Guest guest Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 > I've lost about 75 pounds but that puts me at about 222 > pounds. When I was 296 people were aghast when I told them my long term goal weight was 220. It's the weight I spent most of my adult life at and felt the best at. I made it down to 250 by starving myself, and my body naturally crept back to between 270 - 280 while eating an average of 1400 - 1600 calories. I'll probably never see 220 again thanks to age and hormones, but at least eating low-fat vegan I have good lab work and blood pressure. Sue in NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 On 4/17/08, Sue in NJ <sue_in_nj wrote: > > When I was 296 people were aghast when I told them my long term goal > weight was 220. It's the weight I spent most of my adult life at and > felt the best at. I spent my adult life at 170 until I became pregnant. I had gestational diabetes and my baby died (weighing 10 pounds, 12 ounces, due to the diabetes.) I have not felt healthy since that time. My body does not want the extra weight and I am glad that my low-fat vegan diet is making the extra weight go away. But I do not judge what other people's bodies do because I know that we are physical individuals. The BMI charts say I'm supposed to weigh in the 140s, but that is not my goal. My goal is to get rid of this pad of abdominal fat that is feeding my diabetes and get down to a weight that allows my feet to heal from the rather massive injuries they have sustained from carrying more weight than they were designed to carry. (I am not exaggerating by calling the injuries massive. There have been many days when I could not walk so far as from the bed to the bathroom and had to crawl.) Whatever number the scale says when my body reaches that healthy point is fine with me. My goal is not a number. Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Sparrow R Jones wrote: > On 4/17/08, Sue in NJ <sue_in_nj wrote: > > When I was 296 people were aghast when I told them my long term > > goal weight was 220. It's the weight I spent most of my adult life > > at and felt the best at. > > I spent my adult life at 170 until I became pregnant. I had > gestational diabetes and my baby died (weighing 10 pounds, 12 ounces, > due to the diabetes.) Oh, Sparrow, I'm so sorry for your loss! > Whatever number the scale says when my body reaches that healthy > point is fine with me. My goal is not a number. Sounds great. *hugs* if you want them. Serene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Sparrow wrote: > > Whatever number the scale says when my body reaches that healthy > > point is fine with me. My goal is not a number. Serene wrote: > Sounds great. *hugs* if you want them. aww, thanks! Hugs are a good thing. :-) (And cole slaw is also a good thing. And I'm eating a big, yummy cole slaw right now. Half a cabbage, grated (in the food processor), a couple of carrots, grated, half a purple onion, minced, lots of low-fat tofu mayo. Yeah, it would probably be better with sweetener, but it's good enough for me to not want to bother getting up to sweeten it.) Hugs to you, too. Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Sparrow R Jones wrote: > (And cole slaw is also a good thing. And I'm eating a big, yummy cole > slaw right now. Half a cabbage, grated (in the food processor), a > couple of carrots, grated, half a purple onion, minced, lots of > low-fat tofu mayo. Yeah, it would probably be better with sweetener, > but it's good enough for me to not want to bother getting up to > sweeten it.) Sounds yummy! I'm avoiding added sugar these days (not completely omitting it, just avoiding), and things are starting to taste really sweet on their own. Of course, this always happens when I cut out fat. My tastebuds get really sweet-sensitive. Just about to fix dinner, which will be seitan and veggies (onions, purple asparagus, maybe some carrots and/or spinach) with Thai sweet chili sauce (speaking of sugar) and brown rice. Serene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 On 4/17/08, Serene <serene-lists wrote: > > Sounds yummy! I'm avoiding added sugar these days (not completely > omitting it, just avoiding), and things are starting to taste really > sweet on their own. Of course, this always happens when I cut out fat. > My tastebuds get really sweet-sensitive. I wouldn't even have thought about sweetener except that I used to love KFC's cole slaw and it's super-sweet, kind of more like a dessert than a salad! It's sort of what I first think of when I think cole slaw, unfortunately. (Unfortunately, because KFC slaw is possibly the least inspired slaw in existence.) If I had put sweetener in it, it would have been a little touch of stevia. But, really, this slaw doesn't need sweetener at all. > Just about to fix dinner, which will be seitan and veggies (onions, > purple asparagus, maybe some carrots and/or spinach) with Thai sweet > chili sauce (speaking of sugar) and brown rice. mmm. I've never heard of Thai sweet chili sauce before, but it sounds like something really tasty! Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Sparrow R Jones wrote: > On 4/17/08, Serene <serene-lists wrote: > > Sounds yummy! I'm avoiding added sugar these days (not completely > > omitting it, just avoiding), and things are starting to taste > > really sweet on their own. Of course, this always happens when I > > cut out fat. My tastebuds get really sweet-sensitive. > > I wouldn't even have thought about sweetener except that I used to > love KFC's cole slaw and it's super-sweet, kind of more like a > dessert than a salad! I totally love that stuff, and I make a good facsimile when I'm eating fat, with Vegenaise. > It's sort of what I first think of when I think > cole slaw, unfortunately. (Unfortunately, because KFC slaw is > possibly the least inspired slaw in existence.) No, I'm with you. That's my standard cole slaw. Probably because I grew up on it -- my mom is half-Italian and half-Jewish, and she never made cole slaw at home; we mostly ate either meat-and-potatoes, or Italian or Jewish foods. > > Just about to fix dinner, which will be seitan and veggies (onions, > > purple asparagus, maybe some carrots and/or spinach) with Thai > > sweet chili sauce (speaking of sugar) and brown rice. > > mmm. I've never heard of Thai sweet chili sauce before, but it sounds > like something really tasty! Oh, it's so good. There's salt and sugar in it, but it's like a slightly spicy sweet-and-sour sauce. The best brand, in my opinion, is Mae Ploy. Serene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 >When you eliminate processed food and eat whole food > plant based your body will return to your natural genetic weight. Been there, done that, got the size 3X t-shirt. Eating the way Dr. McDougall dictates in his Maximum Weight Loss program - as you described - I did lose weight, about half the weight I had recently *gained* when I was unable to exercise because of foot and neck injuries. But within a few months the weight loss stopped and I started to immediately regain, all the time decreasing the amount of starches (rice, potatoes, beans - nothing processed) and reducing the calories to as low as 800 a day. When I gave up on such severe calorie restrictions I went up a few more pounds, and for the past 7 years have been at this current weight, +/- a 10 pound range to allow for various states of hydration and water retention. My " genetic " weight, as you call it (others call it the setpoint) seems to lie at 130 pounds above what the BMI charts would like it to be. I am now > at my high school weight Hey! Me, too! Oh, I lied. I'm about 15 pounds more than I was when I graduated high school back in 1971. But as a menopausal woman who has been a chronic dieter since birth and has been diagnosed as hypothyroid, to be even that close to the weight I was 30+ years ago is a miracle. Men, having more muscle than fat and therefore naturally higher metabolisms and none of the hormonal issues like women do, always lose weight faster and easier. Sue in NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Sue in NJ wrote: When you eliminate processed food and eat whole food plant based your body will return to your natural genetic weight. Been there, done that, got the size 3X t-shirt. Eating the way Dr. McDougall dictates in his Maximum Weight Loss program - as you described - I did lose weight, about half the weight I had recently *gained* when I was unable to exercise because of foot and neck injuries. But within a few months the weight loss stopped and I started to immediately regain, all the time decreasing the amount of starches (rice, potatoes, beans - nothing processed) and reducing the calories to as low as 800 a day. When I gave up on such severe calorie restrictions I went up a few more pounds, and for the past 7 years have been at this current weight, +/- a 10 pound range to allow for various states of hydration and water retention. Hi Sue, You do know, eating below 10 times your ideal weight in calories will cause your metabolism to slow down more? If your ideal weight is, for example, 120, you must eat at least 1200 calories or your metabolism will shut down and you will gain even eating less food. Take care, Aly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 On 4/18/08, Alyza <alyzas wrote: > > You do know, eating below 10 times your ideal weight in > calories will cause your metabolism to slow down more? > If your ideal weight is, for example, 120, you must eat at > least 1200 calories or your metabolism will shut down and > you will gain even eating less food. In Sue's case (and many, many women's case) the advice is probably too late as the damage has been done. Sue described herself (my apologies for speaking about you in the third person while you're present, Sue!) as someone who had been a lifelong, chronic dieter, virtually since birth. There is a strong chance that all the dieting damaged her metabolism to the point where the " normal rules " will no longer apply to her body. With all the metabolic issues Sue is facing at this point in her life, the rule book practically goes out the window and it is down to trial-and-error to discover what rules Sue's body lives by now. This is the damage of our culture with its stress on bodily perfection and its approval of drastic dieting for young girls and its warped body perceptions that lead healthy young girls to feel they are monstrously fat and must torture themselves with ultra low calorie diets. Our society needs to wake up to the huge damage these sort of social attitudes and beliefs have on our people! From my reading, I believe that there is even a strong chance that the lifetime of dieting is what led to hypothyroidism as well (even if there is a family predisposition for it. Just like my diabetes, one can carry the genes for an illness but those genes only get " switched on " if the person carrying them practices a lifestyle that activates the problems.) Where rules like not going below 1200 calories per day really need to be stressed is among our youth who are just beginning the lifelong treadmill of dieting that will, in most cases, lead them to an unhappy end, metabolically speaking. Even better if we could spark the revolution in attitude that will lead to a society where eight-year-old girls no longer feel the burning desire to count calories and damage their bodies to try to achieve unattainable ideals. (Sorry about my soapbox.) Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Sparrow R Jones wrote: > This is the damage of our culture with its stress on bodily > perfection and its approval of drastic dieting for young girls and > its warped body perceptions that lead healthy young girls to feel > they are monstrously fat and must torture themselves with ultra low > calorie diets. Our society needs to wake up to the huge damage these > sort of social attitudes and beliefs have on our people! I think I love you. :-) Serene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 On 4/18/08, Serene <serene-lists wrote: > > I think I love you. :-) Does that mean I get another one of those great hugs? :-) Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Well said. Kim - Sparrow R Jones Friday, April 18, 2008 11:32 AM Re: OT: So grateful for these lists On 4/18/08, Alyza <alyzas (AT) earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:>> You do know, eating below 10 times your ideal weight in> calories will cause your metabolism to slow down more?> If your ideal weight is, for example, 120, you must eat at> least 1200 calories or your metabolism will shut down and> you will gain even eating less food.In Sue's case (and many, many women's case) the advice is probably toolate as the damage has been done. Sue described herself (my apologiesfor speaking about you in the third person while you're present, Sue!)as someone who had been a lifelong, chronic dieter, virtually sincebirth. There is a strong chance that all the dieting damaged hermetabolism to the point where the "normal rules" will no longer applyto her body. With all the metabolic issues Sue is facing at this pointin her life, the rule book practically goes out the window and it isdown to trial-and-error to discover what rules Sue's body lives bynow.This is the damage of our culture with its stress on bodily perfectionand its approval of drastic dieting for young girls and its warpedbody perceptions that lead healthy young girls to feel they aremonstrously fat and must torture themselves with ultra low caloriediets. Our society needs to wake up to the huge damage these sort ofsocial attitudes and beliefs have on our people! From my reading, Ibelieve that there is even a strong chance that the lifetime ofdieting is what led to hypothyroidism as well (even if there is afamily predisposition for it. Just like my diabetes, one can carry thegenes for an illness but those genes only get "switched on" if theperson carrying them practices a lifestyle that activates theproblems.)Where rules like not going below 1200 calories per day really need tobe stressed is among our youth who are just beginning the lifelongtreadmill of dieting that will, in most cases, lead them to an unhappyend, metabolically speaking. Even better if we could spark therevolution in attitude that will lead to a society whereeight-year-old girls no longer feel the burning desire to countcalories and damage their bodies to try to achieve unattainableideals.(Sorry about my soapbox.)Sparrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 > You do know, eating below 10 times your ideal weight in calories will cause your metabolism to slow down more? Yep. That's why I stopped that little experiment. I've been on restricted calorie diets *literally* since birth, when the doctors had the nursery nurses water down my formula because I gained weight in my first 24 hours of life. As long as I could remember my mom had me on 1000 calorie diets and all my years growing up I wasn't even allowed a piece of my own birthday cakes. I could blow out the candles and watch my brothers eat my cake, but that was it. As an adult I was frequently on 1200 calorie diets (all of them doctor prescribed), and sometimes they were accompanied by various diet pills, including a few years on amphetamines. Yeah, you can say my metabolism is as slow as a sponge after all that. Sue in NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 > Sue described herself (my apologies > for speaking about you in the third person while you're present, Sue!) No problem at all! > as someone who had been a lifelong, chronic dieter, virtually since > birth. Literally, not virtually. >the rule book practically goes out the window and it is > down to trial-and-error to discover what rules Sue's body lives by > now. I maintain at 1200 - 1400 calories, lose only at 1000 or below. Who can live like *that* for their entire life?? > Where rules like not going below 1200 calories per day really need to > be stressed is among our youth Especially when you consider the World Health Organization, when formulating food plans for starving countries, calls anything under 1400 - 1600 calories starvation levels and intolerable from the humanitarian point of view. > (Sorry about my soapbox.) I, for one, and glad to see so many HAES - Health At Every Size - discussions here! Sue in NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 > Does that mean I get another one of those great hugs? :-) (((((((((( Sparrow )))))))))) Here's one from me, too. Sue in NJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2008 Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 Sue in NJ wrote: >[sparrow wrote:] > > Does that mean I get another one of those great hugs? :-) Yes! > > > (((((((((( Sparrow )))))))))) > > Here's one from me, too. > > Yay, group hug! :-) Serene, hugging all y'all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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