Howitt44
06-06-2004, 04:25 PM
I have been told by my doctor that I must lose weight and I have known this for several years. I need to lose about 70 lbs. I am 48 years old and have seen my health go downhill since about age 40. About that time I started accumulating all of my fat around my middle and after I eat certain things I feel really bloated and out of breath. I have developed asthma, GERD, and my blood pressure is up a little. My asthma doc says she thinks my asthma would improve with losing weight and she knows it will help GERD and blood pressure. I know this and am attempting to do something about it. She recommended the South Beach Diet. So I am buying the book today. Another thing is the way my body reacts to carbs. I've been told that when your body doesn't digest carbs correctly you do accumulate more fat around the middle. I not only do that but too many carbs makes me physically sick. I've heard about a supplement to help your body process carbs. Does anyone know about this? Also is this normal for someone to be bothered so much by carbs? I still crave carbs and then when I eat them, I feel HORRIBLE?? Does anyone else have this reaction? Thanks.
Cindy
Cindy
Sponsor
modert
06-06-2004, 06:48 PM
Its great that you are taking steps to lose weight and improve your health. Your health will absolutely improve as the poungs come off.
Southbeach is probably not a bad starting point, but much depends on your approach. The diet is designed to shift your carb consumption from the unhealthy, highly processed, simple carbs, to the healthier complex carbs, including whole grains, veggies, and fruit. During the initial stage of the diet you will eat no carbs at all (with the exception of veggies), in an effort to detoxify and overcome cravings for junk food carbs. Then slowly, you introduce healthy carbs back into your diet.
I believe that you can acheive improved health and weight loss following a simple formula that doesn't require a book. It is foolproof, easy to follow, healthful, and you can stick to it forever. Its not really a diet, just a modified approach to eating. The formula is as follows:
1. Calculate your BMR to determine how many calories you need to maintain your weight completely sedentary. Do a google search on "BMR calculator" The BMR factors your age, height, current weight, and gender. Once you have this number, you need to factor in your activity level which may or may not increase the number slightly. To lose weight you can decrease your calories by 10-20% and/or increase your activity level. This will provide you with a fairly accurate number of calories to eat that will have you losing weight at a healthy pace - about 1.5-2 lbs per week.
2. For optimum health, I recommend that you consume your calories as 50% carbs, 25% protein, and 25% fat. Once you know how many calories to eat, figuring this out is simple math. 1 carb gram = 4 calories, 1 protein gram = 4 calories, and 1 fat gram = 9 calories. So if you can eat 1600 calories per day, you can have 800 calories in carbs, 400 calories in protein, and 400 calories in fat. This converts to 200 carb grams, 100 protein grams, and about 45 fat grams daily. Remember, you need to recalculate this on your specific calorie needs. Keep in mind that if you eat the right carbs, they probably will not make you sick. You need to avoid the junk carbs and focus on the complex, fibrous carbs.
3. Next, spread these calories out over 5 meals throughout the day. I recommend eating at 8am, 11:30, 3:00, 6:30, and 10pm, but you need to do what works best for your lifestyle. Eating this often will stabilize your metabolism and help you maintain energy throughout the day. You can divide your calories into 5 equal meals, or some people are more comfortable with 3 meals and 2 snacks. Then you simply apply the formula from step 2 to each meal you have. So if you eat 5 equal meals, each meal would be 320 calories and consist of 40 carb grams, 20 protein grams, and 9 fat grams. If you have 3 meals and 2 snacks, your meals would be 400 calories each and consist of 50 carb grams, 25 protein grams, and about 11 fat grams -- your 2 snacks would each be 200 calories consisting of 25 carb grams, 12-13 protein grams, and 5 fat grams.
4. Finally, the last piece of the formula is applying good sense and basic healthy eating habits. Don't eat junk carbs, avoid white flour and sugar products, focus on complex carbs - whole grains, veggies, fruit. To help you can add these daily goals to your formula: 25-30 grams of fiber, no more than 300 mg of cholesteral per day, no more than 2500 mg of sodium per day, and finally drink LOTS of water.
In order to follow this type of diet you will need to read labels and have a good kitchen scale. But after a few weeks you will start to automatically know your portions and know what a single meal consists of, regarding portions and ratios of carbs, protein, and fat. Its just a simple learning curve.
I guarantee you that this formula works, is extremely healthy, easy to follow, and you will never feel hungry. Because you are giving your body exactly what it needs in terms of nutrients and calories. Of course excercise is a critical component - so don't forget to include it if you can, even a simple 1-2 mile walk per day.
Southbeach is probably not a bad starting point, but much depends on your approach. The diet is designed to shift your carb consumption from the unhealthy, highly processed, simple carbs, to the healthier complex carbs, including whole grains, veggies, and fruit. During the initial stage of the diet you will eat no carbs at all (with the exception of veggies), in an effort to detoxify and overcome cravings for junk food carbs. Then slowly, you introduce healthy carbs back into your diet.
I believe that you can acheive improved health and weight loss following a simple formula that doesn't require a book. It is foolproof, easy to follow, healthful, and you can stick to it forever. Its not really a diet, just a modified approach to eating. The formula is as follows:
1. Calculate your BMR to determine how many calories you need to maintain your weight completely sedentary. Do a google search on "BMR calculator" The BMR factors your age, height, current weight, and gender. Once you have this number, you need to factor in your activity level which may or may not increase the number slightly. To lose weight you can decrease your calories by 10-20% and/or increase your activity level. This will provide you with a fairly accurate number of calories to eat that will have you losing weight at a healthy pace - about 1.5-2 lbs per week.
2. For optimum health, I recommend that you consume your calories as 50% carbs, 25% protein, and 25% fat. Once you know how many calories to eat, figuring this out is simple math. 1 carb gram = 4 calories, 1 protein gram = 4 calories, and 1 fat gram = 9 calories. So if you can eat 1600 calories per day, you can have 800 calories in carbs, 400 calories in protein, and 400 calories in fat. This converts to 200 carb grams, 100 protein grams, and about 45 fat grams daily. Remember, you need to recalculate this on your specific calorie needs. Keep in mind that if you eat the right carbs, they probably will not make you sick. You need to avoid the junk carbs and focus on the complex, fibrous carbs.
3. Next, spread these calories out over 5 meals throughout the day. I recommend eating at 8am, 11:30, 3:00, 6:30, and 10pm, but you need to do what works best for your lifestyle. Eating this often will stabilize your metabolism and help you maintain energy throughout the day. You can divide your calories into 5 equal meals, or some people are more comfortable with 3 meals and 2 snacks. Then you simply apply the formula from step 2 to each meal you have. So if you eat 5 equal meals, each meal would be 320 calories and consist of 40 carb grams, 20 protein grams, and 9 fat grams. If you have 3 meals and 2 snacks, your meals would be 400 calories each and consist of 50 carb grams, 25 protein grams, and about 11 fat grams -- your 2 snacks would each be 200 calories consisting of 25 carb grams, 12-13 protein grams, and 5 fat grams.
4. Finally, the last piece of the formula is applying good sense and basic healthy eating habits. Don't eat junk carbs, avoid white flour and sugar products, focus on complex carbs - whole grains, veggies, fruit. To help you can add these daily goals to your formula: 25-30 grams of fiber, no more than 300 mg of cholesteral per day, no more than 2500 mg of sodium per day, and finally drink LOTS of water.
In order to follow this type of diet you will need to read labels and have a good kitchen scale. But after a few weeks you will start to automatically know your portions and know what a single meal consists of, regarding portions and ratios of carbs, protein, and fat. Its just a simple learning curve.
I guarantee you that this formula works, is extremely healthy, easy to follow, and you will never feel hungry. Because you are giving your body exactly what it needs in terms of nutrients and calories. Of course excercise is a critical component - so don't forget to include it if you can, even a simple 1-2 mile walk per day.
girlygirl11
06-06-2004, 09:46 PM
Most of what jd said will work and is useful. However- unless you HAVE TO, counting grams of protein, fat, carbs, cholesterol etc etc is SO tiring!! Who wants to do all of that!!!!?? To lose weight this is what is important, and really the only thing you need to now: calories in must be less than calories out. So if your BMR is 2000 calories/day, and you eat 1500, you will lose weight. IT DOESNT MATTER WHAT SHAPE OR FORM THE CALORIES COME IN. You can eat 1500 calories of cake for all it matters. YES its not healthy, but you will lose weight. Ideally, its best to eat a balanced diet of starches, veggies, fruits, dairy and protein. You don't have to count grams of anything (although I would loosely watch fat intake, just cuz too much isnt healthy). I know from experience that this is the eAsiest way to lose weight without going insane from counting everything and analyzing it- then food becomes energy- not food...who can enjoy it then? You're not going to be on a diet for your whole life, so you dont wanna start a hateful relationship with food now...:)
girlygirl11
06-06-2004, 09:48 PM
P.S. White flour and sugar arent the devil. They are absolutely fine in moderation.
modert
06-06-2004, 11:34 PM
Cindy, You will hear a lot of advice and you will need to choose a plan that best fits your lifestyle and will help you attain your goals. However, I will add that as a person over 40 who is already experiencing ill-health, and that needs to lose 70 lbs, you will be far more successful if you are precise about what you consume. GirlyGirl's advice may be appropriate for people in their twenties or for people who need to lose a modest amount of weight (10-20 lbs), but not necessarily appropriate for you.
Lets face it, something got you where you are today - and you are not alone... been through it all myself. Typically, its a combination of unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. Lack of understanding and/or carelessness is the primary cause of unhealthy eating habits - and the best way to rectify the problem is to teach yourself the right way!!! Following the plan I described you WILL learn and you WILL form healthy habits, and eventually you will be able to do it all with your eyes closed. Tracking what you consume is not tiring... its productive, enlightening, and will help you accomplish your goal! I assure you it works, you will never feel hungry, and your health will improve. Like I said, Southbeach may be a great starting point for you - especially because of your problems with carbs... but think about transitioning to a plan like I described - or incorporating into whatever else you choose to do down the road.
White flour and sugar may not be the devil, but they sure are likely to be contributing to your health problems. The fact that you have GERD and asthma tells me that you would greatly benefit from dramtically decreasing or eliminating refined/processed carbs from your diet. (Don't eliminate carbs... just the bad ones!) And your sensitivity to carbs -- this could be allergies, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, yeast overgrowth, thyroid or liver insufficiency, or a variety of other things... junk carbs contribute greatly to these conditions.
There are so many factors that will contribute to your success - its NOT just about about counting calories... When you are on an extensive weight loss plan its about stabilizing your metabolism (with the correct balance of protein and carbs AND with excercise), reducing your allergy load, protecting your vital organs, staying hydrated, and so much more.
I wish you all the luck and hope that you will keep us posted on how you are doing.
Lets face it, something got you where you are today - and you are not alone... been through it all myself. Typically, its a combination of unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. Lack of understanding and/or carelessness is the primary cause of unhealthy eating habits - and the best way to rectify the problem is to teach yourself the right way!!! Following the plan I described you WILL learn and you WILL form healthy habits, and eventually you will be able to do it all with your eyes closed. Tracking what you consume is not tiring... its productive, enlightening, and will help you accomplish your goal! I assure you it works, you will never feel hungry, and your health will improve. Like I said, Southbeach may be a great starting point for you - especially because of your problems with carbs... but think about transitioning to a plan like I described - or incorporating into whatever else you choose to do down the road.
White flour and sugar may not be the devil, but they sure are likely to be contributing to your health problems. The fact that you have GERD and asthma tells me that you would greatly benefit from dramtically decreasing or eliminating refined/processed carbs from your diet. (Don't eliminate carbs... just the bad ones!) And your sensitivity to carbs -- this could be allergies, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, yeast overgrowth, thyroid or liver insufficiency, or a variety of other things... junk carbs contribute greatly to these conditions.
There are so many factors that will contribute to your success - its NOT just about about counting calories... When you are on an extensive weight loss plan its about stabilizing your metabolism (with the correct balance of protein and carbs AND with excercise), reducing your allergy load, protecting your vital organs, staying hydrated, and so much more.
I wish you all the luck and hope that you will keep us posted on how you are doing.