I Am Overweight With celiac disease

[l-lyn01]

Hi guys, I am a 26 female looking to lose weight while being gluten-free. I know there is the Atkins, South Beach and other diets or whatnots that could help me lose weight. The problem is I am not sure what good would come of those diets with me having celiac disease. I have seen some messages about a gluten-free diet that does not allow you to have milk and other products; does it work? Is there anything out there that someone could suggest?? Thanks.......

[Judyin Philly]

HI

I'm 64 with un dx'd celiac disease for 20+ years. I've been over weight since my thyroid was nuked in 3rd grade. I've been on every diet there is and for the first time ever, I've been 100% true to the gluten-free diet for just 8 months and have lost 40#'s without trying....I know I could be losing faster if I hadn't found Lays' potato chips were gluten-free. As far as the milk goes, it depends on whether you are lactose or casin intollerant or not. I am so have cut the ice cream, cheese, which I love and miss. I think if you just stick with the fresh veg, fruit, meats etc. you'll find the weight will come off. There have been alot of threads about being overweight with celiac disease. Maybe someone here can post those threads for you. I don't know how to do that. good luck.

Judy in Philly

[Guest nini]

I've lost over 100 pounds over the past three years on the gluten free diet by practicing portion control, eating primarily fruits and veggies and baked meats or canned tuna in water no salt added. I significantly cut my salt intake and use more garlic and pepper to season my food. I drink tons of water a day and limit my soda's to one every several weeks... When I have a craving for something (as long as it's gluten-free) I allow myself to have it, just in moderation. My latest is chocolate, I just have a few bites of the bar and put it away. I've had one chocolate bar that is lasting me more than a week! (yeah lots of willpower to put it down!!!) I don't count calories or fat content, I just try to concentrate on eating good for me gluten-free foods that are naturally gluten-free, and limiting the amount of substitute products I consume.

[francelajoie]

To me, cutting out refined sugars and lots of exercise got me in the best shape I have ever been.

[ianm]

The Atkins diet did the trick for me. There is very little foods allowed with that diet that have gluten in them so it is pretty easy to stay gluten free on it. Portion control is critical for me. I am quite surprised at how little I eat now compared to what I used to eat and I never feel hungry. Exercise is so important. Diet alone will help you lose some weight but to really lose the weight and keep it off you must exercise.

[plantime]

Thank you, everyone. Your posts are very encouraging to me, as I struggle with my weight.

[Ursa Major]

You know, even though exercise is important, I haven't yet been well enough to exercise. Still, in the five months I've been gluten free I've lost 25 pounds without even trying. Mind you, I can really not tolerate ANY starches, including the ones that aren't grains. Starches are the enemy for me, and I rarely have any. Whenever I bake something and eat it, it will stop the weight loss for at least a week, or even make me gain a little. And starches cause me to have gas. Of course, you have to indulge in something once in a while. But once a month is enough for me.

I don't care about portion size, fat content (other than knowing that hydrogenated fats are poison and to be avoided like the plague) or how many calories something has, that's irrelevant as far as I am concerned. It's starch that causes me to gain weight. Period.

[jerseyangel]

Starches cause me to gain weight, too. Those and sugar. I have found that fat is not what makes me gain, if I stay with fruit, veggies, meat, nuts , those kinds of things, I don't have to worry about the olive oil, nuts or anything. But for me to lose or stay the same and eat as much as I want, I have to keep the sugar and starches (grains) out. As soon as I add them in, I can gain weight fast--and feel bloated. I do Pilates but no other exercise.

[CMCM]

Starches cause me to gain weight, too. Those and sugar. I have found that fat is not what makes me gain, if I stay with fruit, veggies, meat, nuts , those kinds of things, I don't have to worry about the olive oil, nuts or anything. But for me to lose or stay the same and eat as much as I want, I have to keep the sugar and starches (grains) out. As soon as I add them in, I can gain weight fast--and feel bloated. I do Pilates but no other exercise.

Starches are also a problem for me, and fat isn't. Although I have to say I don't eat much fat anyway....just olive oil on salads and moderate nuts. That's about it. Beyond the wheat and dairy, once those were out of my diet it became obvious that starches (especially potatoes) and sugar were both no-nos. To lose weight you really have to seriously address portion control, and keep the food clean and simple. Nothing processed, and basically stick to lean meats, eggs & whites, veggies, and moderate fruits. That's it. And of course exercise is an absolute. At least 30-45 min. of cardio 6 days a week, plus 2 or 3 days of weight bearing exercise. For women that's absolutely critical, and it makes you feel so much better. The final thing is to be absolutely consistent in your good eating and exercise, and to be patient. You don't put weight on in a week or two, and weight is always harder and slower to take off than it is to put on!

[Judyin Philly]

1. My latest is chocolate, I just have a few bites of the bar and put it away.

2. limiting the amount of substitute products I consume.

Hi Nini

Your 2 plus swimming 3 x's a week have really helped me loss weight.

NOW I NEED SOME HELP AND INFO.

I've been in terrible pain since yesterday about 2:00 in the afternoon. I only had Trader Joes albacore tuna in water no salt with hellmans mayo/ on a bed of lettuce yesterday (OH yeah, some lays chips.)

Big D (took 2 IM AD white capsels) don't usually take those take the little green ones)and stomach cramps all afternoon slept 4 hrs on heating pad still awful and couldn't pass any stool and think if i could have cramps would have gone away then got up and cramping still there.

About 11:30 at nite had 2 soft boiled eggs with 2 pieces of brown rice bread with TJ peanut butter and again,,such cramps after but no stools passed.

all nite pain and cramps and on the heating pad all nite. this am still cramps and now passing gass so maybe it will be coming. I never have constipation just the D. (except the day we flew home and didn't go for 1 1/2 days and hard to pass the stool Wed am.

This am looked a hellmans and saw SOYBEAN OIL as the first ingred. Now i've been eating it for a few months and noticed some problems but only use when i fix tuna. I have NOT been eating soy....use that T substitute .

Could it be the hellmans and the soy?

Can you please tell me about the soy items....

soy

soybean oil

soy lethitin (?) do I not eat anything that has SOY in the wording...

Hope you can shed some lite on this soy issure

thanks

Judy in Philly

[Ursa Major]

Carol, I disagree with the exercise regimen you propose. It has been shown that you can way overdo exercise, and make it unhealthy in the process. 30-45 minutes of vigorous arobic activity six times a week, PLUS weight bearing exercise is way over the top. A healthier way of doing it is to alternate the arobic and weight bearing exercise, as your muscles need time to recuperate in between. So, if today you did arobics, do weight bearing exercise tomorrow etc., to alternate the muscle groups used. And if it hurts, its too much, as instead of building up your muscles in a healthy way, you actually injure them.

Also, studies have now shown that in obese people walking SLOWLY at a leisurely rate burns MORE calories than walking at a fast pace, and helps them lose weight faster. They haven't got a clue why and are baffled, but it is a fact.

Portion control is also not needed, if you only eat healthy foods (okay, portion control is needed ONLY for starches, I should add), which obviously do not include any sugar at all (maple syrup and honey for people who can tolerate it are okay in moderation). Saturated (as in animal fats) are essential for health, and people who get their fats only from vegetable oils are depriving their bodies of essential nutrients. I agree that olive oil is good for you, especially on salads, but you can't use it for cooking, as it can't tolerate high heat. Besides, what you're proposing is essentially a low fat diet, which has been proven to cause heart attacks in the long run (right, this thinking is opposite to the dangerous myth that fat causes heart attacks). The fats you absolutely HAVE to avoid are trans fats, like hydrogenated oils. They are killers.

Two more killers are Aspartame (and every other artificial sweetener, including sucralose) and MSG, and you should avoid soy unless fermented. I agree though on the natural foods, avoid all processed food, as they all contain way too many additives.

And Judy, soy is an unhealthy food unless fermented, and a lot of people can't tolerate it, not even in small amounts (me included). I guess you need to totally cut out soy for a couple of weeks (and may find you will feel much better), and then have a substantial amount of it to see what it does. If it makes you sick, you know you need to completely avoid it. There is really no other simple way to figure this one out.

I hope you feel better.

[tarnalberry]

Carol, I disagree with the exercise regimen you propose. It has been shown that you can way overdo exercise, and make it unhealthy in the process. 30-45 minutes of vigorous arobic activity six times a week, PLUS weight bearing exercise is way over the top. A healthier way of doing it is to alternate the arobic and weight bearing exercise, as your muscles need time to recuperate in between. So, if today you did arobics, do weight bearing exercise tomorrow etc., to alternate the muscle groups used. And if it hurts, its too much, as instead of building up your muscles in a healthy way, you actually injure them.

FWIW, this is true, if you're out of shape. If 30-45 minutes a day of cardio doesn't make you tired, sore, or worn out that day or the next, then you're fine doing that every day. As you get in better physical shape, you can do more exercise, but as you start out, it is important to heed your physical limitations, and those can't be categorized by anyone for anyone else.

Doing an hour of vigrous aerobic activity every day, and weights a few days a week, isn't over the top, IFF you have been working up to it for a number of months and have the muscular and respiratory capacity for it. If you're starting out from sendentary, that sort of pace will get you injured in no time flat, and half an hour of exercise a day is a good place to start. But always, always, always listen to your body.

[CMCM]

Carol, I disagree with the exercise regimen you propose. It has been shown that you can way overdo exercise, and make it unhealthy in the process. 30-45 minutes of vigorous arobic activity six times a week, PLUS weight bearing exercise is way over the top. A healthier way of doing it is to alternate the arobic and weight bearing exercise, as your muscles need time to recuperate in between. So, if today you did arobics, do weight bearing exercise tomorrow etc., to alternate the muscle groups used. And if it hurts, its too much, as instead of building up your muscles in a healthy way, you actually injure them.

Also, studies have now shown that in obese people walking SLOWLY at a leisurely rate burns MORE calories than walking at a fast pace, and helps them lose weight faster. They haven't got a clue why and are baffled, but it is a fact.

Portion control is also not needed, if you only eat healthy foods (okay, portion control is needed ONLY for starches, I should add), which obviously do not include any sugar at all (maple syrup and honey for people who can tolerate it are okay in moderation). Saturated (as in animal fats) are essential for health, and people who get their fats only from vegetable oils are depriving their bodies of essential nutrients. I agree that olive oil is good for you, especially on salads, but you can't use it for cooking, as it can't tolerate high heat. Besides, what you're proposing is essentially a low fat diet, which has been proven to cause heart attacks in the long run (right, this thinking is opposite to the dangerous myth that fat causes heart attacks). The fats you absolutely HAVE to avoid are trans fats, like hydrogenated oils. They are killers.

Two more killers are Aspartame (and every other artificial sweetener, including sucralose) and MSG, and you should avoid soy unless fermented. I agree though on the natural foods, avoid all processed food, as they all contain way too many additives.

And Judy, soy is an unhealthy food unless fermented, and a lot of people can't tolerate it, not even in small amounts (me included). I guess you need to totally cut out soy for a couple of weeks (and may find you will feel much better), and then have a substantial amount of it to see what it does. If it makes you sick, you know you need to completely avoid it. There is really no other simple way to figure this one out.

I hope you feel better.

Sorry Ursula, but I don't agree with you. My regimen isn't a killer one (30-45 min. per day), but it came from the recognition that I did so much better with some kind of activity on a daily basis. My target cardio is 3 days, my weight days tend to be 2 days, and to get weight down I need to do cardio pretty much the 6 days. I use a heart rate monitor and stay in the fat burning zone, mostly. I do not like to do high impact exercise, so I stick to elliptical and sometimes just walk on the treadmill or outdoors. When I was around 50 I started to feel terrible...I was 25 lbs. heavier than I am now, and my lower back, knees neck and other joints were killing me. I got into a regular mostly daily exercise program and after a few months I was feeling like a new person, and all the aches and pains were magically gone. I also lost the 25 lbs I wanted to lose. Now at 56 I have rediscovered downhill skiing....I've gone 18 times so far this season, and I have the strength and energy to ski 5 or 6 hours and still not be exhausted the next day. My husband and I do distance mountain biking in the summer, and now I'm physically up to that too. And I'm a person who was never an athlete in my younger years...in fact, for a lot of my life I did nothing at all organized...just swimming here and there, but nothing regular. So I'm a real believer in the power of exercising your body because I have seen first hand what it did for me at what seemed like a bleak point in my life. I re-vamped my diet and my exercise and came out the other end in the best shape of my life. I haven't hurt myself because I am always careful and moderate, but it's the regularity of exercise and diet that makes all the difference. I have direct proof with myself, and not just something theoretical I read in a book.

I also disagree about portion control not being an issue. Portions eaten in this country have become appalling. And if you eat the wrong foods (as many or most people do) and particularly if you eat a lot of insulin boosting grains and carbohydrates and sugars, portion control really goes out the window. One thing I learned about myself in the past was that my portions were often totally out of line. Now I naturally eat about 1/3 of what I used to, and most of the time when my husband and I eat out we SPLIT entrees because they are way too large for one person. I've found with myelf that I cannot eat 3 substantial meals a day like I did for so many years. Now I graze...I eat smaller amounts but more often. I grew up with mega meals....meat, potatoes/rice, vegetables, salad, bread, dessert. Yikes! Now I view a meal as a small bowl of mixed fruit, or a small piece of meat or fish and some veggies. So if you re-vamp your whole outlook on eating, you will naturally end up with different eating patterns and smaller portions. But it is really vital to be aware of portion size in the beginning. My 10 year old granddaughter is clueless in this regard and that child (who is overweight already) will eat more at a meal that I would be able to...and her mom doesn't teach or control this aspect of her eating. So this child is at least 20 lbs. too heavy at 10, and she's heading for heavier territory when she reaches her teens if something doesn't change. Portion size is an area to start....because she can sit down and eat enough for 2 or 3 people quite easily.

As for fats, I was speaking of the saturated fats and trans fats, and the fats in whole fat dairy products, and if you avoid certain foods and certain processed foods and emphasize lean meats, low or non-fat dairy, etc., you will of course avoid the "bad" fats. We should all be knowledgeable about the need for good Omega 3 fats such as found in fish, flax seeds/oil, nuts, etc. Of course, intake of these also must be moderated (i.e. you can certainly eat way too many nuts....portion control!!....and gain weight as a result!). There is a lot of misunderstanding...still....about the role of good fat in the diet, and many people don't understand the differences between the various types of fats they could eat.

I just finished a wonderful book called "Younger Next Year for Women"....and this book is fascinating reading and pretty much confirms a lot of what I have experienced with diet and exercises and being in healthy shape and feeling good. One of the authors is 71, the other is a 40-something doctor, and they present their perspectives about a lot of things including diet and exercise. One thing he points out is that in terms of exercise, a great many people deceive themselves about how hard they are exercising. Obviously some people have physical issues that get in the way, but for a great many, they just aren't working quite strenuously or consistently enough to see results. The book does not give a specific program per se, but it's humorously very very enlightening about the state and thinking on all these health and exercise issues at this point in time. I learned about the book from a nutritionist I know who said it was the best book she'd yet read on the subject, and a book that every one should read. There is an original version for men, and this one is similar except it adds in women's issues with menopause, etc. Here's a link if you want to read about it:

Open Original Shared Link

[tarnalberry]

I think the portion control issue is an interesting one.

Portion control, in the strictest sense of the word, is obviously needed, because absolutely no control of portion in any sense means you would always just keep eating. Many people who say that 'portion control is not needed' often mean that artificial portion control beyond the body's hunger signals are not needed. But that makes an assumption that the body is running in a state where the hunger signals are working relatively properly.

In this day and age, where we skip meals, wait to eat, eat in a hurry, eat the wrong foods, have more pressures for psychological eating, etc, etc, this is often an incorrect assumption, particularly in those with weight issues already. In this case, artificial (intellectual) portion controls *are* important until both physical and psychological "miscuing" of hunger signals is corrected. This can take weeks, months, years, and can reappear in times of stress or poor eating or poor health.

If both physical and psychological hunger signals are working properly, I agree that the body can self-portion control, and doing so artificially is not necessary and can be counter productive, but there is value in it as well at times. (Especially for those of us who go through psychological impulses for eating that are not physiologically based. Well, not hunger based... hormones can do anything wacky to ya! :-) )

[plantime]

I find this a most interesting discussion! Thank you for your input, all of you!

[jerseyangel]

I found all of your opinions very interesting, also. Carole, Ursula and Tiffany--you all were very helpful to me. I just came back and re-read the entire thread. Thanks

[Ursa Major]

Okay, I do agree that there were some misunderstandings, but I still disagree on a few things. I agree that when I say portion control is not needed, I was thinking of normal, sensible portions, rather than stuffing yourself to the limit. I was thinking of some diets, were you're supposed to eat bird-size portions, which is ridiculous. I meant to do what I am doing, eating small amounts several times a day (healthy snacks like pears and seeds) and maybe two larger (but not huge) meals. Somehow I rarely eat three meals a day any more but have two meals and graze in between. But also, since eliminating grains and all the other things I am intolerant to, my hunger signals are starting to work again properly. Before I couldn't tell when I should eat or when I had enough.

Now Carol, obviously your exercise regimen works well for you, and what you have achieved sounds great, congratulations.

Unfortunately, you seem to believe the myth (and most dieticians think this too) that all people should be eating exactly the same way to be healthy. Have you ever heard of metabolic typing? You might want to do a little research on that. It is more than a theory, it has been proven to work. Everybody's body is different, therefore, no one diet works for everybody.

Let's just say you send an Eskimo, who has been (and so have his ancestors many hundreds of years) eating a diet constisting exclusively of meat, fish and fat, to Hawaii and now expect him to eat a diet consisting of coconut, seeds, fruit and maybe a little chicken and sometimes fish. He would get very ill and likely die.

The reverse is true if you'd send a Hawaiian native to Nunavut and expect him to live on the Eskimo diet. It simply won't work.

I have done the metabolic typing test, and came out (as a northern type person) to be an extreme protein type. For me to live on mostly fruit, grains and vegetables and very little meat will make me ill (and that has proven to be very true). I need to eat a lot of red meat, fat (yes, saturated fat), fish, certain vegetables, very little fruit and no grains at all. Since I have been eating this way starting five months ago, I have been feeling steadily better, have lost 25 pounds and are regaining some energy (which I've had very little of even as a small child).

There are other people who would feel terrible if they'd eat my diet. People who would do much better to eat an almost vegetarian diet with just a little meat (mostly white meat like chicken), eggs, lots of vegetables and fruit but still no or limited grains. You can get all your carbs from vegetables, and these are healthy carbs.

And then there are those people who need a diet that fits in between those groups. NO one single diet works for all people. That's why I get upset when a new diet comes out, and it is claimed that EVERYBODY should eat this way to lose weight and to be healthy. And they'll PROVE it by testimonials of people who it worked for. Too bad that they'll omit the testimonies of those people who felt worse and gained weight on that particular diet, instead of losing it!

And they are all right when they say their diet is good. It is for some people, no doubt. Just not for everybody. That claim is just plain wrong every time.

Okay, I'll get off my soap box now. I guess I am very passionate about this, because years ago I started feeling better by cutting out bread and fruits (I never really felt I wanted those), and ate more meat and less vegetables, too. I was starting to lose weight and feeling much healthier. Until my husband and kids got on my case, and were constantly nagging me about eating more fruits, vegetables and grains and less meat, telling me that my diet was very unhealthy and that I would die of a heart attack if I didn't conform to their idea of a good diet. Every time they'd see me eat they'd be bugging me, until I gave in and ate like them again, and got sicker and sicker. Now, finally, they believe me. But of course, they won't see that they made me miserable by their criticism, and certainly won't admit that they were wrong. No apologies for years of abuse is forthcoming from any of them.

I remember the miserable visits to my two oldest daughter's houses (I'd stay for several days, especially the oldest lives a six-hour-drive away). She'd make me eat meat only twice a week, claiming that's all I needed. I'd have lost all my energy by the end of my visit, despite having brought protein bars (which of course had things in them I am intolerant to, I know now), which I'd eat at night when everybody was in bed. She'd bring me to tears with her lectures on my 'unhealthy' diet. Now I buy a lot of meat for her family (and me) on my way there, and I WILL have what I need.

A couple of years ago my second daughter came to visit for my birthday and cooked me a 'special' birthday meal, which was a vegetarian dish with noodles (I've never liked noodles in my life, but she does). I almost cried! Those are typical examples of what I had to go through before finally finding out about Celiac disease. I've never been able to defend myself when bullied, even as a kid. And believe me, people with Asperger Syndrome appear to be the perfect target every time. It is not possible for me to understand why somebody would want to be so mean, so I can't think of how to stop it and to stand up for myself. I am getting better at it with the help of counselling, but I am still being bullied by my own husband and kids all the time.

Anyway, I am starting to walk, which is hard, because I broke my ankle four years ago, and it will never be in good shape again. I am planning on biking when it gets warmer, and just bought a nice bathing suit so I can start to swim again, which I enjoy but haven't done for years. As I get more fit I'll be doing other things. But if I overdo it, I get exhausted to the point of being ill and have to therefore start slowly. I doubt that I'll ever be able to do what you're doing. But you never know.

[Judyin Philly]

It is not possible for me to understand why somebody would want to be so mean, so I can't think of how to stop it and to stand up for myself. I am getting better at it with the help of counselling, but I am still being bullied by my own husband and kids all the time.

wow Ursula, I would have never in a million years thought that you don't stand up for yourself. You seem so confident and selfassured.... Maybe it's the 'ones closest too us that we can't stand up to' I know that is me.

and just bought a nice bathing suit so I can start to swim again, which I enjoy but haven't done for years.

this is the one thing that keeps me sane...or at least as sane as I'll get. I totally agree with you opinion that we must alternate our exercise...i was swimming in a class and my chiro said that everyday was hurting me more than helping. so i do every other day and try to garden or walk the other days. by walking i just mean around my yard which has lots of hills but i do better alternating activity.

keep the faith.

judy

[Ursa Major]

Judy, I've been bullied all my life- by my mother, kids in school, coworkers, family. I am too gullible and honest (I can't lie), and can't read body language. I tend to take everything at face value.......I can't read between the lines (or spot sarcasm or lies). Its easy to 'put one over' on me as a result. It also makes me incapable of understanding the motivation behind people's mean actions, which totally disarms me, and I don't know what to do. And if I practice what to do in a given situation, and it turns out slightly different, I can't apply what I've learned to the new situation. I learn everything the hard way as a result (and again, maybe not learn it).

See, that's what I mean with the exercise, vary it. And I can't exercise for the sake of exercise, either, its too boring. I can't keep it up if its not fun. I used to play table tennis in a club, until I got too sick to go. I think I'll do that again, too (I have to wear a brace so I don't injure my ankle). Walk (or bike) to the store and appointments in town, swim, play table tennis, those are good exercises with a purpose and fun. I'll go canoeing again this summer, too, I think. I always used to go canoeing and camping with my husband, until I got too sick about six years ago. When on our cruise and holiday in Florida last month, we bought snorkels, and it was so much fun to snorkel around, looking at what's going on below the surface. I guess I'll be snorkeling around Canadian lakes this summer while camping!

And if I get completely better, I might be able to do the things I had given up on. I would really love to try skydiving some day, that would be incredible. Skiing won't work because of my ankle, I don't think.

[Guest nini]

when I said portion control, I meant that your protein serving shouldn't be more than the size of your closed fist. And I also serve my meal on a small salad plate instead of a big dinner plate. I also don't go back for seconds. Initially I felt like I was starving, but now I find that I get full even before finishing everything on my small salad plate. I can't eat as much food as my 5 year old.

Also, regarding exercise, I don't. I do have a very phisical job as a massage therapist, but I don't really do any exercise regimen. I do like Yoga as a strengthening and streching tool, and it also helps with my breathing, and I dance around the living room with my kid, but I don't consciously set aside time to do cardio or strength training. I get enough cardio chasing my dog around the yard when I take her out... she's just a little thing, but man can she pull me around the yard!

[Guest Robbin]

Hi All, Great thread. I am struggling with weight issues, too and the starches are the problem. I have to really watch the gluten-free products that are loaded with sugar -I think they have so much sugar to disguise some of the "different" tastes the grains have. Anyway, if I don't eat a lot of starches and stick to natural foods, I don't have to measure and carefully watch what I eat and the weight just melts off. The times I eat starches or sugar--the weight loss stops. Now, I realize everyone is different, but maybe this is something some of us have in common with our metabolisms so screwed up from this disease.

AND, JUDY IN PHILLY--I hope you are better!! Somehow, the sickness you were feeling got "lost" in the thread!! Maybe you have a soy problem, too. I seem to be developing a problem with soy mayo as well, and the canola mayo made me sick too. Maybe eggs? Sure hope not eggs, too.

[Guest CD_Surviver]

here's what i did. i gradually stopped so much food and i quit drinking pop at all. over an 8 month span i lost 30 pounds but then recently i got really depressed and i had no appitite for about a month which was horrible b/c i had to foirce myself to eat. but what i recommend is to quit drinking pop and don't eat as much for each meal thats what helped me. hope it can help you.

Lauren