Posted by sab_rina on Feb 13, 2007 · Member since Feb 2007 · 1 posts
what should i eat to lose weight ?? other then always have fruits and vegetables ... :-\
Posted by nutdragon on Feb 13, 2007 · Member since Aug 2006 · 807 posts
I feel like a broken record recommending this website, but: nutritiondata.com
search your favorite food and scroll down a little and it will give you recommendations for "better food choices" for weight loss, weight gain or optimum health.
Personally, I think increasing excercize is a better option for losing weight. Modify your diet for healthfullness, not to lose weight. It's way easier to stick with it in the long run, which is what is important.
0 likes
Posted by quintess on Feb 13, 2007 · Member since Feb 2007 · 1036 posts
Great question, hope I can help. I lost about 40 lbs, over 5 years ago (which I gained as a vegan, and lost as a vegan!) The best thing to do is keep it simple: Lots of high value foods, such as beans and veggies. Lots of water-I drink a gallon a day Daily exercise, even a 20 minute walk helps Replace refined foods with whole foods (high fiber foods are great helpers in weight loss) And, just tuning into our body's hunger scale...to stop eating before we are full, and only eat when we are truly hungry is half the battle. Good luck, and feel free to check out my site: deliciousdeliveries.homestead.com :)
0 likes
Posted by AshleyKimball on Feb 13, 2007 · Member since Nov 2006 · 536 posts
Avoid vast quantities of starches: peas, corn, potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, flour, sugar, banana, etc. Just a little of these things packs a lot of calories--and not much nutrients.
Replace them with non-starchy vegetables/fruits: broccoli, squash, carrot, cerlery, asparagus, greens, oranges, melon, rhubarb (yummm). You can eat around three times the volume of these foods compared to the starchy ones, calorie-wise.
Eat fiber.
Be aware of what you're adding to food. Example, do you pile on the dressing and fake cheese, and spread hunks of margarine all over everything? Or do you use a lot of oil to cook vegetables? Or do you douse sugar on all the fruit you eat? Try using just a little less, or omit altogether.
Drink water. Drink as much water as seems humanely possible--then drink more. Avoid soda and juice. Excerise. If you watch television, get up and dance (or some other exercise) during the commercials! If there's 10 minutes of commercials in a one hour's watching of television, and you watch 3 hours a day, then Bam! you've exercised for 30 minutes without changing your schedule!
Tell yourself everyday how great and wonderful you are. Think of how much you do for the world! Managing stress and improving self esteem is an easy way to lose weight.
0 likes
Posted by TinTexas on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Aug 2006 · 1216 posts
You can eat practically anything you want. IF
1) You set a calorie limit that is at least 500 calories less than what you need to maintain your weight. Then you'll lose about a pound a week. Figuring out what your maintenance number is is tricky. A lot of people on the newsgroup alt.support.diet recommend setting your calorie limit at 10 times your current weight, i.e., if you weigh 150, your limit is 1,500 calories. If you weigh more, you can eat more and still lose weight. Another tricky part is figuring out the optimal foods to eat for your 1,500 calories so you don't get ravenously hungry or seriously deficient in some nutrient (which can cause you to get ravenously hungry.)
2) Use a calorie logging program. I have the standalone Fitday program and it's excellent. Well worth the $20 it costs me. The free web version is good but lacks some of the features of the standalone version. I particularly like how you can figure out calories for a recipe by inputting the ingredients and their amounts. There are other programs out there, too. I just know fitday is good.
3) Stick to your limit. Log the calories in what you're *going* to eat and see if it keeps you within your limit before you eat it. If you've already eaten it and gone over the limit, it's too late. I don't know how many times I've talked myself out of having a bedtime snack because my log showed I really didn't need it, I'd eaten enough already!
4) Exercise. There's an article on MSNBC (I think) about how believing that exercising will help you lose weight and be healthier than not believing it will. Sorry, I'm lazy and don't want to search down a link. So believe and grow thin!
I've lost 45 pounds since last March. I find its easier to lose weight on a vegan diet. 235 calories in a serving of Barley and Wild Rice with Pomegranate Seed Pilaf will fill you up and stay with you a lot longer than 235 calories of corn chips, chocolate or any junk food. It's really not that hard to do. It just takes diligence and determination. Forgive yourself if you make a *mistake* and go on from there.
0 likes
Posted by AshleyKimball on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Nov 2006 · 536 posts
I don't mean to undermine you, TinTexas, but I strongly suggest not to "count calories." One day I started counting calories (I weighed a healthy 115 lbs at 5'3") and then became OBSESSED with it. Food is no longer is food--it's only calories. Just numbers. Can I eat this? No...it has too many calories! I calculated the caloric value of everything that went in my mouth--and planned every meal I ate weeks in advance. Well no sh*t I developed an eating disorder! I now have anorexia nervosa, weigh 87 lbs, and eating food it torturous. All because of counting some stupid freaking numbers. When bookmama asked "how do I keep so trim?" on another page--it's because I don't eat the things I bake. I'm too afraid too.
Don't count calories. Ever. Forget you ever heard the word "calorie".
0 likes
Posted by tanevab on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Jan 2007 · 942 posts
I have to agree strongly w/ ashly on this one. I lost around a hundred pounds w/o conting a single calorie. I have watched too many people become obsessed w/ calories and end up w/ eating disorders both anorexia and binging. Also very few people who use the calorie method are able to keep the weight off because unless you keep counting every calorie for the rest of you life you don't really teach your self how to pick good foods. The main thing is to eat as many raw, whole foods as you can. Make them a part of your life not just til you loose a few pounds but for the rest of your life. Get rid of bread, pasta, and white rice. Diets always fail, life changes work. stay away from any processed or packaged food. Drink water and lots of it. Tea soda, and coffee do not count. If you wouldn't wash your cloths in it don't wash your body in it. Make your own food so that you really know what is in them. Most importantly exercise. Walk every day go to a yoga class. DO SOMTHING. I know that this sounds scary but get rid of your T.V. That thing is dangerous to your health in so many ways. I have a DVD player so I can watch movies but no cable and it has changed my life. I hope this helps.
Tintexas I don't want this to sound discouraging to you. I am happy the calorie method is working for you just make sure that you have an exit strategy.
Ashlyk, You will be in my thoughts and I am dedicating my morning yoga to you. Have you tried yoga? I know so many people that have such a different outlook on life and their bodies by doing this practice. I hope that you are seeking help for this.
0 likes
Posted by TinTexas on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Aug 2006 · 1216 posts
I don't mean to undermine you, TinTexas, but I strongly suggest not to "count calories." One day I started counting calories (I weighed a healthy 115 lbs at 5'3") and then became OBSESSED with it. Food is no longer is food--it's only calories. Just numbers. Can I eat this? No...it has too many calories! I calculated the caloric value of everything that went in my mouth--and planned every meal I ate weeks in advance. Well no sh*t I developed an eating disorder! I now have anorexia nervosa, weigh 87 lbs, and eating food it torturous. All because of counting some stupid freaking numbers. When bookmama asked "how do I keep so trim?" on another page--it's because I don't eat the things I bake. I'm too afraid too.
Don't count calories. Ever. Forget you ever heard the word "calorie".
Different strokes for different folks. I'm sorry that you developed an eating disorder. My eating disorder is that I overeat and I have to have a lot of control over what I eat or I gain weight. I've tried over the past few weeks to not count my calories and I was at 189.2 and now I'm 194 (I'm also 5'4" with high blood pressure.) A lot the difference is water weight so I'm not really that concerned but I have to lose weight. I'm not in danger of becoming anorexic. One of the things I make sure of is that I eat enough when I count my calories. I stay right up to my calorie limit. I don't freak out if I accidentally go over and then I don't compensate by barely eating anything the next day.
0 likes
Posted by LindsayLoo on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Dec 2006 · 127 posts
Hey Ashley, i just wanted to say that although i am sure you have tons of friends and family supporting you, i am always here in case you need to just talk. I can relate in some ways. You seem like a very strong individual. Best wishes for your full recovery :)
0 likes
Posted by LadyDragonfly1 on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Feb 2003 · 600 posts
I have to agree about not counting calories. I am a recovering anorexic, bulemic and binge eater, myself. I have not done the bulemic thing in years. The anorexic part comes up whenever I am under stress and I combatted this with cigarettes in the last couple of years. If I smoke, I have to eat. If I don't smoke, I don't have to eat. I have quit smoking and I am not really wanting to eat. Today, I waited so long I started to pass out.
I have dieted for over 30 yrs in some form or another. I don't allow myself candy of any kind, very little soda, absolutely no juice, dry bread, no salad because I need fatty dressing, no chips, no cookies, only birthday cake, no pie. I can look at a portion of food and tell you how much is there by weight and tell if it is one serving or two, or more.
No matter how much therapy, no matter how many times someone comments that I am tall and thin, or that they don't believe my age, my obsession continues. I have said before, I see a 5'4" woman who is 250 lbs when I look in the mirror. Every time I encounter her, I stop eating for a couple of days, so I don't have any full length mirrors at home, I can't take it. It is possible to beat yourself up so completely about your weight that you are never the same again. I know, that is what I did to myself.
I try not to count calories. I try to consume at only 3 small fruit servings a day, which I can do. I allow myself all the raw or steamed veggies I can hold, usually 3 to 6 cups a day, occasionally more. I shoot for 5 protein servings a day, though a bit more is probably better with my hypoglycemia, but I can't bring myself to allow that. Mostly, I try to eat healthfully. and get all my calories (however many) from whole foods, whole grains, whole veggies, plain foods with little processing. After that, I try very very hard not to worry about it.
Lastly, I consider a weight issue one of mind over matter. Oddly enough, the 3 times in my life I have decided to eat whole foods and stop worrying, (which took a lot of effort) I lost weight quickly and without effort. I also found that I used to eat when my energy got low and now, I realize that what I needed was a nap, not a meal.
0 likes
Posted by applelover on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Dec 2006 · 119 posts
Hi, counting calories can be ok, but maybe do so in a ballpark fashion rather than using exact numbers. A muffin could be 150 or 500 calories for example, and it is better to know which category it falls into (healthy or very unhealthy). I definetly second the comments about making lifestyle choices rather than dieting. I have never been on a diet but I choose foods with a healthy attitude. Much like meat items on a menu that do not register on my radar, this goes for a lot of other things. If I go for chinese, I don't order white rice, nor do I even consider it. If I were to eat pasta (which I actually don't like anyway) I would choose a tomato sauce over a cream-based one (well, I don't eat the cream sauce either...). I do eat foods that would be considered to be unhealthy, but I do so selectively. My personal rule is that if it is bad for me, it sure better taste good! This is why I do not eat doughnuts. I don't think they are particularly special, so why should I put something so terrible into my body? On the other hand, cheesecake is my weakness and so I think that is worth eating. I think that restrictive eating tends to lead to binging and obsessive thoughts, and others have posted attesting to this as well. If you develop a relationship with your body and truly love yourself, you may start to have second thoughts about eating certain things, not because of the calories but because of the negative impact it has on your health.
In terms of specific weight loss ideas... A few suggestions are cooking with spices instead of sauces, replacing Silk with Silk Light (lower calorie version with less fat), buying sodium-free beans (Eden Organic), trying to eat healthy sweet foods before junk if you have a craving, eating small meals more often throughout the day (grazing), eating filling meals rather than small items such as meal replacement bars that do not leave you satisfied, and finishing off a meal with something like an apple to signal to yourself that you are done eating for the time being. By being a smart shopper there are a lot of changes you can make that will make a difference on your body but will not even seem different when you are eating. Good luck and good health!
0 likes
Posted by Sarah88 on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Jul 2006 · 140 posts
I also am a recovering anorexic. RIght now I weigh about 90 pounds and am five feet two inches. Calorie counting and severly limiting and restricting myself is what has gotten me to where I am today. I know this works for some people but others carry it too far such as myself.
One thing I can say is that it is much easier to maintain a certain weight with a vegetarian or vegan diet and you do feel a lot lighter. I am lacto vegetarian and have noticed this is definitely true.
Anyone who ever needs to talk, just let me know! :)
0 likes
Posted by cheerio on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Jul 2006 · 70 posts
Hi ladies,
I really hope that those of who are suffering from eating disorders--anorexia, bulimia, compulsive over-eating, compuplsive exercising--are getting professional help from individuals with whom you feel comfortable talking openly and honestly (as best you can).
I really don't want this post to sound preachy, so I'll keep it short.
I want all of you to know that there IS light at the end of the tunnel. Just because you are anorexic now DOES NOT mean that you have to struggle with food, with body image, with obsessive excercise routines, for the rest of your life. I was diagnosed with anorexia when I was 15 years old. I'm 19 now, and I can confidently tell you that I am fully recovered and in very little danger of suffering a future relapse. It took me three-and-a-half years to make it all the way, but I did get there eventually. Some of you may fight--may already have fought--longer than I had to. Granted, it's different for everyone. Recovery from an eating disorder is something that you simply cannot place on a timeline. At times, full recovery seems impossibly far away. But, I promise, you CAN make it all the way there. And when you do get there, you'll know it. I, too, counted calories once. In fact, I counted them obsessively for two years. I don't count anymore, though. I no longer worry that "all of the other girls"--my cross-country and track teammates, my classmates, my dormmates--are thinner than I. I don't stop eating when I'm stressed out about school or running. And while a small part of me will always believe that being thinner is the key to running faster, the rest of me knows that being strong and healthy will allow me to perform better--and more happily--in the long run.
So good luck, girls. Find things that you enjoy--things that let you rejoice in who you are--and do them!!! Not just on occasion, but every week, every day!!! Live life to the fullest.....don't waste it mulling over strings of numbers--caloric counts--in your head.
Always believe in yourselves.
Happy Valentine's Day.
luv cheerio
0 likes
Posted by MizzouKitten on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Mar 2006 · 289 posts
As long as we're all confessing our E.D's... I've got/had one too. (I'm still struggling with the repercussions, so I know better than to say that I've recovered.) I battled anorexia for about a year and a half (hitting my lowest weight at 85 pounds. I'm five-3.), and now I've gone the other way, so I'm dangerously prone to periods of bingeing. Once I start, I go until I can't even sit up... it's miserable. But I'm working at it. Wow... there's a lot of us here... I kind of see why people associate EDs with our lifestyle choices... But veganism probably saved my life, so they can say what they will, I've got my beliefs.
0 likes
Posted by AshleyKimball on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Nov 2006 · 536 posts
Yeah, the only vegans I know are EDNOS (eating disorder, not otherwise specified) sufferers. It's the reason I became vegan! How simple is it to respond to "why arent you eating?!" with "it's because I'm a vegan" Visit any pro- EDNOS site and a common suggestion is to become vegan......
0 likes
Posted by MizzouKitten on Feb 14, 2007 · Member since Mar 2006 · 289 posts
I actually didn't turn full out vegan until i was on the road to recovery; my mother always thought i was vegan, just because i just kept turning down all these types of food... so my original reason for going vegan was just some sort of backwards rebellion; a sort of "well, this is what you wanted, so HERE!" sort of thing... but luckily, it's become so much more than that. and all the weight i HAVE gained has been while on a vegan diet. so, luckily, people have attribute my improving health to veganism, rather than my pallid sickly appearance i used to have. but that's not the case for so many... it's easy to see why people think we're all pale and weak, if so many of us have these kind of issues. it's unfortunate, really. we need to work on that... but obviously, we've got to get ourselves straightened out first. take heart and hope girls, we can do this.
for the record, any male recovering EDs out there?
0 likes
Posted by Kikilola on Feb 15, 2007 · Member since Apr 2006 · 445 posts
I've read these posts with sadness and alarm and I didn't know what I was going to say in response ... I really hope you come through these troubles. I don't want to get all heavy but please remember, food is a life-giver, we eat to live. Life is precious. Choose to live. Please.
:-* K
0 likes
Posted by TinTexas on Feb 15, 2007 · Member since Aug 2006 · 1216 posts
Yeah, the only vegans I know are EDNOS (eating disorder, not otherwise specified) sufferers. It's the reason I became vegan! How simple is it to respond to "why arent you eating?!" with "it's because I'm a vegan" Visit any pro- EDNOS site and a common suggestion is to become vegan......
You know that's really scary. All the vegans you know have a EDNOS. I'd hate to think that I could become that rigid in my dietary habits. I try to eat veggie (lacto-ovo) whenever I can, but Tuesday in Del Rio after my cardiac stress test, they told me to go eat something fatty and I choose pizza. Unfortunately, the only pizzas on the buffet (which I'd already paid for) had meat on them. I didn't have time for them to make me a veggie only pizza so I ate what was available. And I don't feel the least twinge of guilt or self-loathing. I wasn't allowed to have breakfast and it was 2:30 pm then so I had 4 pieces of the pizza and a mini-calazone. No problem with that either. If your wondering, I did keep it down and I even ate a snack at about 7:00 pm when I finally got home.
I hear so many people say that it's impossible for them to lose weight. I tell them that it isn't. If you're willing to take control of what you eat and be aware of portion size and calorie count of that portion size. For a lot of people, they don't' realize how much they've actually eaten in day unless they keep track of it. Compulsive overeating is their problem (and mine.) Everyone has to work out how to best live there lives in order to be as healthy as they can be.
Good luck to all of you struggling with whatever food issues you have.
0 likes
Posted by OperaChic on Feb 15, 2007 · Member since Jan 2007 · 661 posts
I agree, that quote is pretty disturbing. Let's be honest here...Counting Calories isn't the real problem, whether you eat too much or too little. Counting calories/points or whatever is just a TOOL we can use to control what we eat, for better or worse. This tool can be very helpful if used in a healthy way or harmful if used in an obsessive, unhealthy way. Eating disorders (including overeating) are caused by emotional & psychological issues (and we all have them!), not food. It's very important to get the help you need to be whole & happy. Love yourself enough to treat your body right all (or at least most) of the time, and you should see at least some improvement, whatever your issue. *hugs*
I feel like a broken record recommending this website, but:
nutritiondata.com
search your favorite food and scroll down a little and it will give you recommendations for "better food choices" for weight loss, weight gain or optimum health.
Personally, I think increasing excercize is a better option for losing weight. Modify your diet for healthfullness, not to lose weight. It's way easier to stick with it in the long run, which is what is important.
Great question, hope I can help. I lost about 40 lbs, over 5 years ago (which I gained as a vegan, and lost as a vegan!)
The best thing to do is keep it simple:
Lots of high value foods, such as beans and veggies.
Lots of water-I drink a gallon a day
Daily exercise, even a 20 minute walk helps
Replace refined foods with whole foods (high fiber foods are great helpers in weight loss)
And, just tuning into our body's hunger scale...to stop eating before we are full, and only eat when we are truly hungry is half the battle.
Good luck, and feel free to check out my site: deliciousdeliveries.homestead.com
:)
Avoid vast quantities of starches: peas, corn, potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, flour, sugar, banana, etc. Just a little of these things packs a lot of calories--and not much nutrients.
Replace them with non-starchy vegetables/fruits: broccoli, squash, carrot, cerlery, asparagus, greens, oranges, melon, rhubarb (yummm). You can eat around three times the volume of these foods compared to the starchy ones, calorie-wise.
Eat fiber.
Be aware of what you're adding to food. Example, do you pile on the dressing and fake cheese, and spread hunks of margarine all over everything? Or do you use a lot of oil to cook vegetables? Or do you douse sugar on all the fruit you eat? Try using just a little less, or omit altogether.
Drink water. Drink as much water as seems humanely possible--then drink more. Avoid soda and juice. Excerise. If you watch television, get up and dance (or some other exercise) during the commercials! If there's 10 minutes of commercials in a one hour's watching of television, and you watch 3 hours a day, then Bam! you've exercised for 30 minutes without changing your schedule!
Tell yourself everyday how great and wonderful you are. Think of how much you do for the world! Managing stress and improving self esteem is an easy way to lose weight.
You can eat practically anything you want. IF
1) You set a calorie limit that is at least 500 calories less than what you need to maintain your weight. Then you'll lose about a pound a week. Figuring out what your maintenance number is is tricky. A lot of people on the newsgroup alt.support.diet recommend setting your calorie limit at 10 times your current weight, i.e., if you weigh 150, your limit is 1,500 calories. If you weigh more, you can eat more and still lose weight. Another tricky part is figuring out the optimal foods to eat for your 1,500 calories so you don't get ravenously hungry or seriously deficient in some nutrient (which can cause you to get ravenously hungry.)
2) Use a calorie logging program. I have the standalone Fitday program and it's excellent. Well worth the $20 it costs me. The free web version is good but lacks some of the features of the standalone version. I particularly like how you can figure out calories for a recipe by inputting the ingredients and their amounts. There are other programs out there, too. I just know fitday is good.
3) Stick to your limit. Log the calories in what you're *going* to eat and see if it keeps you within your limit before you eat it. If you've already eaten it and gone over the limit, it's too late. I don't know how many times I've talked myself out of having a bedtime snack because my log showed I really didn't need it, I'd eaten enough already!
4) Exercise. There's an article on MSNBC (I think) about how believing that exercising will help you lose weight and be healthier than not believing it will. Sorry, I'm lazy and don't want to search down a link. So believe and grow thin!
I've lost 45 pounds since last March. I find its easier to lose weight on a vegan diet. 235 calories in a serving of Barley and Wild Rice with Pomegranate Seed Pilaf will fill you up and stay with you a lot longer than 235 calories of corn chips, chocolate or any junk food. It's really not that hard to do. It just takes diligence and determination. Forgive yourself if you make a *mistake* and go on from there.
I don't mean to undermine you, TinTexas, but I strongly suggest not to "count calories." One day I started counting calories (I weighed a healthy 115 lbs at 5'3") and then became OBSESSED with it. Food is no longer is food--it's only calories. Just numbers. Can I eat this? No...it has too many calories! I calculated the caloric value of everything that went in my mouth--and planned every meal I ate weeks in advance. Well no sh*t I developed an eating disorder! I now have anorexia nervosa, weigh 87 lbs, and eating food it torturous. All because of counting some stupid freaking numbers. When bookmama asked "how do I keep so trim?" on another page--it's because I don't eat the things I bake. I'm too afraid too.
Don't count calories. Ever. Forget you ever heard the word "calorie".
I have to agree strongly w/ ashly on this one. I lost around a hundred pounds w/o conting a single calorie. I have watched too many people become obsessed w/ calories and end up w/ eating disorders both anorexia and binging. Also very few people who use the calorie method are able to keep the weight off because unless you keep counting every calorie for the rest of you life you don't really teach your self how to pick good foods. The main thing is to eat as many raw, whole foods as you can. Make them a part of your life not just til you loose a few pounds but for the rest of your life. Get rid of bread, pasta, and white rice. Diets always fail, life changes work. stay away from any processed or packaged food. Drink water and lots of it. Tea soda, and coffee do not count. If you wouldn't wash your cloths in it don't wash your body in it. Make your own food so that you really know what is in them. Most importantly exercise. Walk every day go to a yoga class. DO SOMTHING. I know that this sounds scary but get rid of your T.V. That thing is dangerous to your health in so many ways. I have a DVD player so I can watch movies but no cable and it has changed my life. I hope this helps.
Tintexas I don't want this to sound discouraging to you. I am happy the calorie method is working for you just make sure that you have an exit strategy.
Ashlyk, You will be in my thoughts and I am dedicating my morning yoga to you. Have you tried yoga? I know so many people that have such a different outlook on life and their bodies by doing this practice. I hope that you are seeking help for this.
I don't mean to undermine you, TinTexas, but I strongly suggest not to "count calories." One day I started counting calories (I weighed a healthy 115 lbs at 5'3") and then became OBSESSED with it. Food is no longer is food--it's only calories. Just numbers. Can I eat this? No...it has too many calories! I calculated the caloric value of everything that went in my mouth--and planned every meal I ate weeks in advance. Well no sh*t I developed an eating disorder! I now have anorexia nervosa, weigh 87 lbs, and eating food it torturous. All because of counting some stupid freaking numbers. When bookmama asked "how do I keep so trim?" on another page--it's because I don't eat the things I bake. I'm too afraid too.
Don't count calories. Ever. Forget you ever heard the word "calorie".
Different strokes for different folks. I'm sorry that you developed an eating disorder. My eating disorder is that I overeat and I have to have a lot of control over what I eat or I gain weight. I've tried over the past few weeks to not count my calories and I was at 189.2 and now I'm 194 (I'm also 5'4" with high blood pressure.) A lot the difference is water weight so I'm not really that concerned but I have to lose weight. I'm not in danger of becoming anorexic. One of the things I make sure of is that I eat enough when I count my calories. I stay right up to my calorie limit. I don't freak out if I accidentally go over and then I don't compensate by barely eating anything the next day.
Hey Ashley, i just wanted to say that although i am sure you have tons of friends and family supporting you, i am always here in case you need to just talk. I can relate in some ways. You seem like a very strong individual. Best wishes for your full recovery :)
I have to agree about not counting calories. I am a recovering anorexic, bulemic and binge eater, myself. I have not done the bulemic thing in years. The anorexic part comes up whenever I am under stress and I combatted this with cigarettes in the last couple of years. If I smoke, I have to eat. If I don't smoke, I don't have to eat. I have quit smoking and I am not really wanting to eat. Today, I waited so long I started to pass out.
I have dieted for over 30 yrs in some form or another. I don't allow myself candy of any kind, very little soda, absolutely no juice, dry bread, no salad because I need fatty dressing, no chips, no cookies, only birthday cake, no pie. I can look at a portion of food and tell you how much is there by weight and tell if it is one serving or two, or more.
No matter how much therapy, no matter how many times someone comments that I am tall and thin, or that they don't believe my age, my obsession continues. I have said before, I see a 5'4" woman who is 250 lbs when I look in the mirror. Every time I encounter her, I stop eating for a couple of days, so I don't have any full length mirrors at home, I can't take it. It is possible to beat yourself up so completely about your weight that you are never the same again. I know, that is what I did to myself.
I try not to count calories. I try to consume at only 3 small fruit servings a day, which I can do. I allow myself all the raw or steamed veggies I can hold, usually 3 to 6 cups a day, occasionally more. I shoot for 5 protein servings a day, though a bit more is probably better with my hypoglycemia, but I can't bring myself to allow that. Mostly, I try to eat healthfully. and get all my calories (however many) from whole foods, whole grains, whole veggies, plain foods with little processing. After that, I try very very hard not to worry about it.
Lastly, I consider a weight issue one of mind over matter. Oddly enough, the 3 times in my life I have decided to eat whole foods and stop worrying, (which took a lot of effort) I lost weight quickly and without effort. I also found that I used to eat when my energy got low and now, I realize that what I needed was a nap, not a meal.
Hi,
counting calories can be ok, but maybe do so in a ballpark fashion rather than using exact numbers. A muffin could be 150 or 500 calories for example, and it is better to know which category it falls into (healthy or very unhealthy). I definetly second the comments about making lifestyle choices rather than dieting. I have never been on a diet but I choose foods with a healthy attitude. Much like meat items on a menu that do not register on my radar, this goes for a lot of other things. If I go for chinese, I don't order white rice, nor do I even consider it. If I were to eat pasta (which I actually don't like anyway) I would choose a tomato sauce over a cream-based one (well, I don't eat the cream sauce either...). I do eat foods that would be considered to be unhealthy, but I do so selectively. My personal rule is that if it is bad for me, it sure better taste good! This is why I do not eat doughnuts. I don't think they are particularly special, so why should I put something so terrible into my body? On the other hand, cheesecake is my weakness and so I think that is worth eating. I think that restrictive eating tends to lead to binging and obsessive thoughts, and others have posted attesting to this as well. If you develop a relationship with your body and truly love yourself, you may start to have second thoughts about eating certain things, not because of the calories but because of the negative impact it has on your health.
In terms of specific weight loss ideas...
A few suggestions are cooking with spices instead of sauces, replacing Silk with Silk Light (lower calorie version with less fat), buying sodium-free beans (Eden Organic), trying to eat healthy sweet foods before junk if you have a craving, eating small meals more often throughout the day (grazing), eating filling meals rather than small items such as meal replacement bars that do not leave you satisfied, and finishing off a meal with something like an apple to signal to yourself that you are done eating for the time being.
By being a smart shopper there are a lot of changes you can make that will make a difference on your body but will not even seem different when you are eating. Good luck and good health!
I also am a recovering anorexic. RIght now I weigh about 90 pounds and am five feet two inches. Calorie counting and severly limiting and restricting myself is what has gotten me to where I am today. I know this works for some people but others carry it too far such as myself.
One thing I can say is that it is much easier to maintain a certain weight with a vegetarian or vegan diet and you do feel a lot lighter. I am lacto vegetarian and have noticed this is definitely true.
Anyone who ever needs to talk, just let me know! :)
Hi ladies,
I really hope that those of who are suffering from eating disorders--anorexia, bulimia, compulsive over-eating, compuplsive exercising--are getting professional help from individuals with whom you feel comfortable talking openly and honestly (as best you can).
I really don't want this post to sound preachy, so I'll keep it short.
I want all of you to know that there IS light at the end of the tunnel. Just because you are anorexic now DOES NOT mean that you have to struggle with food, with body image, with obsessive excercise routines, for the rest of your life. I was diagnosed with anorexia when I was 15 years old. I'm 19 now, and I can confidently tell you that I am fully recovered and in very little danger of suffering a future relapse. It took me three-and-a-half years to make it all the way, but I did get there eventually.
Some of you may fight--may already have fought--longer than I had to. Granted, it's different for everyone. Recovery from an eating disorder is something that you simply cannot place on a timeline. At times, full recovery seems impossibly far away. But, I promise, you CAN make it all the way there. And when you do get there, you'll know it.
I, too, counted calories once. In fact, I counted them obsessively for two years. I don't count anymore, though.
I no longer worry that "all of the other girls"--my cross-country and track teammates, my classmates, my dormmates--are thinner than I. I don't stop eating when I'm stressed out about school or running. And while a small part of me will always believe that being thinner is the key to running faster, the rest of me knows that being strong and healthy will allow me to perform better--and more happily--in the long run.
So good luck, girls. Find things that you enjoy--things that let you rejoice in who you are--and do them!!! Not just on occasion, but every week, every day!!! Live life to the fullest.....don't waste it mulling over strings of numbers--caloric counts--in your head.
Always believe in yourselves.
Happy Valentine's Day.
luv cheerio
As long as we're all confessing our E.D's... I've got/had one too. (I'm still struggling with the repercussions, so I know better than to say that I've recovered.) I battled anorexia for about a year and a half (hitting my lowest weight at 85 pounds. I'm five-3.), and now I've gone the other way, so I'm dangerously prone to periods of bingeing. Once I start, I go until I can't even sit up... it's miserable. But I'm working at it.
Wow... there's a lot of us here... I kind of see why people associate EDs with our lifestyle choices... But veganism probably saved my life, so they can say what they will, I've got my beliefs.
Yeah, the only vegans I know are EDNOS (eating disorder, not otherwise specified) sufferers. It's the reason I became vegan! How simple is it to respond to "why arent you eating?!" with "it's because I'm a vegan" Visit any pro- EDNOS site and a common suggestion is to become vegan......
I actually didn't turn full out vegan until i was on the road to recovery; my mother always thought i was vegan, just because i just kept turning down all these types of food... so my original reason for going vegan was just some sort of backwards rebellion; a sort of "well, this is what you wanted, so HERE!" sort of thing... but luckily, it's become so much more than that. and all the weight i HAVE gained has been while on a vegan diet. so, luckily, people have attribute my improving health to veganism, rather than my pallid sickly appearance i used to have. but that's not the case for so many... it's easy to see why people think we're all pale and weak, if so many of us have these kind of issues. it's unfortunate, really. we need to work on that... but obviously, we've got to get ourselves straightened out first. take heart and hope girls, we can do this.
for the record, any male recovering EDs out there?
I've read these posts with sadness and alarm and I didn't know what I was going to say in response ... I really hope you come through these troubles. I don't want to get all heavy but please remember, food is a life-giver, we eat to live. Life is precious. Choose to live. Please.
:-* K
Yeah, the only vegans I know are EDNOS (eating disorder, not otherwise specified) sufferers. It's the reason I became vegan! How simple is it to respond to "why arent you eating?!" with "it's because I'm a vegan" Visit any pro- EDNOS site and a common suggestion is to become vegan......
You know that's really scary. All the vegans you know have a EDNOS. I'd hate to think that I could become that rigid in my dietary habits. I try to eat veggie (lacto-ovo) whenever I can, but Tuesday in Del Rio after my cardiac stress test, they told me to go eat something fatty and I choose pizza. Unfortunately, the only pizzas on the buffet (which I'd already paid for) had meat on them. I didn't have time for them to make me a veggie only pizza so I ate what was available. And I don't feel the least twinge of guilt or self-loathing. I wasn't allowed to have breakfast and it was 2:30 pm then so I had 4 pieces of the pizza and a mini-calazone. No problem with that either. If your wondering, I did keep it down and I even ate a snack at about 7:00 pm when I finally got home.
I hear so many people say that it's impossible for them to lose weight. I tell them that it isn't. If you're willing to take control of what you eat and be aware of portion size and calorie count of that portion size. For a lot of people, they don't' realize how much they've actually eaten in day unless they keep track of it. Compulsive overeating is their problem (and mine.) Everyone has to work out how to best live there lives in order to be as healthy as they can be.
Good luck to all of you struggling with whatever food issues you have.
I agree, that quote is pretty disturbing.
Let's be honest here...Counting Calories isn't the real problem, whether you eat too much or too little. Counting calories/points or whatever is just a TOOL we can use to control what we eat, for better or worse. This tool can be very helpful if used in a healthy way or harmful if used in an obsessive, unhealthy way. Eating disorders (including overeating) are caused by emotional & psychological issues (and we all have them!), not food. It's very important to get the help you need to be whole & happy. Love yourself enough to treat your body right all (or at least most) of the time, and you should see at least some improvement, whatever your issue.
*hugs*