Re: am I fat
From: jodi (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Mon, 21 May 2001 12:29:56 -0500 (CDT)
I don't follow an eating plan per say... i find them too restrictive. i
have thought about doing so, but
whenever i try to follow those "1/2 c, cottage cheese, one small apple,
2 cups mixed greens with
balsamic vinegar dressing..." type things i always feel deprived and
rebellious.
so... i have read Sugarbusters, the swarzbein principle, and the
age-free Zone (which has a section on PCOS...)
and i have made a much more concerted effort to eat more protein and
less carbs. i do walk a lot - like,
5-6 miles a day - so i especially do not feel the need to cut out all
carbs. but reading these books has
given me such a better understanding of metabolism and fat storage and
how things you never thought would
make you fat do in fact make you fat (ie, my weight loss really started
taking off after i quit drinking
diet pepsi).
in the past, i really tried losing weight with low-fat, vegetarian diet
and exercise. this diet included
a LOT of carbs (some refined, some not) and a lot of diet pepsi. i was
never able to lose weight.
(i seem to be a fortunate PCOSer in that i do not put ON weight
easily... i simply can't lose it when i try to.)
i actually hated exercise because i seemed to gain weight from it - i
put on muscle so easily. now i know that's part of my PCOS...
in januray i went to a PCOS-savvy endocrinologist, who put me on
metformin. i tipped the scales then at
161 pounds. since then i have gradually changed my eating habits and
gotten over my fear of exercise
induced weight gain. i eat meat again (well, mostly just chicken...
some tuna fish...) i eat lots of eggs and
cheese and i use 2% milk instead of skim. i have given up diet pepsi
(well, i give in now and then but the longer
i go without the more the thought of having it sickens me...) i have
given up nutrasweet in general - no more
light yogurts for me!
i'm not going to lie and say i never give in and have ice cream, or
pizza, or things i know i really shouldn't...
but despite this, the increased protein, lowered carbs, and met (plus
walking, i guess... though from an
exercise standpoint that's a recent
add in, though i did walk a lot before anyway for transportation
reasons...) my scale is now down to 135.
this is my home scale, i don't know how accurate it is. but it used to
hover around 155, so even if i come to find
i'm not 135 on my docs scale (though come august, when my next appt is,
i expect to be in the 120s for sure, on
my scale or otherwise) i have lost a lot of weight - more than was ever
possible for me on a low-fat
lotta exercise vegetarian diet alone!!!
i definitely reccomend Sugar Busters and the Schwarzbein Principle. The
Age Free Zone is pretty good
but has probably provided me with the least amount of knowledge - it's a
good book, i'm just saying
it didn't teach me much i don't know after the others.
i also highly recomend sam thatchers PCOS: The hidden epidemic and
Collette Harris's PCOS: A woman's
guide to dealing with polycystic ovarian syndrome if you want a better
understanding of this disorder. I
think collette's book especially pushes how you can take measures
yourself to treat your PCOS -
her book certainly motivated me to exercsie more, if nothing else. :)
hope some of this helps. i know it's hard to believe, but eating more
fat and protein, plus met, has
lead to weight loss i never would have dreamed possible. get off the
rice cakes!!! and steamed veggies alone
so not a dinner make. however, a nice chicken or tofu and veggie stir
fry, with some olive oil, garlic, and
ginger DOES a nice dinner make... maybe some brown rice on the side.
or, a favorite of mine when i'm
lazy and hungry is to cube some tofu and throw it in a bowl with frozen
broc. & caulifolower, some green peas
or lima beans (they're low glycemic) and a veg. bouilion cube, add some
water and microwave. ya got
protein, starches, and nonstarchie veggies right there.
- jodi
At Mon, 21 May 2001, Nikki wrote:
>
>I am aware that the Rice cakes are not enough. but I am terrified of eating
>more than that, Yes TERRIFIED, I have tried to eat three healthy meals
>aday, ( eating plan from the dietician ) and did not even loose a pound but
>gained a few without cheating, so I got terrified and refused to eat anymore
>but if you sware to eating properly with met and excersize I will try it, do
>you follow a eatingplan or what ,,,, I want so desparatly to loose as you
>all probably do but just cant get anyware,,,, So i will go home and eat a
>healthy meal and try again with the three meals, i tell you my Hubby will
>sure be happy as he hates it when I dont eat,,,,
>
>What will I do without you all I know I am new here but already feel like I
>will be lost without you all ( BIG HUG)
>
>Nikki
>
>>From: anonymous@obgyn.net (jodi)
>>Reply-To: anonymous@obgyn.net
>>To: Multiple recipients of list PCOS <anonymous@obgyn.net>
>>Subject: Re: am I fat
>>Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 09:39:01 -0500
>>
>>i don't think the fact that you are eating rice cakes is to blame so
>>much as the fact that you are eating ONLY 6 rice cakes a day.
>>this is a surefire way to slow your metabolism down to a standstill.
>>
>>it is not important to avoid carbs entirely so much as it is to get more
>>of a balance with protein and carbs -
>>yes, it is true that refined carbs are not good for us with PCOS, and
>>rice cakes are pretty damn
>>refined - but if you were to eat those rice cakes - say, maybe one or
>>two - piled high with, say, turkey
>>breast and munster cheese... that would be a much better "meal" for
>>you.
>>
>>using met, a modified lowish carb (more low glycemic index) diet, and
>>exercise i have lost 25 pounds since january -
>>i really do not think you need to give up ALL carbs. an example of a
>>day's food for me might be
>>shredded wheat & bran cereal with 2% milk, and maybe a piece of string
>>cheese for a little more protein...
>>some tuna salad (with real mayo) and raw veggies for lunch... maybe an
>>apple...
>>a big ol' grilled chicken salad for dinner with grilled
>>chicken, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and rice vinegar and olive oil
>>dressing... maybe a little bit of a grain medley on the side...
>>fruit, cheese, and/or nuts as snacks now and then...
>>
>>i really don't do super low carb, but i try to eliminate the more
>>refined things, and get more protein. i used to be vegetarian
>>and i think i have been so much healthier since i quit that... it's
>>hard to get a lot of protein as a veg. and not get a lot of
>>carb, too. try to get more protein in proportion to your carbs - i
>>think the zone recomends 1 g protein to 2 g carbs...
>>but don't eat JUST carbs, and don't eat JUST one meal a day. eating one
>>meal a day is bad for anyone trying to lose
>>weight, and eating just carbs is bad for anyone with PCOS.
>>
>>- jodi
>>
>>At Mon, 21 May 2001, Susan C. wrote:
>> >
>> >Nikki! Step away from the ricecakes! I think I heard a collective gasp
>> >from the board as we read that..lol. But seriously, It may not seem
>> >like you are eating much, but if what you ARE eating consists of high
>> >carbs, you are still going to have trouble with the weight loss. Try
>> >cutting the carbs and adding a little protein. You'll have to get
>> >creative experimenting to keep the fat grams from getting outrageous if
>> >you are low carbing and to find things you like, but it is very possible
>> >to do. You'll probably find your energy and stamina get better too. I'm
>> >sending you as much good luck as I can muster!!
>> >Susan C. :-)
>> >
>> >At Mon, 21 May 2001, Nikki wrote:
>> >>
>> >>Hi,
>> >>
>> >>Well I am also FAT and tired of looking at myself in the mirror, I am
>> >>terrified of getting on the scale, and I hate myself though the one good
>> >>thing is My husband, he was there when I was diagnosed six years ago and
>>he
>> >>went out of his wasy to find out what I would be going through and what
>> >>effect it would have on my Body, He is amazing but as I tell him I know
>>what
>> >>I look like but he just says he loves me more and more everyday,,,,,
>>well
>> >>back to the FAT side I weigh 130kg's ( i think it is about 290 pounds
>>and am
>> >>Five foot 6, I know I am overweight I have tried everything I have been
>>at
>> >>gym about 6 months and do a 2 hour programe everynight and eat very
>>Little (
>> >>six ricecakes in the evening and on the weekend I have one cooked meal
>>and
>> >>guess what I have hardly lost weight maybe a few pounds, My doc has now
>>put
>> >>me on Metformin ( been on it about a week) so I am hopeing that this
>>will
>> >>help, I know how depressed you can get, At my gym there art a lot of Big
>> >>people who started the same time as me who do gym then go and eat a
>>huge
>> >>meal and when it come to weigh and measure time they are down a stone
>>and a
>> >>few inches,,,,,, that is when it is the worst for me..... so I feel what
>>you
>> >>feel as well,,,,, Oh well I guess we are all made one way or the
>> >>other.......feel free to contact me on my email adress if you need to
>>chat
>> >>anyone welcome: persian_n@hotmail.com
>> >>
>> >>have a good day ladies
>> >>
>> >>>From: lbrewer2@utk.edu (Lori)
>> >>>Reply-To: pcos@obgyn.net
>> >>>To: Multiple recipients of list PCOS <pcos@mail.medispecialty.com>
>> >>>Subject: am I fat
>> >>>Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 09:18:29 -0500
>> >>>
>> >>>I am sitting here looking in the mirror today hating myself. But yeah,
>> >>>what else is new.Everyone around me it seems is a perfect size, and I
>> >>>hate my body for doing this to me, and for taking away all hope of a
>> >>>"healthy body." Then an epiphany struck me. I am comparing apples to
>> >>>oranges. What good is it for me to compare myself to others who are
>>not
>> >>>like me. I work out and eat right, and I have yet to even come close
>>to
>> >>>a target weight. Looking around and seeing all the stick women has
>> >>>depressed me. I just want to k7ow if I am in the normal range of my
>> >>>cysters. I am 5'10 240 and a size 18. Is this normal for women with
>> >>>PCOS, or am I still overweight? Another thing that I would like to
>>point
>> >>>out to all of you women who are down about your weight like I am. For
>> >>>me (according to my Doc)and most other PCOS women tend to carry their
>> >>>weight like a man, in their stomach. I really think this works in our
>> >>>benefit, because we "carry our weight well" carrying it all in your
>> >>>stomach makes it easier to hide. Anyone else carry all their weight in
>> >>>the tummy. For me, this makes me look less like a chunk than I am!
>> >>>
>>