Getting well soon...I hope

The bad news is, I haven't started my weight lose regimen or program yet. The good news (sort of) is that I haven't had much of an appetitve and haven't been eating much either.

I've been sick for going on two weeks now. First, I came down with bronchitis and have been on antibiotics for that. Then, while I was still taking those, my head became congested with either pollen or a virus, I'm not sure which. But the end result is, I've been feeling too lousy to prepare meals or think about meal planning -- or anything else.

Something has struck me, though. For most of my life, I've dealt with having bronchitis about twice a year (in spring and fall.) When I'm in good shape and eating healthy, I seem to get over it much quicker. When I'm not, like now, it takes much longer to fight it off. I'm still breathing heavy and get exhausted from walking from bedroom to TV room. That's one big motivator to eat right and exercise!

Which is another bummer about this. I had started walking and had to take a hiatus when I got sick. So especially after having bronchitis, I'm going to be starting all over there. But I don't think that will be a problem, because I actually MISS walking right now.

So hopefully in a few days, I'll be well enough to engage my plans!!!

Comments

[Dee]

I do hope you will feel better soon. You should keep writing no matter what. Your frank honesty about "falling off the diet wagon" is also inspirational because that is what we "real" people do..we try, fail, dust ourselves off with a bit self-lecturing, and try again. In other words, you're writing things from a perspective that we can all relate to..not from a wealthy Hollywood celebrity's who can afford dieticians, personal chefs, and personal trainers. Keep us posted on the good, bad, and ugly and again..I hope you feel better soon!

[Karen]

How? What's the secret?

Since I changed my eating habits to lose weight and get more healthy,
I've been researching the "secret" on the internet and in books. I've
learned quite a bit, but my scale is not reaping the benefits...yet.

At a basic level, losing weight "looks" easy. Subtract 3500 calories
from your diet to lose a pound. That works out to 500 per day for a
week. If it was that easy, why are so many overweight and struggling
to lose? Or, if weight is lost, it is regained?

There's many theories, many blogs, many scientific studies that claim
to have an answer. The "fatosphere" believes that obesity is genetic,
inevitable and unavoidable. Pharmaceutical companies believe it's just
a matter of a malfunctioning biological component that can be solved
with a pill. Surgeons want to reduce the gastric system at great risk.
I've read it all.

Recently, I read about a male prisoner that filed a lawsuit, claiming
that he was starving. He entered prison with a weight around 300 or
400 pounds and he's lost quite a bit of that weight. The prison diet
provides him with an average of 2500 calories. Jennette Fulda, the
author of "Half-Assed", lost almost 200 pounds. What do these two
successful losers have in common?

The answer: eating a sensible balanced not-too-low-calorie diet, and
adding some exercise.

Why does this work?

If you lose weight too fast, or with little exercise, you might also
lose muscle mass. It's your total muscle mass that determines your
base metabolism. So, when you lose that muscle, that lowers metabolism
and makes it so easy to regain. Losing too fast with a diet that's too
restrictive may also lead to binges and the dreaded yo-yo effect.

In following the blogs of Jennette Fulda (Pasta Queen) and Roni and
weightwatchen.com, I can see this happening. Or that's my
interpretation. Both of these women are exercising regularly and
aren't losing any more weight. But, I bet that both are changing their
body composition to a lower percentage of fat and may soon find they
need smaller sizes. Even if not, more muscle mass = higher metabolic
rate = maintaining weight loss.

Lowering body fat composition along with weight loss may help avoid
loose skin, too. (http://www.bodyfatguide.com/LooseSkin.htm)

There are probably many more factors that affect how individuals lose,
but I think the basics hold true for us all. There's no secret, no
shortcut. Adopt a healthy eating and exercise plan that fits into your
life and follow it. Don't give up if you make a mistake.

We can do it!

[Karen]

Here's a fabulously motivating book. I just finished it yesterday. Not a diet book at all, it's a memoir. It's funny and inspiring.

http://halfassedbook.com/