HEALTHY EATING

Folara

Mig, I'm sorry Hun but I have to say ......... Argh! I hate you!!!! Lol not really but I am incredibly jealous.

The new drug (baclofen) is making me feel a bit sicky so it's doing me good in more ways than one lol.

Fols x

scozzie

Thanks DD, I'm a touch under 6". On top of trying to reduce my food intake my wife and I have also cut back on our wine consumption ... drinking only on a Friday and Saturday night ... of course as it's red wine it's purely for medicinal purposes ;-)

Well done DD for dropping your own weight, cutting out sweets can be a big factor, but the occasional treat should never be denied ... as long as it IS just occasional.

I don't do diets, I usually couple reducing snacks and/or fast foods with an increase in exercise ... ok nowadays it's only walking, but while I'm still capable of walking I'm not gonna let this damn disease beat me! Sorry if I offend anyone!

And as far as chocolate goes ... well, just thinking of it makes me put on weight! Lol

One other thing, when I was a tall skinny young teenager I usually weighed more than the "fat" kids, even now there's the odd person I've worked with who makes me feel not so big, waistwise, who are actually lighter than me ... lol. So they can go jump with BMI charts.

Scozzie

TJRheum

Hi all

I'm one of those Rheumies thats been a faddy eater since starting with Juvenile RA age 7......... always been quite petite and slim as a result, but find even a few pounds heavier in my "well-er" months makes me feel a little more fatigued/and less supple.........

I'm a veggie of 20+ years and find that my diet helps maintain a reasonable weight without even trying or focussing too much on calories and fat content.......... my current fad is avocado and green leafy salads with lots of olives and feta, and I feel quite energised despite a current flare-up requiring a rituximab course........ I'm a chic fan too, but the dark healthy stuff............

Tracy Joy

xx

ps please read my post on the Living with Arthritis forum named "vote for my self portrait photo of my RA hands"... its for charity folks....

RosieGlow

Wayhay.....I have lost the first stone! I started just seven weeks ago today, so well pleased with the result in that time. I have had a couple of blips, with no loss at all, apparently due to metabolism, but it does seem to sort itself out eventually. Onwards and upwards. If I can do it, anyone can, so good luck to everyone trying.........Rosie....x

dreamdaisy

Many congratulations, Rosei, that is wonderful news! Good for you girl, I wish you well in keeping going. DD

emsjane

GGGRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

My diet is a disaster!!! I haven't lost any weight, if anything, ive put some on!!

So, i must start again tomorrow!!!

I got Op on my toe on Thursday so i will really, really try to be good now!

Please give me some inspiration people, cos i don't seem to have any!!!

scozzie

Congrats! Rosie, well done!

And good luck for the op and weight loss emsjane

Scozzie

RosieGlow

Thanks so much DD and Scozzie, A bit of encouragement goes a long way!.....Rosie.....x.

stickywicket

Well done, Rosieglow! Well done also for hanging on during the blips. That must take some strength of character. Keep at it, girl!

Folara

Woooo hoooo well done Rosie, you go girl!

Emsjane, you and me both hun, I need a serious **** kicking back into gear. I've had so much pain and been so tired lately that I've eaten really badly and I've put about 5lbs on so I'm depressed as well.

I want a referral back to my osteo surgeon to get my knee done and insist that I am not too young but I honestly need to drop a stone beforehand so I feel confident that he won't use my weight as the next excuse.

Fols x

elainebadknee

Fols

Re the weight card..Tell them you can lose weight but you have a lot of things to contend with but in no way shape or form should your age go against you...Simply be firm and let them know you are a determined person who is sick of being fobbed off...

Elainex

Folara wrote:

Woooo hoooo well done Rosie, you go girl!

Emsjane, you and me both hun, I need a serious **** kicking back into gear. I've had so much pain and been so tired lately that I've eaten really badly and I've put about 5lbs on so I'm depressed as well.

I want a referral back to my osteo surgeon to get my knee done and insist that I am not too young but I honestly need to drop a stone beforehand so I feel confident that he won't use my weight as the next excuse.

Fols x

succotash

Oh I just typed up a long post about loving this thread and how much I need to eat healthier but I some how lost it!

So basically I would love to join this thread and need to lose 2 stones!
Motivation and support is very much needed.

sue x

scozzie

Losing the thread's a bummer Sue!

But go for it anyway! Don't be put off by an ordinary week, just keep at it, with exercise and it will surprise you ... maybe not this week, but next week ... that is don't give up hope on basis of one week!

I've had good weeks and lost nothing ... followed by bad weeks and lost two pounds ... go figure!!! lol

Scozzie

emsjane

One plus side to having an operation on your toe and being out of action is that at least I'm not able to reach for the biscuits! I have to keep asking my kids and OH to get me stuff and I don't want to keep asking for crap! LOL

Folara

Thanks Elaine, i know you are right it wasnt so bad when my right knee was coping but that ones getting really bad now so i can hardly walk.

I'm really struggling with getting motivated at the mo. I need to eat better and cut out the stodge but it's being really hard. I have been quite down for a while and that's not helping. The fibro is making me exhausted too so I am hardly doing anything.

I have tho decided to start swimming again. My friend is coming too which means I will have more incentive. I am hoping it will energize me and get me back on track.

Sue - welcome to the thread. If you get time, read through the posts for some really good tips and advice.

Fols x

scozzie

Hi all

Just had trouble finding this thread again, and noticed no one has given an update on their progress over the past three weeks ... I hope you haven't all given up!

Anyway, the reason I was looking for the thread was to give an update of my own - as of yesterday, Saturday, I have lost another half a stone since I last reported in early May! That's a stone and a half I've lost in five months through more exercise, walking when I can and the weather's not too bad, and smaller portions!

Keep up the good work folk!

Scozzie

emsjane

Ohh well done Scozzie!!! Wish that was me!!!

Im a disaster! If anything, I think I've put on a few pounds, very depressing as I know it's making my arthritis feel worse, especially my hips and ankles.

I'm interested to know if you've noticed some relief with your arthritis losing that weight???

The sad thing is I know exactly how to lose weight but something in my head doesn't want to stop eating the things I like!! I don't think it helps when you're not happy, which I'm not as got lets of stress with finances

I feel like being overweight is going to kill me before the arthritis does!!

scozzie

Sorry to hear of your predicament Emma, you sound like you're in a vicious circle and it's getting you down.

I told my niece, just before she flew back to Oz after a holiday visiting me, not to worry about me - I may have arthritis, but I wasn't going to let it beat me. Well, ok it may eventually win, but I was going to do what I could and that meant getting fit and losing weight. I still have good mobility, but I'll never be a hill walker (knees argue too much ... lol) - so I started walking around our local streets.

Diet wise (I refused to go on a fad diet) I cut out the easy things first - I used to drink a well-known brand of cola, as I don't drink much tea or coffee, which I changed to a weakened mixture of diluting juice ... less calories and better for my pocket too. Next was changing from eating ready meals at work, to having a soup for lunch from the van across the road, also better on the pocket too!

And I cut out snacks, I do still have the odd chocolate bar, but not often - maybe once a week or two.

The hardest bit was getting my wife to reduce my portion size for dinner ... as I was from the era where you had to finish what was on your plate, damn my Mum's generation ... lol ... now if I think there's too much on my plate I'll leave it (now that's hard). Now I find I can't eat as much as I used to.

I also cut down my alcoholic consumption to just a wine or two on Friday and Saturday nights. Also good for the pocket and great for my liver ... lol!

It's not been easy and it doesn't help when the scales don't budge, but as I'm alluding to, I just reduced my calorie intake with an increase in calories burnt ... I do walking, but I know a lot of us on here can't walk easily so a gentler exercise regime would be a necessity to burn more calories.

As I said earlier I don't do fad diets - what I've tried to do is a lifestyle change (easier to maintain) and I still have the occasional treat, just not very often.

I don't know if the lighter weight is helping, I suppose it is, but I still have a couple of stone to go to even approach the "recommended" weight for my height - but I'm not aiming that low, too hard to maintain! But what is helping is my fitness and I'm saving money (which is handy as I've not seen a payrise for four and a half years!).

Plus I have another incentive ... trying to avoid becoming diabetic like my two brothers ... I can't help having arthritis and asthma, but diabetes is something I have control over!

Good luck Emma, remember it takes small steps to begin with and can be frustrating at times and don't beat yourself up over the odd blow-out, just use it to steel your resolve and allow yourself the odd treat as a reward (just not too often).

Scozzie

RosieGlow

Hi Scozzie, Great minds and all that! I was about to resurrect this thread to see how people were doing.

I have another couple of pounds to lose then I too will have lost 1.5 stones, in three months. There have been times when it`s all ground to a halt, with no loss. That is frustrating, but I have plodded on. I am eating between 1300/1400 calories a day, allowing one "cheat" day a week, although still not going mad! I use my exercise bike for thirty minutes a day. The good thing is that I feel well able to sustain this, and am fairly sure that when I reach the weight I want to be, I will be able to maintain it.

It may not be the same for everyone, but for me it has definitely been about mind over matter. Getting the right mind set, accepting that the changes need to be permanent. I`ve surprised myself with my determination. Let`s hope it continues!......Rosie.

valval

i love this time of year it so much easyer to eat all the lovely fruits about and not feel you are being good as they are so lovely and do feel better for having them

stickywicket

Scozzie, I find your post very impressive. You've really taken the bull by the horns and done all the right stuff. You must be a very determined person with a lot of stickability, and all power to your elbow.

From what I understand, cutting out the fizzy drinks will have the added benefit of greatly reducing your chances of getting osteoporosis.

Keep going.

applerose

Oooooh, Scozzie, that is brilliant. Well done. Wish I had been good so I could have lost that much. Think I've lost about 2 lbs in the same amount of time. I was diagnosed with an intolerance to wheat so had to give up so many things. To make up for it I have been eating too many chocolates and trifles. I buy something as a treat for the weekend but, unfortunately, because I live on my own, it lasts for about 4 days so I only have 3 days of being good.
I'm about 2 stones overweight so it would only take about 6 months-ish to lose it. I've bought a lovely summer dress. Love it but it shows off my fat arms. Only realised how bad they were when I tried the dress on. Still bought it hoping it would help.
Emsjane, I'm the same as you. I know exactly how to lose the weight but something keeps telling me that I only have one life so I might as well enjoy my food.
My dad and my brother both have diabetes. I don't at the moment but know I am at risk. I think my portion sizes are good as I use a side plate for meals rather than a dinner plate. It's the binge eating that I need to sort out. I think it's stress with me - hate my job, worrying more about money (need new windows and heating boiler will go soon and have no money to pay for them).
Well done to you too Rosie. A stone and a half is great. I agree it is mind over matter. It doesn't work if you don't get your mindset right.
Come on, the rest of us can follow Scozzie and Rosie's example. One day at a time. A little change here and there and off we go.

earthspirit

i have to admit that im not very good at motivating people to loose weight. i get annoyed with the excuses that people wont admit are excuses.

i once had a friend plead with me to say she was fat overweight and greedy. i was like wow no i can try to be helpful but i cant actually say those words. she really pleaded with me as she was in such a bad place with her confidence although only about stone & half overweight. she said i was her last resort - she knows i am a homeopath and for that to work, you have to be really exceptionally honest in your questions & answers.

i have been more or less the same weight since i was 12 and im now 52.
this "perfect weight" didnt help with my RA though as i myself lost stone & half which has taken me just below the body mass index and i am now underweight and got horrible scrawny arms and thighs.

if you ARE trying to loose weight - think of it like this - you do only have one life, so why not try to eat the best possible healthy food so that you have hopefully a better longer healthier life??

come on folks - get down the market and buy all those bargain fruits there always are and munch on those and not the pies booze chips pizza cakes and biscuits.....you know im telling the truth

clanckyclara

Oooooo. I'm so glad to have found this thread. I was thinking of going public and admitting that I need to lose about 6 stone. :oops: :shock: but couldn't find the courage until now.

It's going to be a bit of a mountain to climb (in more ways than one) but with you guys behind me I'm going to give it a go.

Earthspirit - you speak the truth. My excuses don't even ring true to me anymore, let alone the rest of the world!! Keep nagging me everyone.

Good news though, my brother has offered to pay for me to join the leisure centre for swimming, chair based exercise, low impact classes etc.
He has also offered to buy me some kit to wear but has forbidden dayglow lycra which was a great disappointment to me. Has anyone seen the train ticket ads on TV? The gold metalic look may be the way to go instead.

Any recommendations anyone?

fowls48

Hi Fols


Glad of this thread , i need to lose 1 stone was going great guns untill easter .Then Mr fowls kept brining home goodies from waitrose and i have added another 4lb to my spare tyre .Currently 10st 8lb .But i need to shift to help my knees and avoid any further back problems .


karen xx