[BamBam]

Could I get a couple of you to give me some meal ideas for weight loss. I spent the first part of the year eating sugared cereals (gluten free) and eating Rice Dream Ice Cream, I've put on about ten pounds. I need to loose ten-20 pounds and I have no idea how. I quit eating the sugared cereals and the rice dream ice cream. I find it very difficult to get creative in cooking, so we eat meat and potatoes, and I am so tired of potatoes, but that is what my husband wants, and he needs to loose about 50 pounds. As we get older we are working harder in our jobs, but we are not energetic enough to go beyond that in exercise. And now that it is holiday time, I get so moody cause we don't get any invitations to parties any more and I just get so depressed I don't know what to do. So that is about it, moody and depressed and I don't know what to do. I also bought a bunch of gluten free crap that cost me an arm and a leg. I'm never hungry and I don't eat enough to keep me going, so my body is probably in starvation mode most of the time, cause I am so out of it right now.

Do the fat free dressings etc really help? I eat Kraft thousand island, but I haven't been getting the fat free kind. Is the fat free kind gluten free also?

I drink that Vance's dairy free milk, and that is full of potato flour and weight gaining grains, so maybe I should quit that too. Maybe I should just quit everything that is good. I am just not in a good spirit right now, thanks for listening, and sorry I got off topic.

Bernadette

[CarlaB]

Bernadette, years ago pre-gluten intolerance I was about 20 pounds overweight. I tried every fad diet, but they don't work .... you take the weight off, then go back to your old habits and gain it back, only instead of gaining muscle and fat like what you lost, you just gain fat and end up worse off.

To lose I changed my eating habits. At dinnertime I would put my salad on my plate instead of in a bowl, this left less room for my food! I ate veggies and meat. I would say carbs are fine, but no more than 1 cup at a meal.

For lunch, eat the same as dinner if you can.

Breakfast, how about eggs and a piece or two of gluten-free toast?

I also exercised. It took a year, but my eating habits were changed and I NEVER gained it back! Avoid fried foods. Drink water.

Make everything you eat count ... don't eat garbage. If you're really craving something like ice cream, try to put it off till Sunday, many times by the time Sunday comes around you don't really want it. If you do, eat it before or instead of a meal so that it's not just an addition to your daily calories.

I never worried about salad dressings, etc. Now I make my own salad dressing -- olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, mustard. I don't measure.

Another trick is to not deny yourself so much that you go on a binge. Like I said, wait till a certain designated day of the week (it keeps you from turning every day into treat day) and eat what you want, but not freely all day long!

[jnclelland]

I've been having very good results with the South Beach Diet. It's much like what Carla said: lots of veggies and lean meats, good fats like olive oil, and smaller portions of fruit and whole grain carbs - which of course for me means things like brown rice, quinoa, etc. Despite the name, I don't really think of it as a "diet," in that I don't feel deprived at all. I have lost about 15 pounds since May, but I plan to keep eating this way for good, because I just feel so much healthier!


Jeanne

[waywardsister]

I feel for you And I've been there!

Some tips from a successful loser! Hope they help:

Don't eat/buy fat-free anything, ever. Ever. Fat is not the problem. Fat does not make you fat (unless it is being consumed with high levels of sgar/carbs) Do not be afraid of natural fats like butter (if tolerated - if not, ghee is great), lard, tallow, and veg. oils like coconut and palm oil, and olive oil (but not for heating - salads or a very light saute as it's not heat stable). Natural fats keep you sated (feeling full) and it is extremely hard to overeat them (unless they're coming to you in the form of cake/cookies/chips!)

Carbs. Yeah yeah, a lot has been said about this esp. in the mainstream media. Do your own research. To put it simply though, all carbs are broken down into glucose, regardless. Keeping carb levels low is a good idea - instead of potatoes with your meat, try some non-starchy veggies (I like green beans cooked in white wine and garlic, or veggies like onion, fennel, tomato etc doused in olive oil and roasted in the oven)

Base meals around protein. Instead of cereal for brekkie, do eggs (if tolerated) or have leftover dinner. We're one of few cultures that has specific "breakfast" foods - break out!

Go easy on fruit. Chuck the gluten-free substitutes, or most of them. Focus on whole rather than processed foods. Meat, veggies, nuts. Since going gluten-free, I've noticed that there's a ton of junkfood out there that's legal - but it's still junk food.

Some resources for you, so you can do your own research and make up your own mind (since I am just some person on the internet, and why should you listen to me?)
www.lowcarb.ca (a forum - great people, lots of articles, lots of advice...and a wide range of experiences to read about and learn from)
www.breadandmoney.com (inspirational story - I bought his book, and it's amazing what just returning to a natural real-food diet can do)
www.proteinpower.com/drmike (his blog, really good stuff though I don't follow his eating plan)
www.paleodiet.com (great recipes here, all gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free etc)
www.second-opinions.co.uk (great info, cheap downloadable e-book if you want as well)
www.westonaprice.org (THE place to go for info on real food, based on REAL research and empirical data. Be warned - you could spend days here)

PS: a nice treat, for when you need a little something, is almond milk and cocoa. Almond milk goes foamy on top when microwaved. Add a little honey or stevia (or AS of choice, if you do those) if you want. Some vanilla is nice too, or a pinch of cayenne if you wanna make like an Aztec! You can get sweetened or unsweetened Almond Breeze (it comes in flavours too, but these are really high in sugar)

[Nancym]

Totally agree with Waywardsister. *wave*

Fat isn't the issue, calories from unrefined carbs and starches are the problem. Fat makes you feel full and keeps you feeling full while carbs make your blood sugar bounce up high, which releases insulin and makes it plummet. That drop in blood sugar makes you hungry again.

Eat plenty of protein at every meal. Have eggs or sausage or something like that for breakfast and you'll not find yourself hungry again for many hours. Same thing at lunch. Eat plenty of non-starchy veggies like leafy greens or broccoli, turnips, winter squash, zucchini. Avoid potatoes, they're worse than sugar for blood sugar.

For one meal a day I usually have something like a big salad with hard boiled egg crumbled into it, chicken breast, whatever veggies look appealing. Then I top it with olive oil and good vinegar, but any dressing is fine, as long as it isn't sugar laden (or contains wheat).

For snacks I'd recommend nuts, as long as you can control yourself on them. One or two oz at most. They're very filling and super healthy.

For diet plans, there's a zillion I could recommend. I think Dr. Eades Protein Power life plan is good. I love the guys blog! http://proteinpower.com

[Riayn]

Portion sizes are really important. You can much sure that everything you eat is low-fat, but if you are eating too much of it then you are always going to put on weight. Also, stay away from fad diets. You might lose weight whilst you are on them, but as soon as you go off them the weight comes straight back on and then brings its friends over.

Make sure you are getting some daily exercise as well. Invest in a pedometer and make sure you are doing at least 10,000 steps (walking steps, not stairs). It is a really easy way in to increasing your exercise. Also it is fun and you and your husband can "compete" to see who can do the most steps in one day.

Best of luck. Losing weight can be really hard and de-motivating at times, but the end result is worth it.

[Katieface]

Bernadette--

What, are we twins?! Since going gluten-free about a year and a half ago, I'm actually digesting my food, which has caused me to put on about 10 pounds. A back injury that kept me from exercise-walking for a few months sure didn't help. I never got back into the routine of heading out the door to do my walks.

I'm going to give myself a break over the holidays, and then after Christmas (probably before New Year's, though, because I don't want to chance breaking a resolution) my husband and I are going to try the South Beach Diet. I've heard great things about it from people who are on it, and it got a good review in the Nutrition Action Healthletter (from the Center for Science in the Public Interest).

Tell you what--how about we do this together? I'm dealing with the lousy mood issue too, right now, so maybe we'll both benefit from mutual accountability! Let's say we'll go for at least a short walk three days this coming week, we'll drink an extra glass of water a day, and we'll try Carla B's trick of having our "craved food" on Sunday. Yes, they're baby steps, but if we can do that, we can add others. And if we don't follow through, the other "partner" can give a smack upside the head. What do you say?

By the way--last week I dreamed I switched bodies with somebody for a little while, and the best part was that I could eat real pizza!!!!!!

I bet we can do this. I'll be thinking of you!!

Kathleen

[MegGFBoston]

Katieface, on Dec 2 2006, 07:38 PM, said:

Bernadette--

What, are we twins?! Since going gluten-free about a year and a half ago, I'm actually digesting my food, which has caused me to put on about 10 pounds. A back injury that kept me from exercise-walking for a few months sure didn't help. I never got back into the routine of heading out the door to do my walks.

I'm going to give myself a break over the holidays, and then after Christmas (probably before New Year's, though, because I don't want to chance breaking a resolution) my husband and I are going to try the South Beach Diet. I've heard great things about it from people who are on it, and it got a good review in the Nutrition Action Healthletter (from the Center for Science in the Public Interest).

Tell you what--how about we do this together? I'm dealing with the lousy mood issue too, right now, so maybe we'll both benefit from mutual accountability! Let's say we'll go for at least a short walk three days this coming week, we'll drink an extra glass of water a day, and we'll try Carla B's trick of having our "craved food" on Sunday. Yes, they're baby steps, but if we can do that, we can add others. And if we don't follow through, the other "partner" can give a smack upside the head. What do you say?

By the way--last week I dreamed I switched bodies with somebody for a little while, and the best part was that I could eat real pizza!!!!!!

I bet we can do this. I'll be thinking of you!!

Kathleen

Katieface, on Dec 2 2006, 07:38 PM, said:

Bernadette--

What, are we twins?! Since going gluten-free about a year and a half ago, I'm actually digesting my food, which has caused me to put on about 10 pounds. A back injury that kept me from exercise-walking for a few months sure didn't help. I never got back into the routine of heading out the door to do my walks.

I'm going to give myself a break over the holidays, and then after Christmas (probably before New Year's, though, because I don't want to chance breaking a resolution) my husband and I are going to try the South Beach Diet. I've heard great things about it from people who are on it, and it got a good review in the Nutrition Action Healthletter (from the Center for Science in the Public Interest).

Tell you what--how about we do this together? I'm dealing with the lousy mood issue too, right now, so maybe we'll both benefit from mutual accountability! Let's say we'll go for at least a short walk three days this coming week, we'll drink an extra glass of water a day, and we'll try Carla B's trick of having our "craved food" on Sunday. Yes, they're baby steps, but if we can do that, we can add others. And if we don't follow through, the other "partner" can give a smack upside the head. What do you say?

By the way--last week I dreamed I switched bodies with somebody for a little while, and the best part was that I could eat real pizza!!!!!!

I bet we can do this. I'll be thinking of you!!

Kathleen

Hi - I'm in the same glutenfree-gained-15lbs-boat! I have given up rice and potatoes - and corn was never a big deal for me. I really want to get back to a body I feel comfortable in -- if you want some company, count me in.

Meg

[jnclelland]

Katieface, on Dec 2 2006, 05:38 PM, said:

I'm going to give myself a break over the holidays, and then after Christmas (probably before New Year's, though, because I don't want to chance breaking a resolution) my husband and I are going to try the South Beach Diet. I've heard great things about it from people who are on it, and it got a good review in the Nutrition Action Healthletter (from the Center for Science in the Public Interest).

Kathleen

Kathleen,

Good for you!!! I already put in my two cents about South Beach, but I wanted to add that I've found the web site http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/ (particularly the message boards) to be very helpful, both for figuring out exactly what to eat and for support. Good luck!

Jeanne

[plantime]

Carbs, fat, and protein are not the problems. It is how much you eat of each one and how much you exercise that are the problems. Try taking a 15 minute walk each day, or using the stairs instead of the elevator for one flight, or parking at the outer edge of the parking lot and walking to the building. When you want dressing with your salad, put the dressing of your choice in a small cup, then with each bite, dip your fork in the dressing before getting your salad on the fork. It will give you a hint of dressing without all the calories. You don't have to make big changes to lose weight. It is often the small things that we do that make us gain weight, so it is usually the small things we change that make us lose weight. Making those small changes permanent habits will help us keep the weight off.

[emcmaster]

plantime, on Dec 10 2006, 12:30 PM, said:

Carbs, fat, and protein are not the problems. It is how much you eat of each one and how much you exercise that are the problems.

I completely agree with this. You could eat only one macronutrient all day long and as long as your calories were correct, you'd lose weight. It has nothing to do with what percentage of each macronutrient you eat, but how many calories you total at the end of the day.

Fad diets, i.e. South Beach, etc., don't work in the long run because you are depriving yourself of an essential macronutrient - carbs. It's not healthy to nearly cut that out of your diet.

It's all about calories - how many you take in and how many you expend. Here's a link to a calculator that will tell you how much you burn per day:

http://www.nutrition...ies-burned.html

Take that number and subtract 250. That's how many calories you should eat per day to lose. Do not, ever, EVER, go below 1600-1700 calories per day. You may lose weight at first by severely cutting your calories but your metabolism will be damaged long term and will slow to a crawl, making you start gaining weight on very little calories. I know - it happened to me.

Also, here's a great site for healthy recipes with the nutritional facts already figured out. Most of them can be easily made gluten-free:

CookingLight.com

The bottom line? Count your calories and exercise at least 3 or 4 times a week.

[tarnalberry]

emcmaster, on Dec 10 2006, 08:52 AM, said:

Take that number and subtract 250. That's how many calories you should eat per day to lose. Do not, ever, EVER, go below 1600-1700 calories per day. You may lose weight at first by severely cutting your calories but your metabolism will be damaged long term and will slow to a crawl, making you start gaining weight on very little calories. I know - it happened to me.

I'm going to quibble with your 1600-1700 number. If I'm not fairly active, 1700 calories a day will have me putting on weight, albeit slowly and 1600 is only just under my maintenance. When you're small and short, you don't need a lot of calories. (Those numbers aren't severe cuts for me either. )

I do agree with the concept, however. I've seen numbers of 1200 for that cutoff, but that does seem low if your basal metabolic rate is 2500, so it's probably not a static number, and will vary from person to person.

Also, at 1600 calories, it can be quite difficult to get a full quota of nutrients, even on a very healthy, varied diet, so lower isn't a good idea, and even there, a multivitamin can be useful.

[emcmaster]

tarnalberry, on Dec 10 2006, 01:19 PM, said:

I'm going to quibble with your 1600-1700 number. If I'm not fairly active, 1700 calories a day will have me putting on weight, albeit slowly and 1600 is only just under my maintenance. When you're small and short, you don't need a lot of calories. (Those numbers aren't severe cuts for me either. )

I do agree with the concept, however. I've seen numbers of 1200 for that cutoff, but that does seem low if your basal metabolic rate is 2500, so it's probably not a static number, and will vary from person to person.

Also, at 1600 calories, it can be quite difficult to get a full quota of nutrients, even on a very healthy, varied diet, so lower isn't a good idea, and even there, a multivitamin can be useful.

You're absolutely right. If you are, say, a 5'0" person with small bones, you don't need as many calories as someone like me who is 5'7" with a medium-sized frame.

I don't think there is a static number, but I think many people make the mistake of eating too little for a long time. You get results when you eat 1200 calories a day... but you'll eventually have messed up your metabolism. Our bodies are pretty smart about survival - if it thinks you're starving it, it's going to hold on to every calorie it can get.

[plantime]

nini, on Dec 10 2006, 03:09 PM, said:

NOTHING BUT FRUIT BEFORE NOON, Grapefruit is awesome for burning calories and jump starting your metabolism for the day, sweeten it with a small amt. of organic sugar or Stevia and you've got a delicious breakfast. Other seasonal fruits are wonderful. Fruit salads are great to make in big quantities and eat off of for a few days (for maintaining weight you can add in yogurts and occassional proteins like eggs before noon)

This part I have to disagree with. If I don't have some form of protein for breakfast, my blood sugars drop to dangerous levels. This is something that each person will have to work out for themselves.