Encouraging healthy choices -support thread

[opi2kenopi]

And, I've just started on Cyndi's 21 day plan and it's pretty much what she says in there as well where she talks about The Biggest Loser contestants in one of the series.

One group eats what they like and does a ton of exercise, the other group eats well and no exercise - guess which team lost the most weight???  Those who ate well and did no exercise...  (paraphrasing...)

[Meagan]

So no exercise today due to unforeseen circumstances. But a good food day. We always do pancakes on a Sunday morning. I had mine with berries and natural yoghurt, small coffee, huge salad for lunch,Cup of tea, one mini biscuit,  rice and chicken/veg stir fry for dinner, glass of milk with TMX Milo.
4/7 days of exercise this week. I was aiming for 5 but I am proud of doing the 4. There is always room for improvement or fine tuning  

[Caroline J]

Yes, there was a large scale study done some years ago (and many other similar ones too, I would think) where they had three groups-
1. Diet and excercise
2. Exercise only
3. Diet only

The results were that the diet and exercise group did only marginally better than the diet alone group in terms of weight loss alone.  Obviously, there are other benefits of exercise, but it highlights the importance of diet regardless of excercise level.

My friend and I have been doing an email diet diary every night, helps keep us off the naughty treats!

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Yes, there was a large scale study done some years ago (and many other similar ones too, I would think) where they had three groups-
1. Diet and excercise
2. Exercise only
3. Diet only

The results were that the diet and exercise group did only marginally better than the diet alone group in terms of weight loss alone.  Obviously, there are other benefits of exercise, but it highlights the importance of diet regardless of excercise level.

My friend and I have been doing an email diet diary every night, helps keep us off the naughty treats!

It does make me wonder if it is because people are adding muscle bulk when they exercise which weighs more than fat.  I have read that building muscles is important for losing weight because muscle bulk increases metabolism.  When I starting exercising each day my weight loss slowed down (in terms of what the scales said) but my clothes were still progressively fitting better at the end of each week. 

[KerrynN]

I think that is certainly true about muscle bulk, but longer term exercise increases your results as far as body image goes I think. I have done weight watchers a few times and while I was just "eating well" i was losing weight but I didn't notice a really big difference until I added exercise too. Every now and then my DH and I go through a "watch what we do" phase. We start of with taking our measurements, incl. upper arm, chest, waist, thigh and calf, and then monitor our food and exercise. We redo our measurements the same time each week. Just paying attention always makes a difference to me.

Today I started the day with a smoothie - frozen banana, frozen pear puree, handful of blueberries, small handful of hazelnuts and of almonds, an orange (peeled), and soda water (I had no cold water to add). I had a nectarine as I headed out to walk to the dog for 45 minutes. Did the groceries (which has to count for something surely) and then had turkish roll with feta, salmon, avocado and lettuce, and mini roma tomato on the side. Dinner plan is the chicken balls from EDC with parmesan potatoes and steamed vegies (but may swap potatoes for couscous).

Feeling pretty OK so far. Think we might do our measurements again tonight.... with school starting this week it is a good time to get organised.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I think that is certainly true about muscle bulk, but longer term exercise increases your results as far as body image goes I think. I have done weight watchers a few times and while I was just "eating well" i was losing weight but I didn't notice a really big difference until I added exercise too. Every now and then my DH and I go through a "watch what we do" phase. We start of with taking our measurements, incl. upper arm, chest, waist, thigh and calf, and then monitor our food and exercise. We redo our measurements the same time each week. Just paying attention always makes a difference to me.

I think paying attention is the key to long term weight control.  My Mum has been slim and trim for as long as I can remember.  She isn't naturally a slim person but pays attention to her weight.  She weighs herself once a month and if she has put a little weight on she cuts out her morning tea and occcasional dessert until the weight is gone.  It normally only takes a week or two to loose it.  She is a wonderful cook and loves her food but she does cook mainly healthy food and exercises moderation with treats.  I am lucky I have such a good role model but really wish I had her self control.

[Meagan]

DH has started back at work today  but we both managed to get exercise in before he left for work which was great. Good food choices today so far and kids are coping ok which means I am too  so that is 1/7 for exercise so far this week

[cookie1]

Poor DH Meagan. My lovely lunches out will cease now as most of my friends are back at work.

Well done folks. Keep it up and keep reporting. Your Mum is an inspiration Chelsea. I have to watch my diet really carefully as even thinking about food puts weight on. (well it seems like that). I have put on 3 kg since I lost 30kg years ago. I still want to lose that 3kg, but it won't budge. I'll get there, it's just a matter of perseverance.

[achookwoman]

I love this thread as it shows that many struggle with their weight.   especially those of us who love to cook.   I am aiming to lose 1k a week,  walk 10,000 steps a day and count the calories of every thing I eat.  This suits me as I can put my energy into creating recipes and using the TMX.  Meagan keep up the reporting as it is interesting so see how others cope.  Chelsea you have done really well because eating out and being away from home can be quite a challenge.    I will continue to watch with interest and admiration.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I'm being a cranky-pants tonight as I have strained a muscle in my leg and am hobbling around. Just when I get myself motivated and into a good exercise routine!!!  Off for a massage ASAP - ouch. 

I hope everyone else is going better. 

[Meagan]

Lunch was rice thins win avo cucumber etc as the other day,  went out to run errands resulting in the kids losing the plot, another  when we got home two teaspoons of loving earth coconut chocolate butter ( this was a controlled tasting as I was being driven completely up the wall by the kids and this is when o would normally eat anything in sight ) I made spagetti for tea but made myself a huge salad and had only a small portion of pasta, when I would normally just have. Huge bowl of pasta. Done well today I am sure we will all be better in a week or so when we are back into the 'DH being back at work' routine.

[earth mumma]

What a great thread - great to hear of everyones progress , ideas and tips.  It's interesting that the time my weight blew out was when I started my first job and I began eating lunches from a deli every day (plus a chocolate bar and other rubbish).  At this point in my life I was a gym junky, working out and doing aerobic classes 5-7 times a week (sometimes I'd even do a double class ).  For me it was processed foods that tipped me over. I got back on track by going back to what my Mum had always advocated and that was wholefood eating.  I still love excercising and at 40+ find that my interest in the gym junky lifestyle has gone.  Last year I had a nagging knee injury which made me reluctant to excercise (yoga x1 per week and walking a few times per week was what I managed), I didn't change my eating habits and yet my weight stayed the same (although my muscle tone did suffer the wobblies).  I don't weight myself anymore as it became an obsession after I had my babies and found my moods being dictrated by the number I saw on the scale.  I love Cyndi's philosophy and in her 21 day program she has you fill out a 'health' log rating yourself for moods, tolerance for others, sleeping, energy and clothes comfort.  It really helps you to see which foods work best for you and which ones may be a good idea to avoid.  I think the biggest challenge for anyone trying to lose weight/get healthy is time and the fact that not one thing is ever going to fit everyone - we are all individuals and our bodies all work differently.       

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I made spagetti for tea but made myself a huge salad and had only a small portion of pasta, when I would normally just have. Huge bowl of pasta.

That's what I often do too.  It saves cooking another meal for myself and is a good habit to get into.  I serve myself a small serve of what the family are having and have a salad or steamed veg with it.  Actually today I decided that we will all have a coleslaw filled lettuce cup on the side with our pasta and creamy zucchini sauce for dinner.  I figured we could all do with the extra veg on pasta night. 

[Meagan]

Great idea Chelsea the salad was actually for DH and I but I should get the boys to go for it too. How is the leg?

I rode solo today and have done really well with food. Cada and yoghurt with berries for bfast, didn't have sweet slice at Playgroup or a cuppa, couple of handfuls of home air popped popcorn with paprika and salt on it and some carrot sticks from the kids table. Not sure what we will have for dinner.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Great idea Chelsea the salad was actually for DH and I but I should get the boys to go for it too. How is the leg?

My leg is feeling much better today Meagan thanks.  I even went for a tentative little walk earlier.  DH rubbed it down last night (bless him) and although it was painful it seemed to do the trick.

Today was a good day here food wise.  I am on a big high from the kids eating coleslaw in lettuce cups with their pasta for dinner.  Wonders will never cease!!! I did sneak in two squares of organic chocolate that the boys were having for a little afternoon tea treat.  I am getting very good at stopping after a mouthful though.  Denying myself sweet treats doesn't work in the long term for me, but I am surprisingly happy if I can have little tastes of things.