanks. --Jenny from WI

[old] woolsmith · Post by **[old] woolsmith** » July 17th, 2005, 12:22 am

Aw geesh, M! I forgot to congratulate you on your weight loss and getting past your plateau as well! I spent a long day in the heat trying to drum up memberships for a new, no-kill pet adoption center in our community, and I think my brain got fried. Anyway, feels good to get those goals, hey? Way to go, and keep up the good work! --Jen, again

[old] Afterburner · Post by **[old] Afterburner** » July 23rd, 2005, 3:39 pm

I've managed to lose a total of about 30 lbs since last september. The first 20 or so came off relatively easily on their own just as a function of having increased my training volume. The rest have been more of a challenge. I decided about 3 weeks ago that I was going to go lightweight (for on water rowing). So I sat down, looked at my diet. Cut out the last few things I had left in it that weren't real fabulous for me (bye bye boxed mac&cheese) and stocked up on the fruit. This morning I weighed in right at 135 to my great delight. Now only 5 lbs left to go! Getting past that 140lbs mark was one of the hardest things in the world, but I'm delighted now that I'm past it. The Miami summer heat probly doesn't hurt any either Keep up the good work! Heather

[old] snappyrower · Post by **[old] snappyrower** » July 23rd, 2005, 11:43 pm

Congrats on the hard work paying off gals! Also, thanks for the inspiration. I'm going to give it a go! Now that I have a regular work schedule maybe I can start getting in more regular workouts to help with my goals!

[old] RowedandRode · Post by **[old] RowedandRode** » July 29th, 2005, 9:15 am

Woolsmith, Afterburner, Snappyrower: Great work girls!! You're all completely awesome. It is ALL about lifestyle change and falling in love with yourself. You have to make changes that you can live with; it's not about adopting some fad diet. You control food, it doesn't control you!!! Woolsmith, I'm so pleased to hear that you have a C2-D and that you love it. It really, truly is a great all-around workout; very challenging but so easy on the joints. I love mine as well, although I must admit that my rowing volume goes down quite a bit in summertime in preference to running, biking and riding my horse - because we have a very long, freezing cold winter here, and I want to be outside while it's pleasant to do so!! One of the workouts that I really enjoy is to put a movie on the DVD, get on the rower, and row until the final credits are rolling. Choose a pace that you think you can sustain for 120 minutes. Every 500 m, take 20-30 really good hard strokes. Then go back to your chosen steady pace. Use the pace boat to keep yourself honest!! This really makes an hour and a half go by quickly, and then hey presto, by the end you'll find that you've roasted off 800-1000 calories (depending on your pace). I start working out at 4.30 am, so I invested in a pair of Sennheiser wireless headphones. Now I can blast the volume on those action movies without disturbing my dear husband's beauty sleep!! It helps also to lay out a workout plan for the week. You don't need to be an elite athlete to train like one. If you put together a plan that features long rows, easy/hard days, interval work, cross training, weights, long walks etc. - whatever activities you enjoy the most - and stick to it, you'll feel like an Olympian. You'll be able to measure your progress as the weeks go by, determine what you really enjoy doing, and help stay on the right track. And this is the best part - if you think like an elite athlete, you'll start to feel like one, because your brain can't tell the difference between reality and what you imagine in detail. So whatever you can visualize yourself doing, you can do!!!! As to diet, I've come up with something awesome after reading Suzy Hamilton's book Fast Track (a pretty good book - it's aimed at middle-distance track runners, but has some excellent tips for all athletes, especially about nutrition). She gave me some really great ideas about modifying my nutrition for maximum performance. Using the <a href='http://www.bmi-calculator.net/' target='_blank'>Harris Benedict Equation</a>, I estimated my Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) to calculate the number of calories per day that I need to sustain my current weight (BMR is based on your height, weight, age, sex and activity level). Then, with a goal of losing 1 lb per week, I subtracted 500 cal/day, and got a target of 1800 cal per day. So now I eat 300 calories per meal, six meals per day, with a minimum of 22 g of protein per meal. It sounds like a lot of food, but it is actually less than I used to eat, and because it's spread out throughout the day, I have no hunger pangs. It keeps my metabolism roaring!! The best part: I get to eat a meal at 9.30 at night!!!! There's no room left for junk food, but I don't feel any cravings for junk anyway. I know it sounds very complicated, but really it isn't. And after only a week and a half, I feel fantastic; totally energized and motivated!! And - since the middle of June - I've lost 11 lbs. I've now broken the 140 lb threshold!!! Yippeeeee!!! Girls, please post your news! I'm looking forward to hearing about your progress!!!

[old] Merganser · Post by **[old] Merganser** » July 29th, 2005, 7:44 pm

Congratulations on your weight loss! I heard recently that weight loss is about 80% eating wisely and 20% exercising. I don't know about the percentages but do believe you need both to lose weight and keep it off. In my own case, I found that age (I'm now 58) and a stressful situation (ill/dying parents) contributed to my packing on pounds - for the first time in my life. One day I walked into the nearest gym and hired a personal trainer who happened to have a great interest in nutrition. Best money I've spent in a long time. In about 8 months I lost about 25 pounds and changed my whole shape. I've kept the weight off the past three years. The trainer changed the way I eat (not a diet). Like you, I switched to six meals a day which helps keep blood sugar constant. I watch portion sizes, eat lots of fruit and vegetables, switched to whole grain rice/pasta/bread, include protein in every meal, etc. As you stated, in time you find you can look at a donut and not even want it. I started weightlifting to boost my metabolism. I still work out about five days a week. Last year I discovered rowing and got hooked on it. Give your horse a pat for me. I rode for many years. gr

[old] RowedandRode · Post by **[old] RowedandRode** » August 2nd, 2005, 8:19 am

Merganser - Yours is a real success story! You've shaken the weight and kept it off for 3 years. You must feel fantastic. You were fortunate to find a personal trainer who was very well-informed about nutrition. You have a program that works for you, and you can stick to it. So many people out there are on these yo-yo diets where they lose it, gain it back, lose it, gain it back....very depressing!! Indeed, I've also read that weight loss is 80% nutrition. The pro fitness competitors (think Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine) are general all-around athletes who do a lot of really intense training with cardio, weights, gymnastics and dance, and they all swear by eating a super-clean diet to maintain those incredible bods. At the moment, we have our basement ripped to pieces to renovate but when the weather starts to deteriorate in the autumn, I'll add 3 days of weight training to my routine. It will gradually replace cycling as the outdoor conditions worsen and the days get shorter (I still go out running though, regardless of the temperature). You made a good point about weight training boosting the metabolism. Do you use free weights or machines? We have free weights at home, and I find that it really makes me feel great to push all that weight around, especially before going in to work!! Get the lights blazing, get the music going through the headphones, row 30 min to warm up, then go pump some iron! As for my horse, I certainly will pat him for you. He's a superstar!!! Merl is a 9-y-o DWxTB cross, 16 hh, very dark bay with a narrow white blaze. I bought him in 2000, (he was my 30th birthday present to myself). When I'm with him, everything else just fades away.... Happy rowing, keep up the good work, and please write again sometime.

LindaM · Post by **LindaM** » August 2nd, 2005, 10:24 am

For years and years, I thought of myself as a chubby athlete. I rowed, hiked, skied, swam, paddled and cycled. I was NOT a couch potato. But I was 20 pounds overweight and struggled with yo-yo diets - mostly cutting calories too far and finding it unsustainable over the long run. I focused on eating carbohydrates including fruits and vegetables but heavy on pasta and rice, and low in fats. (I thought I was eating according to the FDA pyramid!) My cholesterol was at 263 and my doctor was threatening to put me on statin drugs. Then I read about good carbs versus bad carbs, and good fats versus bad fats. I cut out all processed foods including white flour and sugar, all junk food, crackers, and saturated fats. I increased my lean protein, fruits and vegetables, eat only small amounts of whole grain, and cut out sugar everywhere I could, opting for fat instead. I also increased the frequency of eating - and the size and quality of breakfast. I lost 27 pounds in 5 months and have kept it off for 10 months so far. It hasn't been difficult. My cholesterol is down 72 points and I enjoy food at least as much, if not more, than before. Yes, the exercise helps enormously. But before I changed the way I ate, I was a chubby, heart unhealthy athlete.

[old] RowedandRode · Post by **[old] RowedandRode** » August 3rd, 2005, 8:41 am

LindaM: Your story is wonderful! It's amazing how many people I meet who have had successes simply by changing the proportions of macronutrients in their diets. You're right, it isn't that hard. If an all-around skilled athlete like you manages well with fewer carbs, imagine the horrors that less active people are doing to their bodies by wolfing down mountains of carbs...and justifying it because the label says "low fat" ("oh goodie! Low-fat? I'll have two")... they just don't need 'em! In Canada, we have the "Canada Food Guide" and it is very similar to the FDA food pyramid. In my opinion the good old "four food groups" was much better (albeit not perfect). The current food guides are just terrible.

[old] Merganser · Post by **[old] Merganser** » August 11th, 2005, 8:34 pm

Do you use free weights or machines? We have free weights at home, and I find that it really makes me feel great to push all that weight around, especially before going in to work!! Hi, I have some free weights at home, and a stabillity ball, which I use a lot too. Mostly I do weighlifting at the gym: squats (and more squats), deadlifts, shoulder shrugs, clean and press, chest presses - using both free weights and an assortment of machines/cables. My former trainer believed in those exercises - my friends think I'm nuts! Then there are exercises you can do anywhere - lunges, full-body pushups, calf raises, ab exercises, yoga poses. Reading a recent post, it sounds like you've done very well with your weight loss. Good for you! I've seen the picture of your horse - he's very handsome! I used to ride an Appaloosa gelding named Destry and, for a while, a TB racehorse mare named Chop Suzie who was recovering from bowed tendons. When she healed she was too much of a handful for me! (Sitting on a racehorse running full out is quite the experience.) Take care, Grace

[old] woolsmith · Post by **[old] woolsmith** » August 12th, 2005, 2:59 pm

Hi Everyone! M--that horse of yours IS gorgeous! I saw his pic on the Ducks' team page. It's so great to read these stories! I'm learning a lot and getting some great inspiration. I'm up to a 35# weight loss now, only got 55 to go!! <choke!> But, I can't tell you how much better I feel already. I went to the grocery store and picked up three 10-pound bags of potatoes and thought, "wow, I've been carrying this much extra and MORE around for a few years??" No wonder why I can't do some of those yoga asanas like the teachers do in the dvds! Try doing some wearing a 90lb backpack!! Talk about "weight training." They're getting easier though, and I only do what I can do--not gonna be a ding-dong about it! And Linda, I think you're right about the quantity and quality of carbs. My personal opinion as someone with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is that folks with insulin resistance might need a lower-carb diet than the average person. And perhaps folks can gradually increase the carbs as they lose weight (with both exercise and weight loss hopefully helping to decrease the insulin resistance). Anyway, most of the medical literature recommends a lower-carb diet for PCOS women. And rats, even many normal-weight PCOS women still have insulin resistance. I'm not diabetic, but my doc and I agreed that Metformin or Glucophage may be a way to ward off evil spirits (heart disease) for me at this point, because my fasting insulin levels are higher than what they should be. Metformin works to counter the insulin resistance in the cells, so the glucose can get from the bloodstream into the cells. I'm working on cutting out the "garbage carbs," and I'm finding that with 3 meals and 2 snacks per day, increasing my fruits and veggies, I'm not missing them too much. I'm doing much better at grabbing fruit instead of cookies! Interestingly, my cholesterol levels are pretty good, but I'm getting another panel done on Monday--and it'll be interesting to see what all of my aerobic exercise has done for my HDL. My last panel had total cholesterol at 137, HDL at 40 (HDL is the "good stuff" and ideally should be over 50), LDL at 80, triglycerides at 87. The absolute highest my cholesterol has ever been is 163. And no, I don't deserve a lipid panel that looks that good! Bad thing is, that even people with a good cholesterol panel can drop dead of a heart attack--so there's gotta be more to the big picture, hey? Has anyone ever read "Make the Connection" by Bob Greene and Oprah Winfrey? It's a book that "reads fast," and in it Bob has a list of ten steps to help people get fit and get to a more normal weight. He seems to have some very practical information in his book--i.e., the information seems sound and not trendy, and the 10 steps make sense. He says to exercise aerobically for 30-60 mins at a level 7 or 8 (he describes each level of 1-10 so folks know about how hard to work), and to exercise in the a.m. Exercising in the a.m helps to keep the metabolism boosted all day, thereby burning more calories. Greene says that exercising at night is better than not exercising at all, but the metabolism does a natural slowdown even *with* exercise at night in preparation for sleep, so there's less of a benefit. So if any of you have read this book, what do you think? If anyone's interested, I can list the 10 steps. Keep up the good work, everyone! --Jen in WI

[old] RowedandRode · Post by **[old] RowedandRode** » August 12th, 2005, 4:29 pm

Woolsmith, please do list the 10 steps!! I'd like to read them. I like the ideas about exercise intensity. It should be hard enough to really test your body, but not so hard that you can't continue long enough to burn the fat. It takes a lot of practice to find this point, and when you do - it's time to increase the intensity! I have my best results working out first thing in the morning. It starts my day off "right". Knowing that I've achieved an excellent workout first thing really releases my happy endorphins!! Plus, I ride my horse in the evenings, and schooling him in dressage for an hour requires a LOT of mental and physical focus. I guess dressage could be likened to doing yoga while trying to solve differential equations. After a day at work and riding Merl, I wouldn't have any energy left for my workout....!! Thanks for your comments on my horse, everyone. He is a handsome gent, far more photogenic than me - that's why his mug (not mine) is posted!

[old] woolsmith · Post by **[old] woolsmith** » August 12th, 2005, 7:53 pm

Hi M! Okay, here are the 10 steps, and Bob Greene of course explains them more in depth in his book: 1. Aerobic exercise, 5-7 days/week (best if in the a.m. because of keeping the metabolism revved throughout the day which burns more calories). 2. Exercise in the zone (level 7 or 8), which is with enough exertion that you sweat, you could talk, but you'd rather not, and you could still maintain the pace for your entire workout. 3. Workouts should be 20-60 mins in length, not counting the warm ups and cool downs. And he recommends stretching after each session 4. Eat a low-fat, balanced diet daily, and Greene does a good review of the Food Pyramid. 5. Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks daily. He really stressed eating most of the calories during the first 2 meal, with a light evening meal. 6. Limit or eliminate alcohol. (Alcohol's depressant effect can affect your workouts for the next 3 days). 7. No eating for 2-3 hours before bedtime. Most of that eating is "emotional eating" anyway, and not because of being hungry. 8. Drink 6 to 8 8-oz glasses of water daily. And this is plain ol' water for the most part. 9. Consume 2 fruit servings and 3 vegetable servings daily. 10. Perform a "Daily Renewal" each day--this involves keeping a journal of your food, exercise, water, reasons for eating (stressed? emotional?), goals, progress, etc. For this step, it's probably most helpful to read the book. This is to help reinforce your committment to healthy living and healthy weight loss. From: Greene, Bob and Oprah Winfrey. (1996). _Make the Connection: Ten Steps to a Better Body and a Better Life_. New York, NY: Hyperion. I really liked this book. Greene was direct and concise with his explanations, and very explicit about "no quick fixes" for proper weight loss and fitness. No gimmicks here. And Oprah was very candid with her stories about being overweight and the effort it took (working with Greene) to get her to a fitness level and weight that was appropriate for her. She even flipped him off once. Her stories are so Oprah--very open, humorous, but soul-baring, and quite inspirational for someone trying to lose the weight. Each of the 10 steps is a chapter of discussion in themselves, and other chapters discuss some psychology of eating, purpose of body fat, physics of body weight--all well written so as to not "lose" anybody or have the info go flying right over your head. He really tries to work with folks' metabolisms to keep them revved with exercise, eating proper amounts (starvation makes a metabolism tank), why yo-yo dieting is horrible, etc. Lots of pictures (yay!), 240 pages long, easy-to-read print. Wow, didn't mean to do a book report, but there ya be! --Jenny from WI

[old] woolsmith · Post by **[old] woolsmith** » August 12th, 2005, 7:54 pm

Hi M! Okay, here are the 10 steps, and Bob Greene of course explains them more in depth in his book: 1. Aerobic exercise, 5-7 days/week (best if in the a.m. because of keeping the metabolism revved throughout the day which burns more calories). 2. Exercise in the zone (level 7 or 8), which is with enough exertion that you sweat, you could talk, but you'd rather not, and you could still maintain the pace for your entire workout. 3. Workouts should be 20-60 mins in length, not counting the warm ups and cool downs. And he recommends stretching after each session 4. Eat a low-fat, balanced diet daily, and Greene does a good review of the Food Pyramid. 5. Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks daily. He really stressed eating most of the calories during the first 2 meal, with a light evening meal. 6. Limit or eliminate alcohol. (Alcohol's depressant effect can affect your workouts for the next 3 days). 7. No eating for 2-3 hours before bedtime. Most of that eating is "emotional eating" anyway, and not because of being hungry. 8. Drink 6 to 8 8-oz glasses of water daily. And this is plain ol' water for the most part. 9. Consume 2 fruit servings and 3 vegetable servings daily. 10. Perform a "Daily Renewal" each day--this involves keeping a journal of your food, exercise, water, reasons for eating (stressed? emotional?), goals, progress, etc. For this step, it's probably most helpful to read the book. This step is to help reinforce your committment to healthy living and healthy weight loss. From: Greene, Bob and Oprah Winfrey. (1996). _Make the Connection: Ten Steps to a Better Body and a Better Life_. New York, NY: Hyperion. I really liked this book. Greene was direct and concise with his explanations, and very explicit about "no quick fixes" for proper weight loss and fitness. No gimmicks here. And Oprah was very candid with her stories about being overweight and the effort it took (working with Greene) to get her to a fitness level and weight that was appropriate for her. She even flipped him off once. Her stories are so Oprah--very open, humorous, but soul-baring, and quite inspirational for someone trying to lose the weight. Each of the 10 steps is a chapter of discussion in themselves, and other chapters discuss some psychology of eating, purpose of body fat, physics of body weight--all well written so as to not "lose" anybody or have the info go flying right over your head. He really tries to work with folks' metabolisms to keep them revved with exercise, eating proper amounts (starvation makes a metabolism tank), why yo-yo dieting is horrible, etc. Lots of pictures (yay!), 240 pages long, easy-to-read print. Wow, didn't mean to do a book report, but there ya be! --Jenny from WI

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