Way to Go Sassy and Amy on your big losses this week!
OMG I am soooooooo proud of you two ladies!
Sassy lost 4 lbs! and Amy lost 3.8 lbs! I will post these on the next update no later than Tuesday night.

Keep it up! Today I went on a school fieldtrip and missed my walk this morning. So I am going now with my DH .

ttyl!
Gen

Good Wednesday morning ladies! It's a grey, icky, rainy, cold day here, so I'm debating my food world today ..... I did HMR for a few months (5 years ago) and went from 192 to 147. And through what I learned there, my maintance calories for 115 lbs would be 1265 cals a day. I've been doing pretty well staying under that for the last week (I didn't write what I ate and drank, so I'm not sure what I did, but I know I ate smaller portions and less snacks than I normally do), but I keep seeing that I should be eating 1800 a day. So, what do I believe? HMR is a medical plan and my metabolism never "slowed" when I was fasting with 520 cals a day, but then I read somewhere else that if I eat 1200 cals a day I'm "starving" myself. So..... what should I be eating? And why is weight loss so much harder than putting weight on??? It's just not fair!
Ok... I'm done whining now....
How is everyone else's challenges going?
Erin

Like I mentioned before I'm no doctor I just checked out this HMR diet. Basically its a liquid diet. My personal opnion is that if Humans were intended to live off liquids we wouldnt have any teeth! The claims theirwebsite makes is that you lose 6-7 lbs a week. It is very possible to lose that amoint of weight. But almost every doctor says that the safest amount to lose is 1-3 lbs a week. IF you lose more than that then you are losing mostly muscle. Another thing is your body needs more than 520 calories a day just to perform its daily functions. Thats why 1,200 calories a day is the amount suggested. Its the fuel you're body needs at minimum. I dont know what you weigh at the moment but if its around 190lbs then eating 1,800 calories a day will just maintain that current weight. How did you physically feel when you were on the HMR diet? Did youfeel lots of energy? Or did you feel sluggish at times? Any headaches? dizzy? stomach pains ? These are all symptoms that you are starving. You could very well lose weight eating 1,400 calories a day. Just dont expect it to be 6 lbs a week. The only program that I have heard so many great things about is Weight Watchers. Because you do get to eat everything in moderation and still lose weight. You probably feel that it's so much easier to put on weight than it is to lose weight!
We all feel that way too You dont gain 100lbs overnight. One thing I have noticed is if you get on a strict diet where you are deprived from all your favorite foods,once you reach goal weight you go back and try to eat your favorite foods in moderation and start gaining weight again slowly. Because most of us just cant stop at one chip!lol Another thing you mentioned was your metabolism didnt slow down. Well when you are starving your body tries all it can to save you and it slows itself down. But if you are only takingin 520 calories a day every day there is no choice andyou will lose weight! But what sort of weight? Fat,Protein,Water or mostly Muscle? I lost a lot of weight yrs ago eating about 700 calories a day. Well I did get thin and I lost so much muscle that I could not keep the weight off with regular exercise. More muscle in your body means you are able to burn much much more fat. Dont be so hard on yourself. IF you lose 1 lb in a week it's still a loss. I have been hard on myself many times when I actually should be proud of myself for sticking to this and losing weight ! The only doctors that say 500 calories a day is fine are those doctors that work for these Companies like HMR diet. Ask your nutritionist to see what she tells you about what your body needs. Losing weight is hard, there is no shortcut. Ive looked ! Eat foods with fiber, fiber fills you for longer .I checked out a book called "Dr Shapiro's Picture Perfect Weightloss" IT gives many examples of foods. One 6-7 oz steak has 700 calories.
Think about it, on the next page it shows an entire meal like 1 whole chicken breast,med baked potato with fatfree sourcream,side salad and small dinner roll. All that might still have lower calories than that 1 piece of steak! Well I think this post is long enough! Get recipes from fellow dieters. There is always a new recipe at the Weightwatchers site.

take it one day at a time,
Gen
194/166/135?

Hey Gen
Actually, on HMR I didn't feel any of those things. I had lots of energy and did fine on it. And the only time I lost more than 2 lbs a week on it was my first week and most of that was water (they even tell you that will happen.) I do know that some people lose much more than that a week, but they are also like a friend of mine who lost 80 lbs in 14 weeks on it and are over 300lbs. I'm not sure of the website you saw, but I don't think it showed the "whole" program. They do teach you to eat the way your body needs to eat, it's just a matter of, for some people, getting out of the eating world, where you don't have an option of what to eat and what not to eat is what it takes to get going on weight loss. I know it did for me! And fasting (unless you are REALLY morbidly obese) is only for about 12 weeks. I cut mine short because I decided I was happy with 147 (and even lost weight in maintance down to 137) at the time. However, when you sign up for HMR (at least through the clinic I'm at), you have to go to the classes every week which teach you about calories (very similar to Dr Shapiro's approach... hmmm... Spend my cals on a cookie or 2 heads of cauliflower? I'm a quantity person! ), Physical activity (a minimum of 2000 cals week is what you are "required" to do), a formula for how much weight you lost vs how much body fat you actually lost (the 2 don't necessarily equal out each week) and then after fasting you have 18 months of maintence in which you meet with your group (and the dietician/nurse who teaches the class) and learn more fun stuff about food (I've heard it compared to WW often). That's why I was asking about the calories a day.... I learned a formula in HMR that to find out your maintence calories, you take your weight x 11. For me, I'm using my maintence calories for if I am 115 so that I'm dealing with that eating world vs the eating world of a 145 lb person when I get to 115. I'll already have "trained" myself. And believe me, I don't let myself not have something (Like the 4 thin mints I picked today instead of a half a bagel ). If I did that, I'd never lose!!! Now, don't get me wrong, it ain't for everybody, but it did work for me. But should I use the calories I learned from there or go with a higher calorie count? I wish it were as easy as when I used to be 115#! Unfortunately, 10 years and 2 kids later, I don't think eating that way would get me to 115 again!
Ok... Didn't mean to write a book here. LOL
I have a question about WW though (if anyone can answer it). When you find out your points for your weight, do they tell you what the approximate calorie value of those points would be? I asked a friend of mine this when she joined and she never found out (found out she was preggo the same day as her first meeting and couldn't be in it anymore).
Thanks
Off to the mall to work off those thin mints! Now can I avoid the chinese place??? That's the real question!
E

I forgot to say this, Gen.... Nope, didn't gain weight overnight... closer to 9 months! I went from 110 lbs to 165 with my first pregnancy, didn't lose any, 3 years later gained 22 with a friend while she was pregnant, gained about 4 in a month before I went on HMR and then lost about 55. Then gained almost all of it back with my 2nd pregnancy! At least now, I'm back to where I started after HMR, so I know it can be done again, but I just wish I hadn't re-put on the weight I just lost before the holidays due to marital problems and depression. Unfortunately, I went from not being able to eat to eating everything and anything in sight! I'm working on the emotional eating problems I have, but it feels so much better to have cheesecake than sit and journal why I want to eat. I know, I know... in the long run it doesn't. But when I'm emotional, I feel like that little girl in Willy Wonka "I want it nooooooooow!"
E

Hello gang!!! It turned out to be nice day here in PA, as soon as my son gets out of school we are going to the nursing home that my Mom is at they are having a tiger and a panther there for them to see. Taking the good ole camcorder with me you never know when you might get the million dollar tape.

HMR I don't know much about it but from what I have read of your posts, it sounds like it is a fad diet. I am a die hard beliver of Weight Watchers, you learn to eat and exercise properly. Without any damage to your body. I did read where a guy who was 500lbs went on HMR and lost like 200 lbs. For him maybe that was the only solution. But now that he is down in weight I think he needs to learn to eat and exercise correctly. You can't stay on the HMR forever can you? And just like Phen fen (which I know all about) as soon as you stop on comes the weight cuz you never learned how to do it correctly.

Well I guess I have my 2 cents for what it is worth. Eatting and exercising right is the only way to a healthy lifestyle!!!!

Ok, I would like to join this challenge. I am so tired of being overweight. For me it seems so impossible to lose any weight, so I am going to start with a small goal. If I can lose 5 lbs, I will be thrilled!

Starting at 215

Dustcatcher

Dustcatcher I see you are from PA what part? I am Northeastern region of PA.

And wanted to hello!!!

Sassycat, I live in Central PA-------near Harrisburg.
Where are you?

I am in Berwick about an hour and half from Harrisburg. Of course I know you know where Berwick who in PA don't know the DAWGS!!! not me that is for sure I am not a football fan.

Have a Great Day everyone!!!

Hi Ladies. Hello Gennel and Sassycat, we;ve met before on another thread. I would love to join your group as I need to be re-committed to following plan and need the accountabilty. I also need some help and boy do I need it fast! I've been following ww's now for almost 12 wks and have only lost 10 lbs. Just lately I've not been following my pts plan and I know I've strayed from it. The help I need is "getting back on track"....I know what to do but need some motivation. On the weeks that I was following my plan and journalling.....I often showed a slow loss or no loss at all. My leader at my meetings kept suggesting.....1. cut out all legal sweets.....2. vary my foods more.....3. how's my water?...(anymore and I'd float away) and still it was a struggle to hit my 10 lb star. Do any of you have some suggestions for me? Today is another start to journalling and my weigh in is Saturday. I really would like to get to know you all, it seems most of the threads that I've joined have all peter-ed out. (don't you just hate that?) Thanks alot.

Oh man! I was writing you this HUGE post and I got booted!
I'm reading about your struggle and I can imagine how you feel. I cant complain even though I have complained when the most Ive lost in a week was 1 lb. But I have a 28.5 lb loss ,it will be 12 weeks this saturday. I read your post , one thing I didnt find was about the amount of exercise you do daily? I hate it , I mean I really hate it! But I owe more than 50% of my weightloss to walking 6 days a week. I started 35 min/45 min/ Now I do 60 min one day and 90 min the next! It sounds like a whole lot I know. But its 1 hour out ofmy day that I am determined to find time for.
I can guarantee you that if you add 30 min a day at least 5-6 days a week. You will probably notice at least a 2 lb loss next weigh in. Make yourself do this, push yourself, talk to yourself if you must! I have been out there on some mornings whenI just want to stay home and nap. Sometimes I'msluggish because its so damn hot outside,or drizzling. But Im there. When ever you need to talk please PM me or post here . Someone will surely answer asap. We are all here for the same reason. We are all on the same road to success! I want this so bad , I can smell it!
I was just so tired of wearing the huge t-shirt to cover up my big rear end and stomach. I hope you stay in touch.

Gen
194/166/135 ?

Just wanted to take the time and say Hi Angel!

I shouldn't do too much complaining either I am on my 9th week of WW and I have lost 25 lbs. And yes like Gennel there were weeks I complained because I only lost 1 lb. I guess we shouldn't complain at least it was a loss. I had 3 weeks in row like that then this week I lost 4 so it will catch up to you. I think it just takes time to make it there.

Exercise yes I hate it too but I try and get my self moving as much as I can. I am not like Gennel I wish I were 90 mins. that is alot. I am up to 40 mins. now and I feel I can keep going, next week the weather is suppose to get nice again so maybe I will try to do 60 mins.

Well I will catch you all later. Remember to drink your WATER!!!!!

I have walked on a treadmill I had, and never wanted to walk outside. The most I could do on a treadmill was 40-45 min and that was really pushing myself. I cant explain the difference with walking outside. I just walk more outside than Iwould if I was on a treadmill. I see the people, pets and ducks.... I plan out my day while I'm walking.I know I must be walking a lot because my family says I do! lol MY husband walks with me sometimes. I wish he would walk with me more often but Iwalk in the mornings.
When I walk with him time flies! We chat about the day,talk about our kids and its just more fun! I am pushing the "drink your water ! " I am pushing myself to drink 8 glasses of water a day. I have a 32 oz bottle that I fill and I drink it all and then refill. I know once the second bottle is done ,then Im done! The first 4 glasses of water I must admit I really want. But the rest I force myself to drink it. Idrank 8 glasses yesterday and then Hubby wanted to do Tae Bo , I only do the aerobic part which is like 25 min. Well I drank another 2 glasses of water after that! I almost gagged on it! lol

Gen
194/166/135 ?

Well after driving myself everyday 2 miles to a park so I can do my walking . I decided today that I would walk to the park(2miles) and then walk right back another (2miles) . I got there and walked in the park for only about 11 min, then headed back home . I didnt want to check the pedometer until I got home! I got to my front door and looked down ...my pedometer read 5.29 miles! I came back alive and well,gulped down a 16 oz glass of water,had my sugarfree jello topped with FF whipcream. The only complain I have is the SUN! I have more shade at the park . I came back with a tan too! lol . My legs are tan down to where my socks are so now from my ankles down its super white! wahhhhh lol .
I'm usually in chat by 8 pm but tonight I think I might not be able to be here. A father of a friend of ours died this week and tonight we're going to the funeral home . This was a total shock to us because we met this man about 2 yrs ago! He looked great and was very active. First his liver, then lung cancer? He went from 12 months to live, down to 3 months ...well he didnt survive over a week
Ladies please PM me tomorrow with your losses for the week. If you already had a specific weigh in day (sunday or monday ) Please PM me as soon as you weigh in! Iwill post losses as they come in.

ttyl,
Gen
194/166/135?