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need a little encouragement |
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ARCHIMEDESII
SparkPoints: (112,807)
Fitness Minutes: (179,310)
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17,403
3/18/11 4:24 P
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MOOSLADY,
I took a sneak peak at your food diary. There is a way to increase the amount of food you eat so that you don't feel deprived. You need to increase your intake of fresh fruit and veggies. You eat some, but not nearly the amount you should be eating. For optimum health, a person needs to eat 6-9 servings per day. That's what I shoot for.
Example, one container of Olivia's Mixed Salad greens is 80 calories, for the entire container of 6 oz of greens. You can eat a HUGE leafy green salad that could include things like romaine lettuce, baby spinach, frise, red lettuce, mushrooms, marinated artichoke hearts, arugula, slices of pepper, slices of onion, feta cheese, goat cheese, etc...
How about a baked sweet potato ? Sweet potatoes are loaded with nutrients and aren't high calorie unless you dump all the butter and sour cream on them. Eat more sweet potatoes. Since it's the season, how about a nice boiled dinner ? I do like a nice boiled dinner once in a while.
You can increase the amount of food you eat as well as the calories without gaining weight. You do it by eating more servings of veggies. Believe me, Popeye never got fat overeating his spinach.
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ANDEENNATE
Posts:
393
3/18/11 3:03 P
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ARCHIMEDESII
SparkPoints: (112,807)
Fitness Minutes: (179,310)
Posts:
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3/18/11 2:46 P
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If my health insurance company sent me a post card every couple of weeks telling ME I was fat, I'd be looking at changing insurance companies. That's ridiculous. Cigna should be ashamed of itself. It's not interested in your health. It's only interested in their bottom line !!
If you're at a reasonably healthy BMI and you're doctor says you're in good health, they have NO BUSINESS telling you that you need to lose weight. As we age, we are expected to carry a little extra padding to be healthy. there is no need to feel guilty because you don't fit their standards of good health. They're standards are warped.
You've lost 50 pounds and have kept it off for three years. That's wonderful !! As a result of that loss, you're going to have a longer and more productive life.
As far as calorie intake, personally (and do take anything I say with a grain of salt), I think your calorie intake is too low. No one should be on a permanent "diet" or eating restricted calories. You CAN enjoy food with your family. You can eat out. it's just a matter of being mindful of the portion size, that's all.
Take Chilis, Ruby Tuesdays, the Cheesecake Factory, etc... they routinely offer dishes that could serve 2-3 people, not one. If you eat out, eat half and take half home to enjoy later.
One thing that you might consider doing is having your metabolism tested by your doctor. Your doctor can run tests that will determine how many BMR calories your body needs to maintain your weight. It may be that you have been eating too little for too long and now your metabolism is compromised. But that's something you need to discuss with your doctor.
One thing that I would recommend is that if you aren't doing any strength training, you should. Add more lean muscle. The more lean muscle you carry, the more efficient your body will be at burning fat. Don't be afraid to strength train. I'm older than you and I've been strength training for a few years now. I can't be more thrilled with the results.
Strength training can have a huge impact on your weight, your shape as well as your long term health. And no, you are not too old to strength train.
PS - I weigh around 150 pounds and I need to eat 2,000+ calories per day just to maintain my weight. I've kept the weight off eating 2,000 calories a day. That's where the lean muscle comes in. Lean muscle drives your metabolism. the more muscle you have, the more efficient your body is at burning fat.
No, I don't look like a body builder either.
Edited by: ARCHIMEDESII at: 3/18/2011 (14:56)
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SP_COACH_NANCY
SparkPoints: (158,833)
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3/18/11 2:36 P
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MOOSLADY
Posts:
202
3/18/11 1:46 P
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So I lost 50 pounds and have kept it off for nearly 3 years. But I can't seem to lose the last 10 to make me have a healthy BMI. Just to maintain my weight loss, I have to eat only 1200-1300 and exercise for 30-60 minutes a day. I went off zoloft in a effort to increase my metabolism. Yes, sometimes I eat more for a few days but that weight comes off easily. It doesn't help that my health insurance company has told me I must lose 11 pounds and sends me a postcard every 2 weeks telling me I am fat, because I overeat_as if I wasn't feeling guilty enough! My husband and daughters tell me that it is enough that I am really healthy and that at nearly 45 there is likely no way I can lose the weight, so I should give up and eat what I want. It totally sucks eating like a bird, exercising regularly and still being too fat! I am reaching the point of feeling like if I am looking at 1200 calories or less for the rest of my life, never eating out, never partaking in family celebrations for lack of acceptable food, it really isn't worth it. I was really happy as a fat person. I liked myself then, I was a nice, giving person. Isn't health and being a good person enough? Those who have lost all the weight they want and kept it off, do you really eat the minimum forever and spend hours a day exercising and obsessing about not eating? Is it worth it? I just want to be thin enough to stop getting harassed by my insurance and yet not have my weight/food consume my life. I have family, friends, hobbies that I want to enjoy but it seems like the only part that counts is my weight. CIGNA is evil to do this to me!
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